Isotex Build - March 2019

[Tom's Barn]

Hi All

 

just found this great site and will be embarking on a Isotex build in March / April of 2019. I know there are many different ways to construct a house but this system suits my needs well. I would be interested to know and meet if possible people who have built or are building with Durisol currently. If I can come to site and see what you have achieved and maybe learn some lessons that you learnt along the way it would be appreciated. I am also happy once I start my build to welcome anyone who is considering Durisol and is not yet convinced.

 

One big question is foundations. I was heading for the ISOQuick option for a long time until I spoke with the structural engineer recommended by Durisol who said that is not a good idea. My brother in-law is a technical engineer builder. He tells me that strip foundations are the only way to go for long term confidence. As always lots of advice but I would like to know what other Durisolers have done.

 

I live near Cirencester and willing to travel to anywhere to learn. I look forward to hearing from those who have built with or are building with Durisol.

 

Great to be part of this knowledge sharing community.

Tom

Edited March 25, 2019 by Tom's Barn

[Russell griffiths]

Hi this area seems to be the hub of self builds at the moment 

my place is in the Cotswold water park, we are building with nudura, we are just starting our second lift, your welcome to have a look

i think there are two other Durisol builds near us and I know of 3 nudura builds and one mbc timberframe all within 20 minutes drive. 

[Big Neil]

Who wouldn't want to live in the Cotswolds, it's beautiful as a whole. I'm there fairly rarely but i never get angry when I am. Even shopping at Tesco is a pleasure there...

[Tom's Barn]

23 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

Hi this area seems to be the hub of self builds at the moment 

my place is in the Cotswold water park, we are building with nudura, we are just starting our second lift, your welcome to have a look

i think there are two other Durisol builds near us and I know of 3 nudura builds and one mbc timberframe all within 20 minutes drive. 

Hi Russell, that is good to know there are some builds locally. I must try and seek them out. I am free on Thursday this week if that suits you and your time onsite. If you could let me know your contact details and a suitable time to visit it would be very much appreciated. tom.sandman@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

[Tom's Barn]

23 hours ago, Big Neil said:

Who wouldn't want to live in the Cotswolds, it's beautiful as a whole. I'm there fairly rarely but i never get angry when I am. Even shopping at Tesco is a pleasure there...

we are lucky to live here I agree

[Sue B]

Hi Tom

 

Nice to meet you Thursday.  I’ll let you know when they are doing the pour down here on the Durisol build in Poole and if they are happy for visitors on the day.

[Tom's Barn]

On 18/01/2019 at 22:46, Sue B said:

Hi Tom

 

Nice to meet you Thursday.  I’ll let you know when they are doing the pour down here on the Durisol build in Poole and if they are happy for visitors on the day.

Hi Sue

 

great to meet with you as well. Thanks for the offer of keeping me informed re the Poole build; I would welcome the opportunity of popping down to be there while they pour. If you could ask that would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks again and good luck with your project.

Tom

[Tom's Barn]

On 14/01/2019 at 09:44, Russell griffiths said:

Hi this area seems to be the hub of self builds at the moment 

my place is in the Cotswold water park, we are building with nudura, we are just starting our second lift, your welcome to have a look

i think there are two other Durisol builds near us and I know of 3 nudura builds and one mbc timberframe all within 20 minutes drive. 

Hi Russ

thanks again for your time to go round your build. An impressive design and beautiful spot. Do let me know when you do your pour at the next level. I would be happy to come down and help out for the day so I can gain some experience of the process. If you want to come to our site and see the house to bungalow development let me know. I would like to get some contact details of a few people you mentioned; maybe we could do that at the same time.

 

See you soon.

Tom

[Tom's Barn]

Just a quick update for those interested in following the project. We have now installed the Izodom 2000 insulated raft foundation ready for our ISOTEX walls. We have a few details in the roof structure to finalise but we hope to be onsite with the blocks in mid to late September.

 

Anyone who is interested in looking at the insulated slab let me know.

Tom

[Tom's Barn]

Finally we have our plans sorted in preparation for our long awaited Isotex build. We will be using the 380mm peripor insulated blocks to create what the conservation officer at CDC was happy to approve. The roof covering is corrugated steel (arthacite) panels and the Isotex walls clad in Larch. Now the foundations are finished the big build begins over the next few weeks. I will post a few updates as we go but I know Jamie at Insulhub is sharing the build online so that other self builders can better understand what is involved with this specific type of ICF build. Here we go.....  

1489_502_C_proposed GF plan.pdf 1489_503_B_proposed FF plan.pdf 1489_504_B_proposed section 1-.pdf 1489_505_B_proposed section 2-.pdf 1489_506_B_proposed elevations 1-.pdf 1489_507_B_proposed elevations 2-.pdf

Edited September 17, 2019 by Tom's Barn

[Adrian Walker]

@Tom's Barn Have you started with the ISOTEX yet.  I'm very interested.

[Tom's Barn]

Hi All

 

just a quick update following some good work in the 8 weeks leading up to Christmas. We have made very good progress overall and the Isotex blocks proved to be very easy to work with. Pictures speak a 1000 words so see below:

 

 

[Tom's Barn]

Isotex Waste Onsite

 

An interesting point regarding build methods and how much waste they create. With all the blocks that get cut, for one reason or another, the waste has been dealt with in two different ways. The off cuts of insulation (I removed them from the blocks) equate to 9 builders bags. I sold the lot on ebay for the fixed asking price of £20. It was collected from site and is being reused to insulate a garden office. The off cuts of blocks are simply thrown on the hardcore pile ready for the new patio.

 

This situation has meant that site created waste is at an absolute minimum. Skips are not cheap as you know.

 

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by Tom's Barn

[Cpd]

Fantastic progress and super tidy ! You must be stoked. 

[Tom's Barn]

Isotex Support

 

Just a quick note on Isotex support from Jamie and the installation team managed by Dan. Fantastic support throughout with all my emails and calls answered. Only one issue and that was late delivery of blocks but apart from that I am very happy and as you can see the building is looking fantastic after just 7 weeks of onsite building work. This comprises of 3 weeks of support from Dan and his team. They helped me in very specific areas:

 

1. Laying the first course

2. Setting up the lintels and wall plates

3. Building and shaping the gables

 

Myself and 2 other non Isotex staff helped throughout and ensured the building was ready for each visit by the Isotex installation team.

 

My advice is do some yourself but recognise that certain elements especially on a full house development require experience and understanding.

 

Anyone thinking of buying Isotex then you are very welcome to come to site but you need to book through Jamie and the team. I was supported by many visits to other buildings before I made my decision so if you are unsure then maybe our new house will help you decide.

 

 

[Tom's Barn]

Just now, Cpd said:

Fantastic progress and super tidy ! You must be stoked. 

I am very pleased with the progress and delighted that throughout the rain and wind we had no down time at all because the 380 block can withstand quite a beating even when empty. Also, if I had gone timber frame with the amount of rain we have had I would have struggled to keep it dry.

 

I like it tidy; there is nothing worse than an untidy build or build method.

[Patrick]

@Tom's Barn

Great pics. The more the better. Keep them coming.

[Sandybay]

Hi,good information on your build and good progress, Could I ask why you choose the isotex blocks instead of the Eps ones like amvic, are they any better?  Hoping to start my own icf build this year, liking your insulated foundation, was there much cost difference between a strip foundation with insulation board? 

Thanks. 

[Tom's Barn]

11 hours ago, Sandybay said:

Hi,good information on your build and good progress, Could I ask why you choose the isotex blocks instead of the Eps ones like amvic, are they any better?  Hoping to start my own icf build this year, liking your insulated foundation, was there much cost difference between a strip foundation with insulation board? 

Thanks. 

Hi @Sandybay, happy to provide feedback on the Isotex blocks but you have moving towards EPS for a reason. Can I ask why you like the EPS ones first so I understand your perspective and then I will give you my views on Isotex. For the foundations if you had to insulate the entire slab then it was easier to just do it in one go rather than different sections and stages. I believe if you take the entire foundation slab it is cost neutral but that is based on my calcs and own situation (I completed most of the ground works myself with help from one other person). 

[Tom's Barn]

On 18/11/2019 at 19:42, Adrian Walker said:

@Tom's Barn Have you started with the ISOTEX yet.  I'm very interested.

Hi Adrian

I hope the new updated information is useful. Get in touch if you have questions.

[Jonny]

Hi, have you got an instagram account to follow the build on too? Thanks Jonny 

[Tom's Barn]

No sorry too old for Instagram.....

 

Let me have a look. I have honestly never thought about IG

[SHughesNI]

 

On 06/01/2020 at 09:05, Tom's Barn said:

Hi Adrian

I hope the new updated information is useful. Get in touch if you have questions.

Hi Tom, I certainly do have questions and hope you can answer them. Just received planning permission here in Nth Ireland for an ICF build. Just a handful of ICF builds so far in Nth Ireland and hoping to document it on a blog and website that I designed http://selfbuild.online/ where I am trying to champion ICF. If you do setup Instagram or post any more info on here could I link it to my website to help others think about ICF? Perhaps you could start a blog? I have just started one and it would be great if I could link other ICF builds to it as I go along http://forum.selfbuild.online/blog/ 

Ok my questions - at the minute am going down a strict budget route mainly because I have been landed a bill by the electricity company for over £20k to move cables underground and connect. I had thought about raft foundation but was quoted almost £12k for a fairly small foundation area (see attached). Looking at your photos it looks amazing. Why did you go with a raft foundation and why choose Izodom? Any drawings to go with your foundations? 

03 Proposed Plans.pdf

Edited January 21, 2020 by SHughesNI

[Tom's Barn]

Hi Adrian

 

This will be brief because I am doing it on my phone.

 

Because I was using and enginered wall system I thought an engineered raft would work best and it has. We have a very dimensionally accurate building. The other reason is cost certainty. The raft has an exact cost. Trench foundations come with the uncertainty of what the ground provides. 

 

I chose izodom because I thought it was more robust than the white stuff everyone else sells. If it is good in Poland Iit is perfect for me.

 

I will look at Instagram but I cannot give you certainty I will sign up.

 

Good luck with you build.....

 

Tom

[Tom's Barn]

Hi All

 

just a quick update on my Isotex build:

 

1. I gave up on corrugated roofing, after many months of searching for a competent installer. Not many could give me clear information on ventilation, keeping insects out, detailing around windows, ridge ventilation etc. I finally moved to Prefa standing seam from Austria - anthracite grey 7016.

2. I have installed an internal ventilation systems for each building. The link building profile needed to be kept low and I didn't want all the ventilation pipes coming to one place for both buildings. I therefore installed two separate systems. Here is an interesting point (for me anyway). The fitting company suggested both intake and output pipes go through the roof. However, I realised iin a waking moment one night that this would effectively be pulling in very hot air on a sunny day - a dark metal roof becomes very hot indeed! I therefore had the intakes moved and drilled through the ISOTEX. Important - the chap who drilled the 170mm holes took about 5mins to drill each hole. He said that it was easy because of the 10mm stone used within the concrete mix. He said had we put 10mm flint in the mix, for example, he would have walked offsite and not tried to drill. Each hole would have taken over an hour. Therefore, if you are going ISOTEX make sure you choose your mixing stone carefully. If you live within the Newbury area you are more likely to be given flint.

3. The link building roof has been installed. We have installed it with zero fall but each end has a sunken gutter system within the overhang. Furring stips over 11m would not have left any upstand for the south building which has a lower facia board than the north building

4. Isotex is a rough product despite it being planed. I noticed in the wind whilst trying to keep the horrible winter out that it will tear material on corners where it constantly rubs. I wanted to use Tyvek Housewrap for the external fabric because it allows for 4 months of exposure to UV (perfect for Covid 19 situation). However, it is a very thin material and I was concerned that it would tear on corners whilst waiting for my windows. I also like Proctor VP400 Protect - an amazing breather membrane. So I covered the buildings in VP400 first. This is a thick layer of material which is then topped off with Tyvek housewrap. The added layer will also help with the overall thermal efficiency of the building - think of it has adding a t shirt before putting on another layer.

5. Due to the VERY wet winter and bad weather the ISOTEX blocks did get soaked with rain. It has taken quite a bit of time to get them dry. Whilst building try where possible to keep them as dry so that internal work can happen very soon after the roof is on.

6. Windows - Internorm - these are being fitted on Monday of next week. 

7. Ventilation of cladding and roof - one of my concerns with a metal roof was ventilation and also for our wooden cladding. Therefore I have designed (not the architect) a system to ventilate the entire structure. The walls are covered in 38mm battens which go up underneath the facia boards and the roof has been designed to provide an inside layer of OSB3 and an outer layer of Russian birch ply. In between these boards we have a 50mm batten. The cladding and roof ventilation plane is linked allowing air from the the base of the building perimeter to come up and out through the ridge. In detail, at the ground level we have insect mesh to allow air in under the cladding; at the gutter level we have a 40mm ventilation gap with insect mesh just underneath the roof edge; at the ridge we have 40mm gap either side of the ridge with insect mesh. The gable ends have the same ground level arrangement but we have stopped the battens short of the gable end detail by 20mm. We will fit the Jamie Hardie top trim insect mesh (right angled aluminium) first before fitting the cladding. This will allow the gable ends to breath in much the same was as the sides.

 

I am sure there are more points to make from the journey thus far but this is we have got to so far.

 

Windows Monday!

 

Tom

 

Edited June 4, 2020 by Tom's Barn