When it comes to engineering an ICF home. Is it better to go with a structural or civil engineer? Some civil engineers are well-versed in structural residential concrete engineering but only carry a civil engineering stamp.

for walls i dont know... but i suspect same as below....
for floors and roofs, structural with concrete forming and shoring experience is best....
i also would check with the manufacturers for the names of pe's or civil engineers they have worked with in the past...

If "well versed" why not? As long as their association and local codes allow it.

Residential ICF is relatively easy to engineer and many just use the Manufacturers generic specs. If there is an engineer that you are comfortable with and "all" he carries is a civil, I would not hold it against him. One caveat, if his main job is bridges etc. he may tend to over engineer a house.

Posted By FBBP on 20 Jan 2014 11:02 AM
If "well versed" why not? As long as their association and local codes allow it.

Residential ICF is relatively easy to engineer and many just use the Manufacturers generic specs. If there is an engineer that you are comfortable with and "all" he carries is a civil, I would not hold it against him. One caveat, if his main job is bridges etc. he may tend to over engineer a house.

The state allows the civil engineer to stamp a set of residential drawings with his civil engineering stamp as long as he is knowledgeable and confident in engineering the home. A structural engineer is already knowledgeable and licensed so they carry the structural PE stamp. 

The two fields of study are very closely linked of course but it's the classification that separates the two. This PE has a civil engineer stamp and is well-versed in ICF and InsulDeck and has done quite a few projects with ICF.

Structural engineers have areas of experience or expertise, so even though he is qualified to stamp a set of plans for ICF, if he is not well versed in them he will error to side of caution...a lot, which creates animosity amongst us installers as whats good the goose is not necessarily good for the gander and engineers (like most professionals, including us ICF installers) do not like to be told that something they did is wrong or could be improved.

Shopping for an engineer is much the same as shopping for a contractor, seek out references, talk to others, etc etc.

In the US, the prescriptive method is good for most residential projects in most places, ICF manufacturers who have provided engineering for their products have done so to meet the strictest part of the codes within the basic parameters of what they call out in their manuals.

So if you are building a simple 2500 sq.ft. house no bigger then a 40x80 footprint, either basement only or even to the roof, a manufacturers manual specs that come stamped will suffice, will your local building authority accept it? That's another thread. If everything your project does falls within the realm of the manufacturers spec, use it. If you are using an independent engineer and he designs greater, ask him why. If he designs less, thats usually good, it means he actually did his work and checked everything and found areas to save you money.

Professional engineering licensing requirements and endorsements vary by state. A separate structural engineering endorsement is typically required for performing structural engineering design. Obtaining a structural engineering endorsement typically involves acquiring additional experience and taking/passing an additional 16 hour exam beyond what was required for the initial Civil or Mechanical professional engineering license prerequisite.

Chris is correct that most state building codes allow using prescriptive methods to accomplish building construction without the need for any professional engineering design. As such, you can often use prescriptive methods for most conventional residential construction projects. Professional engineering is only typically required when your project design exceeds the allowed prescriptive method limitations. One example of this might be constructing a passive solar building that has a roof overhang that exceeds the prescriptive method limits. In this case, a licensed structural engineer needs to ensure that the building structure will handle the increased lateral loading that will result from the local wind conditions. Another common example might be constructing an ICF building in a location that has strict seismic requirements. Bottom line, your local building authority will tell you when you need more engineering assistance when you submit your plans.

With my two-story house design being more complex than a standard ranch design, the engineering is a must, no ways around it. I am in a Seismic Design Category "C" area. The 2nd floor InsulDeck is something that needs engineering. Plus with the SIPs roof being "unconventional" since all they deal with are wood truss roofs, we must have an engineer.

A good engineer is the best money you can spend on a quality home. In most cases, it probably saves you money before you even start.

I've noticed that whenever 'architect' or 'engineer' is mentioned around the build site, there are hoots of derision and goofy stories come to the surface, but you have to consider the audience.

Posted By ICFHybrid on 26 Jan 2014 10:32 AM
A good engineer is the best money you can spend on a quality home. In most cases, it probably saves you money before you even start.

I've noticed that whenever 'architect' or 'engineer' is mentioned around the build site, there are hoots of derision and goofy stories come to the surface, but you have to consider the audience.

The engineer I am looking to use engineered many ICF and InsulDeck structures. Finding an engineer for an ICF home is not the same as finding one for a wood framed home.