Insul hub

[K78]

Has anybody used insul hub?

 

https://insulhubuk.com/

 

[Sue B]

Not yet but we plan too.  We have compared to Durisol and prefer the block.  Just waiting on planning permission now then we can price up properly and get under way.

[K78]

I was planning to use Durisol but stumbled across their site. 

 

Cost will be the deciding factor. I got planning permission 7 years ago but ground works were much more complicated and expensive than anticipated.

 

 

Edited March 29, 2019 by K78

[Sue B]

Has your planning permission now lapsed or have you actually started work and therefore fixed the planning?

 

@Tom's Barn has had a recent quote and the Isotex blocks compare favourably with Durisol.  

 

Have you done the free free training day with either of the two systems?  They both run most months - we went to the Swindon NHBRC but I think they have other venues up north as well depending on where you are.

 

i haven’t managed to visit a site on pour day but we will do that before we make our final decision.

 

We are going to the NEC today and one of our planned exhibit stops is the Insulhub stand to ask Jamie or John some more questions about the Isotex product and also about their passive slab solution.

[K78]

3 hours ago, Sue B said:

Has your planning permission now lapsed or have you actually started work and therefore fixed the planning?

 

@Tom's Barn has had a recent quote and the Isotex blocks compare favourably with Durisol.  

 

Have you done the free free training day with either of the two systems?  They both run most months - we went to the Swindon NHBRC but I think they have other venues up north as well depending on where you are.

 

i haven’t managed to visit a site on pour day but we will do that before we make our final decision.

 

We are going to the NEC today and one of our planned exhibit stops is the Insulhub stand to ask Jamie or John some more questions about the Isotex product and also about their passive slab solution.

 

I attending to Durisol course. 

 

Jamie and John both worked with durisol when I attended the course. They used isolohr for foundations at the time. 

 

I broke ground to stop my PP from lapsing. 

Edited March 29, 2019 by K78

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, Sue B said:

[...]

i haven’t managed to visit a site on pour day but we will do that before we make our final decision.

[...]

 

I wholeheartedly agree with your decision.  But your visit would be made so much more useful if people with ICF experience could suggest things to look for....

If I can manage to put up our studding a bit quicker than I had planned today, I'll start a thread for the rest of us ' ICFers ' to contribute to.

Ian

[Tom's Barn]

Hi @K78 I have selected Isotex because it creates a much flatter final finish for my external wood cladding. Also it creates a much better continuous line of concrete and insulation because of the inner web design. I will try to arrange a timelapse camera so you can see progress once we start. We are starting construction drawings this week. Any questions let me know. I am no expert but learning fast.

 

[Sue B]

I am really starting to think that your build will be our first site pour @Tom's Barn.  Our plans  are still within an inch of going in - so near yet so far

[K78]

I’ve booked in for the course on the 26th. 

 

Looks like a better product from the Italian YouTube videos, but I’m not sure it’s as DIY friendly as Durisol. 

[Sue B]

The course will show you it is equally as DIY friendly if not more so.  It also has the pass block which reduces the number of blocks you need to cut (it took my head a while to get around how that worked).

[K78]

On 16/04/2019 at 14:47, Sue B said:

The course will show you it is equally as DIY friendly if not more so.  It also has the pass block which reduces the number of blocks you need to cut (it took my head a while to get around how that worked).

 

According to the insulhub videos on YouTube you can only go 6 courses high before a pour. 

 

Durisol was 2.4m if I remember correctly?

 

Reading about the inconsistency in sizes of Durisol blocks over the last few days is a concern though. 

[scottishjohn]

17 minutes ago, K78 said:

 

According to the insulhub videos on YouTube you can only go 6 courses high before a pour. 

 

Durisol was 2.4m if I remember correctly?

 

Reading about the inconsistency in sizes of Durisol blocks over the last few days is a concern though. 

I also saw that and it has or will be corrected in uk documentation  as th uk blocks are not same spec as italian either-speak to them

[Sue B]

I think both actually recommend the same height before pouring.  If the Durisol or Isotex people are doing the actual build, they will go higher because of their experience with the product.  I’m trying to find my notes from both training courses but 6 courses sounds about right for both products.

[K78]

19 minutes ago, Sue B said:

I think both actually recommend the same height before pouring.  If the Durisol or Isotex people are doing the actual build, they will go higher because of their experience with the product.  I’m trying to find my notes from both training courses but 6 courses sounds about right for both products.

 

On the durisol course they definitely said you could go 1storey high.

Edited April 18, 2019 by K78

[Sue B]

Just found my notes taken during the one day course.  

 

Durisol said 2.5m for first pour WITH EXPERIENCE.  For DIYers such as us, they would recommend no more than 1.5m.  This is pretty much what Isotex said during their training course but with the emphasis the other way round - 1.5m to first pour - however, they go higher when doing the work themselves due to their experience with the product.

[K78]

23 minutes ago, Sue B said:

Just found my notes taken during the one day course.  

 

Durisol said 2.5m for first pour WITH EXPERIENCE.  For DIYers such as us, they would recommend no more than 1.5m.  This is pretty much what Isotex said during their training course but with the emphasis the other way round - 1.5m to first pour - however, they go higher when doing the work themselves due to their experience with the product.

 

Totally different to the course I attended then. 

 

How much experience do insulhub have with isotex?

Edited April 18, 2019 by K78

[Sue B]

I asked a lot of questions - I felt like the troublesome child in the front row! 

 

I have a feeling other people have come away with the same impression after seeing this issue come up a few times in various places so I asked specific questions and wrote down what was said.  The course was run by Derek and Neil and I’m Pretty sure they run all the courses.  As I said previously, the emphasis on the recommended height was differently put by the two product trainers - the actual outcome, taking away the order and emphasis of the words was the same.  For DIYers like ourselves the recommended height for both systems is 1.5m. I think that is what @scottishjohn had confirmed by Durisol when he queried it with them direct IIRC.

[Sue B]

24 minutes ago, K78 said:

 

How much experience do insulhub have with isotex?

 

They previously were Durisol contractors and the two blocks are similar enough to have interchangeable skills.  The differences are small.  In my blog, I have one thread where I compared the two. We have our preference now on quality and style of the block, it will all come down to price once we have our planning permission granted.  

[Big Neil]

Seems then that there could be significant value to stacking to the height that those guys would do, then pay to get them in to check prior to pour and manage that day. 

[K78]

10 minutes ago, Sue B said:

I asked a lot of questions - I felt like the troublesome child in the front row! 

 

I have a feeling other people have come away with the same impression after seeing this issue come up a few times in various places so I asked specific questions and wrote down what was said.  The course was run by Derek and Neil and I’m Pretty sure they run all the courses.  As I said previously, the emphasis on the recommended height was differently put by the two product trainers - the actual outcome, taking away the order and emphasis of the words was the same.  For DIYers like ourselves the recommended height for both systems is 1.5m. I think that is what @scottishjohn had confirmed by Durisol when he queried it with them direct IIRC.

 

I agreed with the trainer, that if I cut the corner blocks and laid the first course. He would come out for the day and we would get to first floor height and pour. 

 

The selling point to me, is that these blocks are DIY “friendly” and easily stackable. 

 

Im beginning to think it’s better to research yourself, than take what is said on these courses as gospel. 

Edited April 18, 2019 by K78

[K78]

2 minutes ago, Sue B said:

 

They previously were Durisol contractors and the two blocks are similar enough to have interchangeable skills.  The differences are small.  In my blog, I have one thread where I compared the two. We have our preference now on quality and style of the block, it will all come down to price once we have our planning permission granted.  

 

I’m aware of the previous connection to Durisol. 

 

Jamie run the durisol course I attended. 

[Sue B]

He now runs the Isotex course of course

[K78]

8 minutes ago, Sue B said:

He now runs the Isotex course of course

 

I’m aware of that. I was surprised he was no longer with durisol. Then I stumbled across insul hub. 

 

It will be interesting to see what he says now. He told me 2.4m was not as issue with Durisol. Everyone on the course questioned it as we were told bracing was not needed. 

 

I’ve lost a bit of confidence tbh.

 

Especially with what I’ve read about only one side of a Durisol wall being flat. This obviously was not mentioned on the course. 

 

I think people should be aware that the “courses” are essentially their selling opportunity. A bit like an estate agents “valuation”.

Edited April 18, 2019 by K78

[Sue B]

Peter overheard Neil and Derek talking while we were having lunch - he went back to the table to load up ?.

 

The discussion was about the cost of putting on the course, compared to the number of sales generated from it.  

 

They are of course a sales and marketing pitch and they fully expect, as any normal business would, that enough sales are generated to more than cover costs.  They wouldn’t do it otherwise.

[K78]

26 minutes ago, Sue B said:

Peter overheard Neil and Derek talking while we were having lunch - he went back to the table to load up ?.

 

The discussion was about the cost of putting on the course, compared to the number of sales generated from it.  

 

They are of course a sales and marketing pitch and they fully expect, as any normal business would, that enough sales are generated to more than cover costs.  They wouldn’t do it otherwise.

 

My point is that if you are correct regarding durisol. The information I was given on the course I attended is incorrect. Which is a cause of concern. 

 

I am aware of why they do the courses and what they cost. I’m just saying be aware the trainers are salespeople. Double check everything you are told. 

 

I managed banking advisors for a big bank for a while. It’s amazing how many people think that their local banks, banking advisor (or bank in general) is there as a free, public service. Rather than a salesperson with strict targets. The general consensus was. If they are asking you what they should do with their money, they haven’t got a clue. 

 

I think durisol and isotex are both good products. It’s the conflicting information on different courses which is worrying me. 

Edited April 18, 2019 by K78