IATM

I think this is the only option we will have and try our best to work on the aesthetic looks we would like. Anything else seems overly complicated or overly expensive

Hi, I actually only came across glulam today having never heard of it before. Yes the plan was to have 2 x leafs of blockwork and render the external. If you do have any design suggesstions, anything at all you can guide me on I would be super grateful for. Thanks

Hi All, I have a bit of a confusing one here. I am working on a project supporting a new build community centre and I am a little flummoxed on the best cost effect approach for it. Originally I planned to use ICF however I think the external would get destroyed on it being a community centre. I then thought a traditional 2 leaf of blockwork right round would be ok but now I am wondering if due to the sheer size of it, that it may require a steel frame. Any thoughts because I am about to pull my hair out. Please see a preliminary layout We did have an architect but he seems a little out his depth in terms of giving us so ideas on cost effective construction: ICF Blockwork only Steel Frame and blockwork Steel frame and maybe SIPS At this stage I might even had in cow dung.

I think this is the crux of the problem here. I am pricing up a build at the moment and for the life of me I cannot get to the figures a contractor quoted me for, even for materials. I can only assume they don't shop around, they have a cut on it, they are adding a healthy margin in their own role and in the labour required. If you trim the fat I honestly don't see how it still can't be done for far less around 1500 per sqm. I might be deluded though! A simple rudimentary example of this is I once had a company come in to quote to redo all our bathrooms, the quotes came in around 8-10k a bathroom. I then got a smaller tradee in but well known to bring in all materials and build a design you wanted. it was down to around 5-6k a bathroom. I then went even further to source all the materials myself, find a separate tiler and plumber and managed to get it all done for around 2.5-3k a month.

Is a slab generally quicker and easier?

From what I have seen so far and I might be wrong - everyone is playing around the same ball park of around 60-70 per m2 for ICF blocks for a U value around 0.15

I have to say I am fairly baffled at how disjointed the whole industry is of building. I remember 10 years ago looking at the idea of building a house and it was nothing short of a nightmare on how disjointed the professionals are and how unknown it can be with even known basic trades. My experience is architects know next to know nothing about building and are only technical people, sometimes they are not even good at exterior or interior design, their knowhow seems to be a very narrow field of information. You then have builders who are maybe good at following instructions if you are lucky and now days we generally have the involvement of a QS who has no idea what a build should have so throws everything at all. I still cant tell if a build should be 1k a sqM or 3k a sqm The whole process from start to finish is painful.

so the Nudura blocks alone are £132 per m2? Seems a lot more than I thought it would be Can I ask which range that was?

Yes as far as I know the pricing would be similar to a brick and block but I do think for the size we are working on the ICF would be much quicker and you could get stuck in yourself to make it work. Just looking for approx prices and for what U Values

Hi, Does anyone have any up to date ICF pricing at all per M2 and for what u value I just want very approx figures to see if a build is viable for me with it or not. Would love to hear other options - At the moment I am considering Nudura izodom Jub Easy of use and support is a huge factor .