I'm trying to get a handel on the value of my ICF manufacture's support. A little back ground; I'm contracting with a small local construction company to build our all concrete home. Project is "Time and Material". I have known the owner for twenty years, but not close friends. He has a crew of 4, and they are 35-45 years old and have been with his Co for many years. They have used ICFs before and like them. They have done a few bacements and at least one above grade level. Our project is 5000 sq-ft home on a 3000 sq-ft bacement. ICF and Hambro floor system.

I will inspec all ICF work before pour. I have 15 years home construction experince in my first life and 12 years as a mechanical engineer. Built our 3500 sq-ft timber frame, much from our own home built saw mill and our logs. ICFs, I believe in money spent on good bracing is well spent. So I will not encourage saving money there. The home design is based on "no cutting" of blocks for the most part except windows and doors. We are tring to understand the process to the point, we spent the week at the World of Concrete show.

As I read many past posts on this site, (been lurking for nearly a year), manufactures' support is always noted as important. ICFs are not so common here in Southern Indiana.

Now the question/s;

How many pours with ICFs did it take before you felt you did not need constant manufactures support?
What are the typical issues builders need help with?
What is good support?

Patrick T

Patrick,

It takes 3 t0 5 projects before a contractor becomes comfortable with ICF's.  The best support will come from a builder who has done several ICF project. The more the merrier. Experience counts.

Patrick

I have to agree with Tom 3-5 projects and a experienced ICF builder is also a cat of a differant color because like most who post here we all know that new situations come up all the time and we have to think on the run how to solve them, that along with newer ever changing technology this industry changes almost weekly if not more, which is saying alot seeing how it took 300 years for us to start getting it right.

ICF Blocks/Cattail Bill,

Thank you for your replies. Looks like I have assumed correct, my contractor has experince. We never know when support will be needed but at least the intial learning curve has been met. Using the Hambro floor system will be new to both my contractor and myself. On paper looks very simple, but you know how that goes! I hope Scot Gruer, of Hambro, can find a job site near by for a pre-construction demonstraition.

In most cases, support is relative to the user. In other words, there is a good possibility that someone with carpentry and/or concrete experience may know more than their rep they are buying from.

What this means is they are still learning, but there still should be very good mfg support available for those questions which may be too technical for the immediate response from the rep. Keep in mind, their efforts at getting you an answer because they don't know or are not sure is still support. Being left with a vague or no answer IS NOT support; having a helpful seller of product will help plan for when Murphy visits the site......

Patrick,
I agree with Jim and some what with Bill and Tom. The last thing you want is a product sitting on your jobsite with 4-5 guys sitting around on T&M doing nothing but sipping coffee and eating doughnuts waiting for some answer to some question that the factory rep is trying to find but they are nowhere to be found because they are out of cell range. I would agree with some of the others on this site and go with a product your contractor is familiar with. This should reduce the chance of costly delays. Also a contractor that is well versed at concrete construction is cgoing to have a leg up on someone who only knows wood and nails. Also nothing beats a quality contractor that is able to plan ahead, have good knowledge of the plans, and is able to decipher the engineering ahead of time to be able to ask questions ahead of time so they can get answers in a timley manor to avoid any loss of production.

ICF Contractor