I am an ICF exclusive builder, who has used it all. I was raised in a family of custom home builders - all using the traditional method. We tried adopting SIPS, but found that it wasn't the easiest to work with, however the overall build was much better than traditional methods. Then we started to use ICF... WOW. I'm a civil engineer by study, and this stuff impressed the heck out of me. You cannot beat the user-friendliness, ease of construction, air tightness, strength, sound barrier, etc. I decided to start a business only doing ICF, as that's how strongly I believe in the product. I've also used almost all the brands out there, and in my opinion, the superior one is Integra Spec. For its ease of use and minimal waste especially when compared to other ICF brands. Not only is it 100% recycled material, but it keeps much more waste out of the landfills (or you can look at it that we're not throwing the clients money in the landfill either...)

Speaking as an architect, I feel like I should get an AIA continuing education credit after watching this video.

I am a contractor in the extreme northeast, Maine coast! I've built all of these examples. I don't agree with your assessment of sips or traditional framing. the cost of spray foam in traditional framing is the cost of sip panels. Labor installing sips is one third that of traditional framing. Traditional framing failures in the Northeast are more common than you admit (or have knowledge of) pink insulation and traditional framing is a recipe for rot and mold, as well as air infiltration issues. I have never built a Bensonwood house...I have sworn to never build traditional again, but I WOULD do a Bensonwood house. building sip homes I have built panel over frame and have built hybrid "48 on center framing construction. I HAVE experienced the air leak problem...it's called "tea kettling" when the moist hot air leaks out the house looks like it a steaming tea kettle from the outside. THIS IS SUPER DESTRUCTIVE! I am a super fan of your show and your experience, your humility is a perfect example of how contractors should address their mistakes. You are an example for all of us. I am super interested in using the spray on vapor barriers you have highlighted on your show. They would be an excellent compliment to sip panel construction. I wish I could express myself better than leaving this comment. Anyway thank you for your show. also I buy my sips from "foam laminates of Vermont"

Great presentation, as always! Just some personal observations and added info on the SIPS. I am a timber framer so I use SIPS above grade for most of my builds, and conventional foundation or ICF below grade. Some projects will be ICF to the top of the exterior walls, with timber frame trusses for the roof structure, and SIPS panels for the roof enclosure. 1) One of the most common concerns I hear from the trades about SIPS is that the electrician expects the wiring to be difficult or restrictive. (And the sheetrock installers and plumbers have concerns about the timber frame, but that's another subject.) There are a few types of SIPS, and they are good for different situations. EPS (white polystyrene) and XPS (extruded polystyrene - pink board) SIPS are glued up from flat sheets, and the way the layers are built leaves a void or chase in known position within the panel, generally at 2 ft intervals. So the easiest electrical layout is to place outlets and switches at these locations. The first time is tricky, but it gets pretty easy to router the box opening and fish the Romex through the panels. You can also easily router to a point not where the chase is, as long as the cuts you make are not more than about 1/3 of the panel size in either dimension so as not to lose the panel's structural capacity. BUT when you use SIPS on a timber frame, they are *not* acting as a load-bearing structural wall to support vertical load -- the timber frame does that. They are acting as a shear wall, so in fact only a fraction of the SIPS shear capacity is being used. That means that, as long as engineering OKs the location, you might even be able to cut straight across a panel without compromising anything. We sometimes specify non-structural SIPS (maybe they're IPS?) for timber frames, where there's OSB on one side and a finish surface like sheetrock or pre-installed T&G on the other. Another alternative is to use polyurethane foamed SIPS, less common, but they can have the electrical conduit and boxes preinstalled exactly where needed. Again, last-minute changes can be made with a router, if necessary, under some limits. This will work better in jurisdictions (like Chicago) that do not allow Romex and require all wiring to be in conduit. Care has to be taken when connecting panels to the floor plate and to each other that the conduit stubs line up and get properly connected - I like to install a piece of pull-line as I go to make the electrician's job easier. 2) Another point to make is about SIPS thickness, especially for roof eaves. Depending on the type -- EPS, XPS or PU -- achieving the R value for the roof may result in an unpleasantly thick roof eave thickness, especially if it's plumb-cut. To exceed R-49, you need a 12-1/4" EPS panel (and a bit of extra... that's just R-44) OR an 10-1/2" XPS panel OR an 8-1/4" PU panel. Plumb cut, the 12-1/4 and 10-/12" panels can be too thick. It's possible to make these end at the wall plane and build out the eaves with stick framing. It's also possible to order the EPS and XPS SIPS with either voids for, or preinstalled, 2x material lookouts. That's a bit of extra work. While the insulation is not doing any work out there, the PU SIPS can just run out full length past the wall and it's structurally OK for up to 24" and requires some bracing if longer. The tradeoff is the added cost of SIPS material versus the added labor of building the eaves separately. 3) I have done EPS SIPS installations with 4 x 8 blank SIPS panels site cut etc. and while it can be cheaper, and for some hard-to-get-to sites might be the only way to transport the panels there, it is *messy*. I don't think the client appreciates little bits of white styrofoam blowing about the property. It's not like sawdust or other construction debris. So I don't like to do even site-cut window and door openings on large panels anymore. I lean towards having full-sized pre-cut, pre-blocked panels made, even if it means a day or two of crane work or a big telehandler. The interior electrical work-created foam bits are easier to contain and keep clean. 4) You had a presentation about slab versus pier foundations. One low-cost option that is interesting for cold climates is to build a pier foundation on poured concrete piers or helical piles, connected by beams. I have used this with the pier locations also acting as the point load support for the timber frame posts. The exterior SIPS are then acting as simply insulation and shear wall, not bearing wall. So how does this relate to SIPS? Well, you can span between the lower part of the pier-to-pier beams with SIPS for a sufficient insulation value, with enough space left above for plumbing, electrical etc. A weather-proof, pest-proof panel (e.g. fiber-cement board) is preinstalled on the floor SIPS before they are dropped into place. There is a waterproof, airtight flexible gasket placed on the strips that support the SIPS. And a debris/critter screen may be installed around the perimeter, for example: perforated Corten steel sheet. Far less use of concrete, and no residual humidity issues inside from the concrete slab curing (which is why so many of the concrete slab/basement homes have initial high humidity problems). I'm just starting a project like this in Michigan.

I bought an iCF house in Montana, and it's amazingly efficient. 3400 square feet of livable space, and our gas bill last February was only $93.

I lived on the east coast of Puerto Rico when class 5 hurricane Hugo went directly over the island. The eye came tight over our house. The house was concrete construction. Throughout the night we had 3 palm trees come crashing onto the house. Nothing happened. If it had been stick construction, the would have destroyed the house.

Such a gorgeous book - each shed is unique and inspiring, and I love all the tiny details Kotite features to help readers imagine how to create their own She Sheds kzfaq.infoUgkxe9yi0sulKgsp0VJJCIrLWWkvVqcU7LFR . The feature on Dinah's Rustic Retreat is like something from a fairy tale. It's really inspiring to see how creative all these ordinary people are in making beautiful and useful spaces on a modest scale.

I live in a 10" thick SIP house that is 23 years old here in Arizona, absolutely love it. Low ac bill, well sealed, also fiberglass R values drop with temperature, polystyrene and other sip material does not. Desert climate here so no humidity issues. Very quiet inside too. I will say it's so well sealed, CO2 levels and poor air quality can be an issue. I'd recommend builders install a central whole house fan for air quality, fresh air turnover. The previous owners let the roof go bad and it leaked, one wall rotting the inner OSB out, however the repairs were relatively easy to reglue new OSB and sheetrock over. Hanging pictures on exterior walls is super easy. the electrical outlet and lighting placement was not well though out on this construction. I would like to expand the house with an addition but finding a contractor to do it right or even want to is hard. I may have to do it myself.

I build exclusively with ICF in the Southwest. The quite energy efficiency drives my passion for the product. Using a roll on waterproofing below grade termites aren't a issue, bedding a galvanized screen material in the roll on waterproof coating stops all mice,moles and voles. I was a commercial framing contractor for years and hate the new growth lumber we have today because it is weaker with higher percentages of wain compared to what was available in the 1980's. The math on energy is this, a stick frame house will drop 30 degrees in 15 hours with no heat source at 30 degrees F. A ICF house same conditions takes 84 to 96 hours to lose that amount of heat.

Hey mate, did a 4000 sqft walkout basement in ICF Foxblock. Loved it! Expensive, but ended up a lovely home. Self taught, did a 52x32 shop 1st to cut my teeth on, I'm not a builder but very mechanical and good with my hands. Engine builder and truck driver by trade. Built said house in Missouri, I was owner builder, did all ICF myself successfully, the now owners love the place! Love your channel, very informative! Getting ready to build again, some kind of modest shop home on a slab, probably with radiant floor heating. Will continue following, thanks. Wyatt.

I replaced the foundation on my 100+ year old house using an ICF with this twist: We formed the walls traditionally with 8 foot vertical 3/4" MDO forms and snap ties, but we put the ICF panels on the inside form only. Then buttoned up the outside panel and pumped in the concrete. The end result was a concrete exterior wall (easy to seal), and 2" of foam and screw strips on the inside. The inside MDO panels came off clean as new and the exterior panels were scraped clean and re-used. Did about 20 feet of wall at a time, footing first and then the wall, marching the panels around the perimeter and removing old wall as we went. Only had to jack up the house in 20 foot sections (about 1/8" at a time). End result is a fantastic dry basement with sheetrock on the walls. It's been 20 years now and not a single problem. 55 yards of concrete, 2000 lb of #4 rebar, and roughly half the needed ICF for a complete wall.

I have built 2 ICF homes, and put gauge steel trusses on them (and metal shingles on top of that). You have to be careful with insulation levels in the attic, but free span trusses means you can dry in the structure without putting up interior walls. I've been very happy with it. But if I ever need to change something on an outside wall, Matt is not wrong about the trouble I'm in. Interior sound levels are still very good, as are utility bills (I'm usually at half of what my friends are with wood frame houses). The other thing Matt does not mention is that bricks go very well on the outside of ICFs.

My family built an ICF house in Fort Worth. About 4000 sq ft 2 levels and basement. Yep, a basement in Texas. I couldn't have been happier with it. We went with 12" walls in the first and second floors and 18" in the basement. A basement in hot climates is incredible. Even if the AC went out it would stay at 65F all year.

I built my home with Zip insulated walls, Zip roof deck, Advantech flooring. I also used Aero Barrier for air sealing. Added extra earthquake tie downs. I feel I have the best built to last home in my community.

The 1st type of house you talked about, the concrete/Styrofoam.. The home I lived in during my childhood back in the 80s was made this way. It was in Melbourne, FL I'm not sure who built it but it was supposed to be an experimental design. The walls were very thick and it had built in shutters and a flat concrete roof. Hurricanes couldn't touch it an=d was easy on the electric bill in the summer. On the down side, we had a fire and because the heat was trapped inside the fire couldn't really spread into the house much but it damaged a lot of stuff inside just due to the heat. However the house survived the fire that would have burnt a normal house to the ground. Ours was plaster/Styrofoam/concrete/Styrofoam/plaster so very thick walls..

Regarding termites and ICF or any other construction material. Being in the pest control industry in Texas for the past 19 years we learned years ago about Bora-Care products. We used it exclusively on new construction builds due to its long term performance and being a safe natural product as well. Once the treated surface is enclosed and protected from UV light you have a lifetime protection basically. For ICF spray exterior walls two feet up from grade and spray foundation coating surfaces well. As added protection in ICF spray rafter over wall and two foot out from wall, including eave material. Since foundations are exposed retreat that area again per label. Great solve for issue. I am surprised manufacturers of the foam block have not mixed in borates in mixture to resolve the issue. This would be a permanent and effective fix.

Matt said get an ICF contractor who've built several houses already. What if you just opened an ICF construction business❓ Here's a start: Build yourself an ICF shed. Then build ICF sheds, toy houses, and garages for family and friends. That should help you build enough experience to not guinea pig your customers.

I've built two large custom homes with ICF, and five apartments out of SIP. I thought they were both brilliant till I built with them, then I thought they were a really bad idea, now I know their place in the toolbox. Personally I'd use ICF for foundations and walls, and use SIP for walls and roofs, but having spent time in water damage, mold and construction defect I'd be very careful about SIP envelope. Either way you build three of them before you can say you're qualified and profitable

I built an ICF house 21 years ago and love it. It is amazingly quiet and comfortable.

We moved into our SIP house over two years ago and we are solar powered off grid as well. We live in Northeast Texas. Our SIP construction contractor was Ferrier Custom Homes out of Ft. Worth and the SIP manufacturer was Fischer SIPs out of Kentucky. We have been very happy with the home but our biggest surprise is how much energy is needed to keep the house cool in the Texas heat versus how little energy is needed to keep it warm in the winter. Our walls are 6.5 inches thick and our roof is 11.25 inches thick. We use individual room mini splits for A/C and a wood burning stove for heat. Thanks for the video.

My wife and I built our dream home in Colorado 3 years ago. Contractor I worked with talked my out of modular and into ICF by comparing it to Lego bricks. Pretty simplistic, but I was sold. 3 years later the overall performance of the home is crazy. My winter propane bill runs about $100 per month in a neighborhood with homes spending 6 to 7 times that. We even have trouble using the fireplace because the radiant heat in the floors keeps the house warm. It's not too shabby in the summer. Due to engineering issues there is one area that has an exterior framed wall and in the really cold or hot periods there is a dramatic difference.

I’m 19, I used ICFs and every time I talk to someone about it they say I don’t know what I’m talking about and that’s not even what they’re called. This makes me feel better. Just because I’m 19 doesn’t mean I haven’t used a product that someone else hasn’t.

Hi, I’m a representative for a SIPS manufacturer, based in Mexico (2) locations exporting to the US. We are currently building a house in Texas using our SIPS panels. You are absolutely right about OSB plywood sheathing rotting and why we produce with 3/8” fiber cement! Our panels give a close to finished product inside and out. We produce thicknesses 4”, 6”, 8” & 10” and 4’ x 8’, 10’ & 12’. I believe we offer the very best option of those presented. Thanks for the informative video!

I've been building with SIPs for nearly 20 years. I've done everything from small vacation cabins to 30,000 sq ft event/religious centers. MM&I Construction and Design does a fantastic job with the design work. Their own brand name panel, Renegade Panels, is by far the most superior panel on the market. Some of the cons you listed, while are partially true, can be alleviated by using an experienced SIPs builder. We've fixed crushed panels in the field, made electrical chases after drywall was installed, whatever needed to be done in the field. There are a few tricks to the trade, just like with any other building system.

As a professional Energy Efficient Builder with over 35 years of experience building with everything from Rammed Earth & Heavy Timbers, ICF's, SIP's and conventional framing I TOTALLY agree is ALWAYS the details that far too many leave out. Usually it comes down to budget, when it comes down to it people DON'T understand the need to deal completely as "Whole System" including ventilation, moisture mitigation and really EVERY component the house needs, budgets get squeezed and they figure (out of ignorance) that they can skimp on those... NEVER works but when momma wants to blow the budget with finishes...it just happens. We have settled on SIP's as the BEST but MUST work with the best suppliers, I'm a Certified Master SIP Builder and we've found the BEST supplier is Extreme Panel out of Cottonwood MN. it's a family run business that will bend over backwards to get it right, the owner Terry is and has been a leading force in developing the BEST manufacturing methods and equipment throughout the industry. Great video and while my conclusions may differ, your spot on, thanks for posting.

My dad had our family home built out of ICF on Vancouver island about 20 years ago now, it was the first in the area and no builder had done ICF, but he was particular to have it done. Fabulous building.

Most ICF forms are treated to prevent termite infestation

Thank you Matt for being on the forefront of leading the way to building smarter and better.

I have built all three types. When I build my own it will be with ICF.

I feel like the noise aspects of SIP vs. ICF was completely missed here and is definitely important in any dense urban or suburban environment. SIPs pass far more road and aircraft noise vs. traditional framing and rock wool insulation which pass var more vs. ICF. "Comfort" isn't just about temperature and drafts; noise matters, too.

I am a Registered Designer in New Zealand with 35 Year worth of experience. I liked your presentation, in that you explain the pros & Cons, you are not just a sponsors salesman. :-)

Man I love the way you do products overviews it’s helped me so much in my business, because when someone asks what do you recommend I have five different options for them to chose from, thanks once again Matt

I used ICF construction for my basement 22 years ago the only thing I would have done differently is construct the entire house out of it!

You can easily mix ICF for exterior walls and roof and drywall for interior walls, making it that much easier for internal remodels

78yr old miner. Went to a mining show in Vegas years ago. They had a display using aggregate mixes with foam. Great strength and insulation. Would work great for footings and walls.

Matt, we just finished our 32 nd ICF home. Including a 22,000 s.f. In Tampa Bay, Fl. Primarily have used Logix and Buildblock. Also several houses with Insuldeck floor systems. Two homes with Spider Tie roof systems. Not a big fan of spider tie! As an Architect, I tell my clients that insulation in the wall system is not the main reason for using ICF walls. Since we are in Florida (wind zones over 140 mph) the main reason for ICF walls is structural and second is sound proofing. As we don’t have heat loss, rather heat gain in Florida there is typically more heat gain through our fenestration than through our walls. Anyway, we all enjoy your videos. Regards, Clayton

I've been in construction 36 years . I worked on an ICF house in 2008 I've been working with ICF ever since. I wouldn't build with any other type of construction can't recommend ICF enough it's brilliant.

I wish I would have found your channel 6 years ago when I built my house. So much great info!

Speaking as someone curious about building with zero experience, this was very informational. I really appreciate your video!

I built our house with ICF's for the foundation and the main floor is a DELTEC. We're sheathed with 5/8" plywood and 1" of foam and the stud bays are filled with 2# closed cell foam. The basement has 2" of foam under the floor and in floor heat. The basement is incredibly easy to heat and very comfortable. It is a walkout with 2 large windows and a patio door. My wife and I stacked the ICF's and we had a contractor place the concrete. He vibrated the concrete as he placed it. I have a friend here that strictly builds with SIPs from Extreme panel. He's fastidious about sealing and always uses an ERV.

I've built one SIP home from the foundation to finish, about 40 wood stud homes from the foundation to finish, one timber frame home from the foundation to finish, one wood geodesic dome home from the foundation to finish that is 5,342 plus sq. ft. and one large custom metal home with no wood at all. It was a three story structure. About half of all of the homes I've built were hi end for the rich and famous, the other half were for the middle income family. I also have worked on about 40 ICF jobs where we just came in and did the ICF block. The jobs that we did were all between 12 and 22 ft. hi walls. I personally like using ICF as a raised foundation and then use SIP's for your walls and ceiling. Now if you build that way, you might as well build a timber frame for the beauty of it and wrap it with SIP's. My dad designed Fox block but the owners of Fox block stole my dads patent since my dad only had a US patent. Fox block started building my dads block on the East cost of Canada and now distribute and possibly manufacture it in the USA as well but it takes a lot to fight big business and sometimes one can't afford to do so or even has the energy to deal with something like that. I was part of the crew on most of these jobs and then became the boss. Now, my wife and I build everything ourselves from the ground up with our own hands and with no hired help. One of our future projects will be about a 72 ft. diameter metal pipe geodesic dome garage and then we will use SIP's to panel it. I don't think it's been done before but that's our plan.

I built my 1,014 sq. ft. SIP house in SW Texas in 2009, after changing my mind from ICFs when I learned about SIPs. I designed it myself, had the plans drawn by an experienced SIP planner, got my SIPs from SIPS Texas in Kerrville, and used carpenters who'd built one SIP house before. Everything went super smoothly, and I'm very happy with it to this day. I have stone veneer on the exterior. The best part is my electric bills, which run about $400 per YEAR (with electric central AC and gas central heat).

Glad you mention +Joe Lstiburek, I can never understand his talks until you have reviewed them. Looking forward to viewing the videos you mention 18:02 Many many thanks to all involved

As a SIPs builder I try to avoid EPS builds( you can see one in my "House that will Not Burn"vid). I have yet to get a dime from my recommendations But By far the Best SIPs system I use is by ICS SIPs in Colorado. The performance, speed of assembly and design tolerances are spot on. You do have to have your Electrical design well thought out as the boxes and conduit are in place pryor to the foam injection. I am looking forward to a build in Colorado with another Urethane SIPs manufacturer Thermocore from Indiana. When I see framing jobs that take months till dry-in, the comparison of the week with SIPs is worth it for a lifetime of performance.

As a General years ago, I went through a manufacturer's training and installed a 12' daylight basement foundation with ICF. Beautiful, solid system. A friend contracted in SIP construction company with fab facility that is now a conventional stud-framed panelizing business. I've designed homes in SIP and ICF, one utilized both systems and it is very efficient.

I have a modular home on a ICF basement. I can 100% back the statement about not being the "guinea pig". The idiot that did mine didn't brace it right and there was a bow in the top of the wall. Luckily it wasn't structural, and I was able hide it. The basement is a constant temp year round. As for building an entire house out of them, you can easily put in L or J bolts at the top when it's poured, so you can bolt down a top plate to attach a roof to no problem.

My wife and I built our retirement home in Idaho from 2009 thru 2011 using Quadlock ICFs for the basement with 8" concrete and 8" SIPs on the upper level. We did a conventional truss ceiling with 12-14" of blown in insulation. We heat with a wood pellet fired boiler feeding pex tubing in the floors and zoned for the best heat distribution. We love the whole concept and really like staying warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Biggest problem with the ICFs was being able to hit the plastic ties with sheetrock screws and for the cement board on the outside. Otherwise we are very glad we went the way we did.

If I ever get to build my dream house, it will definitely be with ICFs.

Matt, One other building form I wish you would've included, Monolithic Domes. I'd like to see how they compare to ICF's as both are good for circular wind. Thanks for so many great videos.

ICF we partnered with another contractor, went to 2 training sessions with Quad lock then started working with A DIY home owner to get him started. Quad lock comes with separate foam panels then the interlocking plastic spacers. MORE labor intensive than other companies but has lots of options . different thickness of foam , ability to cast in a concrete brick ledge, ability to build radius walls. To use an ICF floor and roof system you need scaffolding, form decking, adjustable jacks used to build freeway bridges. and be able to get your jacks out after your pour. We did an addition on a ski lodge in an avalanche zone and the roof had to have 12 inches of reinforced concrete designed so the avalanche could slide over the roof and not put pressure on the back walls.

Hey Matt. Love, love, love the videos you put up. So much of what you present has gone into my dream house planning checklists. As I settle on final layout and determine my construction method I would love to see an update to this pro/con. Some things to consider to pro/con: 1)installation of utilities. 2)planning for door/windows, 3)interior/exterior finishing, 4)how they lend to particular home designs (modern,colonial,large rooms, etc.) 5)any more intangibles (like you mentioned the sound proofing with ICF). Any other systems to consider? I hear there are a lot of shipping containers sitting around. :)

I like my Craftsman bungalow in Oregon. Re-fitting windows and insulation is pretty straightforward.

Matt, I have watched you for years now. Going back to this video I was originally looking at doing icf construction on my new home. Was going to use build block. After watching Ryan at R&R builders in Illinois I am considering post frame construction. I have a background in conventional building (stick) but it has been years now. Primary focus is space, energy efficiency, sound proofing, durability and of course cost. Pretty much in that order. I was considering icf roof system as well but being on a small farm space for tractor and track steer and vehicles is important. I want to protect my expensive equipment.

I built several houses in new mexico with a similar product in the 90s and was able to go back last month to see a few and they looked like I built them last week owners love them

I’ve had experience with ICF blocks both Nudura and fox blocks, and I enjoyed both, nudura seemed to have a harder time with the corner blocks blowing out! But both had good and bad things about them but I recommend it for foundations and basements, but I think traditional framing is nice for the rest. The fortyplex appartement we did was all icf 4 stories high and it worked well. Winter building with concrete can be a challenge aswell so pros and cons like u have said!

Great video Matt, very informative. I feel like I have been doing exactly what you mentioned by applying the pros of the other systems to traditional framing. I am doing my apprenticeship through a carpentry outfit in central BC Canada. We specialize in building energy efficient houses, as well as pride ourselves in building the first “Net Zero Ready” houses in BC. This house has and icf foundation, with traditional framing components throughout the rest of the house. Our exterior walls are made of 2x6 walls with blown insulation. On the exterior side we used a foam product called halo exterior that was 2” thick, and interra on the inside that is 1.5” thick. The entire house is heated solely by a heated concrete slab in the basement and main floor. Much like the SIP’s product most of our houses are pre assembled in a factory and arrive in panels that we set on site. We have also done a prairie wall system that we hand framed. It consists of two 2x4 walls spaced 2” apart with the studs offset to eachother and tied together at the top with plywood giving us a total of 9” of Blown insulation. I believe that with this house in particular we used a special vapour barrier paint instead of poly of the interior side. I’d love to hear your thoughts Matt, take care!

ICF seems like the best option. Concrete is more durable and outlasts tree carcasses. I'm pretty sure most walls lean or bow if you check with a level, especially after wood settles...certainly not possible to have straight walls with 2x4s. They all have the same moisture problems, but ICF would get my vote for that too. SIPs seem pointless once you're looking at traditional framing and spray insulation. The honest reason why you don't build out of rock/concrete/brick is because stick framing is that is the cheapest option and most people aren't thinking long term (10, 30+ years)...many modern houses are almost designed to be disposable.

If you want a house with a custom frameless corner window, use ICF. The ICF will be able to keep the R-value around that window pretty consistan.

I love the show especially you highlighting architects and builders around the country.

Used nudura icf for years primarily basements and foundations combined traditional framing on upper stories. Hard to beat traditional framing for adjusting down the road but icf for basements and foundation was nothing less than stellar.

Matt, your comments on ICF were 100% accurate based on my experience with our previous home that was all ICF. Overall a fantastic house, but your comment on humidity in an ICF house was an insight that I never knew about and completely explained the condensation issue that we did have with the windows during winter. Definitely something to plan for. Awesome info you’re providing!

enercept was super to work with...highly recommended. i did first floor utilizing ICF and second floor in SIP....

Great take and information on these three building practices. ICF is far better than traditional though I understand the support of traditional craftsman. "Maybe it's time we let the old ways die!" Planned obsolescence has to end in America. We have been beat over the head for 40 years with horrible building practices. Time we build to last and please do a series on sq ft? So many homes a a lot larger than needed! Wasted materials money and time when you can have a quality home at a fraction of the cost...

Done ICF basement walls with traditional framing above grade mostly. Blue skin sticks to it nicely, still need the black dimple for protection from the backfill.

Thank you for this unique and useful dissertation, with pros and cons, of framing methods. The huge warning on the need for waterproofing of traditional framed construction is most appreciated. Countless tutorials teach framing, and installation, and waterproofing, without stressing the fundamental weakness of the traditional framing paradigm, itself. That is, a traditional framed house hides a lot of sins, but they can accumulate to "get you"!

We had an ICF home built in WI in 2013. Energy saving were good but most contractors don't know how to attach decks or awning style roofs to the exterior. I wished they had 1.5" ribs to attach to when we built. And had anchored some metal brackets for the exterior 2ond floor deck. Contractor was not the best...went out of business shortly after our house was 90% complete. Many subs were not professionals. Now we are in a 2x6 framed house on slab in Central Florida. Single pane windows leaking air and sound. We are looking for good hurricane resistant replacements. Winters here are much easier, but we don't see the seasons change like up north. But summers are much hotter and humid than what we had been used to.

I have a Icf house 10 years old in california it was about 10% more then stick house and took about 10% longer to build put oro coat on outside like stucco but made from resin and ground tires already has color in it Love it

Great video! As a Design/Build contractor for the past 18 years in Western Montana I have found that an ICF foundation (Superform ICF), Sips exterior walls (Bigsky R-Control) and R-50 blown in attic insulation is hard to beat. My first personal home was home built like this. Main floor 4000 sqft slab on grade (except for above the basement) and 850 sqft basement. I used hydronic in slab heat hooked up to an old school reliable Slant fin cast iron, NG boiler. Summer utility bills ran 170.00 ish (68°-71° no A/C) and winter right around 230.00 ish per month with T-stat @ 68°. Blower door tests were right on target. Never had any moisture buildup anywhere that I could find. Myself and two other guys put up a 40x24 Sips shop with 6.5"x12' walls. It took us right at 9 hours to erect, trusses on, roof blocking in, sheath with two rows of titanium underlayment up each eave. Sips are a slick way to build! If you use them for a complicated roof system you can build the roof in sections on the ground with a telehandler and have a crane come in one day and set the roof system (depending on size of the project). It is a way safer way for the workers to build a roof and cost effective too. Depending on the project, as the roof is on the ground you can run electrical in the panels, install sheetrock in the vaults and install part of your roof underlayment too. My ICF salesman is trying to get me to pull the trigger on a full ICF home but haven't taken him up on that yet. I'm kinda biased but I liken a stick frame house to a truck with carburetor verses a truck with direct injection. Like pex vs copper...... Innovation, research it and apply it. Whether your a builder or end consumer for most of us 90% of it is all about keeping money in your pocket (or your house standing after a Hurricane).

Hi Matt, Probably also worth mentioning Cross Laminated Timber Construction (CLT) which is showing promising results for multi-storey apps. Really great video. Greetings from the UK - TIEMANN & Co Chartered Structural Engineers.

Most everything I see in Austin is traditional framing. In Mexico I see a lot of adobe on concrete like you mentioned, it's all storm resistant. I love the idea of ICF, but it puts a lot of people off because it's not common and owners are a little afraid of it because there are so few vendors for it. Great video on all the different types, really enjoyed it.

I did a load of technical drawings working at an architectural firm for an ICF house a few years ago, it was an interesting project, interestingly enough we used SIPs panels for the roof. I saw you vidio and though that it'd be great to see and it didn't disappoint. Due to Covid I'll be looking for another job now. I hope that you're all weathering the storm out there.

I considered every method that you mentioned but I am in Mongolia so the availability of materials was a factor. What I ended up using was steel Sandwich panels for a quick build, maximum insulation and something I could do myself. I think this might be an underrated and less well-known method of construction. Also, it’s actually quite affordable in Mongolia due to local panel manufacture. I used a 4 x 4 frame similar to barn style and then screwed the panels directly to the posts and beams. It’s only a single story so it wasn’t necessary to create an incredibly strong frame and the panels themselves are very light.

I’ve worked with multiple SIP manufacturers and Extreme Panel out performs them all. Their product quality is top notch and the tolerances are super tight. You can even order them in a boat wrap type material if they are going to be in a wet climate or sitting on the site for an extended period. 10/10 would recommend.

I built my own ICF house in Colorado at 8000' elevation. It is quite the bomb shelter strong and very hard for mice to get into since it is a continuous pour from 3' below ground to 11' high. I have to say though that I believe they are better suited to warmer climates than colder ones. I redid an outlet that came unglued inside the first Winter and the 6" thick concrete inside was totally ice cold. It is a huge cold sink that never changes temperature once it gets cold. Insulation should really all be on the outside not half on each side but then you wouldn't have a form and a little more than 2 1/2" on each side is not really enough if it is getting below zero in your climate. I really do like the plastic ribs every 8" or so that you can air staple stucco wire directly to but then I am a cabinet maker by trade and we love our air tools. Really a concrete slab is a better place to have thermal mass but then I don't like walking on that hard a surface. However my well insulated stick built shop with concrete floor stays far more temperature stable than my ICF house. For a foundation stem wall ICF is a no brainer at least in a dry climate as it is so much easier to use than either block or concrete forms. I would bring it a foot above ground level to avoid rot issues with traditional framing or even sips. Would have liked to try a full SIPS design but didn't want to have someone else design my home in a factory and you really can't change things when they are made. Where I live people had experimented with straw bale construction but what a bunch of problems particularly with finishing and waterproofing no thanks. I like the idea of more insulation applied on the outside of the framing but would also put something inside the studs. I also used American Clay troweled on finish over interior drywall for a fabulous earthy look and feel. Great video btw.

Hi Matt, I have to agree with you when it comes to experience with ICF. In the first house I built I had a minor concrete blow-out and I can assure you, it will never happen again. But I believe it is the best form of construction for a house. You can heat them with very little effort.

Ahh, the good old days when the videos weren't just ads.

I've built some SIPS cabins at a couple of camps and they were insulated so well! Mid summer and the geothermal air conditioners hardly ran at all.

Hi Matt, I really enjoy watching your videos, my folks used the ICF to build their forever home, as to the roof and joists, it is a one story with a walk out basement, they used I think 8" or 10" steel joists, between floors and for the roof system, you can actually build another whole space in the attic if you wanted to, no cross bracing up there, and its a sealed system home, no opening windows except for two for egress, it uses a fresh air handling system.

Appreciate the insights. There's a company in Texas claiming to be developing SIPS that incorporate waterproofing to take the place of wrapping, and likewise for roofing.

When I looked into ICF construction several years ago it appeared quite popular at the time to use galvanized steel C beams for the roof joists. The ends get sunk directly into the ICF so that they are anchored into the concrete. You can then build a normal roof on the top, insulate it and sheetrock the underside using screws to attach. I may be oversimplifying, just trying to put it out there.

Love your show Matt would like to see something on 3D printed homes.

My company assembles ICF for many clients in BC Canada. Love this product and recomend to all clients. We also frame, and form conventional concrete foundations. Hands down ICF the best.🙌👍😎

Helped on a DIY home build a few years back with a family that suffered a house fire. They did the basement themselves and everything was fine framing, putting trusses up but once we went to deck the roof the 4x8 osb wasn't lining up and after much head scratching we figured out the foundation was out of square by almost 3 inches corner to corner. That made for a long day

I have built with sip wall systems from insulspan out of Blissfield Mi. great company, when you do everything correctly, wonderful product, have no complaints, many happy customers.

Love to see something about the rise of post frame construction for homes. Pros/cons, where is it legal, etc.

I've had great experience with Insulspan for my SIP panels.

Super informative! Thank you for the in-depth explanation, exploring both pros and cons without bias. Subscribed!

I built a house in NW Mt with SIP. That was 30 years ago. It has been, and continues to be amazing. It is very quiet, easy to heat and cool.. The 3200 ft two story went up in four days.

Good stuff Matt. I prefer SIPS as they perform extremely well and save my team (and me) considerable time. The performance is unreal. Cost is higher but after time and performance considerations it’s a win.

Hi. Great work with your videos. I am an Architect and Energy Expert from Cyprus and i have to say about the ICF system, that there is one con. The thermal capacity of the concrete is canceled, since there is an internal insulation. How is concrete gonna heat up from the heating of the house? You yourself said two things that contradict each other. You first say that when the house is heated from the inside, the concrete mass is gonna heat up, but afterwards you say that it takes a lot of time for the concrete to heat up from the heat of the day. The first thing you say is wrong and the second is true for both interior and exterior of the house since the thermal insulation is the same width on both sides. Thank you.

Matt This is Mark Stevens,CMS, I've left you comments before, 41 years in Mechanical & Electrical Contracting along the East Coast and 28 years as a Mech/Elec Contractor in the Tampa Bay Area, I've worked almost every typre of construction from Residential, Commercial, and Multifamily framing to Commercial and Industrial steel and Concrete construction including Hi-Rises up to 42 stories(trying not to brag here) I've commented on some of your stuff before, you put on some great videos, --------One thing I know I haven't mentioned was I married the daughter of a General Contractor, Basically a family run business, his five sons, Daughter all work for him and he started out contracting with Jim Walters back in the 70's I believe, and while he does do a lot a stick framing where he can he pushes for and usually convinces the customers to do additional structural framing inside of the of the BELCO ICP's, and SMARTBLOCK Lego type lock together type forms he does a lot of that are later filled with concrete in a ladder type channels, and as he builds(and RE-Builds) along the beach and barrier islands he has a staff engineer that actually often designs the additional reinforcement frames inside of the structures and thinks they each have their place depending were he builds, --------------One thing he learned that I think you mentioned was he uses SIP's the roofsand has learned to seal from below using POLYBUTYL Calk so as NO moisture seeps up and rots the roofing from below, he also INSISTS on a self sealing membrane on the entire roof, overkill he's often told, ---------but he gets ALL his SIP's from a company called Structall they patented their own locking system and started out making small enclosures to house GTE's switches and Cell tower equipment and with them you can actually order any combination of exterior cladding bonded to the foam Metal/Metal, OSB/OSB, Plywood/Plywood, of any combo there of, Because My Father-in-Law often (RE-)Builds along the coast he has a good working relationship with Structall and usually special orders 1/4" inside-1/2"Outside Marine grade Plywood on the SIPs he uses, if anyone objests or theres an issue I've seen hom order Aluminum inside and out and ROLL Liquid Nails Sub flooring adhesive to the walls and the secure the wood to the exterior, (they have aluminum channels every so many feet embedded in the foam and have you EVERY tried to pry anything apart that's been glued down with liquid nails? Anyway FYI you asking about SIP's, they started making kits based off drawings about 1993 to expand their market, I believe they added a factory in Louisiana, And after South Florida was destroyed be a couple hurricanes in a row, I was witness to them having an 8" thick by 44 foot long by 8 foot tall panel subjected to 154+ MPH winds that was UNSUPPORTED except for each end to prove their panels would exceed the South Florida Wind standards, the wall flexed but did not fail, as said it was NOT supported anywhere along its 44 foot length except for the ends,. ***ONE THING 'I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT, As you mentioned, these buildings don't have anywhere NEAR the heating or cooling load other buildings do but many engineers designing them can't get that through their thick heads, I typically run my OWN load calcs using Wrightsoft software and end up with 1/3 -to 1/2 the size equipment I normally install, never the less to account for Meeting rooms, Surgical Suites, and dance halls, etc. I DO NOT install single speed standard efficiency HVAC equipment. I TRY to convince them to go with multi-stage or Variable Speed cooling/Heating equipment guarantying that they will save on their utility bills..... And in one Day Surgery building after going back and forth with a know it all Architect/Engineer who partially listened to me, he decided that he would neutralize the excess cooling by creating a false load using electric reheat boxes in the ductwork above the ceiling just prior to is exiting the perforated supply grills supplying conditioned air to each suite. after looking at the new plans I told them he was crazy and they'd be hit with $20,000+ bills from Electric Utility as soon as the weather warmed each summer. I was off by about $1000-$2000 a month, he was effectively neutralizing all but 1 or 2 tons of 80 tons of cooling with electric reheat . Needless to say the owners where livid But if you wish to check into Structall Building systems in OLDSMAR, FLORIDA, just outside of Tampa,.not far from Tampa international Airport They actually built two homes and single story and a two story under various stages of construction, I was in the two story one 93F day in August with the 2nd floor open to the 1st and they were actually maintaining 75F inside while 93f outside GOOGLE MAPS LINK WITH THEIR WEBSITE www.google.com/maps/place/Structall+Building+Systems/@28.042077,-82.6527149,513m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x88c2ec755e8daf5f:0x8590d97c15c68e39!2sLafayette+Blvd+%26+Tampa+Rd,+Oldsmar,+FL+34677!3b1!8m2!3d28.0336063!4d-82.6486521!3m4!1s0x88c2ec776af2a925:0x7ed0290d6bf8b653!8m2!3d28.0429261!4d-82.6520146?hl=en&authuser=0

I built my first “dream home” with ICF back in 2000. The sub that did the ICF work was not experienced and I ended up with a wall that 1 1/2” out of plum on 8’. I also had a roofer who did not properly flash the hip roofs, and I ended up with small water falls in the interior space below the roof joints. So, you will need subs that are not in the early phases of the learning curve with ICF construction. Cost wise; the home was a total of 3,000 square feet and the cost impact was $12,000. In the end however, it is a superior building which sustained the force of two direct hits of major hurricanes in 2004. Energy was another huge advantage: total monthly cost averaged $80 consistently over the 10 years I lived there.

I helped a customer build a small timber frame home a while back. I’m in the Louisville Kentucky area and his SIPS panels came from Fisher SIPS in Louisville. It was different, that’s for sure. I would consider SIPS systems but as is mentioned in this video one must be aware of the need to use smaller than usual HVAC systems and also you need the fresh-air exchangers as well. On a different job I put an insulated vaulted ceiling on a neighbor’s house and we just sandwiched 2” foam insulation between two 3/4” OSB 4X8 panels. Worked great and was probably 1/4 the cost of SIPS construction. Great video.

As a home inspector i have used and inspected this product and like it. Also saw how well it held up in OK. City after a tornado.

We built a timber frame sip home in 2004. We used Vermont Frames and Foam Laminates of Vermont. We also used an architect who had worked closely with this same organization. The timber-frame assemblers were also part of the same association. We found sub contractors in carpenters, electricians, plumbers, sheet rockers and also did lots of work on our own. We installed the radiant heat system from Radiantec. Couldn’t be happier. Oh we did install a Mitsubishi mini split Heating & AC heat pump recently...primarily for the AC. Would recommend others to this same team.

Fantastic videos.... we are building a new home, I feel so much smarter as I plan our new home....so much great info.

Never built with SIPs, but I've done insurance work on it. Yeah, just about every time there's an issue due to construction it's because someone missed detail work or miss-sealed a joint.

Matt, you should do a video on AAC block (autoclave aerated concrete) and precast concrete panels

I live in Canada and I have built basements with ICF's and loved it. I have framed and added 2" of foil faced foam on the outside of a 2x4 home and it was nice and warm! We built a couple straw bale homes in timberframed structures, they took a while but are reall nice and ogranic looking and very very warm. I have no ICF experience. Minimal log building experience. Even though it is not as sexy as some alternatives, framed homes are my favourite to build. ICF basement with framed home with foam insulation, metal roof, wood or stone siding and drywall inside. Passive solar, wood heating, yeah I like that

This video answered everything I have tried researching for the past week.