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I have a little (1150 sf) EIFS job to do, and no EIFS contractors are interested in quoting it. Can anyone tell me a good success story of qualifying as an applicator by attending one of the “schools” thrown by the manufacturers and doing it yourself?
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Gene,
I'd contact a good ADK carpenter and get his opinions.
Ken
*Your EIFS contractors get paid by the foot. If it's worth it to have it done right, offer to pay them for their time, (out the whazzoo....) It's usually worth it. Also offer to help out with labor, clean-up. In other words, make it worth their time......
*Pardon my Texas ignorance.....What's EIFS?Ed.
*Dry-vit.
*EIFS = Exterior Insulated Finishing System, I think.
*b WBA At Your ServiceAbsolutely. A friend in the business asked me for the name of an EIFS installer for an addition on his home. The installer quoted him a price that was much more than he could afford, so the kind gentleman recommended that my friend take the Stow course and do the work himself, which he did. He called to tell me that he was thrilled at how easy the application was and would be happy to show me the process. Winning a pair of 76ers tickets in a raffle at the training center helped put a smile on his face also.
*Just be careful. There are some potential big time problems if not done right.
*Hey Gene, I install EIFS in the midwest, and typically try to involve clients in the application, for a little price break, having said that-you can do it yourself, no problems, but you have to pay a lot of attention to terminations, and really think about where the water will go. Is your interest in certification to learn the skills, or to buy materials at contractor pricing?Glad to help with specific questions-Krome
*I heard Sto was linked to some big time serious failures. Isn't Dry-vit pretty much the same thing?Ed.
*b WBA At Your ServiceYes, they are the same thing, they are all the same. You guys can say "Be Careful !" all you want with this product and in the end my opinion is that a skilled homeowner can do just as good a job as a professional - Especially in the areas that matter most. The problems with this product don't stem from inexperienced installers not being able to achieve a uniformly floated surface. ( The hardest part for the rookie homeowner ) The problems came from the installers not following the manufacturers' rules of proper installation. Drainage control and proper caulking are things that "quickie" contractors skipped and turned out to be fatal mistakes. They are steps that a skilled homeowner could easily do after taking the training course. We all know what happens when you skip the steps. YOUR HOUSE ROTS. This really is a great product that suffered some invaluable growing pains.
*I also see no reason a skilled homeowner couldn't take this on, but I would recommend hiring an EIFS consultant to check your work.Being careful isn't just good advice, it is a necessity with this product.Flashing details are hard to get right even on real stucco, and with EIFS any leakage problems can be disastrous.As a reporter on the construction beat in the rainy NW I have seen a number of EIFS failures. In fact, I am right now looking into a case where one of the new EIFS systems with a drainage system allegedly failed.If the flashing details are easy to get right, they are also very easy to get wrong. In my opinion it is a worthwile investment to hire a pro consultant to draw up the details and check your work.
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I have a little (1150 sf) EIFS job to do, and no EIFS contractors are interested in quoting it. Can anyone tell me a good success story of qualifying as an applicator by attending one of the "schools" thrown by the manufacturers and doing it yourself?