Well, the tractor shed has to come first [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img], but we are inching ever closer to breaking ground for our mountain house.
I have been reviewing foundation systems, including conventional block, poured walls and others including a company called Superior Walls that pre-builds concrete wall systems (www.superiorwallsonline.com). I would like to access the ByNet brain trust's opinion. Good and bad experiences, pros and cons and suggestions appreciated.
Wasabi, just about everything in our area is poured concrete (including our new house). That's just what all the contractors do. Our builder built a spec house a couple of years ago with a precast concrete basement system. It was pretty slick but they haven't done one since. It didn't seem to offer any advantage in our area as all the contractors already have a boatload of forms for pouring. Same with the Styrofoam forms you see on This Old House and such.
In the end, I suspect each system will work adequately and each has slight advantages and disadvantages. The biggest difference will likely be cost with the most prevalent method in your area being the least expensive. We toyed with the idea of using the styrofoam molds but decided to invest that additional money in more functional aspects of the house [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
I have poured concrete walls, but was considering Insulated concrete forms for the basement and the entire house. Price for basement was 10% higher for the ICFs vs. poured concrete. Reason to go with poured concrete? Decided to go with stick framed house vs. ICF secondary to the layout. The builder was unable to do the second story in ICFs and was having problems with all the windows on the main floor--had to piece ICF and stick framing. After that decision, we forgot about the basement. Should have gone ICF. Energy efficiency was our priority. In the future, when we finish the basement, we will insulate with NuWool to create a more energy efficient home/basement. Friends of mine have a wood basement and swear by it. I'm unsure of the costs involved.
Yesterday, I talked to the Superior Walls Rep who told me that cost was about 90 to 100 per running foot as compared to concrete filled block which runs about half that in our area. Now, granted, there are some advantages to their system, such as no footers (walls actually sit on gravel base), no furring out (built in), guaranteed waterproof and quick installation (days as opposed to weeks), but I'm nonetheless leaning back toward either filled block or poured walls. As the project we are looking at involves walk-out basement, which is backfilled on the "up-hill" side, I would be skeptical about wood walls....On to more quotes and info gathering...
I built just last winter and looked at the Superior system. What turned me off was they would not guarantee anything. All they wanted to do was come and drop the panels in place and all the responsibility was yours.
I got the opportunity to see a Superior basement go in and saw a one cubic foot rock roll down from the pile around the foundation. It punched the nicest hole in a panel. The dealer did replace it but there was a delay and I think an additional crane charge.
In our area you have to cover the inside of those panels. The foam cannot be left exposed.
I ended up putting up 12 inch block. During back filing a large rock popped out of the bank, rolled down and hit the wall a good shot. Not even a crack but it would have done in a superior panel. The block is filled with foam insulation and the cost is far less than the superior system.
The Rep told me there was a fifteen year guarantee, but that alone would not sway me to spend twice what a concrete and rebar filled 12" block wall would cost....I'm still leaning that way. I'm drawn toward the poured wall approach, but from whjat I gather it too is far more expensive.
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Friends of mine have a wood basement and swear by it
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There was a company building homes around here a few years ago using that concept and many of their home have been condemned, rebuilt, razed and or subject of foreclosures. Needless to say, I know nothing of how the system used here compares to what's being used there but wanted to present 'the other side' to whomever might be reading.
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