ICF Foundations +/- 5mm

[magnethead]

ok,

So now I know foundations should be +/- 5mm . It is a bit late  

Can you tell me please how I would fix the problem below...at the top of the Strip, you can see where it goes from -15 to +30mm , 45mm over about 3M in length

 

Can this be rectified? with some kind of Concrete grinding machine? I take it a kango hammer cannnot be used on a strip foundation.

 

I have one week, before the ICF builder is back onsite, to start the rising walls.

Thanks for any advice

Edited May 15, 2019 by magnethead

[joe90]

Who did this work?, if a contractor get him to fix it!

[dpmiller]

Are the rising walls in ICF or block?

[Mr Punter]

With some ICF systems it is possible to cut the blocks or chock them up a little. You could also consider a levelling screed. Ask your ICF people what they would suggest.

[scottishjohn]

lay a mortar bed  to get it right

   FIRST ROW NEEDS TO BE PERFECT    you have to get it perfect if you want rest of job to be easy 

some types of icf -like isotex /durisol its the way they tell you to start anyway 

if poly type you could mess about with packers +foam under first row to get it right 

 

 if raising up height by 30mm is a problem --then trim first blocks down by an amount and then lay on mortar bed to get rest  of it right 

thats what iwould do 

give the contractor that option --he lays first row to correct height ?

Edited May 15, 2019 by scottishjohn

[magnethead]

Hi,

Yes, it was a contractor... I'm sure he'll come back saying I never specified that it had to be +/-5mm. With standard blocks you can level each course as you go up and I'm sure that's what he's used to.

I'll give it a go anyway.

@dpmiller yes the rising walls are ICF.

 

Does anyone know what kinda equipment or procedure you would use/do to recify this?

[willbish]

I wouldn't want a 45mm mortar bed on the low spots.

I think you need to take the high spots down by grinding grooves and then chiseling out the excess.

 

Are you using stater track for your first course?

The track I used was about 30mm deep and I put shims inside the track to level to the mm.

[scottishjohn]

yes on second thoughts --cut and grind down to zero as  @willbish says ,

any other mods could leave you with funny size blocks further up the build .

or just trim blocks where its too high so the height from zero level on foundation ends up same all way round  at top of first row

--all mods done in first row of blocks  

that might  be quicker  ,should be easy with a laser line set to hit 10mm from top of block ,so you can see it on block 

polystyrene cuts with a knife 

 

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, magnethead said:

[...]

Can this be rectified?

[...]

 

Yes, I am sure: from experience (with Durisol) , I know it can be done in one of four ways

• Grind the concrete
• Shim the blocks
• Trim the blocks
• Lay a 'correction' mortar bed during the build of the blocks
• A combination of all three (should have said five above ?)

I gulped when I saw your numbers: my sincere commiserations 's not funny. 

 

Can I ask before I make any further suggestions, which ICF are you using?

[magnethead]

Thanks Lads, for the excellent replies.

 

Yes @willbish there will be starter track

I'll get the grinder out now and do my best to level a track for the ICF (300mm) in width

 

thanks @AnonymousBosch  , yes it's a bit of a disaster , the brand is Thermohouse.

Edited May 15, 2019 by magnethead

[magnethead]

I just spoke to the contractor and he says he can work up to 15mm out.....so it will just be the very top foundation strip that i need to correct.

 

[joe90]

7 minutes ago, magnethead said:

that i need to correct.

 

Uh, your first contractor needs to fix!

[magnethead]

@joe90 you're right, I can't help jumping into action and grabbing a tool. This is my first Self-Build, experience building a house and there's being a number of errors already, and it's only at foundation.

[joe90]

9 minutes ago, magnethead said:

@joe90 you're right, I can't help jumping into action and grabbing a tool. This is my first Self-Build, experience building a house and there's being a number of errors already, and it's only at foundation.

 

This is why being a project manager on site at all times is best if you can and always make sure specifications are known to all and in writing. I was very lucky to have a brilliant builder but I still found a few little problems which i pounced on straight away. Things are a lot more difficult to put right afterwards. Hope it goes well from here on in.

[Alexphd1]

I remember a bit on a nudara icf installation video of them doing big cuts for uneven surface. 

[Oz07]

Have you got founds low enough down to replace bottom row of icf with normal blocks/bricks. If you come up one course you could trim conc blocks and get it out

[magnethead]

Thanks @Oz07 That's an interesting fix, The foundation are roughly at the level for 3 courses of ICF blocks, each 250mm high. I'll put it out there as a suggestion,. the Builder is back onsite today,  I'll let you know what happens in the end, but here's my prediction : Whatever is easiest for him

[magnethead]

This gives me hope  Maybe ICF can get me out of this hole.

 

 

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, magnethead said:

[...]

the brand is Thermohouse.

 

I'd be very hesitant to offer advice - I have no experience with that brand.

 

But of one thing you can be sure - someone has faced the problem before. What does the manufacturer or local rep say?

[magnethead]

They kicked it onto the local installer who is due to arrive next Tuesday for the first time, he said he needed to see it with his eyes for some reason. He mentioned chims, but as you said this is definitely going to need cutting too. I can't believe I was soo stupid not to know the tolerance.

 

but as said above, the civil guy who did the foundation is responsible, he did an amvic house a year ago with a retired engineer who guided him through the whole process, he should have known better.

[Construction Channel]

1 hour ago, magnethead said:

I can't believe I was soo stupid not to know the tolerance.

 

Why would you assume that an employed professional would work to anything else. 

 

I really wouldn't get yourself down about things like this. I know a local bricklayer that constantly moans about footings being slightly out. Then it comes to a job where he had put his own footings in and they were over 40mm out from one side to the other. Obviously I didn't make too many comments when his first course was a row of tile creasing ?

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, magnethead said:

[...]

I can't believe I was so stupid not to know the tolerance.

[...]

 

Why should you know? 

I still (four years later) can't believe I didn't [...] don't [...] haven't [...] should have [...].

 

There's one tiny (at this stage) crumb of comfort - you get better at solving problems the more you have and face successfully.  The bummer is you only need to solve that particular one once: as you'll know soon as one things ticked off, there 7 million others (oh and that other one) to solve.

Notice I say ' face' (not solve or resolve or sort out) Its the process of facing problems and - in some cases deciding to give it to someone else thats important. Not dealing with a problem (not simple procrastination) really gets everyone down.

 

And the one thing you will always have is a BH ear or 20 to talk to. That has always worked for me.

[Pocster]

F me . I did this myself and worst case 5mm out and i’m Completely incompetent as everyone will vouch . Another BS contractor . You have my sympathy- you can get this fixed . ?

[magnethead]

Thanks lads, Yes this forum is fantastic, I appreciate everyone's feedback. The contractor apologized yesterday for the mistake and said he was going to come back with a something like  a big wood planer , that will grind the concrete down on that high spot at the back. touch wood, the ICF guy will be able to deal with the rest.

[Russell griffiths]

19 hours ago, joe90 said:

 

Uh, your first contractor needs to fix!

Why, if the finish was not specified or detailed then they laid a footing, 

if the contractor was not told what was the specific finish then he would have laid a footing to a standard finish which will have a tolerance of up to 50mm over 10m.