Answering your questions- ICF, subcontractors and bank loans

#18, weekly bonus where I answer questions from subscribers. ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms). Subcontractors. Bank loans. Be sure to leave your questions down below.
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[@hameedtalebi2351]

I watched a few videos about omniblock, and it seems to need a huge amount of labour comparing to icf.

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

Not when you add the total wall labor costs, like inside mud and texture only and not drywall and outside no need for lathe just gray coat for stucco. Always look at the total wall labor and material costs. If one technology can help remove labor and material costs on one side, we have a winning idea. If it does this on both sides like Omni Block, even better.

[@tinoslaponi8514]

@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome isn't ICF much stronger than omni block. My concern is sites in high wind areas like tornado alley

[@kenmammel7748]

I'm not a builder so I disqualify myself almost immediately but at a glance I disagree with easier to attach things on the outside of the wall when building with ICF. Most of the ICF manufacturers build a nailing (fastening) strip into their foam and make an incremental mark (to locate strip) every 8, 12, or 16 inches. I've seen a 180 pound person doing chin-ups from a 2 x 4 attached with only one nail in each side of the person doing the pull-ups. Seems like concrete on the outside of the wall would demand pilot holes drilled everywhere that you want to attach something.

[@cliff7634]

ICF also eliminates up to 6 subcontractors and labor costs for your project. You do not want thermal bridging no matter what climate you are in. Air and water tightness. All high end builds that try to get the best R-values no matter where they are building have insulation on the outside of the walls. Sounds like ICF does this all in 1 step. Let alone withstanding 98% of all natural disasters. Plus allot more. I find ICF to have allot more positives than negatives for me in building. But it is nice to see what all opinions are out there.

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

You are correct on the insulation moving to the outside. I wish all builds would make this transition. Yes also on thermal bridging, not a good thing in every climate, the more thermal breaks the better. You are spot on.

[@tinoslaponi8514]

ICF does have challenges, but it is the king of structures when you live in high disaster areas. Don't want stick built when a tornado or hurricane comes through.

[@martylost167]

I'm looking at building a house next to the woods. If I used a stem wall foundation for the house, but wanted an ICF wall around the outside of the bedrooms only. Can you use ICF on top of a stem wall ? What if you attached a row of ICF on top stem forms and the pore included the ICF block?

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

I am certain that would have to be engineered that way with rebar being continuous from lower portion into the ICF. This would also be a cold pour, not recommended in a section of wall that should be one pour.

[@shanesmaineshop]

Lots of good info.

[@tallybobba]

How about finding state engineered stamped house plans, for when your state requires it. Scenario would be designing your own home, small like the garage with a loft you had a video on. Then what is the cost of these plans on average. The house plans online, can you take those to an architect/engineer and have them approved for your state.

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

If the engineer has access to the source file they can engineer the designs. When you purchase plans never settle just for pdf copies. You need the original CAD file.

[@aldourbina7550]

Nice video again👍👍👍 Question ..will you do jobs just to mecanical inspecsion??? Thank you

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

Yes, I have done than a few times. I am doing one now for a client, saving them over $11,000.

[@zachzuttlow338]

Hi kieth, I was curious about your thoughts on using HELOC loan to finance part of a owner builder build? My wife and I have atleast 50k in equity and curious if this would be a decent option? Thank you love your videos, very helpful!

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

I have used a HELOC many times, and I am doing now to buy one rehab project using my own equity in my current home to do it. I therefore have one home paid off and will cash flow the repairs and rehab.

[@zachzuttlow338]

@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome ok thank you very much for the quick reply! Would you reccomend this even if I do not have my current home completely paid off?

[@balla2828]

Hey, I'm in California and as a normal homeowner, no general contractor's license. Is there anything special that I need since I don't have a license? We are adding room additions to each side of our current home and someone was telling me that I need to provide "worker compensation" if I hire anyone for the work, this really confused me if you could provide some clarity on what this means. Your response would be highly appreciated!

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

In California you can be an owner builder and even build a 4-plex as an owner builder. I believe the state requires worker comp, but if each sub covers this with proper docs you should be okay, unless you higher workers directly under you, then you would need works comp and liability coverage. For a while I operated with liability only and not workers comp because I was a one-man-band and the only person risking any injury was myself. I now carry both as I have others working for me.

[@balla2828]

@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome Thank you, I really appreciate the response. Can a unlicensed owner builder also build a 6-plex or 12-plex? Which steps do I take to provide worker’s compensation and liability insurance? I want to be thorough and provide these things but I don’t know where to start the process of providing them.

[@tompaj6961]

you insert foam inside and create thermal bridges..., thank you!!!

[@tutnetam]

The city is OK for you to be GC on your own house BUT THE BANK WONT GIVE U CONSTRUCTION LOANIF YOU ARE OWNER BUILDER.PERIOD

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

Not all banks are like this, shop around. Some just want a GC consultant on board and I have seen this over and over. I am talking with owner builders all over the country, it's a matter of researching.

[@zobenn2833]

Hello Keith what your thoughts on precast concrete (superior walls) from the basement to the roof?

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

Too many places for water to penetrate. Unless they can show how this is solved?

[@erictorbet8104]

Thank-you for your series of KZbin videos. I was wondering if you've heard of the GigaCrete system, which makes kits that can be easily assembled, and the cost is not very much?

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

I will need to watch this technology. It was recently approved in Miami and looks like it is mostly on the east coast. www.gigacrete.com/

[@erictorbet8104]

@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome Yes, if you have a chance to look at their system, I'd be very curious of your reaction. You have said that walls are the most expensive part of a home, and this makes them the easiest part of home-building. One still needs to hire electrician, plumber, concrete guy, but assembling the house, and interior/exterior coatings, can be DIY.

[@johnwhite2576]

How do you keep bugs out!!!

[@jamesc7383]

I was wondering why builders don't like ICF. Some good points made here. I plan on building my home next year using ICF. Your explanation of subcontractors and loans was really useful. Great video.

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

See comment about ICF above, I mention how they do not save costs on one or the other side of the wall.

[@joeschlotthauer840]

Not at all impressed with the Omniblock, no thermal brake, and you're laying block...

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

Agreed on the laying of block can be labor intensive, however it does have a thermal break built into the block. In fact, it is the best design for thermal breaking I have seen in a new product.

[@joeschlotthauer840]

@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome The outside of the block is connected to the inside of the block...

[@robinsonanimation]

you are describing "The Perfect Block" you can stucco outside and nail the drywall inside, not too much concrete on the inside, even no bracing while installing it, fire proof and not affect by UV's is not made with styrofoam only but a mix. I would love your take on it, love your videos man they are awesome!!!

[@inshanity84]

I agree!

[@ruthalexander6681]

YES!!! I plan to build using PerfectBlock!!!

[@thcmas35]

EF block is much cheaper than Perfect Block. Basically same thing. TPB is better marketing

[@robinsonanimation]

@@thcmas35 thanks for the tip

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

I built my office where I am typing this message with Easy Block, the same thing as Perfect Block. I am still looking for a more rigid structure in the Aerated Block. Easy to install, dry stack.

[@townsendliving9750]

I plan on DIY building my own house, it's not designed like your normal house nor any house I have ever seen. I designed it specifically to be built DIY. And easy to assemble, I plan on stuccoing straight over.the ICF on the outside and plastering straight over ICF on the inside, i also would like to do my own electrical and plumbing, id.like to try to do everything on the house I can, but we'll see what the bank and city allows, the may not even allow me to put a shovel in the ground, I know.within a few weeks, paper work was dropped off yesterday

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

Best of luck with that. Check with ICF specs on exterior applications and their suggestions. See howtobuildyourownhome.com for more help.

[@tutnetam]

Labor has nothing to do! ITS THE PRICE!

[@cassandradevine4752]

Omniblock looks great, mainly for the basement though as I'm guessing it would be difficult to remodel if you build the whole house with it. A question about draws, if we buy all the supplies ourselves we probably will need to pay for it upfront and then get the lender to reimburse us, are there any lenders that would advance us the money to pay for the materials before they arrive on site so we don't run into a cash flow problem?

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

I teach to set up accounts at supply houses and lumber yards and they typical give net thirty days to pay, which is then done by the lending institution for the construction loan, which means no out of pocket costs.

[@ianlendrum8901]

Thermalbridging?

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

It's where material is not continue and there is a break so heat and cold cannot easily transfer from one side to another.

[@lefthandedhardright8839]

Housing costs are out of control.

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

Yup. Construction costs even worse.

[@squeekhobby4571]

Many thanks for bringing this up. When I was young my dad build a home where he managed all activities. 30 years fast forward now everyone buys a house just like a pizza without knowing what is beneath the wall and the floor. People lost the art of buying land in the first place. Can you give an overview of buying construction site and checklist like perc and probe test

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

I love your reply, thanks much.

[@compactc9]

I’m both working on getting to the point in life where I’m ready to build a house, and in the meantime learning as much as I can about it. So far I feel like the idea of doing what I can myself and sub contracting the work I either can’t or don’t want to do.

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

That is some good logic. Keep it up.

[@vsar1938]

Cool to see my question in there, great video.

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

Glad to help.

[@momma8954]

Doesn't GC charge a percentage. Not add to each mechanical bid ?

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

Yes and no. It depends on the GC and the contract he or she offers.

[@toddroot1757]

Do you have experience with a permanent wood foundation? I'd like to do one.I understand the water control is paramount.about three hundred thousand pwd foundations in the country.thoughts or maybe something I'm not thinking about?

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

I looked into this. The pioneers did it right. They built a rock base and then they put their wood foundation on that, leaving a crawl space. I have seen many homes settle too much with wood foundations. The concrete is not that much. It is with rebar for a footing and then put your wood on that.

[@toddroot1757]

@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome thank you.sounds perfect.

[@JosePonce438]

What is the most expensive aspect of the mechanical side of a house

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

Electrical, then plumbing and last is HVAC. Sometimes I have seen plumbing be higher than electrical, though.

[@boedillard8807]

What about ICF for just the basement?

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

You can still water issues.

[@boedillard8807]

@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome Thanks!

[@Krazie-Ivan]

@@boedillard8807 ...you can have water issues with ANYTHING below grade. it's 100% about the drainage & seal systems you choose, but nothing will perform thermally better than ICF.

[@IamTonioP]

So you do offer a General Contractor course as well, is the that General Contractor Consultant?

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

It is basically the same but I give a different budget to work from. I am mentoring two owner builders now to become their own GC. One is a pilot making a career change and the other is a computer programer doing the same.

[@IamTonioP]

@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome yes I’d love to become a GC as well. I’ll call and email you. I’m the fourth generation to become a contractor but my family never wanted to become a GC. So I want it and make a small business in it

[@kenmammel7748]

Incredible resource. Great experiential advice!

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

Glad to help. I will keep it up.

[@inshanity84]

I would love to hear tons more about omniblock. I've researched online, but it would be nice to hear from a builder. Specifically, interior finishing, running electrical, difficulty of getting them plumb/square. I'm considering the perfect block as well, it would be nice to hear your thoughts comparing the two.

[@tutnetam]

Probably x3 vs lumber

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

Actually it's even with lumber costs today, and getting cheaper. I speak with the president of the company on jobs every month.

[@HowToBuildYourOwnHome]

I will keep this in mind for a future post.