Anybody Used/using Premiere ICF's?

IHI

The local concrete supplier carries this brand of ICF's and I've gone out to look at a few jobs in progress/completed and actually repaired a job built using ICF's so I've heard the first hand bonuses of this product and I have been condiering using this system for my new shop I would like to get under way this summer.

Naturally the inital cost is scaring the hell out of me as I did a cost comparison of using ICF's and to do myself it came in at $19,500 just for the footings, slab, and wall system. Not included was radiant floor heat, sewer/water/electrical, windows, doors, siding, roof system, so just of the hip I would have roughly $30K in a 30x40x14.5' shop keeping most of the labor in house. I just priced out the same exact sized strutcture with an attached breeze way for a customer who wants stick built using 14' 2x6's sitting on 6" block and for all practical purposes it came in roughly $10K cheaper.

So I guess I personally need/want more feedback on this product or any other ICF for that matter to justify the huge inital set-up costs, what's worse is concrete tiself is also going up $2.50/yrd in this area soon so figuring I will need roughly 40-42 yrds already and now we'll be at $90/yrd how many years would it take to recoup inital build price over traditional stick built with the use of spray on foam insulation which would get close to R value.

Would you guys pour the 14' walls in 1 pour or break it up into 2? Overall how easy do you feel this product goes together?

Any real world UNbasis info is what I'm looking for to get swayed in my descion. Like anybody I dont want to sell off my first born for my shop/garage, but since gas prices will never get lower I also dont want to be dropping $500+ annually to heat this thing either.

Josh

__________________
Hot Rod Work Van
Car video clip
Web
The Photo Gear- Type Josh into Contact name when ordering

6stringmason

Ive never used it or talked to anyone who has. I think its mainly commercial material and I do residential. If I were you though I would go with a cheaper price. Depending on the area I guess. In my area if I did it, which I plan in a few years about that same size, I would heat in with a woodburner.

I guess heating depends on how much youre going to really use it. You can alwasy add a conventional heater if you dont want the trouble of a woodburner later on down the road. Plus the woodburner just smells so good.

Good luck. Let us know what you go with. Its always a nice step up and you know you're doing something right when you can build your own shop. I envy you!

__________________
Kamps Masonry & Concrete Countertop Design Green Bay, WI
920-680-3195
Visit our website @
http://www.concretecountertopsdesign.com/

IHI

The ICF's are gaining momentum in this area, even though it's been around for yrs more and more people are starting to take notice and when I inquired about it the supplier had asked if I would like to be a dealer. I hate turning down opportunity, and I did have to miss a sscheduled seminar about installing this product due to other obligations, I need to go to one and get the jist of it, then I need to become certified in order to actually carry the "dealer" label. I would just feel more comfortable trying this product on myself as opposed to being paid for it since the few guys I've talked to say there is a learning curve involved. I dont want to be the guy that is know for off level plate areas, bowed walls, etc...like a few others in this area are.

Our old hot rod shop had wood burner heat, and while it's "free" it's really not since we had to spend the time cutting up the wood into bite sized pieces and stacking, hauling around when we needed it, then it was either freeze or sweat, nothing consistant. I will be using this place ALOT to say the least weather doing work projects, or the main reason for building/working on race cars so affordable utilities are a must and the fact radiant floor heat is actually pretty cheap to install and use, plus I'll be on/near the floor alot the warmth is awesome. Typical heating the floor area is always cool/cold unless heat is run 24/7 to keep slab warm and I hate that cold feeling along with slab sweating/condensation issues.

It's just awful hard to fork over the $10K extra-actually a lil more since running electrical and plumbing out there will be harder as well-if I wont recoup the costs in a quick manner. Kinda like buying a diesel I guess

__________________
Hot Rod Work Van
Car video clip
Web
The Photo Gear- Type Josh into Contact name when ordering