If you've ever tried to nail down a hard answer on this subject, you're probably already familiar with the wide range of estimates out there.
In an effort to make your search a little easier, we've taken a look at the major reports on ICF costs throughout USA and Canada and boiled them down to the basics.
One thing that makes cost comparisons difficult is the fact that ICF blocks costs are usually measured in square feet of wall area, while wood frame costs are measured in square feet of floor area.
Depending on the study, you might see ICFs converted to relate to floor area, so it's a good idea to keep track of what's being measured to avoid any confusion.
Another thing to keep in mind is that different studies use different costs. Some give what the general contractor paid (referred to as builder's costs or total house cost) while others give what the general contractor charges to install ICF blocks (referred to as sales price).
Let's take a look at some numbers:
A Portland Cement Association technology brief drawing from work done by VanderWerf, Feige, Chammas, and Lemay (Insulating Concrete Forms for Residential Design and Construction, 1997) concluded ICF blocks cost builders about .5-4% per square foot of floor area more than wood frame houses of the same design.
At the time of the study, typical US homes cost the builder about $80-$120 per square foot of floor area, so using ICFs added about a $1.00-5.00 premium to this figure.
This held true only for homes built by experienced contractors (who've built at least 4 to 5 houses).
Along similar lines, the NAHB Research Center's Demonstration Homes Project also evaluated the use of ICFs in residential construction in 1997.
They experienced up to an 8% increase in total house cost, adding about 1-5% to the final price for the buyers. The NAHB's Tool-Base report found that ICF Blocks increased builder's cost by $0.75-4.00 per square foot of floor area compared to wood frame construction.
And in 1998, a study by HUD, PCA, and NAHB compared the cost and performance of ICF walls to conventional wood-frame exterior walls again. They found that labour costs for ICFs were slightly to moderately higher, and that total installed costs averaged about $2.73 per square foot of floor area more than the wood frame home. This translated to an increase in builder's cost of 6% to 7%, or roughly a 3% increase in the builder's sales price.
The Bottom Line...
So where do all those studies leave us? The bottom line is this: ICFs usually cost slightly more than wood frame. But by how much depends. There are so many potential influences on cost that it's tough to nail down a solid estimate.
Here's why: concrete, lumber and foam prices, ICF form prices, lumber prices, exterior finishes, design features, crew experience, labour markets, and engineering all influence the cost of the intended project.
Results from the NAHB Research Center's Demonstration Homes Project showed that total costs for construction of ICF foundation walls can be less than that for poured walls.
One ICF system had total costs of $1.25 per square foot of house floor area compared to $1.27 per square foot of house floor area for the block wall based on the construction of a short (~ two-foot) "stem wall."
An added cost of $2.50 per square foot of floor area seems to be in the middle of most of these ranges. But take that figure lightly; construction with ICFs can increase builder's costs much less or more. It's easy to see why there's been so much debate on this issue.
All this being said, ICFs do have major cost savings opportunities. Because ICF construction is more energy efficient, HVAC systems can be downsized and those savings offset part of the cost difference.
Using Stucco as your exterior finish will also reduce some of the cost since the base required for stucco installation is already set up.
Most builders report fewer customer service calls on their ICF homes
ICF homeowners enjoy lower utility bills, better sound proofing, and durability. Some have estimated that the monthly savings provide a good payback on the initial investment. And then you have the benefits of a stronger, quieter, more comfortable home.
In Conclusion:
The cost of ICF vs. more traditional methods of construction is typically more for the actual construction, but the cost of ownership of an ICF structure is significantly less than the more traditional methods. In nearly every documented case of the cost of an ICF structure, the return on investment (ROI) for the extra construction cost is within 5 years with many showing less than 3 years.
Depending how costs are viewed, ICF blocks may cost a little more or significantly less to build and operate.
Original Article @ http://www.ontario-home-builder.com/ICF_Blocks.html
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
A builder may pour the foundation and raise the roof, but only you can make your new house a home.
When the building of a new house or a major remodeling project comes in over budget, many homeowners conclude that they can get the bottom line back to where they want it if they purchase some of the big ticket items themselves and avoid paying the builder's mark-up.
From the owners' perspective, this looks like a sound strategy. They won't have to make some hard choices and reconsider those longed for but pricey features such as the skylights that open and close by remote control.
But most new home builders hate it when owners supply materials. Besides the fact that they make less money, such an arrangement creates headaches for all parties, causes delays and rarely saves owners as much money as they assume.
Can You Really Save Anything?
If owners insist on supplying some of the big ticket items "to save a buck," most builders are very reluctant to take on the job. From their perspective, such a cost-cutting tactic reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what the builder's mark-up covers: A professional builder expects profit and reward for his efforts and, more critically, from his time and overhead to do a very complicated job correctly.
The builder orchestrates the construction process. He arranges for the purchase and delivery of several hundred items in a precisely ordered sequence. He schedules as many as thirty subcontracting trades to work with the materials as they are delivered, and he supervises the subcontractors to insure that their work is done correctly.
Each delivery of material must be coordinated with many other ones; it has to arrive at the right time, intact, and with all required parts so that the subcontractor can do his job. This can be a time consuming process. A contractor can spend half his time getting all the stuff to the site.
Though purchasing a plumbing fixture or kitchen cabinets seems easy enough, most owners don't know what's required.
With plumbing fixtures, for example, they buy the plumbing fixture, but they don't get the accessory parts needed to install it, such as a waste and overflow for the bathtub.
Then the headaches begin. "If a part for something that an owner purchased is missing, who will run out to get it? If the plumber goes to get the part, he will charge for this. If builder gets it, he won't get paid for his time--that's part of what the mark-up covers.
Even such seemingly straightforward purchases as bathroom tile can become headaches because owners don't know what trim and accent pieces are required. "It's time consuming for an owner. After the second or third trip to the tile guy, owners begin to appreciate the know-how of the general contractor and his network of subcontractors that the mark up pays for.
Besides covering the time spent in trips back and forth to suppliers, the builder's mark-up provides him with some margin to cover losses when materials are damaged at the job site.
If an owner purchases kitchen cabinets and the builder installs them, what happens if one is dropped and damaged?
Besides the likelihood of slowing down the job and irritating the builder, clients don't save as much money as they think they will when they purchase things themselves, The client says, 'I can get a designer discount,' but how well is the person connected? The average person doesn't have access to a professional discount.
Besides, the discounts are like used cars--there's no standard discount. The client won't get as good a discount as the builder will get unless their uncle owns the store.
Besides purchasing materials themselves, some owners try to save money by using subcontractors who are friends, but an owner-supplied sub can be worse than owner-supplied items. For example, the friend may be moonlighting and only do extra work on the weekends, which slows down the job.
The friend can also be less competent or experienced than the homeowner realizes.
Besides this, most subs will pick the easiest way to get a job done and this can make it difficult for the next trades person. A homeowner won't know this, but a builder will.
"That $15-an-hour electrician roughs in outlet boxes but places them too close to the doors and windows. The trim carpenter can't trim or must cut the trim to fit around the box. Another example, the bathroom cabinets are ordered and installed but they are too close to the toilet joist and the plumber says, 'no way I can put the toilet in there!'"
Our advice: at the outset of the job, owners have to accept that "certain things cost. The plumber will get $45 to $50 per hour; the owner pays twenty per cent more for me to get the guy there on time and to do the job right."
After the job is finished and the house is built, owners may discover yet another reason that purchasing items themselves doesn't pay in the long run. A home builder will warrant and repair items that he purchases; part of his mark-up also covers his time for this. But if the owner-supplied skylights that are supposed to open and close with a switch won't work properly, the builder can say with some justification, "that's not my problem."
From the owners' perspective, this looks like a sound strategy. They won't have to make some hard choices and reconsider those longed for but pricey features such as the skylights that open and close by remote control.
But most new home builders hate it when owners supply materials. Besides the fact that they make less money, such an arrangement creates headaches for all parties, causes delays and rarely saves owners as much money as they assume.
Can You Really Save Anything?
If owners insist on supplying some of the big ticket items "to save a buck," most builders are very reluctant to take on the job. From their perspective, such a cost-cutting tactic reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what the builder's mark-up covers: A professional builder expects profit and reward for his efforts and, more critically, from his time and overhead to do a very complicated job correctly.
The builder orchestrates the construction process. He arranges for the purchase and delivery of several hundred items in a precisely ordered sequence. He schedules as many as thirty subcontracting trades to work with the materials as they are delivered, and he supervises the subcontractors to insure that their work is done correctly.
Each delivery of material must be coordinated with many other ones; it has to arrive at the right time, intact, and with all required parts so that the subcontractor can do his job. This can be a time consuming process. A contractor can spend half his time getting all the stuff to the site.
Though purchasing a plumbing fixture or kitchen cabinets seems easy enough, most owners don't know what's required.
With plumbing fixtures, for example, they buy the plumbing fixture, but they don't get the accessory parts needed to install it, such as a waste and overflow for the bathtub.
Then the headaches begin. "If a part for something that an owner purchased is missing, who will run out to get it? If the plumber goes to get the part, he will charge for this. If builder gets it, he won't get paid for his time--that's part of what the mark-up covers.
Even such seemingly straightforward purchases as bathroom tile can become headaches because owners don't know what trim and accent pieces are required. "It's time consuming for an owner. After the second or third trip to the tile guy, owners begin to appreciate the know-how of the general contractor and his network of subcontractors that the mark up pays for.
Besides covering the time spent in trips back and forth to suppliers, the builder's mark-up provides him with some margin to cover losses when materials are damaged at the job site.
If an owner purchases kitchen cabinets and the builder installs them, what happens if one is dropped and damaged?
Besides the likelihood of slowing down the job and irritating the builder, clients don't save as much money as they think they will when they purchase things themselves, The client says, 'I can get a designer discount,' but how well is the person connected? The average person doesn't have access to a professional discount.
Besides, the discounts are like used cars--there's no standard discount. The client won't get as good a discount as the builder will get unless their uncle owns the store.
Besides purchasing materials themselves, some owners try to save money by using subcontractors who are friends, but an owner-supplied sub can be worse than owner-supplied items. For example, the friend may be moonlighting and only do extra work on the weekends, which slows down the job.
The friend can also be less competent or experienced than the homeowner realizes.
Besides this, most subs will pick the easiest way to get a job done and this can make it difficult for the next trades person. A homeowner won't know this, but a builder will.
"That $15-an-hour electrician roughs in outlet boxes but places them too close to the doors and windows. The trim carpenter can't trim or must cut the trim to fit around the box. Another example, the bathroom cabinets are ordered and installed but they are too close to the toilet joist and the plumber says, 'no way I can put the toilet in there!'"
Our advice: at the outset of the job, owners have to accept that "certain things cost. The plumber will get $45 to $50 per hour; the owner pays twenty per cent more for me to get the guy there on time and to do the job right."
After the job is finished and the house is built, owners may discover yet another reason that purchasing items themselves doesn't pay in the long run. A home builder will warrant and repair items that he purchases; part of his mark-up also covers his time for this. But if the owner-supplied skylights that are supposed to open and close with a switch won't work properly, the builder can say with some justification, "that's not my problem."
Saturday, March 18, 2006
HEALTHY HOMES - A Must For Our Children's Futures!
Home may be where the heart is but it's also where you'll find dust mites, paint, asbestos, mould and mildew, off-gassing synthetic carpeting, plywood with heavy formaldehyde concentration, radon gas and mould spores -- indoor air pollutants that can cause problems ranging from sneezing and skin rashes to severe breathing problems, cancer, and even death.
Healthy homes are part of the "green building" movement in this country - We don't want office buildings that make us sick, and we don't want a home that makes us uncomfortable or ill.
A few of the improvements in the house building industry include the fact that lead based house paints have been banned since 1980, and asbestos (used for insulation and as fireproof wall barriers) since 1986. Urea formaldehyde based insulation can no longer be used in houses, and formaldehyde emissions from urea formaldehyde bonded hardwood plywood are far lower than it was 10 years ago.
More homebuyers want electronic and non-electronic high-efficiency air cleaners. And where some builders used to give their new house customers a lovely houseplant as a thank you gift, many give a duct-cleaning gift certificate as a thank you instead, since so many people want their ducts cleaned before they move in.
In addition to duct cleaning homeowners wanting healthier houses are opting for hardwood floors in the bedrooms, which can be easier to clean and have no out-gassing like synthetic carpeting, and one-piece fiberglass tub enclosures that eliminate mold and mildew.
Chemically sensitive individuals or others with allergies may opt for cabinets made from solid wood and galvanized steel, stainless steel kitchen countertops with welded and polished seams, central vacuum systems, outdoor exhaust, and copper water lines that are joined with lead-free solder.
The myth that building a green house can cost a great deal more is not true. Some homes don't cost anything more; others can add an additional 25%. But balance that with the money spent on the medical and insurance expenses for problems caused by an unhealthy home and the costs are well justified.
It has been said that we shape our buildings, and then our buildings shape us. When we consider that the average North American spends at least 90% of life indoors, the significance of this statement becomes apparent...
Original article at Healthy Home
Healthy homes are part of the "green building" movement in this country - We don't want office buildings that make us sick, and we don't want a home that makes us uncomfortable or ill.
A few of the improvements in the house building industry include the fact that lead based house paints have been banned since 1980, and asbestos (used for insulation and as fireproof wall barriers) since 1986. Urea formaldehyde based insulation can no longer be used in houses, and formaldehyde emissions from urea formaldehyde bonded hardwood plywood are far lower than it was 10 years ago.
More homebuyers want electronic and non-electronic high-efficiency air cleaners. And where some builders used to give their new house customers a lovely houseplant as a thank you gift, many give a duct-cleaning gift certificate as a thank you instead, since so many people want their ducts cleaned before they move in.
In addition to duct cleaning homeowners wanting healthier houses are opting for hardwood floors in the bedrooms, which can be easier to clean and have no out-gassing like synthetic carpeting, and one-piece fiberglass tub enclosures that eliminate mold and mildew.
Chemically sensitive individuals or others with allergies may opt for cabinets made from solid wood and galvanized steel, stainless steel kitchen countertops with welded and polished seams, central vacuum systems, outdoor exhaust, and copper water lines that are joined with lead-free solder.
The myth that building a green house can cost a great deal more is not true. Some homes don't cost anything more; others can add an additional 25%. But balance that with the money spent on the medical and insurance expenses for problems caused by an unhealthy home and the costs are well justified.
It has been said that we shape our buildings, and then our buildings shape us. When we consider that the average North American spends at least 90% of life indoors, the significance of this statement becomes apparent...
Original article at Healthy Home
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