The Dirt: ICF House Footing Q&A - What Would We Do Differently?

[@bradpayn8058]

I am a masonry contractor, but have built several ICF buildings. Here are a few things that you may find useful. The peel and stick flashing is good stuff if well stuck. Brush off where it will be applied really well. If you still find dust on your fingers checking it after you've brushed it off, spray it off with a hose and light spray, or damp rags. Let it dry off, then stick on the flashing. If the bottom portion of the Styrofoam or top of footer is not clean enough, the sticky will not stick. If it is not stuck on everywhere that it is applied well, there us no point in using it at all. Also, if it is chilly when applying, have a little propane torch to heat the flashing after it's on. Don't melt it, or the foam, stay back with the flame, but get it warm enough to feel hot to the touch, then with gloves, smash it against wall and footer everywhere. Keep the rolls of flashing in the house near a heater up until you are ready to use it. Don't try to put on too much flashing at once. Cut off lengths you can handle well. Seems, overlapped 4" are OK, better than wrinkles. I've found two people can do eight or ten foot pieces alright. Once it's peeled, you both bend it like a taco, sticky side out and get it on the bottom, footer, where you want it without touching the wall yet. When the bottom is stuck then bring the top up against the wall from the corner up. If you are having problems, use shorter pieces - this takes some practice. Also, don't put this on until the walls are completely done, but make sure between each pour to go around inspecting the top of the footer is still clean and flat - no grout splatters are left behind to make bumps. Sticking the icf block to the footer with spray foam is usually the recommended procedure, but there are a few things to keep in mind here. Don't trust the foam entirely, there will be tons of concrete counting on it not to move. All pumps have some surge, some a little, some a lot, and it will be acting as if you are trying to kick the spray foam loose. And there is also hydrolic pressure from the weight of the concrete pushing out. I've found it much more reliable to tap-con 2 byes around the bottom of the walls inside, and out, into the footers to keep things from moving. I use spray foam too, to keep the walls down, from trying to float, but scrap lumber to keep them in place on the footer. The extra time this takes you will save when you find how much faster it is to take this lumber off than it is to carve off the excess spray foam where you want to put flashing, and on the inside bottom corner of your basement. The scrap lumber contains and shapes the spray foam - don't use too much, it's messy, and can lift the bottom icf block if overdone. Don't try to poor the whole wall in one pour. If those are 8', 9', or 10', basement walls, I'd pour them in two lifts. Any taller than that, I'd consider three lifts. Trust me, don't worry about trip charge here. Build the wall half high, (the nearest course to) and brace the corners very firmly in every direction, brace along the inside of straight walls, angled down, with turnbuckle braces at least every 6 or 8 feet, more is better. That hydraulic pressure of concrete really adds up as it gets deeper. If you blow out a Styrofoam block, it will blow out at the bottom, probably when the wall is nearly full, and all the concrete in that wall will flow to the hole. You have to shut down the pump, fix the hole, Shovel back in yards of concrete fast, or send the truck away to burn what's left, and buy it again. Do all you can to prevent this. On Styrofoam 4' deep is enough. You may even want to screw extra 2 byes along the sides of lower block, into the ribs or straps inside the block. If it seems like overkill, that is good, better than blowouts, and all that extra lumber in the footers, sides, and braces, will be used again on the house anyway. Also be very, very, careful with the vibrator. This is when they usually blow. Vibrating brings all of that pressure down hard. You still need to do it, but just a little. I'd rather risk having a little 'popcorn' in my wall than blowing out each place I stuck the vibrator. I guarantee you, that if you wanted, you could make a blowout anywhere you tried with a vibrator. I've worked on big buildings, some mall sized, and no matter how many precautions we take, there always seems to be some blowouts. Almost all of them to do with vibrators and/or inspectors wanting more vibrator. Wet mud and short lifts help tremendously. Also going around the whole perimeter pouring half of your mud, then going around it again to top it off, gives the bottom of the pour some time to begin to set before the top half adds more pressure, reducing overall pressure some. Get that vibrator, still being careful into the bottom half (2') of the pour, then again, a little in the top half. The pumper may try to talk you into getting it all in one pass, but if he's a good one, he'll know exactly why and what you want, and it'll be no problem. 4' lifts are the rule in commercial and gov't buildings, it's not an option, even if your wall is only 5' tall, for good reason, (I'd cheat to 5' if I could, but not to 8' or 9' ever). With your corners braced in, overkill braced, plumb and square, attach a block of 2 bye (1 1/2") on the outside of each corner at the top of the wall. Eight blocks for four corners, and a nail in each block for mason line. You are holding a line 1 1/2" off the wall. On the inside of the wall, you have a 2 bye screwed horizontally along the top of the block and the turnbuckle braces screwed to it, tap-conned to the floor (or staked if still dirt) on the other end of the brace. Go along the turnbuckles adjusting to get that 1 1/2" to the line. When you move one, double, triple check the last one you checked, moving one effects adjacent ones even if you already did them. Fine tune your wall to the line before the mud gets there, and asap after it is poured again - the weight will move it all, but you can put it right back if you do it before the mud sets up. Overall, don't give any videos you may watch on KZbin, or those sent out by ICF salesmen too much relevance. They all seem to say, "look how easy this is, anybody can do it". And that is sort of true, if it doesn't matter if you want a crooked, wavy, out of square, lopsided, out of plumb, barn or something. But I've tuned these block into critical tolerances, integrated into complex, multi story, red iron, brick veneer, and store front, commercial buildings that have to be spot on, and that is nothing like a video a salesman will show you of how easy it is. It's never just stack 'em like Legos and squirt mud in, even though that's how they usually are portrayed.

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Wow. All very good points. Thank you!

[@bradpayn8058]

@@Guildbrookfarm A funny story of how I once had the nickname "Rocketman" for a while follows; The crew that I was working with at the time were pouring some IFC walls on a big job (where I was foreman/employee, not the contractor ) We were a ways up, at least on the fourth lift, as I was standing on top of two 6' scaffold frames and still pouring into a wall that was near chest high. We had a very large pump truck that reached from clear across the building as we were shooting the back wall in. This was like a 6" hose, so that much of it stretched that far out, had a lot of leverage weight. Back at the pump, as I was pouring away, they sucked up a bunch of air. I didn't know it, but that lack of weight in the hose caused the end that I was holding to raise. I tried to hold it down, foolishly, for a moment, but couldn't. I lost my balance and would have fell off the scaffold. About the same time that I was having a wreck on my end, they got mud in the hose again on the other end. Before I fell off the scaffold, the only thing left for me to hang on to was the hose. I wrapped my arms and legs around it like I was climbing a rope and took off as air shot out behind me like I was riding a rocket. lol. It took me maybe 8' more up, then started coming back down from my weight and the new mud beginning to come over the top. I went clear to the floor of the building, but came down slow like I landed a rocket. I felt as my feet came to the ground, that my 250 lbs not hanging on that hose was the difference. If I let go, it was still going back up. The mud was on it's way across the top, but it hadn't got there yet. Still shooting air out of my rear, I jumped, still holding the hose, and I had enough "rocket power" that I went right to the top of 12' scaffold before my weight and the mud counteracted the springy leverage. I stuck that end of the hose in the wall, just as the mud got there, and acted like I was really cool and done it all on purpose (really now I had brown underwear). I spilled a bit of mud, but not much, maybe a bucket's worth, but I think everyone on the job site saw it, and started calling me Rocketman while I was at that job. Don't try this at home, I'd never do it on purpose either, but, as you maybe can tell, I've been around this stuff for many years.

[@Romans828girl]

@@bradpayn8058 AKA Rocketman, you are awesome. I so appreciate that you took the time to think through what a newbie would not know and type out that very clear, very thorough set of instructions. I'm sure Jeremy and Jaime appreciated it too. Sharing your knowledge and experience with them - and us - is so generous. Thank you for your kindness.

[@klazyy641]

I so much prefer your ""Dirt" to other channel's "live" versions. Your visuals are much clearer and the content consists of valuable info rather than, "Hello, xxxx homestead, what's up?" But then, I'm old and cranky and that's just the way I like it.

[@mimiso2522]

I'm old and cranky too, and i way prefer their dirt to other channel's live feeds. Most of the time I just skip the live events.

[@mamabear9389]

I agree. The live events ramble on...usually spend first 10 minutes just saying hi to everyone.

[@jeffreyrstapler]

It would be good if you could put a bathroom and a small kitchen in the basement. It would allow you to do canning down there and not have to tote jars up and down the steps. If you are working in a shop down there you wouldn't have to climb steps if you or friends need to use the bathroom. Would you or your kids ever have parties in the basement or possibly a game room down there?

[@ramonacook5110]

Hey I just want to offer you some encouragement. I think you guys are so brave, and I admire your resolve to follow your dreams To live this homestead way of life, and live off grid. I love to eatch your videos, and wanted to let Jeremy know I will ve praying for healing in his back. It must be frustraying to need to do this build and have that setback. Keep up the great work!!

[@mikepurkey6070]

This is the best "dirt" background for the dirt i have ever seen.

[@johniac7078]

This is my fav home stead channel. No BS, no click bait, no "we started the lawn mower and this happened" bullshit. IMHO, J&J are among the most straightforward, well-informed down to earth people I have seen on YT. Cheers.

[@dorothyculbertson5640]

Love the good vibe from you two, place is going to be sweet, just subbed a few days ago, canning brought me 😊 staying because you guys are so down to earth, thanks for sharing your time and work with us, take care and God Bless ❤️

[@owlrecon6263]

I think the dirt is my favorite series because it gives me the whys and hows keep up the good work

[@PaullaWells]

I love that y'all are finally being able to make progress. I am certain the months of trying to find contractors and others must've been frustrating beyond description, but thanks to your perseverance you are moving forward. Yay! I also love that you are trying to make informative videos for others. There will be plenty of folks who will find your attention to detail and communicating the pertinent information helpful and will be super grateful to you for taking the time and putting in the effort to share information. I am not building, but I absolutely love learning new things thus these types of videos are interesting to me. Thank you so much!

[@FromThePrairies]

Think about every reason you might want water and a drain in your basement. The sump pit is a must if putting in plumbing in the future. Waste water from the basement needs to be lifted to the sanitary line. A sump pit is easy to do now before you pour the floor, Put a good cover on it and its there for when you need it and at a fraction of the cost if you do it after the fact.

[@dougmc666]

In the video you mention putting the hot water tank near where the water line enters the basement, you might consider putting it closer to kitchen and bathroom to get instant hot water from the taps.

[@BR-ex9xp]

I love that you don’t have to wake up to a boss looking over your shoulder all day. Good luck on the rest of your project.

[@mmanut]

I know you said there would be no bathroom in the basement. You should install drain pipes for a possible future bathroom, the cost is just a few bucks in materials and your time and labor. You will kick yourself a few years down the road that you didn't do it. This is my business, I build Custom Homes in the Boston area, Everyone wishes they did it when it's too late after the concrete is poured. Don't be one of those people. Just My Opinion‼️ GOOD LUCK GUYS, PS, Water Proofing your foundation is the most important thing you can do, installing drain pipes around the perimeter is a MUST, Do this so in the future they don't fill up with mud and become useless. Install several clean outs so in the future it gives access to check and clean out these drain pipes‼️‼️ ONCE AGAIN, GOOD LUCK, LOOKING GOOD, VINNY 🇺🇸

[@johniac7078]

Hey I am in the Boston Area too!

[@CKKnifeandTool]

Glad you two have started to make progress and man all the T’s the cross and I’s to dot. Kudos to you for your hard work and diligence. Looking forward to seeing the progress.

[@RXRSawdustStation]

Regarding excess concrete, I've seen people use 5 gallon buckets as molds for stepping stones. They're perfectly round, identically sized and, the bottom of the bucket even puts a rounded off edge around the circumference on what will be the upper side. It's really good to see you guys back at it and providing us viewing with great videos. Thank you!

[@oldgloryhomestead9752]

FIRE BREAK! yes very important my uncle in California had a large fire break around his house, there was a big fire July of last year. lost his barn (animals saved thank goodness) but his home was safe. so make that fire break as big as you can!

[@Will7981]

It's hard to build a "too big" house. I'm agree with you, tiny homes are the pits.

[@icecreamladydriver1606]

I was my own general contractor when we built our house. I really enjoyed it. I can actually say that I helped build our home and that is quite a good feeling.

[@jeanineeley2811]

I've been watching your channel since you lived at the other property. My husband and I built our own home, and GC our own. Our home is designed very much like yours (into the side of a hill). We used Chief Architect. Loved it. And yes, we aren't tiny house people either;) Watching you do this brings it all back! Enjoy it even when it seems never-ending!

[@richardanderson2411]

As a former plumber, I would advise you to rethink the benefit of a floor drain or sump pump. The main cause of flooded basements (versus wet basements) is a plumbing failure. Whether be it the pressure relief value on the hot water heater, or its base rotting out, or a feed line to a washer or facet. Water of course seeks the lowest level, which will be your basement floor. In an in-ground basement this can form a swimming pool.....and I've drained more than a few. While your plan is to be at home pretty much 24/7 and able to catch such an issue early, who knows what your plan will be in a decade. Now is the easiest time to address the issue.

[@growntogether9913]

I second this concern. First thing I thought was what will they do when the tank on the water heater needs to be drained when the appliance fails? I have also seen a copper pipe split and fill a basement with 18 inches or water. At least consider a French drain for the basement. Hope to save you some frustration down the road.

[@evelynatcraneshearth]

You missed one of the reasons to keep the trees cleared: ICE STORMS. The house won't have to worry about it as much as the trailer (as ya'll had to deal with that last winter I believe) but ice laden trees are still something to take seriously and keep an eye on when it happens.

[@sailme2day]

great update folks . great team effort. The value of lists, double checking the math , great reminder for us all :) You covered everything wonderfully. You have one more thing off the list , congrats . Might be worth adding some loads of gravel to the drive , you will have lots of delivery's for materials yet to come ? make the road right while the weather is calm and manageable .Talk to your foam block company and send them site pictures of your situation, google earth pro is free. The delivery drivers have solutions you might not have thought of, for unloading , safety and simplicity. ? Thinking through each step of the home building process. Planning , material management , efficiency, safety ... is the best ROI investment one can do daily. I am excited for your family . Life time dream one day at a time .

[@cobscorner5256]

Make sure you brace your corners and any long walls well. When I was about your age, about 20 years ago, I built a 3500 sq foot house and used Eco block for the basement walls. I had a 4 ft crawl space underneath the basement floor as we built on expansive soil. Our Eco block walls were about 14 ft tall. Also make sure you have at least a couple of spare braces pre-made for any potential blowouts you may have. I had a couple and we were prepared and got the braces up quickly so it didn't completely destroy the wall. Make sure if you're going to have any windows or doors that you block them out oversized by at least 3-4 inches on all sides with lumber, it will make installing windows and doors easier and if you want to install curtain rods later you'll have something to attach to. It's a lot easier to make changes to a wood frame than concrete. Other than that I would suggest if you think someday you may add something, power circuits going outside, water, sewer, drain, make provisions for it now, it will save you a lot of time and headaches. I would put a drain in the basement, your footer is not that deep, you could hand dig a trench for a 3 inch line under it, backfill it with sand and you'd be good. Put a P-trap in your ABS pipe right under your drain that will help keep out any "creepy crawlies" and gases from coming back into the house. Good luck, I think you'll do well.

[@jameswitte5167]

You can always put in a sump later ... Just in case you get a plumbing leak in he house ... Remember you are bringing water into your house ... For propane I hav seen a few people with a tank on a trailer ... They just take it into town once a year and park it under a shed roof which helps with our rain ... We don't tan, we rust ... You need something with tracks ...

[@FM-zs2fu]

I understand why you don't want the drain in the basement but if the water heater break's or when you need to replace it down the track you you will wish you had it.... Loving the video's 😄

[@kmaynor16]

Things are looking up! You're on your way to building a house = your dream off-grid home. I'm happy for you and I really admire your ability to overcome obstacles and get things done anyway!

[@longstoryshortstory3192]

Seeing Y. doing all that hard work i was always vorry about his back. Unfortunately it happend what happend and hope he s gonna bee OK. Now, i m happy 2 see neighbours coming and giving a helping hand.... From the begining his hard work was troubled me and it was dificult 2 wait what happend.... Hope everything goes from now with less rush, in the end i am happy to see you around. THANKS 4 sharing everything. I learned a lot with you 2 , we LOVE you , good luck.

[@hombreelefante123]

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed watching the whole process. Now, I'm about to build an ICF home using Nudura forms, so I'm watching your videos over again. I think it's a good idea to put a plastic vapor barrier under the footings so water does not wick up them.

[@southernwanderer7912]

Sounds like you have things under control. Looking forward to the next segment.

[@kleineroteHex]

It WAS really cool to do the rebar with the big toy!!!!

[@HoneyHollowHomestead]

I recently knocked a mud dauber nest off a piece of lumber. When it hit the ground it shattered. It was FULL of young black widow spiders! Mud daubers now have a free pass on my property!

[@pjmtts]

I live on the top of a high ridge. I bought my house and discovered the floor drain was capped with a rubber stopper. Found it was capped when I was pumping & draining my flooded basement. It flooded during a tropical storm that came through PA in 2018. It wasn’t ground water though that caused it. It’s the disturbed area of soil around the foundation which fills with water that is the problem not the ground water. I would put a floor drain and be sure it never is capped by people afraid of bugs and crawling creatures. Which won’t crawl through a P trap. Even if it’s just for a broken pipe flood I would never have a basement without a drain. Imagine your shop being pumped full of well water. All your food sitting in dirty water. I would say again to consider a drain. Before you can’t and face what I did.

[@35Zeuss]

Totally agree with you. One never knows where water can come from in a basement should it enter. I'm liking the clean and simple french drain design from the Baseco company. 👍

[@GrandsonofKong]

Look forward to your progress. If you haven't thought about it, be sure to buy your Propane Tank rather than rent. This then allows you to shop around for the best price on Propane instead of being lock-in from whoever you rent from. Also consider a larger tank and then bury it. More pleasing visually and safer in a fire situation.

[@ubetchya78]

Have you thought of maybe putting in a dumb-waiter so you don't have to run back up the stairs with arm loads of pantry items? Also could be useful for sending just canned items down ...

[@Guildbrookfarm]

We considered it and nixed it.

[@jakes.1199]

dumb-waiters are dumb

[@annabodhi38]

What a great video. Appreciate all the answers to so many questions regarding the process. Thanks so much for the video, excellent as usual.

[@dballard8660]

Thanks for the dirt update. We built our own home twenty years ago. Watching you build is bringing back fond memories. It's a big job and a lot of work but there is a certain satisfaction and pride in living in a house you designed and built. Good luck and best wishes.

[@johndalton9824]

Big dreams, big job. Got lots of faith in you two. This ia going to be a great series. Blessings

[@LittleKi1]

Looks awesome! I am going to echo those encouraging you to put a toilet and sink downstairs. I can't tell you how many times I have been mid-project in my garage and grateful that the toilet was right there, right then. I wish the builders had also put in a sink and that may be a winter project. The toilet just takes up a tiny cubby under the stairs....so worth it. Also, if anyone is working on the house, they can use that one without having to come inside to ask...keeps everyone happy!

[@RAKRail]

Thanks for taking us along on this project. I enjoy learning and you both do an excellent job explaining... Thanks again

[@jamiebjorklund288]

Phew! I did it! Lol I got through your videos from 2016 to now and am finally current. I love what you are doing and that you are sharing with us. Thank you, thank you. I am excited to see what comes next with the build.

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Holy cow! That’s a lot of videos to watch! 😳

[@ericday2072]

It's good to see that you keyed your footer into the ground. A friend of mine lived through the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and though his foundation was not an issue, his house was not anchored to the foundation and shifted 2 feet off the foundation. I suspect a keyed in footer will help prevent your foundation from shifting in case of an earthquake tremor. After back filling, your entire foundation is pretty well keyed in.

[@texasnative4803]

I appreciate the updates- Keep them coming- 👍👍

[@ams2737]

I'm definitely going to follow your build because I'm planning on building an ICF house over in the Hickory area not too far from you guys when I get home from my deployment. I wish you guys the best of luck and hopefully this build won't be too stressful for you

[@Beecozz7]

Y'all are just great, thanks so much for these very informative videos!!! I am learning a lot!!!

[@edmundbetlinski6740]

I like watching to see what you are doing with your homestead and give you "thumbs up" for your plan and execution. There is one thing I want to mention, since it is not too late yet. If your are using the basement or lower level for a workshop or studio, it might be a good idea to at least have a powder room there instead of running up stairs to do your duty. I am assuming that if you have a workshop in the basement there will probably be a door to bring materials in or take projects out, especially since it is open in the front or back, whatever that direction is. If there is a door, people could come in from outside to use the powder room instead of going upstairs or squatting in the woods. We had a very small 4.5 ft. X 4 ft. in our basement that was a lifesaver. We didn't use it all the time, but when we did it was really needed. Also good to have a second bathroom or 1/2 bath with 4 people in the household. It's your house, so do what you want, just consider everything. Good Luck and keep up the great videos.

[@theresashook7882]

So happy for you all great to see all the progress you are making

[@mariayelruh]

Planning for extra concrete is wise. My father built a house 50 years ago with a couple of helpers. The guy who helped the most made sure there were forms for extra concrete, and he made sure to round up and add an extra yard. A walkway that was set to be 3' x 15' was 3' by about 4.5' !

[@ann1260]

I can’t wait to see the rest of your videos of the progress of your new home! I’m so excited for you!!

[@oakleyjack7600]

Your doing a Great job, things will come up but just handle them and move forward.

[@carolsuesamuelson7935]

Thank you for keeping us up to date.

[@dianehall5345]

Good to see you moving forward! We built our home into the side of a hill. Size for us ( 2 people) is about 1,000 sq. ft. per main floor and basement. The land was gravel, so drainage around the house and septic was optimum. Our poured basement is our pantry, wood catch and basic storage. No out buildings yet. Just got our double carport from N.C..Great for N.H. winters. We love our tankless propane hot water heater. Has saved us money. We also enjoy our vintage kitchen wood stove. Stove is " ON" all winter :-). Best of luck!

[@tarapaul8212]

You will be good general contractor. We did 1/2 of our own house. We were much happier once we took control back of our own house.

[@jackpatteeuw9244]

Homeowner with some general construction knowledge do well because they are "on site" for most of the day when subs are working. Not true with "for hire" GCs ! The only thing I would say about hiring subs, is get the details in writing, or at least record all conversations with them. A friend of a friend got a sub to rip out and re-install some of the foundation that was not done according to spec because he videoed the pour !

[@Fidg234]

Learned quite a few details I didn't realize needed to be considered when planning and building your own home. Won't be doing this myself but good information to know when listening to others discussing their plans. I can understand better what is going on but needed to look up the details which was very helpful.

[@MelissaLynn.6310]

I hate cutting down trees, but having trees too close to the house makes me nervous because of the wildfires we have here in the mountains of NC. I agree that it made sense to clear the area around the house.

[@karenriggle5435]

We live in Wyoming black hills, everyone considers it's so windy here,when we built our off grid homestead with 21 solar panels we put up a 1700 watt wind turbine which now hangs on our shop wall because you have to have at least a 30 mph wind sustained winds just to start working

[@sarahm4809]

Loving the regular uploads! Glad you are seeing progress!

[@CaptainCrunch823]

Thanks so much for sharing these details! I'm about to embark on my own build and this info was tremendously helpful!

[@GeekboyNC]

I grew up near there. The thing that most people don't get is the dirt is mostly red clay. When it is compressed around the house, it is very unlikely that you will have a water problem. There is a reason that they line ponds with that stuff. You do need drainage around the outside of the house, but it is more of a precaution than an absolute necessity. I had never heard of a sump pump until I moved away.

[@marklownox]

That is Interesting because in the North drain tile around perimeter of footing is code where we live. When my wife and I built our house 23 yrs ago I wish we would have put drain tile in the inside perimeter of footing also to sump pit. Water is an issue here.

[@aovoonthefarmsouthernillinois]

I want to build a house in ten years. I am taking notes from you all. Thank you.

[@paulaarthur57]

Great info, thanks for sharing. How exciting, your building your own house.

[@WendyK656]

Hey Jeremy and Jaime! wow I can't wait to see this finished! just love you both. May God keep supplying you with all your needs. It was Awesome with using the Tractor on the rebar. Absolutely Jeremy the trees grow back and the breeze would be very good for y'all. Jaime, be careful with the black walnut tree, they the vain in those tree poison your garden with tomatoes, egg plant, pepper, and many other garden produce, even shrubs. I know we had dealt with the black walnuts and we had to stop growing in one of the garden beds. We did take down the black walnuts in our yard. It takes at least 7 years for that juglone toxin to get out of the soil. (Black walnut tree toxicity. Black walnut trees load their roots, buds, and nut hulls with the juglone toxin (leaves and stems have smaller amounts of juglone). The toxin seeps into the soil and susceptible companion plants will turn yellow, wilt, and sometimes die) Hey Jeremy, how is your back doing? been praying it is getting better.

[@ffc3476]

You guys are doing great I truly enjoy your videos

[@makapalatrace8385]

So glad you’re back

[@annamixner3168]

Another video! I'm in heaven, thank you so much! ❤

[@annamixner3168]

I forgot, I laughed out loud when you use the tractor to cut the rebar. I said out loud, that's using your Noggin!

[@ericbooth9584]

Great information. Documenting and sharing the entire design and build process will inspire others on the fence about doing the same! Thank you very much...

[@Carol_Pearson]

Neat! Looks like it’s really moving along. I know you’ll be glad to have some stretching space indoors.

[@janinehenderson854]

Haha. I hear ya. Have been living in 30m2 garage for 2.5 years. I am also not into tiny homes! Live in NZ. Actually used your earlier video when researching our Kunekune pigs. Thanks for the vids. They’re super helpful.

[@recon66661]

Can’t wait for the rest of the build love watching your videos thanks for sharing keep the videos coming thanks!

[@henryrodgers3409]

Excellent Q & A . You guy's gave us a lot of information . Being your own general contractor is not easy . So much to think about and scheduling of what comes next . Thinking way ahead of time . Snakes . I hate snakes . Lucky for me we only have garter snakes around here and we never see them . Black widows , copper heads and rattlers . I'm already freaking out . LOL My brother is making his front porch . No way is it easy to bend that rebar . Bought a torch to help bend it . Torch will always come in handy . Tools can be expensive but it's cheaper than paying someone and you will always have the tools . Good information about ordering concrete . Always order extra . You just never know . Worst case is being short .

[@athloneduke]

Looking forward to seeing the plans and the end product, happy for ye 🇮🇪

[@thinkingofothers353]

~~~ My friends always great to watch as work goes on at your homestead . My heart is happy for you both and pray for your good health and safe working . Your sound and picture is coming in clear and 5 by 5 . Your channel makes the internet a JOY to watch , GOD'S JOY .

[@Souixno]

@Guildbrook Are you considering using PEX for your water lines? PEX is super easy to install, more importantly, it is easy to change. I redid all our water lines with PEX when we first bought the house. As the remodeling has progressed, we have needed to make changes. A couple fittings, clamps and a few feet of line, bam, easy peasy. Also it's almost totally freeze burst proof. Be blessed and thank you for the wonderful videos. 💜

[@Guildbrookfarm]

For some

[@vdwhite687]

I plan to build my own house, but its nice to see a couple do it together more as a family show and tell then the average youtube content

[@lesleyharris3198]

So excited for you, you are building the dream 1 step at a time, good luck, praying for your back to heal quickly.

[@beerbuzz62]

Great job,god bless all of you on the rest of the build

[@sovereigns1grace]

The one thing you choose not to 'worry about' is typically the thing that bites you in the ass. Water is the MOST DESTRUCTIVE thing for a house. Your unfinished basement will house your pantry & equipment. What will be the cost to replace those items as oppised to installing an insurance plan for excessive water to be removed. Typically I see your logic in things ... But on this score I'm truly concerned. Love what you're doing and am a long time fan. Don't want to see any more hardship for y'all. Oh! About the trees ... Remind folks how trees were breaking onto your house under the weight of snow and ice! ❤

[@laurahirsche3673]

My husband has been a general contractor for 45 years. One thing he has learned is to put a sump pump in Every basement. Even in homes on hills. 🙂. He has done ICF foundations for the last 20 years. Lots of rebar, bracing and vibrate the concrete as you pour. Last thing you want are voids in the wall!

[@gregorypeck37]

Hey dont beat yourself up over that goof up cause when it was all said and done it turned out pretty dam good. It was your first time doing something like this and you done great bud.

[@drbbhiggins]

If you have 120 gallon or less propane tank it can go against the house, anything bigger has to be away from the house at least 25 feet, well at least here where I live in NC. Personally I like the propane tanks you can bury. Little more pricey up front but less of an eye sore. Only use copper or iron pipe for the trunk line. Never use plastic or PVC unless specifically designed for gas. Plastic is a static hazard and you can blow yourself up. PVC will also take the added smell agent out of the gas, so you would no longer smell that sour foul smell that is added to propane. You could always set a 500 - 1000 gallon tank beside the well house on a level pads. Then run a parallel line 4 foot apart from the water line. I hope you guys are thinking about a dehumidifier unit for your AC system since it looks like you are in the south somewhere. I highly suggest having an expert design your HVAC system to provide quality air management. This will save money and headache in the long run. Good luck guys, will be watching the videos.

[@drbbhiggins]

@@wilburfinnigan2142 Dude no need to be an asshole. I have not watched all their videos and they have never mentioned where they are located in the dozen or so I have watched. So piss off dude.

[@theresad6990]

@@wilburfinnigan2142 perhaps instead of trolling everyone's comments and posting rude replies maybe YOU should pay attention. Jaime and Jeremy are NOT in N. Idaho. If YOU had been paying attention you would know that they are in North Carolina. There is another couple on youtube that are located in Idaho that are building an ICF home and "playing at homesteading" that you must be confusing this couple with. So do yourself a favor, quit being a jerk with your comments. It just makes you look ignorant.

[@rickyjohnson8998]

A guick note on ICF's for running electrical in your basement. Can hot knife along joint where ICF' horizontal joint. Where there are not vertical studs. Take care. Enjoy your journey...

[@djaspurh]

Looking good. Its hard to calculate concrete in a ditch, it will be easier with the forms since you have more exact dimensions. Keep up the great work.

[@PowerTom286]

Thanks for all the information, Jamie and Jeremy

[@FirstSuiGeneris]

_May I made a suggestion, or you may already know of John Daniel, and his KZbin channel is named the same, I've learned so much from him about wind turbines. He's a mastermind when it comes to that and he there to help people._

[@bobo-wf1jv]

I love seeing new construction .. and even though you already know this, my own first thought is to always leave a hidden conduit access somewhere from attic to lowest level for someday running those unexpected cables for a possible hidden antenna in attic ... or the like. I also like a stealthy close but accessible conduit from outside just above ground to interior for those possible 10 gauge generator cords .. just in case. Outdoor wall mounted gen-hookups are nice but I still like access for an unexpected physical cord. I'm just pondering things you already know. Cheers ..

[@shannonkerwin8833]

Thanks for the channel! I appreciate you guys.

[@judd_s5643]

I’ve looked at a few houses in Cleveland TN (near Chattanooga TN ) and they all had sump/pump drains. The cost is minimal considering the cost of dealing with a indoor swim/wading pool!

[@MeBeingAble]

You really should plan for the future guys. I have pipes capped till I utilise them. Or you could just have a composting toilet in there for convenience. Are you going to put in a french drain around the house to help keep water away? So wicking or hugulkultur beds?

[@rsy427]

Best thing is to ask questions and also to look at other similar sites

[@boo94_]

i am so happy for you! wish you all the best and hope for more videos!

[@jamesc9001]

love the dirt

[@MikeSessler]

Thanks for sharing this. Good to know about the extra hands for the pour. What's funny is your floor plan is almost exactly what I came up with for my design. Now I'm curious to see if you'll be using the same ICFs I've been looking at!

[@topper009]

I think you might regret no plumbing in the basement, even having a cleanup sink in the shop area would be worth it.

[@woodyjade9097]

Making progress. It's all good.

[@JamesCouch777]

Our house is built into a hill just like yours. We do have a bathroom but we don't have a floor drain and it has never been a problem. It is finished out. If I had a recommendation it would be to put in provision for a bathroom. It becomes more important as you age. I liked the tractor rebar cutter.

[@theIAMofME]

I must admit, I knew nothing about an ICF home until you guys mentioned it. I had heard of it. But, just knew the concrete factor. I just finished reading a detailed article on CommonsensehomeDOTcom about this house in Michigan built this way. WOW! I loved the whole concept of it. May I asked why you aren't doing the entire house this way? I'm assuming it's the cost since it's more expensive to do a home this way? I'm just curious. The entire build of one of these homes if done right sounds almost indestructible! Way to go on the choice. I think it's awesome. Best of luck to you guys. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

[@Bex-rg8pj]

I love, love your channel❤️ Rebecca. Evansville, IN

[@2200chuck]

Awesome episode. I can't tell you how pleased I am to see things happening for you guys. Your channel is one of my favorites and I look for new episodes every day. I suggest that you really do need to provide drainage into the septic from inside the basement. I know you have no plans to put a bathroom in the basement, but do you really plan to do all your canning in the upstairs kitchen and then carry everything down the stairs to the pantry storage in the basement? Jamie I loved watching you do all your Hot Water and Pressure canning. I downloaded many of your canning episodes for my own learning. You're going to want to do all that in the basement where the storage is conveniently located. You'll need a sink, which means water, which means drainage. Providing drainage now will be much easier and less expensive than doing it later. Food for thought.

[@Guildbrookfarm]

No canning will be upstairs ir outside, same as we did in the last house. It makes no sense to have food prep in the basement.

[@Sqeptick]

When I built my small house last year, we were required to include a sump pit even though we'll probably never need it. I'm in Missouri in a similar climate to yours, so make sure you ask your county if you need one. (If you haven't already.)

[@sylviahunt8736]

Can’t you chip the wood for mulch? I’m told it’s great for gardens. Putting nutrients back into the soil. I say soil because I learned that dirt is “dead” soil. No living creatures such as worms living in it. The mulch also helps keep the moisture in the soil. And helps keep the weed down.

[@phoenixsx1]

I've been a subscriber since around 500 or so, even bought a spot in WV also...I would differently rethink the sump pump and drain in the basement.... even though you on top of the hill better to have it and not need it, than to have a crazy storm and flooded basement.... and a bathroom in the basement is always a winner