Building a House Start to Finish: ICF Concrete Pour Prep

[@3MISSISSIPPI]

Not sure if you guys have the time to read all of these comments but if you do, let me just say thank you! You were the inspiration that pushed me to start my channel and I very much enjoy watching your journey!

[@Orchardman53]

People take this series far too seriously. It's not meant to be a training or how-to video, it is just an insight to the trials and tribulations of running your own project. It doesn't matter if the youtube videos are a couple of weeks behind, indeed it's remarkable Alyssa has been able to have the motivation to continue churning them out.

[@danthehomelessman5533]

well said Charles.

[@angryfan370]

I look at it as a what not to do

[@Orchardman53]

That's part of the charm. I sit watching the videos thinking "No Jesse, that's the wrong way", and then a few days later he'll do an "I goofed..." statement. Doing this type of project work, particularly the job sequencing, is difficult even for professionals, let alone first timers. It's good they fess up to their mistakes as well as telling us about their work-arounds.

[@sscotter]

Watched one of your videos for the first time yesterday morning, I've spent the last two days watching the back catalogue, I'm hooked! Hope pour day goes well!

[@graceandglory1948]

I can't say it often enough.. You are both amazing!! I read some comments, and it is so sad that people expect you to be like a seasoned builder. Ignore them, please. Keep going, you are achieving something most will never know. I am praying for you. Blessings... Tricia

[@richardbrooks3569]

You two are amazing. The stuff you have accomplished should make you proud. I am loving watching your progress.

[@redfd3s1]

My wife and I have followed you guys from the beginning. We cant wait to see what your home looks like in the end! Keep working hard

[@zzkelford]

Can't imagine a 16 hour cross fit session. I'm very proud to know you guys.

[@sammie21613]

I love how you make sure you let your wife know she's done a good job! I'm sure it helps keep her going!!

[@mrgearheadfromhell]

You were speaking about "as drawn" and "as built" this is somewhat interesting because you also have a third factor that is "within tolerance" this is why finish carpenters get paid well, they are usually the people that have to adjust everything to keep it square and plumb and make it look right to boot. When you get into windows and doors you will have your "rough opening" so while the wall could be out the window or door has to be installed properly or it won't work right. Anything built into the house needs to have a total length measurement to figure out if any adjustment needs to be made, that way the adjustment can be made throughout the span. That is far less noticeable and usually fairly easy to do if properly measured and addressed. I have seen 1/2" and 3/4" plywood behind base cabinets where the wall had a bow yet the cabinets were straight. Another thing to point out is when you install your floor run several string lines from the corners, sides and front to back. The string will tell you if the floor is flat, it's much easier to adjust before you start building walls and it keeps everything going in right the first time.

[@r390radio]

After re-habbing my house (2400 Sft) by myself ,I give you guys so much credit. Not easy to do by yourself. take some breaks and enjoy the progress. once it is done you will have something that you will enjoy for the rest of your lives.

[@charlesloveday9208]

Can't wait until the pour is over...Our good to the maximum extent! Overdoing everything isn't a bad thing. ..rather be safe than sorry! Much props to Ya'll & God bless for a successful pour!

[@adambaldwin8692]

This is where experience pays off. After doing electrical work for the last 13 years...we might be able to do the same job. However it will probably take a non-experienced person 4 times as long...after they mess it up a few times...and still i learn tricks and tips every day...even from you-tube commenters! Your doing a great job though for very little experience!

[@billsargent3407]

Okay I am not one of those armchair experts that haunt this site, not am I going to troll anything you do, say or get wrong. Its all about growth, reaching and learning. HOWEVER for godsake, kill that tree that overhangs! You are going to have to do it eventually!!! Do it before someone trips on the foliage!! Rant over. Keep the videos coming. You are making memories Enjoy this while you can!

[@eaglase]

"This is not iKea, by a mile" .. that was perfect!!!! we are going to build a shop house and I have been watching all sorts of vids for ideas, thoughts, scenarios...following you guys and love the vids!

[@edtin1834]

Design documents - as it was planned ; as built - as it turned out; standard construction life cycle. Good job Jesse.

[@SDKsa1]

Love seeing you guys making it this far! Can not wait until you guys are done.

[@Ed-jg3ud]

First off- props to you for tackling this. I'm very jealous. Secondly- and this isn't being a hater as some people claim many are it's simply being honest... how did you expect to build a house but yet not purchase a 6' level. I mean honestly, give me a break. As many have said before there are times when you make your tasks way harder than they should be. And don't blame cost as a factor because there are certain things you just have to have to build a house, and multiple size levels including a 6' is one.

[@TheIllmatix]

I love hearing the crickets when you guys work later into the night.

[@caseymcclellan4221]

looks great. I am excited for the pour video. Love being along for the ride.

[@lindagildon7259]

What You are doing, is learning, and the best way to learn is by, doing, and in the proses you will make mistakes. I'm just now tinning in to your vidios, and I've laugh, shaken my head, at the same mistakes that I made. I retired at the age of 48. And Designed the house I wanted to build. For years I had educated myself, on what to do. So at 50 I started to build, with the help, of two, of my daughters. It took two years to finish. Oh and I'm a woman, I bought my first house at age 20. I don't believe in paying rent, even though my first buy was rent to own. So I applaud your gumption, your idealism, and your personal drive. To meany people, huddle in masses, and complain how the government isn't doing enough to for them. Way to go. Don't take the negative comments, to heart, they are just unhappy people, who wish to spread it around. Look forward to watching to the end. L D G

[@rico1319]

Your wife is the hardest working woman I have ever seen. Plus she makes bacon!!!!!!

[@adambrown8109]

as an Architect, I am fascinated by your journey. I found the discussion about the plans not being real world quite amusing. The bottom line is that the professional certification and licensing standards are heavily weighted toward education and not experience, and even then, you receive very little practical experience in the field. Back in the day, you had to know how to build before you could tell someone else how to build. Not the case anymore. We learn bits and pieces about construction and codes and rely on your own understanding to fill in the gaps. There is a term in the industry we use when justifying less effort in detailing. "Means and Methods" In other words, we don't care how it gets done, but this is sort of what they need to do. All that to say, as a builder, you need to understand what is important and don't get too caught up in the details.

[@carguyuk3613]

Adam Brown. Well said. I am geotechnical engineer (in uk) and the methods and details covered I the videos is interesting. Interpretation of advice and putting it into practice results in variation. Experience to apply the codes is invaluable if you want to avoid latter issues. KZbin comments, with a 5-10day time lag is not a good source of advice as it often arrives too late, but there is plenty of great ideas and excellent advice by lots of contributers. A very enjoyable experience to see two people put their heart and sole into a project.

[@Hapsard]

Having worked for an architectural firm for 18 years and prior to that in various construction trades (including formwork) for another 15 years I have to say that I strongly doubt your plans showed where to do your laps in your rebar. Plans will generally show how much rebar you need that it has to be two inches from face of form and that you have to have two foot laps, but that's about it and it's expected that whoever is building the foundation will have knowledge of the trade. Things such as how to construct a stop at the end of a wall, or how to brace and build scaffolding I've generally not shown on plans as different foundation form systems will be done in different ways specified by the manufacturer ... Methods it is expected the contractor using these forms will know and understand.

[@bruce1816]

Adam Brown , well said is correct Adam. At the ripe age of 5, my father put me in the sand pile while he and his brother built our home. Back then it was very old school but both my father and uncle were masters in there work. (50 years of carpentry) i did learn much from my dad as the time moved on but by the time i got to 25, i hated the trade. It wasn't until midlife that i learned how important that experience was. Being a Mechanical engineer, that experience was priceless.

[@CraziFuzzy]

This all stems from the pressures to go straight from high school into college, and then directly into a career. This is NOT the way to make competent engineers or architects (or any other sort of designer). One must spend time getting familiar with a thing, before one can build a thing. An electrical engineer should work as an electrician before even going to college. An architect should build structures before ever drawing a floorplan.

[@murrayrosen9057]

James Dudfield MP ki

[@katwiaf]

Somehow i watched one of your videos, then watched another one, and now im really interested in your progress and how the house will look. :D really happy for you

[@Texastigerdigsdetects]

You guys are so impressive... I have a tiny (miniscule) job to do, and I have been dreading it.. I am now just following your example and getting it done. I am not planning like you guys.. But one step at a time for procrastinators like me.

[@saltycowgirl]

I love the crispy bacon, it makes our world go around

[@teemukaik]

I hope best for your project!, I have constructed my own house just few years ago so I know what pain it is :). One tip for concrete pouring: Remember not to pour too much / too fast because bricks won't hold much pressure.

[@richardcadotte5300]

Our parents build thire own home with little experiences and had big family . Now we no longer have knoleige to build our own home because its all contractored out and have one kid. So we have lost the ability to leap and learn . Koodo for you both . It's an adventure of a life time . I've done it .

[@Flaim001]

Good morning notification squad!

[@offgridsweden]

Great. Very exiting. Will be sitting and waiting for the concrete video.

[@brendanharding5804]

Progress is coming along nicely.

[@Graeme408]

IMHO, from the cheap seats, the two smartest purchases you made were the laser level and the back hoe. They seem to be huge time savers.

[@nelsonledoux4257]

John Lowe, Photographist I dunno, the bacon is one of smartest things I've seen Jesse do... besides marry Alyssa, that is.

[@jimmieusaf-pol2639]

I don't think they are married yet!?!

[@Gotafish1]

Jim USAF ret... You may be right. But I will say this. If they are not married and finish this house together, then I am thinking it will be a long and happy marriage. TY for your service. USA 67-72

[@miket6978]

it looks like the laser level is a pain in the ass, i'll take a transit anyday

[@butopiatoo]

dcsoxford have they ordered the doors yet? They're not building to a dimensioned plan knowing the width of the doors? Going to be a hell of a header. Steel I-beam maybe?

[@michaelstrookman2242]

Good luck with the pour, best wishes from over the pond.

[@IslandHermit]

Even I'm eager for that pour! And that bacon looked great.

[@jurorx]

You had me at BACON!!

[@riadozee]

Lol , me too

[@pcguysoffgridcabin]

Bacon it's own food group

[@libertyevanko1794]

Amen!!

[@libertyevanko1794]

+pcguy amen!!!

[@ColinsMarine]

From Wood's?

[@dennisalanvids]

Great binge watching these last few videos!

[@nelsonledoux4257]

Chalk = calcium Carbonite. A trace mineral that's essential in building straight lines.

[@johngritman4840]

You've got that right!

[@stephescobar575]

Also a proliferate "food" additive, added to things like milk, candy, babyfood, anything that requires opacity like health shakes....

[@stevenbaumann8692]

Nelson LeDoux calcium carbonate CaCO3 not carbonite

[@dmarnaud2]

Geek! :-P

[@nelsonledoux4257]

Thank you for noticing that I was merely joking!

[@dixfer203]

This project makes me appreciate the building of the pyramids in Giza. Made with red granite the hardest stone, then cut back into the 'queen's chamber' with laser precision allowing the moon to shine into the QC during the equinox...and even accounting for the Earth's tilt and the Earth's wobble.

[@ivanpolchenko]

I think these guys upload stuff to KZbin, but don't spend much time watching KZbin. I saw like a 2012 video from LiteForm that shows you all of these things in one video that have been slowly 'discovered' during the last like 10 build vlogs. KZbin is a great resource, at very least a start.

[@RobGb100]

The difference between "as drawn" and "as built" is the knowledge of the designer/architect as to what is possible. In my 34+ years in the construction industry I have only met one architect who had a grounding in the doing of the job. He asked my opinion on a job and we discussed the options and settled on the best solution. To his credit he came back the next day with a drawing set only to see what I had done and said " I'll just file these as done" ! Ideas on paper often ignore the real world situation or what is possible with a material which is where skilled "manual workers" step in to problem solve things desk jockeys would spend months Googling.

[@garyenglish7295]

Hi guys just watched some off your videos ,they are very interesting to me as I am from England and we don't tend to use the method of shuttering as you have ,I have a tip for string lining that we use over here ,we use a thing called a traveler so you get three pieces of small timber the same thickness (2x1 pse) you then put a piece at each end of the line so packing the line out the thickness of the wood assuming you have got both ends true you now can (travel)the line with third piece checking the gap between wall and line is the same thickness as the wood , the reason for doing this is so as you go along plumbing up walls the string line will be clear so there is no chance of. Wall fouling line as you go hope you might find this helpful

[@rickestell9114]

for some reason i am not getting your notifications, not complaining just thought you guys should know, i have the bell clicked to get all of them, i will re click the bell to make sure.. great job guys...!

[@Rsama60]

Rick Estell i

[@danr2013]

As drawn and as built. I feel for ya for sure. I ran into that alot when I was wrenching on military aircraft back in the 70's. We had a few choice words for those aeronautical engineers.

[@rlepola]

Hi, Been watchin on and off the developments of your project, and probably my advice to your concrete pouring will reach you to late but I have built my houde in France using only EuroMac2 blocks from ground floor to attic (2 floors) including door and window openings. Euromac2 is a similar concept as your lightbuild blocks apart from that the exterior wall is 3 times the thickness of your internal wall of polystyrene. Most importantly, whomever is pouring the concrete should gently lay it down in the frame, layer after layer, until the top is reach, the risk of just flooding one end of the building at the time ( filling from top to bottom in one end, then moving over to the other end might end up rupturing the wall and all the concrete spilling out! best is to spread it evenly on all the lengt of the wall and build up as the concrete levels out, U can use a vibrating tool against the wall ti allow the concrete to settle or just keep jamming it down with a stick to make the concrete settle most evenly .

[@6LordMortus9]

With all of the little cuts here and there, I would be interested to see/hear how the unedited video looks/sounds. I've been having a blast following your progress!

[@emilythefox]

I love watching your videos :)

[@donjablonski8389]

Hi , Don't feel bad about not being ready for concrete. I've been a union carpenter forman for decades and we are never ready . Always buttoning up forms as the concrete trucks are backing in ! Relax and best of luck. You'll do just fine.

[@robertfirestone5743]

GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL ARE AT PD HAPPY DAY GOOD JOB U ALL

[@stovepipe6769]

Why not trim those tree branches out of the way, pain in the ass to work around ,also you don't want them rubbing up against your finished house anyways . Good luck on the rest of the build .

[@Ughmahedhurtz]

Know what amazes me? That you guys have stepped over that frost wall that many times and haven't tripped and broken it yet. :P

[@fiendeng]

Click bait and i love it ! I'm here to watch this journey unfold in all its glory. Thing is..You're never really ready lol

[@dougmatthew9987]

Good job guys. It will be a great wall as built.

[@greggarman7343]

My suggestion to both of you is to keep doing what you are doing. I love watching you guys and I may or may not see better ways that you could be doing what you are doing. I refuse to comment on what I think you could do differently, because, more often than not, I understand why you do things the way you do. Therefore, I may have learned something instead of getting on my high horse by making suggestions as to whether you are doing something right or not. Many times the two of you have taught me a thing or two.

[@BraxxJuventa]

Thumbs up for the hard workers!

[@CJLeTeff]

Even though I know the pour has happened I'm getting excited!

[@pauls6530]

Wonder why you didnt ask Liteform about the rebar in the corners at the beginning....

[@JCAJCA3]

Working late. You guys are awesome. Good job . GOD bless. JC

[@miket6978]

wow where did you get the idea of putting the turnbuckle at the bottom of the bracing? couldn't be in the lite form literature could it?

[@SeecondToNone1]

Another fantastic video thank you and keep working hard.

[@perryingto]

You folks are inspirational

[@imacrazyguy5831]

In before "The Winter is Coming!" 08:30 Also!! As far as the As-Built goes.. make sure to take photos of everything you do along the way. Time and time again in my own place I have gone back to my as built picture album to find exact measurements on hidden things I stuck behind walls for future projects (electrical, speaker cables, potential exterior boxes, etc..).

[@colin8532]

I don't get why there's 49 thumbs down, I'm loving these videos. You guys are doing great, and putting out excellent videos everyday to boot. My only complaint is you're making me feel really lazy LOL.

[@kirin9415]

You definitely should invest in a bigger Sledgehammer

[@ELIRAXPRT]

Thanks for doing this icf series. I now know l'll never try this. I've worked with concrete when I was in college. Metal and plywood forms are so much easier

[@michaeljohnson1006]

Seeing that branch of a Christmas tree on your scaffolding... Made me feel in a Christmas spirit!..,. Have you thought about the slope up to your garage if you need to get the car in and out in the snow!! Quit often in the alps the garage floor entrances tend to be level just a thought don't mean to criticise :-)

[@MrSouthofBoston]

If Bug-a-Boo is not careful he may end up like jimmy Hoffa.

[@toddofalltrades4788]

I don't even know what chalk tastes like....

[@VascoR70]

In Portugal we make the project, which costs X. Then you can do a project of execution that costs 5X and also construction preparation drawings. The mandatory is only a project usually the customers opt for the cheapest. What I can say of my experience is that the execution project and the preparation drawings save a lot of time and money on the execution and contribute to the building having a much better quality.

[@markn2904]

You will do it! Thanks for sharing.

[@jonjak80]

Its hard work, you do a lot of things and not all of them are done the right way.. But you do it! And get the job done, even when you make som mistakes. But you do it, and 90 % of the people behind the screen dont.. they just talk. Hope you make fewer faults and get at nice house. Have just build a new summerhome almost alone, and have never build a house before.. bought a mini excavator and bosch laser 1 years ago, and i am building after work(got 3 jobs) :)) But you learn from mistakes and building the house, not behind the screen!

[@elliottmanning]

I hear you Jon, Did what you are doing forty years ago, Also by myself and three jobs!!!

[@mobiousenigma]

guys the chalk is calcium carbonate tums lol so yes its edible dont know about the dye though thats probably vegetable oil based so good to go there but possibly petroleum based there not so good thanks foe the video ..live and learn remember your not professionals so there will always be a learning curve but you are more than capable it will just be a bit harder a bit longer and a bit more expensive but because its yours and your doing it what is good enough is also your decision not some strangers who just wants to complete the job and get paid to move onto the next,, you guys have lots of support out here which is a bonus looking forward to the rest of the process from my end wishing you strength to get through the minutia ..its all in the details lol that might make a good homestead name lol ... ;] thanks again

[@southernladywithmanyhats7428]

lol you guys crack me up. You're gettin' er done so that's what counts! Bacon, oh yeah, who doesn't like bacon! :-) Lookin' good you guys!!! Alisa has the best complexion! So glad you guys are protecting yourselves from the RV rays for later on, you will be GLAD you did! I already had one surgery on my face and he had to cut my nose the full length of it to get that cancer out. On the outside it was tiny but the roots had spread the full length of my nose! :( So glad you're covering up even though it's hot!

[@southernladywithmanyhats7428]

Thank you! You can't even really see the scar unless I point it out. Dr. did an awesome job on it. I actually had another one on my face right under the eye on the cheek. It had two in it and the one that was growing so, making it itch was not cancer, but was glad it was there or I'd not known the other one was there until he checked it and saw there were 2 there. Yeah very blessed indeed to have ins. Dr. had told me this was damage from when I was a kid being out in the sun all the time. I hope you have a great Labor Day weekend as well. :-)

[@southernladywithmanyhats7428]

thank you! Yep we all do.

[@htmagic]

Jesse, why use 14 ft long boards? Use 12 footers and move the stakes closer to the wall. But we already know the pour went well... And Alyssa will get so many muscles so she'll be able to whip Jesse! lol

[@xerr0n]

the videos are supposedly behind about 2 weeks.

[@prodbyquan9431]

Welcome back to the talk show

[@morrow.m]

It's coming along!

[@supporthashyco729]

POUR DAY IS COMING!!

[@SLFYSH]

Very important points made here. There is forever a gap between what he engineer draws, and what is possible to build.

[@douglassmith778]

Yes you can put wood stops I thin glue them or skue them and put shearrock on it

[@MrMannakin]

Not sure why you didn't use a plumb bob on the walls to see if they were vertical (plumb!)

[@Gunbudder]

using a plumb bob to make a flat wall plumb is easier said than done. with a sheer face like that, there is no room for the width of the bob itself, so you can't hang it directly against the wall. so then, if you put a little bit of wood at the top to give the bob room to bob, now you have to account for the exact width at the bottom as well. not impossible by any stretch, but not as easy as you might think. i've seen builders make a timber frame "plumb" many different ways. i put that in quotes because the most experienced builders i've watched seem to eyeball it most of the time. The fact is, you can't actually tell if you wall is exactly square and plumb, or mostly square and plumb. There is some wiggle room, and some professionals will rely on their eyeball skills (even when they really shouldn't). its fascinating to see some contractors walk right past the laser level and grab the chalk line (or even just the saw and no straight edge at all)

[@kslinthesand]

Great work guys ...

[@theflashjaxx]

I'm excited to see the next video

[@CemlynJones1952]

I am sooooo looking forward to the next video....pour day !!!! I know it has already happened to you guys but good luck anyway.

[@zushiba]

It occurs to me that you're straightening the walls with her on the scaffold which is in theory pulling on the wall a little, which is throwing off the calculations by a very little bit.

[@stevenbaumann8692]

Please make sure Bugaboo doesn't get trapped in the wall.

[@James-cs4zk]

So exciting

[@joeworden825]

Bacon was perfectly cooked(if you ask my wife). We'd be growing bacon here, if we could just find the seeds. There was some serious bow in those 2x4's.....Hope the cement doesn't add to that bow @#$%. You do the best you can....... Good Job!

[@fg23589]

Find a long straight length of timber put the level to it and it will give u the full wall level .. loving the vids 😃😃😃

[@kane100574]

Hey you guys.. some aerial 4K shots would be awesome!

[@island97]

Good job guys.

[@theoldwizard998]

You need LED 4' shop light, home made 2x4 light stands, extension cords.

[@TheKutia]

watches video pauses cooks entire pound of bacon continues watching vid

[@libertyevanko1794]

Great video!!!! Have you ever tried DeWALT tools? I would recommend them!

[@ObsessedHouse]

We just poured yesterday, everything went good! I posted a quick video - the slab is in! are you guys about a week behind on your videos? it's 9/1 and were removing forms today.

[@FrugalFarmerChannel]

Bacon is great for any occasion.

[@ScottishNSRailFan]

You should have hired in the ICF supports. We did that for our three storey house.

[@lesytxyz6255]

Wasn't Monday pour day? Also, what happened to your log cutter?

[@alexaxline6093]

"Never give up never surrender"

[@billschofield4802]

When I poured my basement walls I was told when you think you have enough shoring shore some more

[@rtind2009]

They did not think that the eclipse would start that early.. Bwaaa Ha Ha.

[@carsonking5549]

Not got a 6 foot level, I've never built a wall and I have two?

[@carsonking5549]

It's incredible, who would even start to build a house without a 6 foot level, they have laser levels but no 6 foot spirit level, it's just bloody weird to me. It's like not having a set of screw drivers. I also wish they'd put their drills on a lower speed, everyone and his dog knows you don't put a screwdriver on max speed for accurate work, you just rip up screw heads and bits.

[@TreyMackSimracingTryhard]

For the love of all that is holy, will someone please trim that damn tree!!!!

[@royatkin161]

Travis McDaniel the tree was there first ?