Wolff177

I'm going to be building a new house. I was wondering what the least expensive way to go would be. ICF foundation, poured wall foundation, or just a regular block wall foundation.

hondadrv24

In the long run ICF always wins. if you use block or concrete you still have to frame out and insulate. Not to mention that if you go ahead and do your whole house out of ICf and concrete your main floor walls have no air gaps in them except for at the windows.

Just my two cents, but I am partial because I used to work for a concrete company that sold the LOGIX forms.
Justin

NOVA Pros

I would be bias too, as I used to work with decorative concrete, and can see the potential.

NOVAPRos

jdougn

Justin's response will save a significant amount of money in the long run just on utility bills alone. Concrete block is actually porus and air will move through it which is not good, especially in the winter. Poured concrete is a better air barrier but a terrible thermal barrier. The insulated forms work extrememly well when installed properly. My boss used them a few years ago and his basement is still warm & dry. Drainage is important too.

My boss started with gravel a foot below the basement footer, added perforated drain tile, then back filled with gravel to within a foot of finished grade. His basement is perfectly dry.

HTH, Doug

Wolff177

thanks all for the response, i believe i'll go with the icf forms.

mudmixer

Just make sure you do not come up with the final wall bracing and do not use an amateur to place the concrete with a pump. Unless you have a unique situation with access from all sides, you will be moving trucks in order to pour the 8' basement wall height in 2 to 4 lifts, working around.

Honeycombing and poor placement (vibration) and pouring up too fast is the typical cause of water problems in ICF basements. - The forms (ICFs) are left on and no one ever sees the errors until a year after the house is finished. - The nail benders will complain immediately when the foundation shifted out of square because of poor bracing and pouring too fast.

In your climate (which I know well) a heavily insulated basement may look good on paper, but keep in mind the soil is much warmer (55F degrees) than the air (-20F up to 32F).