Fox Blocks
 
 Register  Login   
Learn about green building products and methods Find answers, products, and people Connect with homeowners, professionals, and suppliers Register for free at GreenBuildingTalk
Unanswered Active Topics
Forums Search Members
Forums > Green Building Technologies > Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) > Subject: Subterranean Construction

You are not authorized to post a reply.   
Prev Next
Author Messages
JCook5003User is Offline
Registered Users

Posts:5
07/10/2008 10:35 AM  

I am starting to research building a subterranean home, it probably wont be built from ICF's but since you guys work with poured concrete etc. maybe you can help me out.

I am looking at using the Performance Building Systems kit, which it a thin walled monolithic structure....what do you guys think?

How hard do you think this would be to construct and do you have any estimates on the amount of concrete or cost of such a project? I will have the excavation for free by me, and then erect the form myself and have someone shotcrete it, then install the front windows and waterproffing and backfill then finish the inside as time and cash flow allows..........

Anyway just gathering info and input and maybe some alternate suggestions (ICF's with a poured roof backfilled over) I dont know anything is more than what I have.

Thanks Guys
Josh.
icfcontractorUser is Offline
Registered Users

Posts:237
07/10/2008 11:30 AM  
Josh,

Your message is a little confusing. First off you say you are STARTING your research but you are not going to use ICF, then you are asking for advice in a forum that caters to ICF professionals and owners, then at the end you say well maybe ICF. Hence my cunfusion. So I will try to answer your questions.

First you are right most people here work with poured concrete not shotcrete. Two totally different animals. Someone here maybe able to answer your questions but I would guess the knowledge base here is less than a forum dedicated to shotcrete.

Second, I looked at the website and It is not for me. A couple of reasons, in a basement, which is really what you are building, when you have a thermal break on one side of the concrete you create a dew point somewhere on the inside of your building envolope. This is a major factor to dank musty basements. When you put a thermal break on both sides of the concrete your dew point is shifted to the exterior of the concrete making a much drier,easier to finish, nicer basement. The other reason is I would not like to live in a tunnel or a cave. I will leave that to Osama.

Third You are talking to poured in place guys and without a set of plans and engineering this question is impossible to answer. Plus did I say we are poured in place guys.

Forth in your closing you say you may look at alternatives, well ICF is one of those and I feel a better choice. We are currently building a home that is over 75% covered with earth. So yes it can be done and maybe you might want to expand your search.

Respectfully,

ICF Contractor
You are not authorized to post a reply.
Forums > Green Building Technologies > Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) > Subterranean Construction


ActiveForums 3.6
Copyright 2008 by BuildCentral, Inc.   Terms Of Use  Privacy Statement