Start here: what are you actually buying?

A foundation isn’t “a wall.” It’s a system: footings, walls, reinforcement, openings, penetrations, waterproofing, drainage, backfill, and (in Ontario) a realistic plan for moisture and heat loss. The difference between ICF and poured concrete isn’t just materials — it’s what gets bundled into the assembly.

The worksheet: the 12 items your quote should clearly show

Print this section (or copy it into your notes). If a quote won’t answer these items clearly, you’re walking into change-order country.

• Wall type & thickness: ICF model/thickness or poured wall thickness.
• Concrete spec: MPa, slump/placement notes, and whether a pump is included.
• Concrete volume: total m³ carried in the price (so you can sanity-check it).
• Rebar schedule: included as per drawings, or “allowance” (allowances are suspicious).
• Forming / bracing: for poured walls (forms) or for ICF (alignment bracing).
• Openings: window/door bucks, lintels, sleeves, penetrations and who supplies them.
• Waterproofing: dampproof vs membrane vs full system (spell it out).
• Drainage: weeping tile, gravel, filter fabric, sump detail, discharge plan.
• Insulation strategy: (critical for poured concrete): interior foam, framed wall, exterior foam, or hybrid.
• Finish-readiness: how will a basement be finished without creating moisture problems?
• Backfill timing: when can it be backfilled and what material is used?
• Schedule risk: what happens if weather delays the pour or inspections?

Three “real life” Ontario comparison scenarios

This is the part most online articles skip: your basement plan determines which option makes financial sense. Here are the three scenarios I see constantly in Ontario.

How to sanity-check the concrete portion of a quote

Concrete pricing varies by region, season, and mix design. But you can still do a basic reasonableness check: if your quote shows the total m³ of concrete and the MPa, you can compare that against typical posted ready-mix price lists (and then add pumping, small-load fees, and jobsite realities).

The point isn’t to “price-shop” a builder with a calculator. It’s to make sure the quote has the right ingredients and doesn’t hide missing scope.

A simple example (the “napkin math” version)

If a foundation needs (say) 35–45 m³ of concrete across footings, walls, and slab, and the quote is wildly out of scale, you ask questions. The questions are what save you: “What MPa? What volume? Pump included? Winter handling included?”

ICF vs poured concrete: where the money really shifts

In Ontario, the price difference is rarely “ICF costs more because foam is expensive.” The real shifts are: labour method, insulation scope, finishing strategy, and schedule risk.

1) Forming vs bracing (and what happens when the schedule slips)

Poured concrete needs forming, stripping, and cleanup. ICF needs bracing/alignment and careful pour sequencing. Both systems can be executed beautifully — or badly — depending on the crew.

Schedule slip matters because rentals and crews don’t sit around for free. If a job drifts, “one clean pour week” turns into “two weeks of rentals plus extra labour.” That’s true for either system; it just shows up differently.

2) Insulation isn’t optional if comfort is the goal

If you’re building a finished lower level, poured concrete typically needs added insulation and a plan that won’t trap moisture. If you’re researching basement insulation approaches, NRCan’s basement insulation section is a solid homeowner-friendly reference. NRCan: Basement insulation (floors, walls, crawl spaces)

3) Finish-ready details (this is where homeowners pay twice)

The cheapest way to build a wall is not always the cheapest way to build a living space. If your poured wall quote does not include a thoughtful finishing strategy (not just “we’ll frame later”), you’re likely comparing a “phase 1” quote against a “complete system” quote.

What “apples-to-apples” looks like in one table

This table is intentionally practical. It shows what should be included in your comparison depending on the basement outcome you want.

So which one is “cheaper” in Ontario?

The honest answer: it depends on what you want your basement to be. There are Ontario examples where the ICF foundation system price difference versus a conventional non-insulated foundation wall is only a few thousand dollars — which can evaporate quickly once you add insulation and finishing details to the poured wall scope.

If your basement will never be living space, poured concrete may be the budget-friendly choice. If it will be living space (now or later), ICF can be surprisingly competitive because the insulation and “finish-friendly” pathway are already baked in.

Ontario code and permits: quick reality check

Your design still needs to meet Ontario requirements and local building department expectations. If you want the official starting point, use the Ontario Building Code hub: Ontario Building Code.

Also: permitting schedules and inspections can affect rental durations and sequencing. If you’re early in planning, this builder-focused guide can help: How to Obtain a Building Permit in Ontario.

Bottom line: use the worksheet and you’ll stop caring about “ICF vs poured” arguments

Once you compare complete assemblies and make your basement outcome clear (utility vs future-finish vs finished living space), the decision usually becomes obvious — and the quotes become easier to evaluate.

If you want deeper ICF-specific planning from a builder’s point of view, go to ICFhome.ca and work backwards from comfort goals and moisture strategy.

If you’d like, I can also convert this worksheet into a one-page “downloadable checklist” format for your site layout.