Pre-Cast Concrete Built Houses

Technophobe

Hi,

Apologies if asked before but opinions and effectiveness of these various fads change so quickly now...;)

Does anyone have any experience or know of anyone that has of building a Pre-cast Concrete built house?
I know loads of people advise on installing pre-cast concrete slabs for your first floor (sound insulation etc) but what's the deal with a whole house and some even supply the roof if I understand correctly....????

I know there is a company in Kildare that provide this service. What are the proc and cons (besides the sales blurb!) versus a conventional block built house? Does it for example, cut significant time of the typical (say) 8 month build period? Are there impacts on insulation etc?

thanks for your help....

sydthebeat

Technophobe wrote: »

Hi,

Apologies if asked before but opinions and effectiveness of these various fads change so quickly now...;)

Does anyone have any experience or know of anyone that has of building a Pre-cast Concrete built house?
I know loads of people advise on installing pre-cast concrete slabs for your first floor (sound insulation etc) but what's the deal with a whole house and some even supply the roof if I understand correctly....????

I know there is a company in Kildare that provide this service. What are the proc and cons (besides the sales blurb!) versus a conventional block built house? Does it for example, cut significant time of the typical (say) 8 month build period? Are there impacts on insulation etc?

thanks for your help....

Once the system has been tested and granted an IAB certificate, its deemed worthy as a construction method in ireland...

has this system??

(i have a fair idea who you are on about....)

RKQ

I understand Homebond have looked at a number of systems. They are quite wary of new building systems and materials. From experience, they like to test systems over a period of time before accepting them.

I know there are a number of systems on the market. All those with a IAB cert could be considered. No IAB Cert, no excuse - don't use an uncertified product.

Do-more

I'm currently renting a 3 storey pre-cast concrete house.

The structure is by a local Westmeath company and it's IAB certified.

Have to say it's a very nice house to live in, very quiet and warm. It's got concrete floors at 1st and 2nd floor levels. We're here only about 6 months so far and haven't come across any issues with the construction.

The builder didn't take full advantage of the system though and installed traditional vents in the wall rather than MHRV and the roof is just insulated with 6" glassfibre quilt so the bedroom in the attic is a good bit cooler than the rest of the house. Even at that our gas bill for heating the house + DHW, was under €60 for last month (1900 sq ft 4 bed)

Very pleased with it so far and would consider this option when we go to built again ourselves.

Technophobe

Hey all,

thanks for replies....

Hey Do-more...

When you say "it's a very nice house to live in, very quiet and warm. It's got concrete floors at 1st and 2nd floor levels.", do you mean that it's noticeably quieter and warmer than other houses you have lived in or is comparitively as good....?

Does anyone know if it reduces the Build Time by any great length?

thanks again

sydthebeat

Do-more wrote: »

I'm currently renting a 3 storey pre-cast concrete house.

The structure is by a local Westmeath company and it's IAB certified.

Have to say it's a very nice house to live in, very quiet and warm. It's got concrete floors at 1st and 2nd floor levels. We're here only about 6 months so far and haven't come across any issues with the construction.

The builder didn't take full advantage of the system though and installed traditional vents in the wall rather than MHRV and the roof is just insulated with 6" glassfibre quilt so the bedroom in the attic is a good bit cooler than the rest of the house. Even at that our gas bill for heating the house + DHW, was under €60 for last month (1900 sq ft 4 bed)

Very pleased with it so far and would consider this option when we go to built again ourselves.

is this a wholly precast concrete house, or is it a 'cast-in situ' polystyrene form house... ICF??

sas

sydthebeat wrote: »

is this a wholly precast concrete house, or is it a 'cast-in situ' polystyrene form house... ICF??

If you check the "Build System" listing on the IAB website there is a precast house solution listed with its address as per the post above. I would assume it's that one.

sydthebeat

sas wrote: »

If you check the "Build System" listing on the IAB website there is a precast house solution listed with its address as per the post above. I would assume it's that one.

thanks sas....

have you seen what M2 and campion concrete are doing?

bikki

I used to rent a pre cast apparment up in Park west, it wasnt a bad place. It was vertually sound proof but the place was heated with storage heaters so it would get cold in the winter.

sas

sydthebeat wrote: »

thanks sas....

have you seen what M2 and campion concrete are doing?

Yeah, I've actually a good bit of info. on it because I'm now working with someone who will be building with that newer system soon. His brother is building with it now. You may actually be driving past parts of that house on your way in to work these days.

Do-more

Yes it's pre-cast slabs rather than ICFs, here's a photo taken in the storage space under the eaves.



So you have a precast inner leaf with kingspan insulation (bonded to it AFAIK) a cavity (with cavity closer along the top) and precast outer leaf. Not sure how they are tied together, but all the external walls of the house have been dry lined with insulated plasterboard (thin aeroboard type from what I can see by removing a socket cover) I'm guessing this is to eliminate cold bridges.

For the last 5/6 years we lived in a timber frame house which we self build, which had 6" studs with cellulose insulation. This house is probably better at retaining heat as the TF and of course has the added advantage of the solid floors so the sound insulation between floors is much better than in the TF.

Prior to building that, we rented what was a new built concrete built 3 bed semi around 1999/2000 and the precast house is light years ahead of that.

We're in one end of a block of 3 houses and the sound insulation between houses is superb. The balcony doors are hard to lock and need to the banged closed, this is the only noise that travels between houses. Next door could party all night and you literally do not hear a thing.

The house has decent quality wood frame windows, but as i said if I were building it myself there are other things I would change such as having MHRV, improving the insulation in the roof and eliminating the open fire.

ddqw

The system you are refering in the pics is made by Owens Concrete in Westmeath. It is the only precast that have Iab certificate on the web site.

Think it is the first to be introduced in Ireland because they have built a few estates already. They are actually on show house tomorrow 26th of march.

They advertise a b2 rating with current standards which is hard to come by in mullingar from what I have looked at.
I think it would be similar to timber framed for quickness of build maybe quicker because there is no drylining involved just plaster but better quality than timber from sound point of view ne way as for heat b2 would be good. would hate to get dampness in a timber frame and end up like the yanks with mould and stuff.:eek: