Do Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) Make It Harder to Get a Building Permit?
In most regions, insulated concrete form (ICF) construction is addressed in the applicable codes and so all the building department really needs to do is check for compliance just like they would for any other aspect of the code, such as cast-in-place concrete walls for instance.
ICFs in essence are simply an improved conventional cast-in-place concrete wall – with all the strength of concrete plus a myriad of additional energy efficiency and comfort benefits.
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However, to ensure your permitting process goes as smoothly as possible, here are some tips:
- Ensure your plans have been designed properly and in accordance with the code.
- To this end it usually helps when your designer and engineer are both ICF-experienced.
- It always helps to submit a copy of the Element ICF prescriptive engineering report, or at least the pages that are relevant to your project. This will help the examiner ensure that the proper design considerations were applied.
- And finally, your regional Element ICF Service Desk and local Territory Manager is always available to assist if you run into any problems with permitting.
