This project is an incredible demonstration of building creatively with ICF. The home owner took a year away from his construction business to build his own home in a privately owned canyon. Building into the side of a rock canyon wall came with many complexities and opportunities. The builders utilized the material at hand and used the natural rock wall of the canyon as the wall for the shower area and parts of the living room. A curved stone wall was matched by a curved staircase following the rock to the upper levels of the home. Utilizing the natural resources to inform a modern home design was made possible with handcrafted perfectly-fit ICF forms.

Every aspect of the construction had to contend with the unique location the residence was being built on. The build site was only accessible by a small dirt road after exiting the highway so the ICF was off-loaded on the highway and brought in by smaller trucks. The ease at which the expanded polystyrene insulation of the ICF was able to be shaped to the natural rock was by far the greatest benefit of building with ICF and made building on this site possible. Expert craftsmanship was displayed in the ability to seal and anchor the material within the rock wall. The curves in the canyon rock required drilling and epoxying dowels into them to fasten the ICF walls. This attention to detail ensures the residents won’t have to contend with moisture or mold issues.

Building with ICF had multiple benefits in creating a long-term sustainable residence. The house is built in a region that experiences a wide range of temperatures every year; from below 0 degrees Fahrenheit up to 100 degrees. The design includes radiant floor heating and even with large windows and doors the 4,000 square foot home has heating costs similar to many smaller conventionally built homes in the area, thanks to ICF. The lower floors built with ICF blocks do not require any cooling at all.

Project Stats

Location: Vernal, UT
Industry: Large Residential
Size: 4,000 sq. ft. (Floor)
ICF Use: 2,549 sq. ft.
Cost: $365,000
Total Construction: 70 weeks
ICF Installation Time: 90 days

Download the Full Case Study