Ebro : I take no pleasure  seeing you in this situation :-(

           There is a fair amount of water already under the bridge....

             good call to consult with a Pro,   and shut down the project.

          I am in Eastern Ontario, if I can be of any assistance.

Wow, I am sorry for the position that you are in, I think that it would be best to shut the project down (like you are doing), take some time to evaluate the project and all of your options (tear down, fix it, live with it) and decide which route to pursue. I know it feels devasting to have a pile of money tied up in a project like this, but sometimes rebuilding just feels better (all the sleepless nights are worth a lot of money in my mind). Don't make any quick decisions and feel free to consult with us if you want a second, third fourth and fifth opinion on what to do.

So sorry to see those photos

Ebro:

You cannot pour the wall with a 3 1/2" offset..Plain and Simple. That is over half of your concrete thickness. I doubt you can find an engineer that would sign off on that. After seeing the pictures, I am convinced your contractor has no clue what he is doing......or doesn't care. My children built a treehouse in the woods when they were little and I would venture to say that it was  more square and better looking than that. And they never used a tape  measure! You are on the right track in getting a qualified second opinion. If you need personal assistance send me an email at [email protected] . Good luck!

 

Virgil Schmidt  

"and has done about a dozen ICF structures ....."

I wonder about those structures, and the obvious inability to adjust and correct the problems logically and safely??

An earlier post asked where you were located....still wondering because many times the area requires answers more attuned to where you are building.

And I also agree that not everyone who posts here takes the time to get involved in one of these problem projects because sometimes the info isn't there to provide good answers. However, I do believe that most experienced installers can fix problems as they occur. And in many cases that is because something similar either happened...or at least was apparent before the concrete was poured, so it could be remedied.

Sorry you had a problem, ARXX is a good product, but I'm not sure yet how much the distributor is helping?? I was hired a few years ago to review an ARXX project, that the installer did a poor job on. Eventually, the builder bought back the house and some acreage so the client could build another new house. Even though it was not the product' fault, the mfg was reluctant to get too involved, no matter how much it was stressed that everyone and their brother knew it was an installer issue. Personally I thought it would have been good press for the ICF industry showing that the mfg stand behind their product...and would help owners/buyers who may have poorly installed product because of being misled by the installer's alleged capability. In this case it was an ARXX certified installer who did a poor job with a good product.

Ebro,

The reserve on my judgement is over.  The only thing that keeps this from being a total disaster is the the walls still stand under their own weight.  I know the professional that you are using to guide you through this debacle and all I can say is he comes with the highest credentials in your area and I would heed his advice.  As a matter of fact if I were to choose a contractor to build my home, he would be on my short list.  He and his son are great people.

I am sorry for your misfortune and wish time could be turned back for you.  This looks like a the project was askew from the beginning.  Looking at your pictures I can pick out so many issues.

Please keep us informed.  I doubt you are going to receive any satisfactory relief from the parties involved but it is always the first step. You need to compile a list of issues and present them to your contractor and ask for specific relief on the issues stated.  This may involve some negotiations but if they are willing to provide relief then get all of it in writing and run it past a good construction contract attorney.  You ICF consultant should be able to steer you in the direction of a good one.

Once again I am sorry for your project or lack there of.

ICF Contractor