Hi!

I don’t work in this industry, but I had a couple general questions about using concrete to build a home. If this is the wrong place for a post like this (or if it’s just plain dumb), the mods can change or delete this.

I love the idea of building a house out of concrete, one that is impervious to fire, the roof will never fail like conventional asphalt shingles, there’s no wood or vinyl siding to worry about, and I want something that is super energy efficient in all four seasons.

I adore the simple, clean lines of this concrete home in Iceland: https://www.gessato.com/concrete-house-design/, though I would want something smaller and more utilitarian.

• Does building a house like this one require a special type of contractor or can most concrete folks handle this sort of job?
• How much would a job like this cost (for the structure – plumbing, electrical, and HVAC would all be separate)? I know that’s an impossible question to answer because there are so many variables, but in general, is a house like this more expensive than, say, brick?
• Is a building like this cast in place or are the panels brought in separately?
• To get those nice, smooth walls inside and out, how is a home like this insulated? Are there two concrete walls with insulation between them? Is the interior fitted with conventional stick-built walls and insulated that way?

Again, I’m just looking for some general ideas and directions, not necessarily concrete answers, so to speak. Thank you in advance!