No topic thread,,, Part 2
FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
Prep... thats a great layout!! really good design that i've had in mind myself!! one suggestion, the closet in bedroom #2, make it box-out into the bedroom making that bedroom smaller, and give yourself a walk in closet. You'll really find that an asset!!!
to my knowledge there aren't any gov't grants for new construction, but if you were doing it as an addition or upgrade to an existing home there's a few different incentives out there right now.
40g seems like the right ballpark for the basement, but that'll only get an 8ft height, 7'8" after the floor is poured. let me tell you, you'll want a 9' basement wall so the ductwork/plumbing is all high enough that you can still have a 8' finished ceiling. another bonus to the 9' walls is it allows for much larger windows in the basement. Its quite costly to add another row of blocks to the ICF, not so bad to buy longer studs. Doing ICF yourself is a possibility but let me assure you, its very, very hard to keep them straight...even experienced guys will/should tell you this.
Wood basement for approx 1200sqft would cost you about 9-13g for materials, and about 3-4g labour... this includes Blueskinning the exterior and insulating it which you'd probably do yourself. i have yet to see a properly built wood basement rot. I know of a few that should never have been allowed that are still standing as well!! They're constructed entirely out of PWF material, (below grade pressure treated lumber) and the Blueskin is a rubberized peel-and-stick product that you apply to the exterior from above ground level right to the footing, out and over the footing so that water cannot get between the footing and the plate. Believe me, properly constructed, the wood isn't going anywhere, and the amount of money you save will far surpass any possible grant from the gov't.
to my knowledge there aren't any gov't grants for new construction, but if you were doing it as an addition or upgrade to an existing home there's a few different incentives out there right now.
40g seems like the right ballpark for the basement, but that'll only get an 8ft height, 7'8" after the floor is poured. let me tell you, you'll want a 9' basement wall so the ductwork/plumbing is all high enough that you can still have a 8' finished ceiling. another bonus to the 9' walls is it allows for much larger windows in the basement. Its quite costly to add another row of blocks to the ICF, not so bad to buy longer studs. Doing ICF yourself is a possibility but let me assure you, its very, very hard to keep them straight...even experienced guys will/should tell you this.
Wood basement for approx 1200sqft would cost you about 9-13g for materials, and about 3-4g labour... this includes Blueskinning the exterior and insulating it which you'd probably do yourself. i have yet to see a properly built wood basement rot. I know of a few that should never have been allowed that are still standing as well!! They're constructed entirely out of PWF material, (below grade pressure treated lumber) and the Blueskin is a rubberized peel-and-stick product that you apply to the exterior from above ground level right to the footing, out and over the footing so that water cannot get between the footing and the plate. Believe me, properly constructed, the wood isn't going anywhere, and the amount of money you save will far surpass any possible grant from the gov't.
As for the icf, the basement we got quoted for, was for 9 feet. The lady said that the way the blocks were, 9 feet would be easy to achieve, and to get a 8 foot basement, would actually cost more due to cutting the top blocks shorter, or something along those lines.
We have called a few places on wood basements, and they say that our area is too wet. (when we got a well drilled the well guy said this area is generally more dry then wet, figure that one out haha!)
We called about a regular cement basement too, and the ballpark was 25k. So Im not really sure what we are gonna do yet. We both dont know a whole lot about the differences, the benefits and the downfalls to each one. We know we want a energy efficient house, including basement.
Anyways thats where we are at right now, but anything else you can think of, good or bad, Id be glad to hear your expertise on it!
Alot of this info Im just relaying back from Sandi too, shes actually doing most of the learning and researching about all this stuff. The deal is she gets to do the house how she wants it, with the exception of the downstairs living room, and i get to do my shop the way I want it
FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
Ya know Jack, you can easily build back up those parts and stuff after. I know your attached to them, but still. Kinda looking at the glass full for ya!
How is your cdl coming along??
How is your cdl coming along??
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,460
Likes: 0
From: carter lake ia.
good sheldon,
i went thru the book twice and then i go for the big one next week.trust me erin is all over me about that.
i know i can do that! if i go on the road theres no chance of racing anymore. i understand that. just defensive driving skills! but yes i'm working on it! i know livelyhood first,hobbies second! everything else is on the back burner!
i went thru the book twice and then i go for the big one next week.trust me erin is all over me about that.
i know i can do that! if i go on the road theres no chance of racing anymore. i understand that. just defensive driving skills! but yes i'm working on it! i know livelyhood first,hobbies second! everything else is on the back burner!
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 19,460
Likes: 0
From: carter lake ia.
i know it! like i said before we have to get hired on with someone first. getting the truck is onething finding a load is another. my dad is all over me about my CDL too!
yes i can go drive someone elses car but i don't think thats going to happen for a while!
i guess i need to pull my head out of my butt and do something.
i have to go get a physical before i can take the tests anyway,paying bills and whatnot
i really can't afford to do much. thats why i have to sell somethings so i can afford to get things done and so we can get on the road. in the meantime i still have to get rid of somethings so i can get the job done.
yes i can go drive someone elses car but i don't think thats going to happen for a while!
i guess i need to pull my head out of my butt and do something.
i have to go get a physical before i can take the tests anyway,paying bills and whatnot
i really can't afford to do much. thats why i have to sell somethings so i can afford to get things done and so we can get on the road. in the meantime i still have to get rid of somethings so i can get the job done.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 20,099
Likes: 7
From: Yorkton Sask
thats interesting... sounds like a crock unless there's a new product out there that i've not heard about, completely possible!!! to my knowledge, there was basically 2 kinds of ICF blocks. one was 16" deep, stack 6 and you get 8', but when you pour your floor you lose 4" of height so you're down to 7'8", way too low!!!! the solution was to add another stack of blocks making it 112", pour the floor and you get 108", 9ft exactly.
now there's another company on the go with a little stronger brain. the guy decides to make his blocks 16 3/4 inches deep... stack 6 of them and you have 100 1/2 inches, pour the floor and you're left with 96 1/2 inches... ideal if you want a 8ft ceiling, add another row and its 113 1/4 inches... perhape she was thinking that you'd have to cut all those down
being too wet for a wood basement is possible, but highly unlikely. the newest area of this town is basically a slough and there's some wood basements in there with no problems...
either way, i stress getting the best bang for your buck...good luck!!!
FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
Thanks for all your info. Im pretty much just going by what I get told haha. Whats your opinion on a cement basement? (not icf, just regular cement)
No matter what we get, we are going with a 9 foot basement. To me it just makes sense.
No matter what we get, we are going with a 9 foot basement. To me it just makes sense.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,938
Likes: 2
From: BC Canada
Taller ceilings just make a space more inviting I find.
And whe/if you finish the basement you will likely need a drop ceiling to clear all the pipes, ducts etc. so lose height there to, so your going with 9' is a good idea.
FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
Thats exacty the reasons why we were going for 9 foot. Its kinda one of those things also, go bigger now, cause if you ever want it taller, it would be extremely costly and wouldnt be worth it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 20,099
Likes: 7
From: Yorkton Sask
regular cement falls between wood and ICF... its basic, cost a little more than wood, you still have to pay someone to do it right... it has NO insulation factor so you have to frame 2x4-2x6(your choice) inside the concrete to insulate it. believe me, and ask Marlon, you want to do this as quickly as possible because your heat will just cruise out like no tomorrow. while doing this, you lose 8 inches to a foot of floor space with the framed walls. i honestly don't know if i would do it over ICF, but wouldn't be doing it over wood if it were possible. remember, ICF hasn't been around for that long...... concrete has been there forever, wood has been around forever...
i guess in order of my personal preference, Wood, ICF, Concrete...
i guess in order of my personal preference, Wood, ICF, Concrete...
FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
Hmm very interesting.
Sandi wants me to ask you, do you know if you have to have drywall up, to meet fire code, in an icf basment? (like to legally live in the house)
We are looking into wood right now, the only thing that we can see being a poor factor about the wood, is our area might be to wet. 20 grandish, compared to 40 grand is a huge difference in cost, and that extra 20 grand we could save with a wood basement, is a 40x60 shop for me, or our geo thermal, or you name it..
Sandi wants me to ask you, do you know if you have to have drywall up, to meet fire code, in an icf basment? (like to legally live in the house)
We are looking into wood right now, the only thing that we can see being a poor factor about the wood, is our area might be to wet. 20 grandish, compared to 40 grand is a huge difference in cost, and that extra 20 grand we could save with a wood basement, is a 40x60 shop for me, or our geo thermal, or you name it..