Building and Construction - Basement Construction Question

Author

Basement Construction Question

Gary KW4Z

2007-06-20, 1:25 pm

I'm nearing the point of specifying the type of basement construction that I
want to use in a 36x70 home that we hope to build sometime around August.
The area where the home is to be built is almost devoid of poured basements
due to the fact that not too many builders in the area have the forms or
experience in working with poured basements. That said I am still
considering Poured walls as an option. Another option I am considering is
the use of pre-cast and pre-cured Panels brought to the site on truck and
lifted into place by crane. I have heard that there are two types of these.
One that uses the typical concrete outside and the other that is a wood
form. Last is to go with the Cement Block and work to waterproof it as best
I can by preparation of the area around the home to route water away from
the foundation and then coat the exterior of the blocks very well.

Being on disability I do have a cost concern to think about but I'd much
rather pay up front to get quality than to have to face very expensive work
several years after the job has been completed.

Any comments on Basement construction techniques, poured vs. cement block
and thoughts about the newer technology of panels formed off site and
trucked to the site (either wood or a masonry product).

hobbes

2007-06-20, 1:25 pm

On Jun 20, 5:24 am, Gary KW4Z <k...@charter.net> wrote:
> I'm nearing the point of specifying the type of basement construction that I
> want to use in a 36x70 home that we hope to build sometime around August.
> The area where the home is to be built is almost devoid of poured basements
> due to the fact that not too many builders in the area have the forms or
> experience in working with poured basements. That said I am still
> considering Poured walls as an option. Another option I am considering is
> the use of pre-cast and pre-cured Panels brought to the site on truck and
> lifted into place by crane. I have heard that there are two types of these.
> One that uses the typical concrete outside and the other that is a wood
> form. Last is to go with the Cement Block and work to waterproof it as best
> I can by preparation of the area around the home to route water away from
> the foundation and then coat the exterior of the blocks very well.
>
> Being on disability I do have a cost concern to think about but I'd much
> rather pay up front to get quality than to have to face very expensive work
> several years after the job has been completed.
>
> Any comments on Basement construction techniques, poured vs. cement block
> and thoughts about the newer technology of panels formed off site and
> trucked to the site (either wood or a masonry product).

Instead of concrete forms, which are usually steel shutters and
resuable. The otherway to get a poured concrete basement is to use
ICF, Insulated Concrete Forms.

In a nutshell these are polystyrene blocks which are hollow in the
middle. These blocks are stacked to form a hollow wall. Steel
reinforcement bars are placed
in side the wall. Finally concrete is poured in. The polystyrene
blocks are never removed and form part of your wall and act as
insulation.

See Web site

http://www.forms.org/

Best, Mike.

DAC

2007-06-20, 1:25 pm

On Jun 20, 4:24 am, Gary KW4Z <k...@charter.net> wrote:
>
> Any comments on Basement construction techniques, poured vs. cement block
> and thoughts about the newer technology of panels formed off site and
> trucked to the site (either wood or a masonry product).

I would stay away from all forms of cement block...EVERY one I've ever
seen has cracks in it eventually....that's not to say concrete won't
crack...but I like solid walls better.

When I built my house last year, I was all set to use Superior wall, a
pre-cast wall brought in on a truck. Ultimately we chose to build
with ICF's, because the whole house is built with them. One thing
that I found interesting was that MOST builders that aren't familiar
with the product you choose are not always willing accept
responsibility for the end product...that's why I did my house my
self. Proceed carefully and you might want to talk with your builder
to bring them on board as you work through the design building
process...it's best to know up front if they will be there for the
long haul.

Good luck!

HotRdd

2007-06-20, 1:25 pm

I have to second the ICF, Insulated Concrete Forms method, it works really
well and the insulating value is great. My Dad did a modified version of
this on his own to save money but it took a lot of man power and hours of
work that could have been saved by just using the blocks.

"hobbes" <sacstinkytiger@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1182332323.475561.7540@c77g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> On Jun 20, 5:24 am, Gary KW4Z <k...@charter.net> wrote:
>
> Instead of concrete forms, which are usually steel shutters and
> resuable. The otherway to get a poured concrete basement is to use
> ICF, Insulated Concrete Forms.
>
> In a nutshell these are polystyrene blocks which are hollow in the
> middle. These blocks are stacked to form a hollow wall. Steel
> reinforcement bars are placed
> in side the wall. Finally concrete is poured in. The polystyrene
> blocks are never removed and form part of your wall and act as
> insulation.
>
> See Web site
>
> http://www.forms.org/
>
> Best, Mike.
>

Edwin Pawlowski

2007-06-20, 1:25 pm

"Gary KW4Z" <kw4z@charter.net> wrote in message
news:C29E6A7B.1AF04%kw4z@charter.net...

>
> Any comments on Basement construction techniques, poured vs. cement block
> and thoughts about the newer technology of panels formed off site and
> trucked to the site (either wood or a masonry product).

Consider using ICF's (insulating concrete forms) and you will have a well
insulated basement, no plywood forms to set up, and a solid concrete wall.

Check out www.inegraspec.com www.polysteel.com

You may want to consider making a 9' basement also. That allows plenty of
headroom under the piping.

v8z

2007-06-20, 1:25 pm

"Gary KW4Z" <kw4z@charter.net> wrote in message
news:C29E6A7B.1AF04%kw4z@charter.net...
> I'm nearing the point of specifying the type of basement construction that
I
> want to use in a 36x70 home that we hope to build sometime around August.
> The area where the home is to be built is almost devoid of poured
basements
> due to the fact that not too many builders in the area have the forms or
> experience in working with poured basements. That said I am still
> considering Poured walls as an option. Another option I am considering is
> the use of pre-cast and pre-cured Panels brought to the site on truck and
> lifted into place by crane. I have heard that there are two types of
these.
> One that uses the typical concrete outside and the other that is a wood
> form. Last is to go with the Cement Block and work to waterproof it as
best
> I can by preparation of the area around the home to route water away from
> the foundation and then coat the exterior of the blocks very well.
>
> Being on disability I do have a cost concern to think about but I'd much
> rather pay up front to get quality than to have to face very expensive
work
> several years after the job has been completed.
>
> Any comments on Basement construction techniques, poured vs. cement block
> and thoughts about the newer technology of panels formed off site and
> trucked to the site (either wood or a masonry product).

Several others have mentioned ICF's - great product IF there are enough
experienced contractors in your area. We were planning on going that route,
til I found that there are only two experienced contractors in our area, and
the lack of competition made ICF's very pricey.
We have decided on www.superiorwalls.com for our foundation/basement.
pre-cast, pre-insulated wall system that uses their own trained crew to
install, and is very cost effective.

The Reverend Natural Light

2007-06-20, 1:25 pm

On Jun 20, 5:24 am, Gary KW4Z <k...@charter.net> wrote:
>
> Last is to go with the Cement Block and work to waterproof it as best
> I can by preparation of the area around the home to route water away from
> the foundation and then coat the exterior of the blocks very well.
>

Regardless of the type of construction, you'll want to keep the water
away. No type of material will keep it dry if there's water pressure
against the outside.

-rev

J.A. Michel

2007-06-20, 5:25 pm

"Gary KW4Z" <kw4z@charter.net> wrote in message
news:C29E6A7B.1AF04%kw4z@charter.net...
> I'm nearing the point of specifying the type of basement construction that
> I
> want to use in a 36x70 home that we hope to build sometime around August.
> The area where the home is to be built is almost devoid of poured
> basements
> due to the fact that not too many builders in the area have the forms or
> experience in working with poured basements. That said I am still
> considering Poured walls as an option. Another option I am considering is
> the use of pre-cast and pre-cured Panels brought to the site on truck and
> lifted into place by crane. I have heard that there are two types of
> these.
> One that uses the typical concrete outside and the other that is a wood
> form. Last is to go with the Cement Block and work to waterproof it as
> best
> I can by preparation of the area around the home to route water away from
> the foundation and then coat the exterior of the blocks very well.
>
> Being on disability I do have a cost concern to think about but I'd much
> rather pay up front to get quality than to have to face very expensive
> work
> several years after the job has been completed.
>
> Any comments on Basement construction techniques, poured vs. cement block
> and thoughts about the newer technology of panels formed off site and
> trucked to the site (either wood or a masonry product).
>
>

We did a poured basement last year for a 28x56 house and attached 26x30
garage. The walls are 8" think. The basement, front porch stoop, and
garage foundation wall were all done in one, single, monolithic pour. It's
built like a tank, and I like it that way. If you use ICF's you'll have
ugly Styrofoam visible on any portions of the basement that are above grade.

marson

2007-06-20, 8:25 pm

On Jun 20, 4:14 pm, "J.A. Michel" <jm44...@spamnotalltel.net> wrote:
> "Gary KW4Z" <k...@charter.net> wrote in message
>
> news:C29E6A7B.1AF04%kw4z@charter.net...
>
>
>
>
>
>
> We did a poured basement last year for a 28x56 house and attached 26x30
> garage. The walls are 8" think. The basement, front porch stoop, and
> garage foundation wall were all done in one, single, monolithic pour. It's
> built like a tank, and I like it that way. If you use ICF's you'll have
> ugly Styrofoam visible on any portions of the basement that are above grade.

Codes in my area require exposed foam to be covered. Most people use
some type of stucco. There are synthetic stucco products that go
directly on the ICF's. Poured foundations (non ICF) have the problem
of not having insulation. Many ICF's have 5" of polystyrene--pretty
hard to get that with conventional poured.

J.A. Michel

2007-06-21, 3:25 am

"marson" <briankontio@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1182381962.654123.104940@o61g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> On Jun 20, 4:14 pm, "J.A. Michel" <jm44...@spamnotalltel.net> wrote:
> Codes in my area require exposed foam to be covered. Most people use
> some type of stucco. There are synthetic stucco products that go
> directly on the ICF's. Poured foundations (non ICF) have the problem
> of not having insulation. Many ICF's have 5" of polystyrene--pretty
> hard to get that with conventional poured.
>
True. A poured basement such as mine will suffer a greater heat loss in the
Winter than one done with ICF's
I would also think that (as you already mentioned) the exposed foam would
need to be covered somehow
to protect it from damage. I added 1" extruded foam to the insides of my
walls and insulated the rim joist to help it a little.

As a 3rd option, if the OP doesn't like ICF's or pre-cast walls, a guy could
do a regular poured basement, and add
foam to the outside of the walls after the forms are stripped, but before
the basement is backfilled.

ransley

2007-06-21, 3:25 am

On Jun 20, 7:48 pm, "J.A. Michel" <jm44...@spamnotalltel.net> wrote:
> "marson" <briankon...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1182381962.654123.104940@o61g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...> On Jun 20, 4:14 pm, "J.A. Michel" <jm44...@spamnotalltel.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> True. A poured basement such as mine will suffer a greater heat loss in the
> Winter than one done with ICF's
> I would also think that (as you already mentioned) the exposed foam would
> need to be covered somehow
> to protect it from damage. I added 1" extruded foam to the insides of my
> walls and insulated the rim joist to help it a little.
>
> As a 3rd option, if the OP doesn't like ICF's or pre-cast walls, a guy could
> do a regular poured basement, and add
> foam to the outside of the walls after the forms are stripped, but before
> the basement is backfilled.

If you have a long heating season Foam core that is filled with
concrete is wise as is radiant floor heat with foam under the slab.

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