Howdy!

I am building a ICF house in SE Tenn. 40x48 ranch style drive out basement w/10" ceiling, 2 10x 8 OHD  in basment on the 48' side. Upper level will be ICF perimeter with 24x 40 timber frame greatroom in the center. Greatroom ceiling hieght to be determined by Timber frame trusses. Walk out side will be my mountain view so I want a large amount of windows there plus a full length 48' porch which will be elevated above the OHdoors.

All rooms will be off the greatroom.

I don't really care if the timberframe does anything other than to hold up the roof and look good for the greatroom.

I have been strongly looking at Reddiforms but support and supply are not in the area so have started looking at AMVIC which has a dealer within 40 miles.

On the walkout side, basement which will have 2 OHD's would ICF's be best there or should I frame that out. Same question applies to the upper level same side where french doors and windows are desired?
MAybe ICF to the window sills on upper level then wood frame above that to the gables?

Additionally, I am not opposed to having a Pro design this and supply blureprints $$$ of course providing, but finding someone that is knowledgable about ICF's and timberframe has been impossible so far.

My idea is to ICF to the eaves then stickframe gables.

LAnd is bought, roads cleared, power, water and septic scheduled for next month.
I also should be able to get the footers in then too.

Most of this will be DIY with a helper or 2.

Thanks,

Raider Bill

HI Bill,

Congrats on looking into ICFs for your home building project.  What part of the state are you in?  We manufacture TF System - The Vertical ICF and I am sure that I can help you with your project.  I can get you an architect to design in your timberframe ideas.  Please contact me at your convinience at 920 964 1831.  Best Regards - Rob Vogel - TF System - The Vertical ICF, INC.

Hello R.B.

I can help you with your timberframe greatroom. I am two hours from Bristol. 549-577-1241

Sorry for my late reply, I was away from PC for 10 days working on the Tenn project. Here's the update,

I have succsessfully graded and graveled about 1 mile of road to the house site. Additionally I purchased a foreclosed doublewide to put nearby so I have a place to stay while working. My septic permits are signed and one will be installed in 2 weeks.

I dug the basement but hit the mother of all rocks at 6'6" After digging 8 ft on 3 sides and not finding the end I "hit" it a few times with the D-6, it didn't even quiver. So my house will be 2" taller. No big deal.

Well is getting drilled next week also near the permanant house site at the top of hill. I plan on running off the main feed down to the doublewide about 400' via ditch witch.

Now the answers,

Wes,

 Where are your timbers coming from? Is your supplier providing eng. for the frame, including the foundation for the frame?
As to your walkout wall, which direction does it face? and what other openings are included in this wall?

Timbers could go 3 ways, The timber frame will be 24X40. The  24' are ends. This is a greatroom.
Bedrooms and baths are on both the other sides 


1] have a timberframer cut and raise the frame.

2] local truss company makes timber frame trusses/heavy timber exposed. They do not make the posts just beams. I would then probaley cut and make my own fake posts that would not have anything bearing on them.  Very rustic look if left just debarked.

3] local log home builder says they will cut the timber frame to match my ICF outside walls.


Basement will be driveout with 10' ceiling height. 10wX8H or 10WX9W foot OHD's whatever I can get away with under the timber frame end facing the south. I could put a 4" ICF post between them?
The other openings will be 2 windows at eather side of the OHD's and a walkout door on one side.

I will be doing most of the work and engineering......

I'll need 2 lentils over the OHD's suggestions?

I'm trying to take this a step at a time,

I dug my basement, will lay 4" pcv for basement sewer line to septic and WC through footer.

NExt will be dig my footers. I'm thinking my 40X48 perimeter footer with extra digs where I will be putting my posts somewhere around a extra 16" deep in a 2X2 area. 2 horizantal runs of #5 rebar on chairs with tied in vertical 90's giving 24" up out of the footer to tie to. With 3 sides below grade what should my vertical spacing be?

One wall is completely without any openings except maybe venting and 4" pcv for waterline and wires.
One side wall would get window, the other a man door.
South facing wall gets the 2 OHD's and 2 windows.
Each wall gets 4" pvc for aditional wires etc..

There seems to be a lot of discussion about ledger boards. I'm still up in the air what to use.

Thanks!
Bill

Thanks for watching with interest. But alas my friends no help seems to be forth coming. Must be if you aren't interested in buying anything here or using a of the regular posters services you get no help.
Does anyone know of another ICF board that actually helps DIY'ers?

Thanks for the replies!

I did not expect anyone to "jump to my call" just suggestions. I didn't expect to get so many salesmen peddleing their wares.

I live alone so if this house falls I'm the only one to blame, and unless I find a mountain Babe I will be the only one inside when it does.
 I have built with stick, block, poured walls, and steel. Thought I would try ICF's next. In that there is nobody in the area that has even heard of ICF's it could open up a new venture.

These windows I am talking about are mostley almost new taken out of local homes that have installed hurricane impact windows. Yesterday I went to a warehouse that had at least 5000 of them vynal, aluminum, wood, double sash, pane roll out, any kind or size of window you may want. Many are stacked as coming from the same house so they all match. These are not cheap home depot single pane trailer windows. Example, I have my eye on a set of Andersons that has a huge double pane low E 6'x 5' picture center with 2 36' x5' side roll outs. $150. all the rest of the house's windows in the group are no more than $75 each and match. The date stamp from factory is 2003 so these are virtually new windows just replaced for hurricane rated ones. Why not use them? I'd bet this package brand new would be near $5000, I can max out my window shopping for way under $1000 then spend the savings on another part of the house.

My ICF's will be holding up the roof trusses from the perimeter. Timberframe is only for the greatroom in the center mostly for looks and any posts will be for looks only and have no internal structural responsibilites. That said I will add additional mud and steel where it maybe needed just because I tend to over build.