05-12-2015, 07:14 PM
Quote:Ya certainly. It makes you wonder why more developers dont use it. Cost?
New methods are often costlier. For example while you might have an endless choice of contractors using standard techniques, there might be only a handful of firms that can handle precast concrete. Similarly, there supply of cranes and crane operators will remain constrained until every construction site avails itself of a construction crane. In Europe even singe detached homes have a crane on site to do all the heavy lifting (they are controlled from the ground).
For ICFs initially there were no economies of scale so they would be somewhat more expensive. But now it's been over 20 years since they became common enough that they should be cheaper than wooden forms, yet in many jurisdictions suppliers have yet to lower their prices to match lower production costs.