Sounds like you want to hold-off any construction so try this: How are the basement windows? Most are single pane. Install some of the plastic window shield over them (the stuff you shrink with a hair dryer). Run the circulating fan from the furnace continually. This will keep the basement near the house temperature while refreshing the air there. Possibly add another heat vent - duct it over a window or to an outside wall. Our basement is finished with 2" XPS insulation against the concrete. It too drops to the low 60's but doing the above raises the temperature. We installed an electric fireplace as auxulary heat to make the space more comfortable in the spring/fall when the furnace is not running to heat the house. I don't believe there is a "good, inexpensive" solution. Water heaters are not efficient or intended for use as a boiler. Good luck.

SerenityLand, I would not worry about whether you can find trades familiar with ICF as the solutions are pretty easy. I would know the solutions, and find trades that are open to learning. For example, my Sparky had never worked ICF and was skeptical. I told him to tell me where he wanted wiring in the ICF walls, where he wanted boxes in the ICF walls, etc. I then pulled out my handy router, set my depth gauge, and cut the foam where Sparky said he needed wiring and boxes. I also used some electrical boxes with "ears" that I had picked up from the local big box. And to secure wires in the foam, enter spray foam. Sparky was amazed at the ease of doing this, decided to buy his own router, and has done several ICF houses since. Other trades you will want to talk to are anyone having penetrations in the walls (put some PVC pipe in there they want penetrations, before the walls are poured). This might include Sparky (service, AC location, external fixtures, phone service, cable service), HVAC (intake and vent for furnace, ERV/HRV, lineset), Plumber (supply line, DWV line, intake and vent for HWH). If you miss a penetration or two, it isn't that big of a deal. However you don't want to pay to core too many holes in your nicely cast concrete walls either, it gets kind of pricey. Any then you want to know how to hang sheetrock (my sheetrockers looked dumbfouned until I showed them how to find the webs and to use #8 screws instead of #6), trim carpenters (not much to nail trim into ICF, but easy solution is to screw plywood base or at crown molding level that is smaller than the trim and then let the sheetrockers finish flush to the plywood), cabinet hangers, carpenters (how do you secure wood stud walls to ICF, what about floors and/or roofs, get out the Simpson or USP catalog, and don't be afraid to use connectors for hurricane areas as FedEx delivers overnight), etc. Basically you don't need trades that have direct experience with ICF. You do however need a trade that is open to new experience and new technique, but you need to provide them the solutions (ICF isn't new technique, solutions exist, research them and don't expect your trades to do this for you). Good luck.

Hi fsq4cw, Here are some answers to your questions. We will be heating through hydronic in-floor heat. We also will have access to a hydronic coil on our air condenser to supplement the heat if necessary. We are not sure if we will do the in-floor on our bedroom level, so may need the hydronic coil on the air handler (natural gas forced air) to supplement the in-floor. Our house will be 3000 square feet when done, with full basement, main floor and upper floor. We also have a small section of conditioned attic that the kids will use due to low ceiling. I don't know how much the gas will cost to heat the boiler as the system is not yet done. We are currently living in a shelled in house, that we are relying on a gas fireplace and two electric construction heaters for warmth. So, we are essentially living like pioneers. Thanks for your help.

"However we had Silverline windows from Anderson in our previous house and they were absolutely awful." Silverlines were awful long before Andersen purchased them. They developed their 100's as there own entry line product and dumped Silverline. While the 100's are the entry line series for Andersen they are not bad all things considered, certainly mile ahead of anything Silverline. But for an ICF home I would think you would want a bit if a higher end better performing window in general.