How to Build Your Own ICF Basement and Save Big $$$

We finished our Logix ICF basement this month! Helene and I are so excited to finally start on our home build. Next step will be to waterproof, backfill and build our oak frame on the foundation. Thanks for following our journey!
Big thanks to Dan, Art, Chase, Landon, Patrick, Lucas, Patrice, My dad and my brothers for helping out, couldn't have done it without you!

[@camels9654]

One tip, don't do your splice at the corner, work your way in from the corner and try to the splice in the center of the wall. The corners are where the blowouts happen so you want your strength there.

[@zuesbenz]

you did good work

[@bwillan]

You know you've put a good day's work in when you end up with some concrete in your beard. The foundation for the Timber Frame home is off to a great start. Looking forward to more videos on the build.

[@SharpeTimber]

Thanks! It feels great to be on our way. We are excited to get the frame together!

[@garyp272727]

Loved your video.. you sound like a honorable and humble gentleman. Any more update on home building so far ?

[@mostlyinterested1016]

One safety tip. As soon as you put a vertical piece of rebar in, make sure you put an orange cap on it. I was cringing every time you pressed down hard to engage the horizontal rebar into the plastic framing.

[@SharpeTimber]

Yes that is a good idea, I was aware that it could hurt me aha

[@Room1sixtyfive]

Lol, they go from one side to the other like butter.

[@midwestoutlaw3194]

I worked with a carpenter who fell off a stepladder and he landed on a length of rebar they were hundreds of miles from a hospital on an island luckily the navy heard them begging for help on the radio and came and brought him back to land

[@dougsmith548]

Nice basement layout. Those walls are good and thick. 🇨🇦✌️

[@SharpeTimber]

Thanks 👍

[@bethanykuntz6640]

Sooo exciting!!!🎉

[@SharpeTimber]

Yes its so exciting to finally be working on it!

[@jeffjones4006]

Orange caps are optional this isn’t an OSHA job, only a local inspector and he will be above them for inspection comes.

[@dammitbobby283]

Where did you get that yellow metal bracing, was it rented?

[@SharpeTimber]

Yes I rented it from Rona, where I also bought the icf blocks.

[@christopherbarber274]

Hey man, great video! This is going to be one of my main go to videos to refer to once i start my own house. Just a side note, the music is a bit too loud. Not terribly so, but its a little out of proportion to the rest of the audio. Keep up the good work man!

[@SharpeTimber]

Great! Glad it can help, and thanks for the feedback, I will be sure that the volume is right in the next ones, or I will just do it without music.

[@KeithFrazier74]

How many sq ft was the interior? How did you know what type of concrete to get? Did you shop more than one icf company? How do you cut out for power plugs?

[@SharpeTimber]

I think around 870 sq ft, just researched online, talked with my engineer and the guys who sell the ICFs. I just got a quote from one company because they weren't too far from me, I just figured they were all pretty similar. You can use a special hot knife, or electric chainsaw or just a knife.

[@flyingfrog2856]

Do you rent or buy the bracing that keeps the walls plumb?

[@SharpeTimber]

I had to rent it.

[@daveRiccardi]

Was that old terracotta sewer pipe you dug up at the beginning?

[@SharpeTimber]

Yes but I think it was drainage tile because there was a few pipes in different places.

[@pcexpress911]

I live in central Texas What is a basement? 😅

[@billmccance7762]

marriage line should be more in mid wall not near a corner

[@SharpeTimber]

Yes that is true, learned lots doing my first one.

[@rjygrahamt6c]

How many linear feet was your foundation?

[@SharpeTimber]

120 ft.

[@pcexpress911]

How many yards of concrete was that?

[@SharpeTimber]

It was around 24 yards for the wall

[@michaeladams2077]

dont try this at home" lol dude was holding the bottom down. im cool. back to old school

[@briant7067]

Cost?

[@SharpeTimber]

Spent around $18 500 for excavation, footing and wall. Thats counting all the materials and also Gravel with a stone slinger.

[@yavor19121]

What size are icf blocks. 8,10 or 12 inch and are they fox blocks. How deep under ground is your basement dug. How many feet deep. How many inches are your footings wide and deep. What size rebar u have in the footings and the size of rebar in icf. Thanks

[@BuildCabin]

Have you checked with your pest control companies ? Many won't touch an ICF.

[@SharpeTimber]

No I haven't, but we don't have many pests here that I have to worry about.

[@vanman3752]

Wow is that music ever a big distraction.

[@SharpeTimber]

Thanks for the feedback 👍 will probably start doing videos without music mostly

[@andreycham4797]

You put horizontal rebars in footings and top rows between top and bottom they are useless

[@SharpeTimber]

With ICF you need horizontal rebar on each row. It snaps in and holds the forms together. It also will still resist tension on the inside of the wall

[@andreycham4797]

@@SharpeTimber if the manufacturer of those forms had required to secure forms the way you did , you should have done more diligent work on choosing the ICF brand . A foundation wall out CMU block doesn't have horizontal steel bar after every row

[@truthseeker5890]

@@andreycham4797 If I was doing that job and it was my structure (my money being spent), I would want way more rebar in there! Most people can think past their noses. I think in terms of 100 years! A lot is going to happen in 100 years. Overkill? No such thing!

[@truthseeker5890]

*can't...

[@charlesmaou6375]

Turn that stupid music off, blows my eardrums...

[@SharpeTimber]

Press the mute button then. Thanks for watching.