The Modest House Build Ep 2: Foundation Insulation and Backfill

[@AdrianaChipps]

Video has gotten so much better who ever is filming is doing a great job. Thanks for giving Greg a mic. Do let Greg do more work and also take on his ideas bc I voted Greg’s way of putting up board first then going thru with the saw to cut off the extra, would of save on that battery. You guys are great love content.

[@davidledger5089]

Good work guys. Excellent channel. Been watching for ages and look forward to each new build or story.

[@russellwright5594]

I marvel at the thermal efficiency you put into your builds, in Australia my experience is that builders pay little attention to it, indeed many new homes are built with thermal insulation as an optional extra. I suspect many builders regard a blower test as something the Random Breath Test cops do to them on their way home from the pub

[@moose1164]

It’s pure joy anytime I get to hop on a piece of machinery and move material. It really speaks to that inner child that played with his Tonka trucks and Tonka toys until dark. 😂

[@peterclark8182]

I just filled in my foundation with stone. Use a slinger truck and I’m glad I did!

[@230879Darren]

Liked the video after 30 seconds! Love the channel, big respect from 🇬🇧

[@HLL8LLY]

Anxious to see this build come together. This is close to what I’m wanting to have built.

[@drewhatcher12]

You guys are great. Seriously I'm envious of the program you guys got going

[@brawldawg8729]

Gotta love having the BP next door! That came in super handy!

[@terencemerritt]

This is going to be a great series

[@registratoreprimo9778]

I don't know the details but i think you will have a thermal bridge on the front porch an on the rear porch corner where you have uninsulated foundations perpendicular to the insulated ones. It will probably have negligible effect to the overall performance but it is a cheap and easy detail to do.

[@pitt42075]

Thought there same thing

[@markgrassman6238]

Right up my alley guys. I am just about retired and you are building almost my retirement place.

[@johnhunter273]

30 + minutes of gravel moving..... Just for the commentary! Love the banter!!

[@ftlaud911]

Wouldn't it be a good idea to waterproof the cement wall then add the foam? Might even suggest adding a french drain around perimeter. Water always finds a way inside even with extra prevention.

[@krististanley8508]

Does that matter if it's under a concrete floor?

[@thisisnotmyname91]

Slab on grade construction… water under the floor isn’t a problem

[@sammax4245]

This is not a basement ,waterproofing the rocks (backfill)

[@midstatelandsolutionsllc1515]

When you say French drains do you mean footing tiles? Most of the time you won’t see footing tiles on short foundation walls like slab on grade or crawl spaces.

[@comingtofull-ageinchrist6736]

yeah, I caught all of your RR HQ 2.0 build and saw you use the Halo Subterra styrofoam on the foundation of your new building; really seams like a great idea to block condensation and to insulate the foundation!

[@Ihd2020]

I agree with Greg, use atleast 1 ramset to anchor each panel. Dirt compacts and can shrink. Don't want gaps next to the CIP wall....

[@jamesfischer5389]

QUALITY SELLS ITSELF ALL DAY LONG! ☮️💜🇺🇸

[@cdw143]

I don't know how much you pay Greg but he deserves a raise!

[@Harambe_]

Buy Greg a house 😡

[@cwood7380]

Kyle spends his life over complicating things (which i appreciate), but when Greg does it just 1 time, by suggesting a ramset, Kyle says, "no, we don't want to over complicate things"

[@aserta]

You should have a welder's hammer (the pick type) with you. If you cut the back edge that's flat, it becomes a very useful tool to use in the concrete phase of the work you do. Over pours, little edges, stuff you need to clean. Best tool.

[@warrensmith5472]

Should have removed the snow before spreading the gravel. If you place the concrete before it's melted, you have a good chance of having voids under the slab.

[@Matt-mq1ep]

It did not get compacted properly in lifts either, so I'm sure there will be some voids regardless.

[@mariokajin]

Its quantity is really negligible. It will drain into the soil eventually. What “bothers” me is the lack of any geo textile on grade inside the house foundation to separate soil and crush rocks, and the lack of insulation between the porches and the house foundation. The rest is to be seen. But by the meticulous process/labor RR used to build it headquarters I think that the building will be more than great.

[@midstatelandsolutionsllc1515]

@@Matt-mq1epthat’s clean 3/4 rock or sometimes called cm11. It reaches almost 100% compaction on placement. Really no need to compact. Similar concept to using pea gravel under pipes.

[@NDB390]

Looking forward to this design. My wife and I here in Iowa been contemplating building a structure like this. I need a bigger shop and we are ok with no basement as we dont really use the one we have at current house.

[@JAG777]

Haha Greg asking “I am getting paid..right?” And looking at the camera had me dyin’! Good job guys! My son liked it when you went to the gas station in the skidder.

[@kusterflattail]

I'd be willing to bet that Greg was sore as hell the day after hand shoveling that gravel, 💪🏻

[@ejenterprise5540]

Greg is a Beast dude. He just shakes it off like the Superman he is. Did you see him Fly over that wall? It only took the “old” guy 2 mins to scale it After looking at it for 10 mins and psych himself out 👍

[@pacificnorthwest9416]

He is a ninja

[@PaulMikna]

It's like watching a video game with the two skid steers moving back and forth in double time!

[@ImagineAcres]

sorry greg RRHQ has to get paid off somehow!!!, such an amazing volunteer.

[@benjaminamos1613]

It's awesome you guys are doing the site work also nice video you 2 do an awesome job

[@stephenclifford3971]

Closely following this series.

[@stevenwarner7348]

Time for a wheelbarrow. or maybe two wheelbarrows. Thanks for the video. All good man. Congratulations on a very cool job.

[@hallenw]

An amazingly interesting video. 😮

[@ChadManning-f6q]

I think Ive watched just about every show you guys have done and I love your work and your attention to detail in your explaining of it all. Thank you!!! But Bro why not use a gravel shooting truck on this one?

[@kennethdean7959]

Love this one. Just like watching Bob The Builder with those two Kubotas.

[@GoodwillCriminalsOfDallas]

A little spray adhesive will tie those foam panels in good. Imagine if you had cut that corner so the ends fall together on a 45 cut. It would have looked so clean.

[@Overpar73]

You guys are killing it again, boy that's allot of rock!!

[@robertpoe5309]

I figured you would have used an adhesive to hold the foam board to the wall.

[@MrToolean]

I'm excited for this build.

[@jimgratrix8446]

No weeping tile for drainage?

[@bwillan]

A stone slinger truck would have save you a boat load of time with installing all of that gravel for your foundation. Are they not common in your area?

[@regmcguire5582]

My thought exactly...

[@pacificnorthwest9416]

They are quite a bit more expensive than delivered gravel. Especially for 22 loads. I bet using the machines was more cost effective.

[@tommywalton1974]

Good googly moogly I’d hate to pay that rock bill 😂

[@jjtrades7186]

Was just thinking the crews I used to work on would have put 1ft of stone and 85ft of sand lol

[@davids8493]

My sentiments exactly! 💸 💰 🤑 💲 💵

[@tommywalton1974]

@@jjtrades7186 that stuff is crazy expensive here in the Mississippi delta. We don’t have frost issues and would backfill with good soil, compact and test and add 12” of rock.

[@LifeisBetterLifted]

Love the safety squints while cutting 😂

[@dzaino1986]

I was waiting for Kyle to have Greg cut the panels so that the logo's match on every seam. This will be a fun build to watch!

[@superdplum]

My guess is they will build the structure now and slab will be poured after it’s all closed in. Lots of traffic on that gravel during construction so should be compacted enough by the time it’s ready for concrete floor

[@OrlandoBoneshirt]

This will be the series i watch to help me decide on how to go about building my own place.

[@cp37373]

Lol

[@luisraposo872]

Dude bring out your excavator . Set it up inside and bail it ii

[@ldmasterlast]

Look like Greg is the Snapper King. Reminds me of a lady that went on a chartered fishing boat with seven business men. Yeah, she came back with a big red snapper....

[@GoodwillCriminalsOfDallas]

Are you not planning to coat the outside of the base with a sealant and drain matting? The biggest weakness in those foundations is the hole from the form bracing holes. Hydraulic cement and some tapping of the metal back into the forms will seal things forever.

[@ratoneJR]

Does that gravel need to be compacted one "lift" at a time? Will it maintain it's intergety over time? I'm glad it's not my foundation.

[@djrenault]

was thinking the same thing. i did 12" of gravel at my place and compacted it. for the garage, being a different height, we did a bunch of sand which we compacted as much as we could (not ideal placement, lifts weren't very flat), and letting it naturally compact over the winter before pouring the floor pad

[@jakewhitaker2502]

I'd say those 10-12k machines rolling all around on it will be just fine. Sure a plate compacter in small lifts would be better, but with crush and run and those machines it will be fine. Plus there will be foam board and stuff on top of the gravel.

[@Matt-mq1ep]

@@jakewhitaker2502 nope. Those are track machines specifically designed to minimize ground pressure.

[@JKheller19]

Depends on the gravel, I've used some type of gravel before where compaction wasn't required. Because once placed it sits 100% compaction. You don't want to use it for a driveway material but for pad prep it works good.

[@TonyAquilina-zr3ev]

Nice hustle guys.

[@PointingtheWay]

What are the advantages to using post frame rather than traditional stick built on this particular project?

[@Matt-mq1ep]

I'm curious about this as well.

[@glennwest4438]

@@Matt-mq1ep /stronger, thicker walls, just for starts

[@Matt-mq1ep]

@@glennwest4438 Not sure if he said what the post thickness is yet, but I'd be curious of the load capacity of I assume 8 foot spaced posts vs 2x6 walls. Post frame also created more headaches if interior walls are framed in 16" oc like standard walls. I helped a friend do his and it was a pain. Not trying to be a dick, I'm genuinely curious of the overall picture.

[@jimrowland8310]

I really thought you guys would have compacted the stone fill every couple of feet especially around the edges 🤔

[@johnsmith-qz4bv]

Great video guys .. could u build on of these homes with a basement..?

[@lastfirst9791]

1st time seem yoh building a house❤

[@karicallegra8194]

Maybe I am misunderstanding what you were doing with those Subterra boards, but you def did not install them per the manufacturers recommendations. Was there a specific reason you deviated? From the Halo site (Summary at the end of the "Steps (and Tips) for Fastening Halo Subterra or Subterra Plus to the Exterior of a Foundation Wall:" article): "Just remember that to protect the Subterra boards and to ensure the integrity of the wall assembly, you must also do the following: Remove protrusions from the wall and waterproof its surface before installing Subterra. Seal and tape all joints between Subterra panels. Protect the top of the Subterra panels, as well as the exposed surface above-grade. Install a termite shield to protect the entire foundation wall assembly."

[@vanDeudekom]

Yes, You are right that's the way to do it. If that ground has a groundwater level a bit high than al the work done is for nothing and the groundwater will find the concrete, 100%. I'm from the Netherlands, 33% of the country is below sea level, we know wat water can (and will) do.

[@c.a.martin3029]

I would have put that insulation on the inside of the foundation wall, that's not all going to be covered up by fill and you'll see the insulation.

[@pacificnorthwest9416]

We usually make a flashing metal for the top exposed section before final grading is finished.

[@JBLewis]

This is going to be a great build, but the next evolution will be building over a basement. Now that Kyle and Greg have access to the rotator telehandler, placing trusses over a basement wouldn't be much harder.

[@RRBuildings]

We’ve done that a few times

[@edelm6062]

What was your thinking on just filling with gravel instead of doing lifts and pack.

[@BKelly-y4w]

Most people would tamp down the gravel in lifts to prevent some of the settling.

[@JoshuaWilliams-ux3jr]

That's going to be nice plus the chevrolet dealership is right there for easy maintenance of the HD

[@shawndimp3337]

I think I would’ve set up a table saw for the AMC foam board, just my thought.

[@richardraymond5535]

Will you have to compact that gravel or is the skid steer doing it as you work?

[@JKheller19]

Im wondering what the cost difference was from paying rental and installation of form boards, now installing insulation boards, rather than paying for icfs? And you get the 2 in one. And save for no stripping of forms.

[@alanjackson1015]

I thought ICF's would have been a good choice for this too

[@superdplum]

I agree, icf’s seem like way less labor. Watching Perkins Builders do metal forms took forever

[@thisisnotmyname91]

Do you guys not have stone slingers there? This looks like so much work to move that much stone.

[@gslope1]

It makes sense that you would do the skidsteer and let Greg handle the shovel. You are 40 after all. 🤣🤣🤣

[@moutrap]

That is a lot of backfill! Could you not make this a basement / big crawlspace at that point? A couple lines of adhesive in the back of the foam would secure them nicely with not much extra time or penetration like the ramset

[@HuntsChris]

What is preventing the concrete ties from rusting and spalling the concrete given they are in a high moisture area? Plus huge depth of fill with ground bearing slab (not tied to the perimeter wall to suspend it), but with no compaction regime, what’s reducing risk of (differential) settlement and slab cracking?

[@rotaxrider]

It's a amateur oversight. Ties should always be snapped off and sealed especially below grade where water can penetrate through the tie to the other side too. Simple building better practices

[@wallacewoodworks9582]

Have you guys ever considered doing ICF? Seems like a great way to insulate slab edges for radiant, and with the cost of foam I feel like it’s pretty close vs hiring out a form crew

[@wallacewoodworks9582]

Also holy gravel budget!! Has to be $10k+ just rock?

[@wallacewoodworks9582]

Fillin up the skid at the gas station is so sweet…hate filling from tanks! Great series so far guys

[@RRBuildings]

Not 10k… about half

[@wallacewoodworks9582]

@ wow, wish we had those prices locally (Coeur Dalene, ID) - paying around $300 a load here

[@SANDS78]

​@@wallacewoodworks9582 Same. Here in Edwardsville, IL my guess would be about 8k or so. I spent almost 3k on my driveway for 1 inch clean.

[@donjensenep]

is radon midigation a concern with it being on slab?

[@jefflee6711]

If you wanted a basement in this type of build would there be anything different as far as the foundation walls go? Stick framing vs post beam.

[@johnwilcox2239]

Kyle is very protective of his ramsets

[@chuivelazquez9965]

How about waterproofing the cement walls????

[@sammax4245]

Why? it's not a basement

[@thisisnotmyname91]

It’s backfilled on both sides. What would you waterproof from?

[@chuivelazquez9965]

@@thisisnotmyname91 you are correct , my bad

[@stickfightjesser]

Hey Kyle, are the plans for this house going to be available like some of your others?

[@freddien7]

Did they put up Concrete panels. or Filled panels with Concrete?. The outside Insulation soo easy to fit. And Greg in a T shirt while snow all around😁 gonna be another great series. Cant believe you said that Kyle, Youre a MAN working on a build site and said dont want to dirty my PRETTY Hammer!!!😁😆

[@ejenterprise5540]

Why would you backfill the entire foundation perimeter using topsoil? No French drain, why not?

[@Ceilingfan33]

He explained that, temporary until they get free fill in the spring

[@_Gundy_]

I would have like seeing the foundation going in.

[@Manoffire260]

Maybe the foundation guys have a KZbin channel…

[@setthehook577]

With the Subterra, why a different approach than what you did on RR HQ 2.0?

[@sandraheiser2800]

What about not cutting the foundation wall foam and let it extend up a teeny bit above the rim plate? Eliminating the potential air leakage at top of concrete/plate. Don’t know what your wall sheathing and siding are tho…..

[@jasledz]

They will use an adhesive tape to create that Air Seal

[@BrittLowery]

We bought an 1800s home and need our entire foundation replaced… house jacked up, old torn out, new put in.. any suggestions on where to start looking for people who do that? We live in southwest Iowa.

[@JarrodBush-Creator]

Serious question, is there no concern of voids forming after that snow that was buried melts?

[@lloydgraves]

Wow! How much was your gravel bill?

[@Leffe192]

5k

[@lake258]

from biggest ever to modest, what's next, a meager shanty?!!!

[@i.u.o.e8326]

Sweet bowling shoes Gregory

[@lanedouglas2165]

Why did the slabs need to be so far above ground level? It took a lot of gravel to fill???

[@Mouse2677]

You'll need lots of straw for that newly moved dirt around the perimeter!!

[@ColonelAngus4her]

no water barrier on foundation?

[@dc4nc]

Why dig out between footings? Made a hole that didn’t need to be made to then fill?

[@jasonklabunde6415]

Shouldn't you be packing the gravel every six inches of thickness so it doesn't settle when the concrete is poured?

[@dougoberst9018]

Not sure i understand all the gravel? If this is all slab on grade why not use the existing grade to your advantage? maybe its bad soil? I understand you need gravel under the slab for the capilary break but that is only about 6" needed.

[@Rob-r2s]

I'm wondering why you didn't use ICF blocks for your foundation walls or do a monolithic foundation using ICF?

[@danielhessing4613]

Could you put a basement under a post frame? I have never seen it done. Not sure why not.

[@elijahdynys4125]

You could, but most of the time post frame is built with cost in mind, also the same reason a slab would be used. So if you have money for a full basement, it’s worth it to go ahead and stick frame too

[@JamesBond-xq3tw]

From the uk ,why do you guys fill in ,could be a gun safe ,a money bank,it’s space ,use it ?????

[@krististanley8508]

Builders generally do what the customer wants pays them to do.

[@Manoffire260]

@@krististanley8508- I don’t understand why KZbin commenters do not understand that very concept… SO much second guessing

[@RadaRADAcaptinCRunch]

If you did this again, would you have ordered rock thrower service?

[@ParadiseLandscapingGA]

Dang y’all’s rock must be cheap! Wowzers

[@Franisboche]

What is special about that foam versus Dow Corning?

[@markdearmond]

We're about to start building our post-frame home. Why do you dig and then pour concrete instead of creating a pad and pouring the concrete slab on top? What is this type of foundation called?

[@teak5476]

Is the work you do local'ish or have you had to travel all over the US?

[@John-jt8mo]

No perimeter drains ? No compacting in lifts? No gravel around the exterior..

[@grassman8684]

could they have dumped a huge pile of gravel in the center before the concrete was poured?

[@tmenzella]

I’d love if this is actually Greg’s house that Kyle gifts him right a the end for all his hard work and loyalty 👌🏻🤘🏻

[@maga5381]

Did you consider using a "thrower" truck that could have placed all of that gravel for you?

[@andyfermanich9956]

i dont know why, but man did i laugh when you drove over to the gas station.

[@Eddy_HVAC]

Greg hurt kyles feelings lol “your 40” 😂😂😂😂