Continue reading]]> The Iran-Israel-U.S. war has definitely caused worldwide skyrocketing of energy prices as when oil price increases, everything else increases, and your electricity bill will certainly follow suit.

The price of electricity can never go down again and could in fact keep going up as more conflicts around the world are expected to happen as we now live in the end times as most people say.

So the best way to keep our homes cool these days without using too much air conditioning or even no air conditioning is to insulate the walls and ceiling with EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) and this will be tricky for homes that we’re already built since it is almost impossible to install EPS during post construction.

Some will install solar power to aid their electricity use for air conditioning but you can only use it during the day since there is no sun at night and you will need a lot of batteries to store solar energy for night time use on air conditioners since they consume a lot of power.

Intuitive home builders nowadays are also taking into consideration that using air conditioning round the clock is not good for the skin as our skin needs the natural moisturizing of the atmospheric moisture.

You need a well insulated home to keep your home cool without drying your skin round the clock with the air conditioner.

Since it is difficult or expensive to insulate an already built home, it is best to build your new or second home or your kids(s) home with full insulation already in the design.

ICF (insulated concrete form) homes or the composite insulated wall panels is your best answer to a well insulated new home.

A full ICF house is a really very strong home, but a bit pricey, since your walls will be made of solid poured concrete with full EPS insulation on both sides including the ceilings. The EPS is protected with an outer layer of dry wall so you can still install additional decoratives on the surface such as stone accents for the outside of the house, or just have it smooth painted such as for the interior of the house. It will be like living inside an ice chest but with windows to let the moist fresh air in. You can also pre install your windows with screens and have an exhaust fan through the ceiling that pulls the fresh air through the windows then out through your ceiling. Of course you can still use air conditioning as the windows in an ICF home will have a small retractable slit vents to let in fresh air most of the time.

The lighter and cheaper version of the full ICF walled house is the composite panels made of concrete and EPS mixed together to form a solid and heavy wall panel 5-7 inches thick – half thinner – than the full ICF which is at least 10-12 inches thick.

As far as insulation efficiency, both the full ICF and the composite version offer the same effectivity, the main difference is the thickness – which means the full ICF will be a lot lot structurally stronger than the composite insulated panels.

[See image gallery at finefinish.cbu.asia]
[See image gallery at finefinish.cbu.asia]
[See image gallery at finefinish.cbu.asia]

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A non-profit contract is a contractor’s way of giving back to the community. It is usually offered to customers who can use a huge discount such as religious organizations (depending on the religious affiliation of the contractor); charitable institutions such as orphanages, shelters for the poor and the homeless, and other similar institutions; young couples who are just starting; and those specialty projects with great designs that the contractor may benefit as an added decoration to his portfolio.

As it is a non profit project, the contractor may still charge the customer very necessary items such as his transportation costs and minimal “per visit” rate depending if the project owner will agree, but more often – the contractor will just simply at least expect to be refunded his transportation costs during site visits.

Basically, the non profit deal leaves almost nothing to the contractor, save the site visit fee, and that he can add the project pictures to his portfolio. So what’s left for the project owner to fund are the materials and the workers wages and the supervisors’ daily or per visit rates.

If the contractor would ask for a supervisory fee for himself apart from the regular supervisors fees, and if the owner will agree, then the deal becomes a supervisory contract and no longer a full non-profit project since the contractor will now be receiving a minimal fee for his supervisory services.

How a non-profit construction deal works can be either “contractor-managed” or “owner-managed”. If it is to be “contractor managed” then the contractor will schedule a down payment from the owner and succeeding progress payments thereof, just like a normal contract, while “owner managed” means both payment schedules to materials and workers will be planned and scheduled by the project owner, and the contractor will simply supply the workers and the supervisors, all tools and equipments coming from the contractor will be rented by the project owner.

The non-profit and the supervisory deals have been offered by contractors since time immemorial since some contractors really like to execute some specialty projects and will do anything to get it to his portfolio, and sometimes – some religious or charitable projects are high value “giving back to the community” projects that a contractor find very appealing as a way for him to get some merits for his soul. Also, some young couples who are just starting also become high value projects for the contractor that he will offer non-profit deals as a way for him to get more referrals like when the young couple have strong connections or are belonging to the community’s upper strata.

So if you are one of the above, go ahead, and see if your contractor can offer you a non-profit deal so you can get an instant huge discount on your project today.

Continue reading]]> If you’re building a home in the Philippines—especially in the hotter areas of the country like Cebu, Iloilo, Bohol, and most southern areas of the country, comes with a major challenge: the heat. Most traditional concrete hollow-block homes turn into “ovens” during the afternoon, leading to high electricity bills from air conditioning.

Your home should be a sanctuary, not a sauna. This is why Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) is trending today.

1. Natural Thermal Insulation

Traditional concrete walls made of hollow blocks (CHB) are poor insulators; they absorb the sun’s heat all day and release it into your rooms at night. ICF walls act like a giant cooler box for your house. The dual layers of EPS foam provide a thermal break that keeps the interior significantly cooler than the outside air.

2. Strength Against Typhoons

Living in the Philippines means being prepared for the typhoon seasons. ICF structures are poured as one continuous reinforced concrete wall. This makes them incredibly resistant to high winds and seismic activity compared to standard block laying.

3. Quiet Living in the City

Whether you’re building in the busy streets of Mandaue or near a main road in Cordova, ICF provides superior soundproofing. The foam layers absorb street noise, giving you a quiet, peaceful interior even in a noisy neighborhood.

4. Faster Builds, Better Finishes

Because the forms stay in place, you can achieve perfectly straight walls that allow for fine finishing. Please do reach out to us at our CONTACT PAGE if you need any assistance…

Continue reading]]> Right during pandemic all the way to the current wars happening in Ukraine and now Iran, moving ICF blocks from the US or Canada to the Philippines or Asia have become impossible due to the shipping costs and logistical hoops.

ICF builders tried to get ICF from China but the quality is not the best and shipping costs and logistics is still a nightmare.

So to build an ICF home, the only option left is to do it yourself. To ensure quality, you need to get samples first – make sure the thickness and density of the EPS conforms to the required minimums for ICF construction. If you need technical assistance, let us know – we’d be glad to assist you for a minimal technical fee. We have available rigid EPS for ICF construction use.

Your ICF form must allow for 5-6 inches of concrete core cavity, and the EPS must be 2 inches. To make it hold during concrete pour, you will need a lot of lumber to hold it. You should also already pre install the drywall surface on the ICF by using long screws that goes to the concrete core so that it holds on to the poured concrete giving your drywall surface that concrete hard support from the concrete core. If the area is for bathrooms – meaning you will have tiles on the walls, then be sure to stick the screw heads out – do not bury the heads all the way – this way, when the concrete core cures, the partially buried screw heads will become your tile adhesive anchors – so when you apply the tile adhesive – the partially buried screw heads will hold it tightly. Your long crews also need to be galvanized or stainless if at all possible, but no worries – rust cannot develop around it since the long screws will be totally buried in cement or tile adhesive in the bathrooms.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you need technical assistance. We’d be glad to help you nationwide… We can also supply you the EPS forms including the nationwide shipping…

Continue reading]]> This farm house have very spacious kitchen and living room. The bedrooms are bigger than most average homes in the country today.

The entire ground floor is an open type space designed for a backyard farming type of living as the lot is more than a thousand square meters nestled in the middle of a well irrigated forest type area where you can plant almost anything.

The walls are made of composite insulated wall of concrete and styrofoam mix (Expanded Polystyrene) sealed in smooth silica resulting in good heat insulation and faster finishing since it is already smooth. Insulated walls will greatly reduce aircon use resulting in lower electricity bill. Note that traditional non insulated concrete walls conducts heat well and will even retain heat from sun exposure up until night time. Most home builders are now slowly considering insulated walls due to its enormous energy efficiency benefits.

Most farming type of living will also involve raising animals like goats and chickens thus the side stairway is secured with metal railings and gates that prevent animals from climbing up the living room.

The windows are made especially large to make well ventilated living areas.

The ceilings are also made higher than standard for added ventilation. The high pitched A frame roofing design will allow for a larger breathing space above the ceiling which will make cooler ceilings.

The house gives an overall relaxed atmosphere as you are surrounded with thick vegetation and the sound of birds – it is a residential dwelling that is in itself also a rest house away from the bustling city…

Continue reading]]> ICFp or insulated composite concrete pre fab wall panels is your next great choice if the original ICF (Insulated Concrete Form) is currently beyond your budget range.

These insulated pre fab wall panels costs lower than ICF but is slightly faster to build but its major difference is that the factories are only in major cities in the Philippines – Cebu, Manila, and Tagbilaran Bohol. If your project site is not within those areas, you will incur additional shipping costs on these pre fab walls – nevertheless it still costs less than the original ICF.

These insulated pre fab walls are your next best thing to the original ICF. This wall panel is a pre manufactured concrete wall mixed with EPS (Expanded polystyrene) – the same material used in ICF insulation – but the way it is added is that the EPS granules are mixed into the concrete which is sealed, and then sealed on both sides by drywall at the factory – the same drywall used in the original ICF construction.

Based on its composition you can already conclude that this is not a load bearing type of wall unlike the original ICF, so you will need to have columns and beams in your house design. Once your columns and beams are built, then you will add these insulated pre fab walls, and since it is already smooth due to its dry wall surface, then the finishing and patching during painting will be faster.

As far as insulation characteristics, based on our own tests, there is little difference between the original ICF construction and the pre fab composite walls – meaning both achieves almost the same insulation capabilities, but another difference is that these walls are only 5-6 inches thick, unlike the original ICF where the total thickness is 10.5 to 11 inches total due to its minimum 5 inches solid concrete core composition, then you add 2 inches of EPS layer on both sides then top it up with the .25 inch thick dry wall on both sides of the wall for the original ICF construction.

The major difference between the original ICF and the the insulated composite pre fab wall panels (ICFp) is that in the original ICF – concrete is poured unto the forms on site, while the ICFp – concrete is mixed with EPS at the factory.

See this latest finished house in Talisay City Cebu using the insulated composite pre fab wall panels.

Continue reading]]> Here in the Philippines there are major stumbling blocks when trying to build an ICF Insulated Concrete Forms home.

The stumbling blocks are: 1. Local building code requires columns and beams; 2. Its very hard to find a concrete conveyor. Ready mix concrete companies here usually only have high pressure pumpcrete; 3. Workers need in depth training in ICF style construciton.

Americans and Canadians and other home owners coming from cold countries do require insulated homes when they decide to settle in the Philippines to be able to save on air con electricity bills. Their homes need to be insulated from the outside heat so as not to overwork their air conditioning systems.

The Philippine building code require columns and beams in contrast to the original American and Canadian ICF construction style that don’t require columns and beams since the walls are solid concrete making them excellent load bearing walls. So the easiest way around this is just to build the columns and beams but insulate them like you would an ICF wall – EPS on both sides of the solid pour topped with drywall. Make sure though that you don’t build the beams of the second floor slab ahead – you have to wait for the ground floor walls to be finished so you can just build your second floor slab beams on top of your cured ground floor insulated walls.

Another stumbling block is the unavailability of a concrete conveyor – a concrete conveyor is one that delivers liquid concrete from the truck without the pressure from pumpcrete / concrete pump. It is important that liquid concrete be delivered without the high pressure so as not to destroy the ICF concrete forms since it is made of light ICF. The solution for this if you cannot find a concrete conveyor is to just use wide ICF forms and hold it together with tie rods – a piece of metal that holds the two insulation forms and tie it outside on the plywood form surface. This will require that your drywall top needs to be pre installed and to secure your drywall – simply use long screws that await in the concrete core area so that it holds when the concrete cures. After curing, simply cut the tie rods below drywall surface level and cover it with spray EPS.

The final stumbling block is the scarcity of workers with ICF training. This is where your training ability will shine. You have to design your training in such a way that the workers will see the benefits and the rationale of an ICF or insulated home, so that they will have the ICF mindset as they slowly build the house. It is also advised that your skilled workers be of the younger age bracket as younger people are usually adept to change compared to their older counterparts.

If you are planning to build an ICF or insulated home here in the Philippines, simply email us your rough house layout and a photo scan of your lot sketch plan and a google snapshot of your lot location to finefinishcebu@gmail.com or to topcebucontractors1@gmail.com

Pleased to update to potential interested parties the recent update on this house in Valencia Negros Philippines. The second floor walls are now done. In the attached pictures below you will see how the structure now looks, just lacking the roofing and wall finishing. You can see the 2 inch EPS insulation on both sides of the beams and walls in the pictures showing the freshly poured walls and beams. A video of the actual pour will also be added later on. Enjoy the pics and the video and do let us know if you are interested in building an ICF house in the Philippines.

See the video of the pour here:

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The footing in an ICF build is a continuous footing since the entire wall of an ICF build is a load bearing wall that needs to be continuously supported. For a 2-3 story ICF house with 6 inches thick cores, footing size is prescribed to be 30 by 60 cm footing with four pieces of number 4 (US and Canada) or 12mm (Philippines) rebar reinforcements with stirrups every 30cm. The footing is prescribed to be 1 to 1.5 meter below grade.

Though not commonly practiced in the Philippines, it is prescribed to place a plastic vapor or moisture membrane barrier around your footings and below grade walls to later prevent the capillary action of concrete sucking moisture from below and bringing it up to the walls and floors, and you will wonder later on where all that moisture, algae, and mold come from. We recommend you use ready-mixed concrete from a batching plant since they have concrete that is strictly up to standard and can even be pre mixed upon request with additional waterproofing additives.

Right after the pour when your footing concrete is no longer as liquid and has started to harden a little bit usually in 2 hours, you can start to “wet set” the bent dowels for your vertical wall rebars. See bent dowels on the next illustration. Your vertical rebar is prescribed to overlap your footing dowels at least 24cm.

For 2-3 story structures your vertical rebars is prescribed to be 12mm placed every 24 inches, and your horizontal rebar be twin 12mm rebars at every horizontal edge of your ICF forms if you’re your forms are 12 inches in height. Linter stirrups for 2-3 story ICF structure is prescribed to be rectangular made of 4 pieces of 12mm rebars prescribed at 30cm in length and width to fit within the 6 inches cavity with stirrups every 10cm.

When starting your stem wall – that wall below grade that connects your foundation footing to your above grade walls – we recommend you apply a foam water proofing membrane or solution on your stem wall up to a couple of inches of your above grade ICF walls.

When placing your ICF blocks, it is recommended to start on the corners because it is easier to cut and strap the regular blocks than the L shaped corner blocks.

The standing seam or stack joints will be connected by cutting the regular blocks and then strapping the connection with a plank as shown in the next pictures.

To prevent a blow-out when the liquid concrete blows out of your expanded polystyrene EPS forms due to excessive concrete pump pressure, it is ok to cut the pour on the stem wall up to the bottom of your windows, but the next pour schedule should not go beyond two hours for the remainder of the windows and the walls. The standard two-hour window is enough for the first batch to stiffen a bit to prevent a blow-out due to the added stacked weight of the next pour.

If at all possible, it is better to place your window or door right beside your standing seam to save time on making cut joint pieces if your standing seam is far from the window or door.
You may extend your stem wall all the way to the bottom part of your window so you can cut your pour schedules to prevent a blow-out, but the time between pours should not go beyond the standard two hours. So, your next pour schedule within the two-hour window, will be for all the way up to the top of your wall where you place your floor slab or roof supports.

When preparing your window bucks or window jambs, be sure to make an opening on the bottom of the window so you can insert the pencil concrete vibrator and so you can inspect the flow of the pour down that area. It is highly recommended you make a cross support of sticks to support your jambs on all four sides. You may use wood or foam for your window jambs and or door jambs.
Be sure to add external reinforcing planks on your jambs to hold your jambs in place as shown below.

Also, be sure to add twin rebars on all sides of your window jamb as shown below.

As you move up stacking your ICF forms, be sure to add appropriate adjustable bracings to prevent a concrete blow out. Make a multifunction adjustable bracing system that also acts as your scaffold for the guy with the concrete pump end hose who discharges the liquid concrete and for the guy with the concrete vibrator who follows the pour. Such an adjustable bracing scaffold system is shown below.

As shown above, the adjustable bracing scaffold must be able to adjust the walls before and after pour to make sure it stays plumbed to line, so your wall stays straight following your string line. So be sure to inspect your wall if it is still following your plumb lines right after the pour while the concrete is still liquid so you can still easily move it to line with your adjustable bracing scaffolds. If your stacked forms do not reach your required wall height, simply cut available ICF blocks to become height adjusters to make up for the missing height material.

Continue reading]]> Here now is the answer to make cooler homes.

Westerners mostly Canadians and Americans who like to have a vacation home or retirement home in the Philippines can now enjoy our tropical climate in their own insulated homes using insulated concrete forms on their walls.

Sometimes usually during summer the heat is just unbearable and you just want to stay cozy and cool in your homes without having to over work your air conditioner. A home with well insulated walls and ceilings is just what you need. A well insulated home will not overwork your aircon since the heat from outside is locked out, and the cold air created by the aircon stays longer inside. Imagine living in an ice bucket foam home.

How you build an ICF home is to use insulated concrete forms or ICF. These are blocks made of EPS (expanded polystyrene) foam. Inside the block is a hollow core with connectors called “webs” that allow you to tie your rebars inside the core before you pour the concrete. So after you pour the concrete – you will have a solid concrete wall that is insulated on both sides with the foam – which keeps the heat outside and locks the cold air created by your air con inside your home. This is how you keep your home cool and at the same time lower your aircon bills.

An ICF home costs more to build since your walls are solid concrete not hollow blocks. And the minimal 2 inches of EPS foam on both sides of your wall is also an added cost. A cost comparison between traditional hollow blocks home and an ICF home makes the ICF home 40-45 percent higher in cost, but in the long run you will actually get that investment back through your lowered air con electric bills since your air con will not overwork to keep cooling your rooms such as in a traditional home.

An ICF home is also a very sturdy home since the minimum solid concrete thickness of ICF walls is 6 inches – imagine 6 inches of poured solid concrete home makes a bullet proof home and a hurricane proof home.

How you insulate your roof is to do the same as your walls, thus you can have a solid concrete roof which we also call a roof deck here in the Philippines. If you want to lower your build cost by opting for a traditional metal roof, then you can just double insulate your roof by adding two layers of 2 inch EPS foam in your ceiling, one layer right under the metal roof and another layer right above your fiber cement or gypsum ceiling.

If you cannot ship the branded ICF blocks from the U.S. or Canada, we now have our own local manufacturer supplier – simply contact us, and do please note that the structural design and construction methodology of the ICF home is very different so feel free to consult with us as we have trained workers and supervisors, and the technical references to structurally design your ICF home.

Continue reading]]> If you have not originally planned to turn your residence into an apartment – rental rooms, then you have not also designed your electrical connections to have a submeter to read the electrical consumption of each room/unit.

You will have to do some electrical modifications to your current circuit. To connect a sub meter, you will have to find the power junction source of each room which is usually in the lighting or power outlet junction. For this apartment in the picture, the power source is in the light junction, thus we needed to connect the submeter from the light junction and then the meter load terminal will have to go back in the same junction to connect to the power outlet connection to have it isolated into a separate metered unit, and your lights will also have to now get power from your submeter load terminal.

It is a bit difficult to do the re wirings if the source power is in the light junction, and is easier if it is in the power source junction since you don’t have to be working on a ladder.

Also, please note if the power company finds out – they will usually upgrade your electrical rates to the commercial rate which is a bit higher than the residential rate.

If you need to install submeters to your apartments, if you have not done so yet, the labor cost ranges from php2-3k each unit depending on the level of difficulty- and this labor cost excludes the cost of the materials – meter, breaker, wires, electrical tapes, moldings or PVC hose – which could also total up to php3k each set. [See image gallery at finefinish.cbu.asia]