Questions and Answers
To learn more read below.
We hope to be able to answer
your concerns and questions.
Q. How much more will a Concrete Home Cost?
A. Depending on home plan, about 3% to 7% more than conventional wood
framing. A home owner will save on heating and cooling and home owners
insurance and recover the extra construction cost in a short time.
Q. How much will I save on heating and cooling?
A. On average a home owner will save 44% for heating and 32% for air conditioning costs.
These savings depend on style of home.
Q. How do I attach finishes?
A. Most ICF's have standard "furring" made of metal or plastic at 8
inches on center. These "furring strips" will accommodate a variety of
exterior finishes.
Q. How do I install plumbing and electrical.
A. Most ICF's forms are very easy to use. The foam can be routed or cut
out and plumbing or electrical lines placed in the space that was cut
away. Contact your local ICF distributor to answer more of your
questions and see why we say "Beautiful homes built to last that's the
beauty of today's Concrete.
Building a Better
House with Concrete
Concrete walls built with insulating concrete forms (ICFs) give a house superior comfort, solidity, durability, resistance to natural disasters, quietness, and energy efficiency. Use of ICFs is growing rapidly. They offer both home buyers and home builders a superior alternative to wood frame walls.
ICFs are hollow "blocks" or "panels" made of plastic foam that construction crews stack into the shape of the walls of a building. The workers then fill the center with reinforced concrete to create the structure. There are over 20 brands of ICFs in North America, each with some variations in design and materials.
ICF construction sandwiches a heavy, high-strength material (reinforced concrete) between two layers of a light, high-insulation one (foam). This combination creates a wall with an unusually good combination of desirable properties: air tightness, strength, sound attenuation, insulation, and mass.
Comfort. Houses built with ICF walls have a much more even temperature throughout the day and night. They have virtually no "cold spots", and sharply fewer drafts.
Solidity. The rigidity of concrete construction reduces the
flex in floors and cuts shifting and vibration from the force
of the wind or the slamming of doors. Concrete houses survive
high-force winds like hurricanes far better than wood homes.
And when properly reinforced, they should also withstand
earthquakes well.
Quietness. About one-sixth as much sound gets through an ICF wall compared with an ordinary frame wall. This sharply cuts the intrusion of noise from outside.
Energy efficiency. The superior insulation, air tightness, and mass of the walls cut the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling by 30-40%. This can save $200-300 per year in a typical home. In addition, it allows the installation of smaller heating and cooling equipment. That can reduce the initial cost of a house by over a thousand dollars.