Hello there! The back ground is that I always wanted and intended to build a home out of concrete block and do earth berming on it. About 15 years ago some things changed and I ended up building just a simple stick built home. Fast forward to the present day. I am now at the point where I can put on an addition into the sloping hillside at my place. A good friend of mine is a mason and good at it, I can be first on the job list for spring. This is nothing huge, about 24' by 24'. Probably going to use 10 inch block since I get a discount at the manufacturer thanks to my cousin. Will put up the block walls, then water seal, then add XPS rigid insulation, the stucco the outside before back fill and berming. I have a couple of friends who built this way so I think the plan is good, plus the mason has 30+ years experience. Just wondered if any one here has a concrete block house or had any "Good Quality" input...lol. Thanks in advance guys!
In our area, basement walls built of CMUs tend to cave in, a real problem for homeowners as most insurance policies don't cover "earth movement". I'd make sure and reinforce with rebar per current recommendations and fill those voids with concrete. Personally, I'd put rebar in every vertical void and horizontal reinforcement every 3-4 courses, and I'd fill every void with concrete.
The orig part of our home is concrete block. Grateful it's sturdy and withstands the winds here but it's a heat sink even though drywalled. That said I don't know how cold it gets where you live. It was built in 1952 and still in good condition standing strong! There were several of these units built out here, some kind of Military perk. All of them are still intact and lived in (though plumbing was added later instead of outhouses).
Govt built whole neigborhoods out of block built homes after ww2 and Korea for returning vets. I do not remember all the details anymore. There are a couple of those sections around the city of Milwaukee, Wi . There were upscale versions , stick built , where there were 3 types of homes . so whole developments of 3 homes and then the style sequence would repeat 4 or five blocks worth in width. Long blocks also typically about 4 sets of three per block, each side.
I've known two people in my life that lived in cinder block houses. No idea if they were government constructed or not. Both smaller floor plans and both had low ceilings (or high floors depending on your viewpoint).
My buddy owns a concrete block house...well, it was originally his grandpa's machine shop, someone converted to house later on...he rents it out now...
That must be what some homes on my road are! Also, the land my GGGrandfather bought in Colorado in 1870 was bought from a man in PA, the soldier was given it as pay from Ulysses Grant as payment to a Revolutionary War Soldier.
Dig your trenches for your footers at least 12” deep and 18” wide. You’ll want two #5 rebar side by side on rod chairs and a #5 vertical every 48”. Make sure your elbows on your verticals are wired to the horizontals in the trenches. Get a soil density report to confirm your at least 1500. Once your footers are poured, then start laying your CMU. Drop your blocks over the verticals and add additional verticals on all corners and one on each side of the corners. You’ll also want one on both sides of doorways and a bond beam above any door. Go six courses at a time and then fill your cells. Repeat. This is ICC code and your local building inspector will be happy you know what you’re doing. If you have additional questions, send me a pm.
My 1960's house was built with concrete block for foundation and entire basement walls. Most of the lower level is about 1/2 below ground level (which is actually nice because mice don't get in). The cinder blocks can be a real heat sink, along with the concrete floor. Since the basement is unfinished, I put up rigid foam insulation, then reflectix on top of that. Then I bolted on steel furring strips that are about 1" and put up sheet rock on that - so there is about a 1" air gap between the reflectix and the sheet rock. I also put a floating floor on top of the concrete flooring - that is so much better as the floor would get extremely cold. That keeps the basement warmer while using a whole lot less pellets during winter. I'm not how much it helps during summer to keep it cooler (there is no AC down there), but it does stay cooler than the main floor, which does have AC.
We call them "underground houses" here. Not real popular, but there were some built back in the 70's. Not sure if this is totally necessary but you might consider: Adding a deadman or two Some diagonal bracing from the top of the wall facing the hill to the bottom on the opposite side Drainage, drainage, and more drainage. You can't have too much.
ICF Insulated concrete forms, by the time you use CMU's and fill them you might as well do poured walls.
