Selecting An Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS) Repair Contractor - 9/5/2000 - Expert Real Estate Advice

Homeowner Guide To Selecting An Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS) Repair Contractor

What to Look For

Homeowners who seek to correct water intrusion in EIFS-clad houses should look for a remodeler or other contractor who has attended one of the EIFS Remediation Seminars conducted by the NAHB Research Center. The NAHB Research Center maintains a registry of people who have attended this seminar and passed a written test demonstrating knowledge of the subject.

Homeowners should bear in mind the following limitations of the seminar content:

It addressed:

• wood-framed houses
• houses clad with barrier (face-sealed)-EIFS (synthetic stucco)

It did not address repair of:

• structural repairs
• hard-coat stucco
• steel-framed structures
• drainable ("water-managed") EIFS

Remodelers and/or EIFS Applicators are likely to be the best contractors to employ, given the skills required. Skills and knowledge in the following areas are needed:

• water intrusion assessment;
• framing/structure;
• finish carpentry;
• flashing;
• roofing;
• stucco systems; and
• plaster finishes.

Other Considerations When Selecting an EIFS Repair Contractor

Experience and Services
When selecting a contractor, be sure to ask the following questions:

• How long has the company or contractor been in business?
• How many jobs of a similar nature have they done?
• What kinds of education and training have they completed?

The required repairs typically require the carpentry skills of a remodeler or general contractor for structural modifications and repairs, as well as the EIFS installation and finishing skills of an EIFS applicator. Some contractors may have all of the required skills within their company, while some general contractors and remodelers may hire local EIFS applicators to perform appropriate portions of the job. In either case, you should ensure that repair methods and materials being used are approved for use with the EIF System on your house.

Be sure that the EIFS applicator is trained in the installation of that manufacturer's product. Some manufacturers provide certificates to applicators who have completed some form of training. EIFS manufacturers may be contacted directly to verify an applicator's training.

Be aware that it may be difficult to identify the EIFS manufacturer. In some cases, applicators may have used components from more than one manufacturer, and in others there are simply no distinguishing components. It may be possible to identify the EIFS manufacturer by contacting your homebuilder or original EIFS applicator.

Recommendations
Ask for references and talk to previous customers who have had similar work done. Ask these customers about the contractor's reliability, quality level, problem-solving ability, accessibility, and promptness. Ask whether they would hire the contractor again. If possible, go and look at finished projects.

Rapport
Find someone you feel comfortable with, someone that will listen to and address your particular concerns and does not use high-pressure sales tactics. You want to feel comfortable dealing with this person/company for the duration of the construction. Strong rapport and close communication with a contractor can make a job go well.

Track Record
Check with the Better Business Bureau and any local consumer affairs office. Find out whether they have any outstanding complaints about the firm or any other relevant information on file.

Licensing
Check to see that the contractor has a valid contractor's license (if applicable in your state or locality). If licensing and/or bonding is required in your area, ask to see a copy of the document(s) to ensure that the contractor is properly licensed and/or bonded. Bonding requirements vary greatly from state to state; you should find out what your state requires and exactly what any required bonding covers.

Insurance
Check to see that the contractor has valid insurance. Ask if the company is insured against claims covering worker's compensation, property damage, and personal liability. Ask to see a copy of the certificate of insurance or ask for the name of the contractor's insurance carrier and agency to verify that the contractor has this insurance. In some areas, the law requires contractors to carry such insurance.

Employees
Find out who will actually be doing the work and get details on their experience and training. In many cases, the company owner or representative you meet with is not the person who will do the work, although they may supervise the job.

Where to Look For Contractors

• Neighbors, family and friends who have had similar work done
• Newspaper or phone book listings
• Building supply and hardware stores
• Local Home Builder Associations:
  The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), located in Washington, DC, has more than 800 affiliated local and state builder associations that can give you the names of members. In many cases, a Remodelors™ Council exists within a local homebuilder association. Local homebuilder associations can be looked up on the NAHB web site: http://www.nahb.org/local_association_search_form.aspx or you can call 800-368-5242, x536. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) in Alexandria, VA may also help you find remodelers: (800) 966-7601 or www.nari.org.
   
• EIFS Manufacturers

Conflict of Interest

Avoid hiring the same contractor for both inspection and remediation services.
While potentially beneficial to hire one firm to both inspect and remediate, there is the potential for conflict of interest. One method to guard against this problem is to get bids from multiple contractors.

Contracts

Get it in writing.
A written contract protects both you and the contractor - the contractor should put all agreements and oral promises in writing. He or she should spell out in detail exactly what will and will not be done. If you intend to do some of the work yourself or hire another contractor to do part of it, be sure this fact appears in the contract as well. Be sure the financial terms of the contract are clear. The contract should include the total price, when payments will be made, the circumstances that would cancel the contract, and any penalty for cancellation. Never sign a blank or partially blank contract. Both you and the contractor are bound by everything set down in the contract, so read it carefully before you sign. If you have any questions or do not understand something, get an answer or explanation before you sign. As soon as you sign the contract, get and keep a copy of it for your records.

On a home improvement job, you should expect to pay up to one-third of the total contract price as a down payment. State or local laws may limit this amount. Except for the down payment, you should not pay for work that is not done. Payments are usually scheduled at specific time intervals or upon completion of various phases of a project.

In some states, when you sign a home improvement contract in the presence of a contractor or a contractor's representative in your home and/or some place other than the contractor's place of business, usually you have a short time in which to change your mind and cancel the contract. In such states, the contractor or the contractor's representative usually must inform you of your rights of cancellation orally and in writing and must provide the forms to use for canceling. Usually contractors wait until the end of this "cooling-off" period before starting work. If you need emergency repairs, in some states you can waive your cancellation rights. This waiver gives the contractor the right to proceed with the work immediately. However, if you have the "right of rescission," you should not waive that right unless you have a bona fide emergency.

The contract should specify all materials to be used, such as the quality, quantity, weight, color, size, or brand name as it may apply. For example, the contract should say "install three (3) model 123 windows, manufactured by Company XYZ, according to the plan and manufacturer's specifications," not just "install windows."

Your contract should specify approximate starting and completion dates for your project. However, the contract also should allow for external factors that might cause delays, such as the weather or the availability of supplies.

Make sure your contract includes everything you think is important to the job including the following:

• Complete clean up and removal of debris and materials.
• Any special requests such as saving unneeded materials.
• Use of power and water.
• Any special instructions regarding pets, children, areas where materials may be stored, or landscaping to be moved temporarily.

Warranty

If a warranty is offered, get it in writing and read it carefully. A warranty must state whether it is limited (meaning that repairs, replacements, or refunds are limited in some way), or full (one that will repair or replace the product or refund your money within a certain period of time). The warranty should spell out all terms and conditions in language you can understand. It should specifically say who will honor the warranty - the contractor, the dealer, or the manufacturer. The warranty should include the name and address of the party offering it and the duration of coverage.

Cost

Following these steps will help to ensure a fair price for your job:

• After you have interviewed the prospective contractors and chosen the one, two, or three you think are best suited to do your job, ask for estimates. Put your request in writing and define the project as clearly as you can.
• When you get the estimates, they should be in writing and provide as much detail as possible. Make sure all bids are based on the same set of plans and specifications. Discuss the bids in detail with the contractors to make sure you understand the reasons for any variations in price.
• You should not automatically accept the lowest price. A higher price may be a better value if the contractor provides better service, uses materials of higher quality, or if the work is more extensive.

Building Permits and Codes

Work affecting structural elements of a house (which may occur with some EIFS repair procedures) may require a building permit and inspection(s) - check with your local building department to determine what is required in your area. Licensed contractors (if applicable) typically obtain such permits. Reluctance on the part of a contractor to obtain or perform work under a permit should be a warning sign that the contractor may not be properly licensed or in good standing with the building department.