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ICF Homes: What Builders Get Wrong (and How to Do It Right) | Royal & John ft. Robert Klob
In this episode of Build Better Homes, Royal and John sit down with ICF expert Robert Klob, a designer with over 40 years of experience in residential and commercial construction. Robert specializes exclusively in insulated concrete form (ICF) home design and has reviewed, designed, or consulted on hundreds of projects across the country.
We dive into everything homeowners, builders, and designers need to understand about ICF construction from design nuances and common mistakes to engineering pitfalls and the massive impact of proper planning. Robert also shares how the ICF industry has evolved, real stories from the field, and why this construction method is transforming resilience, safety, and energy efficiency in modern homebuilding.
If you've ever wondered whether ICF is worth it, how it differs from wood framing, or what pitfalls to avoid during design, this episode is essential.
What We Cover- How Robert went from framing contractor's son → apprentice designer → ICF specialist
- Why early ICF systems failed (and how the industry fixed it)
- The real benefits of ICF vs. wood framing
- Structural differences every builder must understand
- Why HVAC design is non-negotiable in airtight homes
- Cost misconceptions: where ICF saves money and where it can add complexity
- Plan-conversion mistakes (and why some designs should NOT be converted to ICF)
- Over-engineering — how bad design adds tens of thousands of dollars
- Why California makes ICF adoption nearly impossible
- When DIY ICF works… and when it becomes a disaster
- Safe rooms, hurricane zones, snow loads, and fire resilience
- Block manufacturers, installer support, and what actually matters
- The single most important question: “Does your designer understand ICF?”
ICF is one of the most misunderstood methods in residential construction. Done right, it’s incredibly strong, quiet, energy-efficient, and durable. Done wrong, it can be expensive, frustrating, and structurally problematic.
This episode gives you the clarity that most homeowners, builders, and designers never get.
Guest LinksRobert Klob Design
Website: rkdZNs.com
Connect with PLIRISWebsite: https://pliris.co
Engineering • Plans • ICF Design Support
View all episodes
By PLIRISIn this episode of Build Better Homes, Royal and John sit down with ICF expert Robert Klob, a designer with over 40 years of experience in residential and commercial construction. Robert specializes exclusively in insulated concrete form (ICF) home design and has reviewed, designed, or consulted on hundreds of projects across the country.
We dive into everything homeowners, builders, and designers need to understand about ICF construction from design nuances and common mistakes to engineering pitfalls and the massive impact of proper planning. Robert also shares how the ICF industry has evolved, real stories from the field, and why this construction method is transforming resilience, safety, and energy efficiency in modern homebuilding.
If you've ever wondered whether ICF is worth it, how it differs from wood framing, or what pitfalls to avoid during design, this episode is essential.
What We Cover- How Robert went from framing contractor's son → apprentice designer → ICF specialist
- Why early ICF systems failed (and how the industry fixed it)
- The real benefits of ICF vs. wood framing
- Structural differences every builder must understand
- Why HVAC design is non-negotiable in airtight homes
- Cost misconceptions: where ICF saves money and where it can add complexity
- Plan-conversion mistakes (and why some designs should NOT be converted to ICF)
- Over-engineering — how bad design adds tens of thousands of dollars
- Why California makes ICF adoption nearly impossible
- When DIY ICF works… and when it becomes a disaster
- Safe rooms, hurricane zones, snow loads, and fire resilience
- Block manufacturers, installer support, and what actually matters
- The single most important question: “Does your designer understand ICF?”
ICF is one of the most misunderstood methods in residential construction. Done right, it’s incredibly strong, quiet, energy-efficient, and durable. Done wrong, it can be expensive, frustrating, and structurally problematic.
This episode gives you the clarity that most homeowners, builders, and designers never get.
Guest LinksRobert Klob Design
Website: rkdZNs.com
Connect with PLIRISWebsite: https://pliris.co
Engineering • Plans • ICF Design Support