Building a Concrete House

[strobot]

Does anybody here have any experience building a house out of concrete? Or maybe one using insulating forms? If so, what was your experience like and how did the costs compare/contrast to a normal stick structure?

Note: not just talking about a concrete pad to put the house on!

Thanks!

 

[f35phixer]

go to Houzz and ask these kinda question.

 

[Badger]

I like the idea of hollow foam block forms that are infilled with rebar and concrete. After viewing a "This Old House" series on this type of construction I watched a house like that being built on the block next to ours and was quite impressed. Nothing quite like a monolithic concrete poured house with vertical and horizontal rebar in a hurricane prone area. You might also want to put just as much effort into roof material choices. I prefer a standing seam metal roof that is screwed down with all edges crimped over the screwed down drip edge. If you are looking for a weather proof home you don't want the roof to blow off.


Cheers!

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I like the idea of hollow foam block forms that are infilled with rebar and concrete. After viewing a "This Old House" series on this type of construction I watched a house like that being built on the block next to ours and was quite impressed. Nothing quite like a monolithic concrete poured house with vertical and horizontal rebar in a hurricane prone area. You might also want to put just as much effort into roof material choices. I prefer a standing seam metal roof that is screwed down with all edges crimped over the screwed down drip edge. If you are looking for a weather proof home you don't want the roof to blow off.

I think I saw the same one! I was very impressed with the fact that the house had much better thermal and sound insulation than standard construction, too. Definitely something to think about for new construction even if you don't live in a hurricane-prone area.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

German house we lived in for a few years while stationed over there was concrete, with brick exterior. Thermal and sound insulation were unbelievably good compared to any stick-built American house.

 

[Hermit]

I used ICFs for the basement below grade walls in a walkout basement. They were terribly expensive. I had a hard time finding anyone to even bid on doing my foundation because of them. I covered the styrofoam below grade with a heavy ice and water shield type product that came in 36 inch wide rolls. Above ground was covered with an acrylic stucco-like product. There is also 2 inches of styrofoam and a layer of plastic under the concrete floor. The end result is a dry and warm lower level.

 

[calmloki]

I used ICFs for the basement below grade walls in a walkout basement. They were terribly expensive. I had a hard time finding anyone to even bid on doing my foundation because of them. I covered the styrofoam below grade with a heavy ice and water shield type product that came in 36 inch wide rolls. Above ground was covered with an acrylic stucco-like product. There is also 2 inches of styrofoam and a layer of plastic under the concrete floor. The end result is a dry and warm lower level.

Is radon an appreciably greater issue in a concrete home vs wood framed? Seems like it might be.

 

[pb4uski]

I used ICFs for the basement below grade walls in a walkout basement. They were terribly expensive. ...

+1... I considered using them but ultimately decided not to because of the cost and when we did our foundation in 2007 they were relatively known in these parts.

I have a friend who is building in Florida and is planning to use them.

 

[finnski1]

Does anybody here have any experience building a house out of concrete? Or maybe one using insulating forms? If so, what was your experience like and how did the costs compare/contrast to a normal stick structure?

Note: not just talking about a concrete pad to put the house on!

Thanks!

A friend and coworker built a 5000 sq ft underground concrete dome house more than 30 years ago.
He still lives in it.

Had an indoor swimming pool, all kinds of room. I don't know what his energy costs are like but he once told me it was about 6 inches shy of a nuclear bunker
Not my cup of tea(kind of dark and gloomy in there) but he has enjoyed it

 

[Masquernom]

I had read a lot about the form construction. Termites were the thing I'd be worried about. Seems they tunnel up between the forms and the concrete. You can't see them. There are some ways to make it visible. A sheet metal lip all around the house just above ground level. That way they have to build a tunnel on the outside to get around it and you can see where they are.

 

[kgtest]

Wifi and cell coverage might not be great.

 

[street]

I worked for a contractor that built one in the late 70's. It was built into a side of a hill and had cement plank for the roof. Then after the right application there was dirt installed on of the plank. The open side was facing sought for natural light and more sun heat in winter.

It was a beautiful home and the owners where very wealthy and was the owner of a manufacturing company.

 

[calmloki]

We made an offer on this place which was rejected. About a year later we were contacted to see if we were still interested at our offer price. We were just loading up to move down to the place we bought in La Quinta instead. Regret not getting this one anyway. Great light and multiple decks looking out towards Thumb butte in Prescott Arizona. When we saw it it did have some efflorescence at one wall at the bottom - buried in 20' of dirt and cliff....

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/858-E-Fawn-Hill-Rd-Prescott-AZ-86303/60121543_zpid/

 

[jabbahop]

We didn’t build it but our house in Southern Utah is a single story, southwestern style stucco ICF home. I have no idea how much more it costs to build but I can say we are trilled with it.

We live close to the main road in our development and across the street from an “art village” than has some retail galleries and a restaurant and gets quite a few visitors. I was worried it would be noisy but it is by far the quietest home we have ever lived when the windows/sliders are closed.

The temp during the summer is well over 100 degrees from June - August. We set the thermostat to 90 for those months that we are away in Vermont and the NEST Thermostat says we have used no AC during that time. During the winter it gets into the 20’s some nights and again, the thermal mass, means we don’t end up needing to have the heat on constantly.

The final benefit is insect resistance. Our neighbors have lots of problems of bugs getting into their homes. We have few problems like that.

The big downside is if you ever want to change anything requires concrete saws and drills. So far we have avoided that but I can imagine it would be much more expensive doing an addition.

If I were building again, I would strongly consider an ICF home in southern Utah - not sure about how it would work in other climates.

 

[Hermit]

Is radon an appreciably greater issue in a concrete home vs wood framed? Seems like it might be.

I have radon mitigation under the styrofoam and concrete floor. Six inches of 3/4 inch rock with 4 inch perferated pipe running through the rock. The pipe is connected to a verticle stand pipe that exits through the roof. I have an outlet in the attic adjacent to the stand pipe where I can add a fan in line with the pipe if I have high radon readings.


I don't think radon through the styrofoam in the ICFs would be a problem. Mine are 2 1/2 inches thick with 8 inches of reinforced concrete in the middle. You can get ICFs with 4 inches of concrete between 2 inches of styrofoam too. I have never heard of radon in the cement if that is the idea.

 

[strobot]

Thanks everyone for the feedback and information. Where we are currently at (South Korea) almost all of the houses here are built out of concrete. Was hoping there was more experience on concrete builds in the states, as our online research echoes what everyone is saying on this thread; expensive and hard to find contractors to do it. Particularly in the more rural areas we would be looking to retire to.

It's such a shame because in theory it should be less expensive as you are dealing with fewer materials to get a sturdier and longer lasting house. We love our concrete homes out here and maybe one day it will be more widely adopted back in the states...maybe not.

 

[Bongleur]

Icf

effing stupid nanny system keeps dropping the capitalization...

 

[strobot]

Insulating concrete forms...Google it and there are some cool videos to see how they are used.

 

[Retired Expat]

I was a builder my entire career and have built pretty much everything. Stick frame tends to be quicker to build and far easier to modify and usually cheaper. Usually, since there is much you can do to improve performance and how you finish the surfaces has a big part in it.

Where you live, number of floors, will there be a basement, kind and style of home all are factors that will impact which is the cheaper or best way to go not just in build cost but for the life of the home. A low energy home may save a great deal of money over the years but if you can’t afford it then why bother. Like selling your old car which runs fine to buy an expensive electric or hybrid. How long is the payback period? How much is protecting the environment worth to you .

 

[Sunset]

Thanks everyone for the feedback and information. Where we are currently at (South Korea) almost all of the houses here are built out of concrete. Was hoping there was more experience on concrete builds in the states, as our online research echoes what everyone is saying on this thread; expensive and hard to find contractors to do it. Particularly in the more rural areas we would be looking to retire to.

It's such a shame because in theory it should be less expensive as you are dealing with fewer materials to get a sturdier and longer lasting house. We love our concrete homes out here and maybe one day it will be more widely adopted back in the states...maybe not.

I think part of the issue is you asked about ICF.
Which is one way to make concrete homes, and costs more than standard concrete form construction.

Our house has concrete walls for the basement and up to about 1-2 feet above ground, they were created with forms, not ICF.

 

[street]

The last two summers I helped an old friend that has been in the concrete business for 50 years. He still does some work because he likes to do the work and enjoys some extra money.
I have helped him about 10 days total each summer doing basement walls. He uses the insulated concrete forms. We can do an entire floor and walls in about 6 days. The insulated Styrofoam forms take about 5 hours and yo will have the walls set and ready to pour. That is with just two people doing the work. He makes big bucks for just a few jobs and pays me well for my time.

 

[pb4uski]

I thought that this was pretty cool.

 

[Bamaman]

A close by neighbor is building a 3 story concrete home that's very contemporary. It's going to be quite beautiful when it's finished--at 17,000 square feet.

But it's going to be a 2-3 year project. I just feel sorry for his next door neighbor who'll never get any compliment on his home after the "big house" is completed.

 

[atmsmshr]

I thought that this was pretty cool.


Indeed. I did not know this innovation was being implemented. One step to eliminate homelessness.

 

[Sunset]

I thought that this was pretty cool.


Indeed. I did not know this innovation was being implemented. One step to eliminate homelessness.

While it is a very cool building process, I don't see how it will eliminate homelessness without free money.

These things cost money to build, possibly the same cost as using concrete block construction.

Homelessness is a complex issue with a multitude of factors, some of which are not affected by the availability of even freely provided shelter.