We're building an ICF house

[mxbulldog]

Your house looks great! We are just in the last stages of finishing our ICF house. Contractor is supposed to be here to start putting on siding on Monday. We are actually already living in ours though. They have been putting off doing the Hardie plank for quite some time. What are you putting on for siding?

[Sporting Wood]

Is that dirt graded up over the top of the foundation up against the walls?

[Da Bear]

Originally Posted by adam_c_eckhardt

OkIn all seriousness though it's pretty cool that some of you have taken an interest in this- I'm glad you're enjoying it. Open invitation for visitors when it's done- just ask. In time there will be a hot tub, big deck, and guest quarters.

I'll bring my own quarters, just picked up the class A coach last weekend.........

[adam_c_eckhardt]

Originally Posted by Going_Commando

I thought it was going to be ready to move in in December! That's what you said in September.

Looks like its coming along great man, it'll be done eventually.

There was this electrician that I was friendly with that picked up and moved to California. That set the whole thing back a few months.

Problem was that E and I kept on wishing for Christmas and didn't adjust our expectations until it was obvious that that wasn't going to happen. I'm cool with forward progress with quality results. E wants everything NOW.

Originally Posted by mxbulldog

Your house looks great! We are just in the last stages of finishing our ICF house. Contractor is supposed to be here to start putting on siding on Monday. We are actually already living in ours though. They have been putting off doing the Hardie plank for quite some time. What are you putting on for siding?

Thanks! Post up some pictures, would ya? We're putting on Certainteed fiber cement siding. Our contractor likes working with it so we didn't argue over it.

Originally Posted by Sporting Wood

Is that dirt graded up over the top of the foundation up against the walls?

Nope. You might be looking at those bits of black- that's just a waterproofing membrane that sticks out here and there. I'll trim it off later.

[adam_c_eckhardt]

Originally Posted by Da Bear

I'll bring my own quarters, just picked up the class A coach last weekend.........

Well- the bad news is that our parking area won't accommodate a 40 foot motorhome like I expected. But we can squeeze you in somewhere.

And... pictures please! (or have you started a thread that I didn't notice yet?)

[ian408]

Originally Posted by adam_c_eckhardt

Well- the bad news is that our parking area won't accommodate a 40 foot motorhome like I expected. But we can squeeze you in somewhere.

And... pictures please! (or have you started a thread that I didn't notice yet?)

I thought you said something about parking with full hookups

[Hardware02]

I'm curious, how's the strapping secured to the ICF exterior?

[Da Bear]

Originally Posted by adam_c_eckhardt

Well- the bad news is that our parking area won't accommodate a 40 foot motorhome like I expected. But we can squeeze you in somewhere.

And... pictures please! (or have you started a thread that I didn't notice yet?)

http://www.guaranty.com/content/2003...utch-star-3803

[adam_c_eckhardt]

Originally Posted by Hardware02

I'm curious, how's the strapping secured to the ICF exterior?

Within the ICFs are plastic strips every 6 inches. It's like internal strapping. The downside is that they only take screws. Works good for sheetrock, not so good for siding. They are marked on the ICFs so they're easy to hit.

[Going_Commando]

Originally Posted by adam_c_eckhardt

There was this electrician that I was friendly with that picked up and moved to California. That set the whole thing back a few months.

Problem was that E and I kept on wishing for Christmas and didn't adjust our expectations until it was obvious that that wasn't going to happen. I'm cool with forward progress with quality results. E wants everything NOW.


Thanks! Post up some pictures, would ya? We're putting on Certainteed fiber cement siding. Our contractor likes working with it so we didn't argue over it.



Nope. You might be looking at those bits of black- that's just a waterproofing membrane that sticks out here and there. I'll trim it off later.

I'll take the blame. I've got broad shoulders.

Trying to plan a trip back to NH around late Jan/Feb, if work and budget allows, so if I do I will swing by and check the place out. Maybe it will be ready for some electrical work to be done.

[adam_c_eckhardt]

So the roof is done. Looks awesome.

The windows and doors are installed. (except the basement french door and the main entrance door- those are therma-true doors and there was a shipping problem).

And the batteries in the camera were dead. My wife is famous for that- it's pretty much expected that if she packs the camera it will be dead when we go to use it.

So here's the big question, and some of you that have worked in the trades might be able to help out...

I'd like to give the crew some money for Christmas. They've been great to us and I think they deserve something nice. In a perfect world I'd give them each $500 but there's no way I can afford that right now.

There are basically 7 guys- 1 is the boss, does a lot of the planning, buying, organizing. 2 that are "in charge" 2 that are "high end" laborers and 2 that do grunt work. It's primarily been 1 from each "group" but they've all been around at some point or another.

If I scraped up $50 for each of them do you think they'd appreciate it? Or not? I see so many people this time of year that are insulted by small bonuses, I'd hate to do that. Thoughts?

[ian408]

Originally Posted by adam_c_eckhardt

If I scraped up $50 for each of them do you think they'd appreciate it? Or not? I see so many people this time of year that are insulted by small bonuses, I'd hate to do that. Thoughts?

If money's an issue right now, what about having a BBQ lunch or something like that?

[adam_c_eckhardt]

Originally Posted by ian408

If money's an issue right now, what about having a BBQ lunch or something like that?

The guys don't really take much of a break for lunch, and in my experience working guys like cash. Edit- and the 7 of them are NEVER there at the same time. Usually no more than 3 at a time.

It's not a money problem, it's a justifying the expense problem. I'd like to do something nice, but I'm not going to spend more on them than I do my wife. And if the wife had to sign off on this they'd be getting nothing.

[slackmeyer]

Originally Posted by adam_c_eckhardt

So the roof is done. Looks awesome.

The windows and doors are installed. (except the basement french door and the main entrance door- those are therma-true doors and there was a shipping problem).

And the batteries in the camera were dead. My wife is famous for that- it's pretty much expected that if she packs the camera it will be dead when we go to use it.

So here's the big question, and some of you that have worked in the trades might be able to help out...

I'd like to give the crew some money for Christmas. They've been great to us and I think they deserve something nice. In a perfect world I'd give them each $500 but there's no way I can afford that right now.

There are basically 7 guys- 1 is the boss, does a lot of the planning, buying, organizing. 2 that are "in charge" 2 that are "high end" laborers and 2 that do grunt work. It's primarily been 1 from each "group" but they've all been around at some point or another.

If I scraped up $50 for each of them do you think they'd appreciate it? Or not? I see so many people this time of year that are insulted by small bonuses, I'd hate to do that. Thoughts?

Of course it would be appreciated. hopefully they get a nice bonus from the company as well, but for sure any bonus directly from homeowner to the workers will be unexpected and appreciated. i've had it happen once in the last 7 years.

[DUNDERHEAD]

How about taking them all out for burgers and beer, and slipping each a cash bonus. $ 50 would be appreciated.