This is an example.

 

Good looking roof.  How was it put together? Are there poured in place gutters?

That is a good looking roof.....but what is holding it up?? I don't any kind of beams or anything! How expensive is a roof like that...per sf?

This is an stay in place panel system. A shoring system grid is needed to pour it, but at the end is no need of any interior beam (neither within the slab) for the roof, it´s self supported, WRCS provides all the engineering and shoring calculations and plans for city permiting within the price of the panels. It's  called IRONFOAM(tm) and is provided by WRCS Corporation , and YES!!!! the gutter is within the overhang in this case. This kind of roof is around 15 to 30% more expensive than conventional trusses depend of the complexity and pitch of the roof, but most of the installed roofs owners in South Florida get 40 to 50 % wind policy insurance reduction and is a real hurricane proof roof. some of them remove the wind insurance.

Best Regards,

Raul Hinojosa

P.D. : This is a closer pic of the gutter. In this residence they going to put smooth plaster on top and reflective elastomeric paint as a waterproofing.

I really like the concrete roof.  Maybe we can get away from steep roofs in the South.  As a designer, I have seen too many homes with more mass in the roofs than in the walls.  I would rather spend my money on a simple, low-pitched concrete roof than on a steep wood roof.

I was wondering if the formed gutters in the concrete roof are sloped for drainage?  They did not appear to be.  Also, is it difficult to attach downspouts?

The bottom side of the roof (inside) appears to be polystyrene and galvanized metal.  If left as a sloped ceiling, then what type of treatment is applied to the ceiling?

That is a fancy ceiling.  I can see that the ceiling designs are not limited by the concrete roof.  That is a great advantage.  The metal substructure appears to be fully insulated by the polystyrene in the roof structure - no energy loss there.

Fancy ceiling and simple cathedral ceilings as well.  Homeowners have experienced anywhere from 30 to 45 % less energy consumption. In a typica residence the larger amount of energy loss is trough the roof (Attic), with this kind of roof the attic is not hot anymore, all the air ducts are running in a fresh enviroment.

Raul Hinojosa

Do you know if the dome was site built?  If so, then this builder must have well-trained trades people.  For the rest of us, here is a company that builds custom arches, domes and vaults based upon the designer's drawings:  http://www.custom-arch.com/index.asp

Yes this was site built. Down here in south florida (Miami, Coral Gables, Fort Lauderdale) this is very common. A lot of contractor can build this kind of interiors ceilings included in the price of the total framing of the house. There is a house being built in Orlando FL (Aprox 5500 sq. ft two stories) that have ICF walls in the first and second floor and WRCS floor system for the second floor and WRCS roof system for the roof. Actually is on the second floor walls waiting for the roof. I will post pics later, but this will be the first ICF house (2 stories) in Orlando with ICF walls in both stories, insulated wrcs floor system and Insulated cocrete roof system without any interior beams. This house also will have nice interior cathedral and drop ceilings and will be LEED certified, probably gold.

Raul

Raul, all of the pictures you have shown appear to be CMU's but you said it was the first 2 story ICF in Orlando, am I missing something???
Paul Stevens

Yes, you r missing something. I said there is a house in construction in Orlando ( no this one ) being build right now an I will post pics later. Actually is waiting for the roof being built this month. In Miami area icf walls are not popular (I don't know why) but there are big houses already in sout florida (naples, Golden beach, Miami beach) specified and permitted 10,000+ sqft with icfs and this kind of roof system to being built this year.

Raul Hinojosa.

This is the house in Orlando, Fl that have WRCS floor system and ICF's in the first and second floor. It's awaiting for the completion of the second floor walls to install the WRCS concrete roof.

Raul

rhino.....that boggles my mind why folks in S Fl. don't want ICF with all the hurricanes they get!!! That just crazy!!!!

How in the h.... did they build that staircase??

You mentioned that the roof cost x amount over trusses. Can you give me a figure per sf??

You also mentioned those were panels? Are they made somewhere else and then installed with a crane? Or are they poured on site?

Pretty cool! Looks $$$ expensive! lol

Robincc.....Yes that bother me too, but in most cases that they use the WRCS roof they reinforced the walls #5 @ 16" O.C. anothers Fill all the cells. For me is more sense having an ICF system than CBS, but don't worry they are changing, change ppl mind is not easy. Was a challenge also introduce this kind of roof instead of Trusses (I know is obvious) but like I told you is not easy change minds. They are now using the ICF walls together with the roof, in fact there are big houses permitted being build this year using ICF walls and WRCS floor and Roof (I will post more pics of those houses later, when they start). Regarding the stair, this is typical formwork and a liittle of engineering :) . I will post a pic of one formwork example. Regarding the price I've seen contractors expending anywhere from 8 to 14 per sq. ft of roof (Panels, shoring rental, shoring labor, overhang formwork, panel placement, reinforcing labor, concrete, pump and conc. finishing), of course this range is because pitch, roof complexity, double heights, etc.

Those panels are precut on the manufacturing plant to size according the project, with angles on ridges valleys and bevels. There is no need of crane one man can handle a panel of 20'. After the shoring is set, they set the panels with the shape of the roof, then the reinforcing and later they pour low slump concrete with fiber, from 3000 to 5000 psi depend of the project and location. After seven day they remove the shoring, and you have a perfect heaven cathedral concrete roof, ready to any kind of exterior finish and ready to install any kind of interior shape that you can imagine.

pcouling....Beleive it or not, is not expensive. Is about the same price of built an straight concrete stair. The labor is a little more skilled but other than that, everything remain almost the same.

Regards,

Raul