Anyone on here ( builder or otherwise)have experience building with ICFs? Pros/ Cons. Any contractor recommendations in North Alabama?

With the current cost of concrete, concrete labor, and lumber prices down, I dont think that it would be a cost effective option at this point in time.

Specifically interested in basement walls and not complete structure framing.

You still going to have to waterproof the ICF walls just like you would poured block construction, if it's under finished grade. The only real advantage to ICF in my book is the above ground benefit of the energy efficiency and wind rating. I certainly would not incur the additional expense to use it underground unless it was absolutely needed. ICF is monolithic and jointless so it is definitely stronger than poured block walls, so I'm assuming that is why you're contemplating using it, but why do you think you need that additional wall strength on the basement.

Waterproofing anything sub grade is a given . The benefits of monolithic construction are nice but not the driving factor. Assuming that the additional costs are only marginal ( +\- 10% according to a few articles) then the increased R value added to the increased thermal mass should equal a relatively short ROI even in a sub grade application. It should also go from footing to backfill in a shorter period of time as well.

Dirt is already a great insulator. I dont think you'll pick up much in energy usage savings, on anything below grade, so I would not look for or count on anything substantial in the way of a ROI on the ICF below grade. We've looked, a couple times, at building some stuff ICF, but have never been able to make the math work. That said, we build to sell and most buyers are not willing to pay the ICF premium over standard constrution. Just guessing because it's been a few years since I've looked at it, but know what build costs have done, you're probably looking at a 10-15% premium between ICF and formed and poured walls, and that includes the fact that youre going to use roughly 15-20% less concrete using the ICF forms, versus formed and poured walls. Poured block would still be your cheapest option.

Any way you go, if you do go ICF, make sure you go with a builder that has a lot of experience in dealing with it. Improperly supported or strapped forms and joints, you have a blowout or two, you can run up your concrete, labor and overall costs real quick. If they are not well versed and experienced in dealing with ICF, pouring, all the issues that can arise, etc, and they have an issue that takes them hours to fix, you could end up with cold joints in different areas, which you certainly dont want.

If you do go with it, be sure to check back in and give some updates as to how it went and what you think about it once completed. Best of luck with the project.

ICF basement walls below grade membrane waterproofing over the exterior EPS foam are more prone to water intrusion than standard poured concrete with standard waterproofing adhered directly to the concrete. Easier to breach waterproofing membrane over foam than directly applied to concrete. Shrinkage cracks can be seen and injected on traditional poured concrete walls but not so with ICF. If the builder or waterproofing subcontractor won't give you a 10-15 year watertightness warranty, then don't use them.

If you have a leak, finding the source often takes much excavation and rewaterproofing larger areas because traditional poured concrete walls normally have localized water entry point. ICF can allow water behind the EPS foam board to bare concrete and water can be held and spread along the backside of the permanent Insulated form.

Voids are more frequent at windows and doors in ICF. Bracing during pouring is even more important than traditional poured concrete walls.

If you go ICF, choose the right builder and subs. Mission critical.