ICF House Plans – Is it worth the hype?

First, let us explain what exactly is “ICF” – the acronym refers to Insulated Concrete Forms – which are essentially foam blocks that interlock, are dry stacked (without mortar) and then filled with concrete. Similar to a Lego toy, the modular foam blocks create the form for the structural walls of an ICF House Plan.  The hollow centers are filled with concrete which is reinforced using steel reinforcing bars to give the concrete flexural strength.

Why would you want to use this type of house construction instead of just using the standard wood frame or concrete masonry that has been used for centuries?

Actually ICF Houses have been around for quite some time.  The ICF construction system was originally developed in the late 1960’s, but has only become a buzz word in the last few years.  The main attributes of this product are its energy efficiency, strength and sound absorption.

Benefits of ICF House Plan Designs:

• ICF’s superior energy efficiency – the exterior foam reduces heat loss and the concrete will store thermal heat gain, thereby, reducing daily temperature swings, keeping your home more comfortable throughout the day.
• Typically, the application of foam on the walls will have no openings or gaps like those found in wood-stud construction and can account from 25-70% energy savings depending on your location.
• ICF homes are more durable than a wood frame home; this is a great advantage for those who experience natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornados & earthquakes.
• The foam insulation and concrete create a superior sound barrier to outside noises.
• ICF construction is impervious to termites, rot and decay.

Disadvantages of ICF House Plan Designs:

• The initial cost of using ICF can add 3-5% in construction costs over building using wood frame.
• Pre planning is a must for an ICF house plan, the walls are poured solid concrete between the foam panels, therefore, pre-planning is essential for locating plumbing and electric stubs (similar to if you were building with concrete masonry).
• If changes are required, the ICF can be cut but it would then reduce the insulation value.
• Because of the aforementioned, it is advisable to use a contractor that is experienced with ICF or at least concrete masonry construction.

As you probably noticed, most of the benefits and disadvantages listed were comparing a wood frame house plan design with an ICF house plan design.  There are few differences between concrete masonry construction and ICF construction.  A greater number of materials are in concrete masonry construction whereas ICF is simply the foam, concrete and reinforcing steel.  But ICF usually comes with a bigger price tag not only because of the material but also because the labor is more specialized and sometimes harder to come by.

Near the coastal wind zones, where there are more stringent wind code requirements, ICF costs are very comparable to concrete masonry house plan designs.

In the end, it really depends on your geographical location and budget as to whether using an ICF house plan design is appropriate for you.