We're building an ICF house - Page 18

Going_Commando · 12-21-2012, 07:27 PM

I'd do gift cards for Jesse's or Molly's or something. That way they are taking their spouse/gf out for less out of pocket and will get them laid. Goes much further than $50 cash.

adam_c_eckhardt · 12-25-2012, 11:39 AM

Went out and took some pictures today. Snow is covering the roof, but I'm sure it won't stay for long.

I also plowed 2 inches of snow from the driveway.

Couldn't help myself, but it was good to give it a whirl before the real snow flies tomorrow night.

From December 25, 2012

MitchG · 12-25-2012, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam_c_eckhardt

Went out and took some pictures today. Snow is covering the roof, but I'm sure it won't stay for long.

I also plowed 2 inches of snow from the driveway.

Couldn't help myself, but it was good to give it a whirl before the real snow flies tomorrow night.

From December 25, 2012

Your choice of steel floor joists is bang on! Do you have the name of the manufacturer?

adam_c_eckhardt · 12-25-2012, 12:17 PM

Steel trusses are by Hambro, which is a division of Canam Steel.

Happy with the quality, but don't give them a penny without a delivery date guaranteed in the contract.

kobudo28 · 12-25-2012, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam_c_eckhardt

Steel trusses are by Hambro, which is a division of Canam Steel.

Happy with the quality, but don't give them a penny without a delivery date guaranteed in the contract.

Looking good A! Very nice to have it dried in before nasty weather. Looks like we might get a storm tomorrow into Thursday.

Merry Christmas!

BADDAD · 12-29-2012, 06:48 PM

Nice looking build! You guys got a great looking house on great looking lot. Congratulations

small_e_900 · 01-01-2013, 12:52 PM

As I stoke the wood stove and fill the pellet stove and worry about how much oil I'm using, I wonder how much it will cost to heat your well-built, well insulated house.

Probably a whole heck of a lot less than my 1790's, leaks-like-a-sieve monster.

Da Bear · 01-01-2013, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by small_e_900

As I stoke the wood stove and fill the pellet stove and worry about how much oil I'm using, I wonder how much it will cost to heat your well-built, well insulated house.

Probably a whole heck of a lot less than my 1790's, leaks-like-a-sieve monster.

As I sit in my new Wheel estate, in my driveway, running off of the house current, I wonder the same thing. The wind is howling outside like a damned banshee, it's 28 degrees out there, according to my thermometer. We have an oil filled radiator heater and it keeps us at 65 quite nicely.

adam_c_eckhardt · 01-24-2013, 06:05 PM

Still making progress, but not much that's worthy of a picture. Most of the interior framing is done, and we've almost completed the wiring on the third level. I started hanging cans on the main level the other day.

We've had sub zero temperatures and without heat working is pretty miserable. I know the crew took the last two days off to work in their shop- they just sent me a picture (via text) of the trim brackets they made. They are made of fir and in the pictures they look pretty sharp.

The heat is scheduled to go in late next week, but I'm sure it'll get delayed. The heat guy is probably running around like crazy fixing people's problems.

The plumber is due to show up in the next week or two to finish the rough-in.

And of course insulation will happen soon after the upstairs wiring, etc is done.

I'll take a few pictures this weekend when we wrap up the wiring. The electrician takes pride in doing neat work. What he's done so far is nice to look at- it's a shame it's getting covered up.

ian408 · 01-24-2013, 06:36 PM

Gonna look nice when you're done. Just gotta get the heat on first

Grainbelt · 02-19-2013, 10:37 AM

Da Bear · 02-19-2013, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grainbelt

+1

adam_c_eckhardt · 02-19-2013, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grainbelt

Quote:

Originally Posted by Da Bear

+1

Gimme a few minutes....

adam_c_eckhardt · 02-19-2013, 06:01 PM

Here's a narrative, pictures are uploading now and will be posted in a bit.

Slow and steady is what we've been experiencing.

The GC's crew has completed interior framing and little details here and there. A giant built in medicine cabinet in the master bathroom (basically just using the wall cavity between the bathroom and bedroom). A bookshelf built into one of the walls next to the kitchen. A coat hanging nook in the stairwell going down into the basement. Those kinds of things.

The plumber has started his stuff and did all the venting in the attic the other day.

The electrician is a good friend of mine and we've been working on that together. He's charging me peanuts and he's anal, so it's turning out great. We're putting a sub panel on each floor to minimize home run lengths, and that's turning out to be a good decision. We had the third story wired in 2 days. We're working on the main level now and already kinda started moving into the basement.

We hired an A/V guy to wire the house for whole house audio and phone/data/etc. He's been doing that and we're pretty excited to have music all over the place including on the deck.

As soon as we finished upstairs the insulators blew in cellulose in the attic and upper walls that are not concrete. It was pretty amazing the difference that made. The house is stunningly quiet now and it's holding heat like a bastard. Just a little salamander heater in the basement at the moment and it barely runs. The crew tends to leave a door open for running in and out and that's really the only heat loss we're seeing.

They're currently working on exterior trim and siding is soon to follow.

We just visited with our cabinet maker friend and he's just about done with our kitchen. THEY. ARE. BEAUTIFUL. Can't wait to see them in place.

We decided to do a clear fir ceiling in the living room and dining room. I wanted to do it for the entire first floor until we got the quote.

I'm gearing up to get rolling on the concrete countertops and pre-staining the decking, which has been sitting in our living room for far too long, but we couldn't do it without heat.

For heat we are going with a Buderus (spelling?) boiler with 2 tanks. One tank will run the domestic and one the heat. The domestic tank is a dual coil so we can easily upgrade to solar thermal somewhere down the road. It is not a super-high efficiency boiler, but both the GC and heating guy recommended this "work horse" for it's long term reliability over the more expensive and temperamental models. They both said that our efficiency comes in having a super insulated tight home. Makes sense.

Our GC has been amazing. The quality of work is amazing and we are UNDER budget. That won't be the case for long because we changed a few things in the plumbing department (as in added another bathroom after his original quote) and added a few things in the kitchen as well. Either way, but the end of this project I doubt we'll be more than 3% over if any at all.

Pictures to follow if I don't fall asleep on the couch.

adam_c_eckhardt · 02-19-2013, 06:20 PM

Just uploaded some photos. I'm disappointed- a lot of them are really blurry and the ones of our cabinets are gone.

But here's a few:

Insulation!

From February 19, 2013

I didn't know these photos were taken. I hate having my picture taken. I was holding up the fir brackets they made to see how they'd look. They are part of the exterior trim. I am attempting to grow my hair to donate it, which is why I look like a ragamuffin.

From February 19, 2013

This is what we sent out for a Christmas card this year. It was actually a New Years card because we procrastinated.

From February 19, 2013

Our upstair sub panel. The electrician is very neat.

From February 19, 2013

Again- sorry for lack of pictures. I'll try to get some more by the weekend.

And for those of you that have shown an interest just want to extend an invitation to visit. Just send a PM.

12-29-2012, 06:48 PM	#261
BADDAD " Bitter Clinger " Joined: Oct 2008 Location: NW Alabama Oddometer: 280	Nice looking build! You guys got a great looking house on great looking lot. Congratulations __________________ 08 BLUE KLR 650 PLAN B SUCKS When you don't know what you are doing you might as well do it quickly

01-01-2013, 12:52 PM	#262
small_e_900 Amanda carried it Joined: Aug 2007 Location: Mudpuddle Maine Oddometer: 1,318	As I stoke the wood stove and fill the pellet stove and worry about how much oil I'm using, I wonder how much it will cost to heat your well-built, well insulated house. Probably a whole heck of a lot less than my 1790's, leaks-like-a-sieve monster. __________________ ____________________ The highest function of love is that it makes the loved one a unique and irreplaceable being. Tom Robbins

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12-21-2012, 07:27 PM	#256
Going_Commando Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2008 Location: Sunny So Cal Oddometer: 489	I'd do gift cards for Jesse's or Molly's or something. That way they are taking their spouse/gf out for less out of pocket and will get them laid. Goes much further than $50 cash.

12-25-2012, 12:17 PM	#259
adam_c_eckhardt ^OP thunked Joined: Nov 2007 Location: Live Free or Die Oddometer: 4,249	Steel trusses are by Hambro, which is a division of Canam Steel. Happy with the quality, but don't give them a penny without a delivery date guaranteed in the contract.

01-24-2013, 06:05 PM	#264
adam_c_eckhardt ^OP thunked Joined: Nov 2007 Location: Live Free or Die Oddometer: 4,249	Still making progress, but not much that's worthy of a picture. Most of the interior framing is done, and we've almost completed the wiring on the third level. I started hanging cans on the main level the other day. We've had sub zero temperatures and without heat working is pretty miserable. I know the crew took the last two days off to work in their shop- they just sent me a picture (via text) of the trim brackets they made. They are made of fir and in the pictures they look pretty sharp. The heat is scheduled to go in late next week, but I'm sure it'll get delayed. The heat guy is probably running around like crazy fixing people's problems. The plumber is due to show up in the next week or two to finish the rough-in. And of course insulation will happen soon after the upstairs wiring, etc is done. I'll take a few pictures this weekend when we wrap up the wiring. The electrician takes pride in doing neat work. What he's done so far is nice to look at- it's a shame it's getting covered up.

01-24-2013, 06:36 PM	#265
ian408 More wag; less bark Joined: Apr 2003 Location: Santa Clara, CA Oddometer: 11,850	Gonna look nice when you're done. Just gotta get the heat on first

02-19-2013, 10:37 AM	#266
Grainbelt marginal adventurer Joined: Feb 2006 Location: Minnyhappiness Oddometer: 25,086

02-19-2013, 06:01 PM	#269
adam_c_eckhardt ^OP thunked Joined: Nov 2007 Location: Live Free or Die Oddometer: 4,249	Here's a narrative, pictures are uploading now and will be posted in a bit. Slow and steady is what we've been experiencing. The GC's crew has completed interior framing and little details here and there. A giant built in medicine cabinet in the master bathroom (basically just using the wall cavity between the bathroom and bedroom). A bookshelf built into one of the walls next to the kitchen. A coat hanging nook in the stairwell going down into the basement. Those kinds of things. The plumber has started his stuff and did all the venting in the attic the other day. The electrician is a good friend of mine and we've been working on that together. He's charging me peanuts and he's anal, so it's turning out great. We're putting a sub panel on each floor to minimize home run lengths, and that's turning out to be a good decision. We had the third story wired in 2 days. We're working on the main level now and already kinda started moving into the basement. We hired an A/V guy to wire the house for whole house audio and phone/data/etc. He's been doing that and we're pretty excited to have music all over the place including on the deck. As soon as we finished upstairs the insulators blew in cellulose in the attic and upper walls that are not concrete. It was pretty amazing the difference that made. The house is stunningly quiet now and it's holding heat like a bastard. Just a little salamander heater in the basement at the moment and it barely runs. The crew tends to leave a door open for running in and out and that's really the only heat loss we're seeing. They're currently working on exterior trim and siding is soon to follow. We just visited with our cabinet maker friend and he's just about done with our kitchen. THEY. ARE. BEAUTIFUL. Can't wait to see them in place. We decided to do a clear fir ceiling in the living room and dining room. I wanted to do it for the entire first floor until we got the quote. I'm gearing up to get rolling on the concrete countertops and pre-staining the decking, which has been sitting in our living room for far too long, but we couldn't do it without heat. For heat we are going with a Buderus (spelling?) boiler with 2 tanks. One tank will run the domestic and one the heat. The domestic tank is a dual coil so we can easily upgrade to solar thermal somewhere down the road. It is not a super-high efficiency boiler, but both the GC and heating guy recommended this "work horse" for it's long term reliability over the more expensive and temperamental models. They both said that our efficiency comes in having a super insulated tight home. Makes sense. Our GC has been amazing. The quality of work is amazing and we are UNDER budget. That won't be the case for long because we changed a few things in the plumbing department (as in added another bathroom after his original quote) and added a few things in the kitchen as well. Either way, but the end of this project I doubt we'll be more than 3% over if any at all. Pictures to follow if I don't fall asleep on the couch.