I've now read most of the posts in this forum, and I thought it would be fun to address a topic that doesn't seem to be talked about a lot here: ICF house design. Here's my premise: ICF would be a cheaper building option if everyone would quit trying to make make ICF residential structures look like stick designs based on stick construction. You know what I mean? Craftsman gabled roofs, shakes and shingles, Hardi-board™ etc., what's up with that? Seriously, go look at the home plans that many of the bigger name block makers are starting to sell. "You can't tell it's concrete!" What's up with that? Form is supposed to follow function, right? So what's wrong with ICF looking like ICF?

Now I'm not saying that ICF houses should all look like giant igloo ice chests, or even blocky-looking ultra-modern architecture, although I think that the modern style arguably has the best grip on concrete. But if you look at masoney construction, a lot of it could be characterized as blocky, but it still looks good and it's not pretending to be something that it isn't. In my personal opinion, ICF designs that take after other masonry, like a lot of the stucco ranches and adobe southwestern styles, tend to look better than most ICF houses and I believe it's because ICF is after all a type of masonry. Even so, I still believe that ICF could have it's own style based on simple lines and geometry, or perhaps unique features not commonly built with wood, which could go a long way to legitimizing ICF as a residential building material in the eyes of the buying public in addition to making ICF houses more price competitive.

Then again, I could be completely wrong  =8^]

What do y'all think?

yours/
peter.

By the way, here's the funkiest concrete/ICF plan I've found, and many of this designer's plans could be easily converted:

http://www.aboveallhouseplans.com/House_Plans/prose/prose.htm

~P

I think in order for it to be accepted as an alternative building method, it needs to be shown that the finished product doesn't look any different than the accepted building methods.

If you don't want a Craftsman style, don't build one.  However, you have to put external sheething on the home, vinyl, hardi side, stucco, stone/veneer, all are traditional and you really can't escape that.

Some block makers have their own designs (Reward Wall is one), some on line home plans have ICF designs.  Frankly, they're all plain, and they don't excite me, personally.

I'm torn right now b/c my preferred design looks plain on the exterior, but I like the interior.

I also don't want people to think that b/c I used concrete, I had to build a 'plain' looking home. I want people to see ICF for what it can be, not what they're pre-conceived notions think that it is.

Peter
Design also follows budget restraints, in that not every buyer has an unlimited budget. In fact, most people have unrealistic expectations of what their budget will actually buy.

I work with clients and discuss budget issues, along the lines of..."I encourage spending more in this area because...." and the other side such as " OK, with those limitations, we can do this....".

A project is based on a triangle, 3 points of reference, in which each two drives the third. The relationship is constantly changing, from windows to trim package to mechanical selections, etc. The so-called balance is the final estimate to build. Even then, when the budget is developed, changes occir which affects other portions of the project.

Using the three points....Quantity....Quality....Cost..... a simple analogy would be windows. I want brand xyz(Quality selection) for $abc(Cost).....allows xxwindows(Quantity). If your design has more windows, and you're not willing to increase the Cost, your only choices are less windows...or change the Quality in order to buy more Quantity.

Keep in mind also, design follows the perceived style of the area. Most clients do not want something so different it doesn't fit the neighborhood, they want to be different(ICFs) BUT they also want to be the same so they fit in!

An ICF design can be anything you want it to be! There may be financial considerations related to certain design aspects....but that is where the budget and personal desire completes the design!

So Mr. Eggert gets right down to business and demonstrates how the customers' money influences design and what gets built and Mr. bpwrightwv points out that ICF has to crawl and then learn to walk before it can run. Good points all. And certainly there can be other influences. Economics is key as well. If the price of concrete were to drop to $35/yard tomorrow, I bet a lot of ICF houses would be built and the larger market would demand and build more new and different designs.

But maybe the next step needs to be taken by the ICF block makers themselves. They could improve ICF's competitive position by coming out with more "architectural" eps-based bucks and blockout forms which integrate with their block systems. Forms for pouring perfect arched doorways and roman windows, window seats, concrete baths and showers, shelving, and other interior and exterior features could really spark consumer interest which in turn would drive newer design.

yours/
peter.

And staircases! Man, if one of the block companies had an integrated SpeedStair" eps form, I'd go with their block system in a heartbeat.

~P

Well as to the subject of architectural window and door openings we already have a vinyl buck product that meets the requirement that you have suggested. I train ICF classes all over the country and one of the points and examples that I make in the traing is that foam is freindly you can cut it shape it and add to it to create any thing your heart desires for architectural. I will refer you to my latest model home go to www.grovecomleteinsulatingconcreteformsandbracing.com and check out the corners, gables, and the window and door reveals, this is all accomplished with adding foam board to the ICF you could also do corwn moldings, cove moldings, columns, beams, and much more both interior and exterior and just coat them with a cementatiuos product such as a stucco. So the only limitation to design is your own imagination.

Keep in mind that each of the ideas you think would spark interest can be done by someone who is provided the time, and renumeration to do so. Yes, the market runs on cost, but that same cost is controlled by the consumer. They will pay what they perceive is the value point!

I don't think you'll see any staircase parts, such as floating style stairs, or open risers, because the potential liability would be enormous. That is why special stairs are designed by say a Woodworking shop, or perhaps the old standby, metal pans, filled with reinforced concrete.