Hi - ICF Project in Holywood

[Conor]

Hi,

 

We're about to start our project - 250m² 1.5 story house with basement on a sloping site in Holywood, Co. Down.

 

Drawings all done, just waiting for planning to come through. My background is an engineer/project manager in the water industry, so I'm planning on using a lot of innovative, rapid, and non-traditional construction methods - focus on safe, rapid construction and simplicity and reduced dependence on trades. We're also aiming for passive levels of insulation and airtightness - south facing site with lots of glass.

 

So, expect lots of posts about insulated foundations, ICF systems, tanking, shuttering concrete walls, floor deck systems, MVHR, the lot!

 

Thanks.

[ToughButterCup]

  On 03/04/2019 at 10:32, Conor said:

[...]

so I'm planning on using a lot of innovative, rapid, and non-traditional construction methods

[...]

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Welcome.

I will be particularly interested in your contributions. We - with none of your expertise - embarked on a similar project. 

At the risk of boring you rigid, here's a list of the stuff we did in relation to our chosen ICF. Not all of it pretty either.

[scottishjohn]

  On 03/04/2019 at 10:32, Conor said:

Hi,

 

We're about to start our project - 250m² 1.5 story house with basement on a sloping site in Holywood, Co. Down.

 

Drawings all done, just waiting for planning to come through. My background is an engineer/project manager in the water industry, so I'm planning on using a lot of innovative, rapid, and non-traditional construction methods - focus on safe, rapid construction and simplicity and reduced dependence on trades. We're also aiming for passive levels of insulation and airtightness - south facing site with lots of glass.

 

So, expect lots of posts about insulated foundations, ICF systems, tanking, shuttering concrete walls, floor deck systems, MVHR, the lot!

 

Thanks.

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a set of plans would  be a good starting point for people to look at to give sound advice

[Conor]

Planning drawings attached. We'll likely make the basement same as the main floor area as it'll simplify construction- esp if using a raft. Will also raise ground level up a bit at rear and lose sliders and all the expensive balconies. Ground floor, we'll be flipping the kitchen to the outshoot, living to where the dining is and dining to where the kitchen is. A few other things changing as well, moving stairs, losing the laundry space etc etc. Not had the heart to tell the architect just yet....

[le-cerveau]

Which way is north?

There is a lot of glazing and if it is to the South (I suspect if it is architect design) then you are going to have a major overheating issue!

[Conor]

  On 03/04/2019 at 13:09, le-cerveau said:

Which way is north?

There is a lot of glazing and if it is to the South (I suspect if it is architect design) then you are going to have a major overheating issue!

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Rear is South West facing, but we've a lot of trees around us. It's been modelled in PHPP and once we add a bris soleil on the big window, we are within normal overheating ranges. Plus there will be a lot of thermal mass in the internal structure. And we're in grey and cold northern Ireland!!

[Alexphd1]

Hi and welcome.

 

Very nice design, my house is very similar layout inc basement. Although I have yet to start my build, we are almost finished my parents on the adjacent plot which is insulated raft, icf walls, roof trusses built onsite all done DIY. 

[jack]

  On 03/04/2019 at 13:15, Conor said:

... we are within normal overheating ranges. 

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Welcome to BuildHub.

Before going any further, take a look at the definition of acceptable overheating in PHPP. It actually allows for quite a lot of time spent at uncomfortable temperatures in my opinion.

 

You can reduce the values - both the temperature defined as overheating, and amount of time you're willing to accept - in PHPP. I'd start by halving the number of hours, and knocking at least a degree or two off the overheating temp. You might be surprised by the results.

[Conor]

  On 03/04/2019 at 13:41, jack said:

 

Welcome to BuildHub.

Before going any further, take a look at the definition of acceptable overheating in PHPP. It actually allows for quite a lot of time spent at uncomfortable temperatures in my opinion.

 

You can reduce the values - both the temperature defined as overheating, and amount of time you're willing to accept - in PHPP. I'd start by halving the number of hours, and knocking at least a degree or two off the overheating temp. You might be surprised by the results.

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Cheers. From memory it was set at 25c. I'll go back to architect when we're making our other changes. Now to me, that's too warm. To my partner, that's just at the point where she no longer has to wear a wool jumper!

[jack]

We have passivhaus levels of insulation and airtightness. When it's more than about 22 degrees, it's too warm. 25 degrees would be unbearable (although my wife, too, would be fine with that).

[Declan52]

Welcome conor. 

Very nice looking house indeed. 

I just accept that there are some days here where we actually get the sun to shine far enough into the house that it makes an impact,  which is definitely not today.  It's mainly an issue when the sun is low in the sky  otherwise we just close the blinds.  

Have you been to visit any other icf builds here?? 

What was the reason for going down this route as I haven't seen to many in my travels here??

 

[Conor]

  On 03/04/2019 at 14:01, Declan52 said:

Welcome conor. 

Very nice looking house indeed. 

I just accept that there are some days here where we actually get the sun to shine far enough into the house that it makes an impact,  which is definitely not today.  It's mainly an issue when the sun is low in the sky  otherwise we just close the blinds.  

Have you been to visit any other icf builds here?? 

What was the reason for going down this route as I haven't seen to many in my travels here??

 

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Hi Declan.

 

Yes, visited a couple houses - an off-grid one just up the road and I've visited one in Carryduff that's similar size and mid construction. Both by Johnny Balantine using integra spec. Also been to John McClatchys house which is a Logix build.

 

Main reasons for using ICF are speed of construction, simplicity, inherent air tightness, ease of waterproofing for basement. I hope to do as much as possible myself.. no way would I take on a traditional house build.

[newhome]

Lovely looking house. Welcome to BuildHub! 

 

[Sue B]

Welcome - love the look of the house.  

[Bitpipe]

Beautiful house - not too dis-similar to ours in terms of aesthetic but our basement is fully enclosed and not a curve in sight

 

Echo everything above, 22 is our steady state temp (passive house) in SE England. That is t-shirt temp.

 

My advice is to plan for external motorised shutters on east and roof glazing and south if possible - makes a huge difference to overheating.

 

Consider RAL 7012 (Basalt Grey) as a less harsh grey than the standard anthracite (7016) - goes great with white render. 

[Conor]

  On 03/04/2019 at 18:00, Bitpipe said:

Beautiful house - not too dis-similar to ours in terms of aesthetic but our basement is fully enclosed and not a curve in sight

 

Echo everything above, 22 is our steady state temp (passive house) in SE England. That is t-shirt temp.

 

My advice is to plan for external motorised shutters on east and roof glazing and south if possible - makes a huge difference to overheating.

 

Consider RAL 7012 (Basalt Grey) as a less harsh grey than the standard anthracite (7016) - goes great with white render. 

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Think we will be enclosing the rear of the basement at least partially. Going off the idea of having living and kitchen elevated above garden. Think it will also come in cheaper as we'd be losing a sliding door and a bit less material to depose of... But would lose the under balcony storage areas. Decisions!

 

Agree with the colours... Will be a lighter grey than shown. Render will be an off-white.

[Ferdinand]

Welcome to the Forum.

[gavztheouch]

Nice house. I am also interested in ICF so looking forward to following along.