When a Completed Project Comes Back to Haunt You

What if one morning you were awakened by a phone call regarding a serious problem with a property you completed 5 years ago? You would probably pinch yourself in hopes of waking from the nightmare!

Spray Foam Insulation NOT installed by Chicago Green Insulation

A few months back we received a phone call to look at a property with a spray foam job gone wrong. After looking at the property and the original plans, the problem was obvious. The thermal envelope had been done incorrectly. The solution, redo everything. Everyone had to move out, the walls had to come down, the original foam insulation needed to be removed and replaced.

No one wants a completed project to come back and haunt them! The foam insulation was not at fault for the problems the property was experiencing. The scope of the foam envelope had been wrong from the beginning. The architectural plans outlined a thermal envelope that would have worked with traditional fiberglass. The general contractor probably had no clue what was to come if the foam insulation was applied per those plans. Regardless, the foam installer should have known. Every problem this property was experiencing could have been prevented if the thermal envelope had been sprayed correctly.

As an expert in foam insulation, we would have refused to do the work according to the original scope. We would never perform an install knowing it would fail later. We would help both the architect and general contractor understand why building science did not align with the purposed application.

Every problem this property was experiencing could have been prevented if the thermal envelope had been sprayed correctly.

The Cost of Spray Foam

When we lose a bid, the most frightening thing to hear is that a job was awarded solely on price. Spray foam insulation is not an area where you want to cut corners. Saving a few hundred dollars today is not worth the risk of that project coming back to haunt you!

Don’t cut corners when installing spray foam!

On average spray foam insulation costs two to three times more than traditional fiberglass. Here in the Chicagoland area quality spray foam ranges from $1.50 to $7.20 per square foot including application. Prices for foam depend on many different factors including; the type of foam, the quality of the foam, the depth of the foam, the type of framing and any special labor requirements to ensure proper application.

In comparing quotes for a project, significant gaps between pricing should raise questions. We encourage all of our customers to reach out and ask us about our pricing. There are many situations where we are not the cheapest. However, our prices are consistent with market standards. Most importantly, our pricing is always quoted based on what you need to ensure the thermal envelope meets building code and the science of your structure.

If a quote is significantly lower, you should be asking yourself “what risks am I taking by accepting this price break?” and “has the thermal envelope been compromised to accommodate the reduced cost?” Low-quality spray foam applied incorrectly will eventually come back to haunt you.

What did the ghost of this completed project end up costing? Between litigation, bankruptcy, and reputation, one can assume the list is endless.

Do not let a cheap spray foam bid come back to haunt you! call us today.

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About the Author, Tom Decker

With ten years of experience selling spray foam insulation in Chicago, Tom Decker is THE person to call and the Chicago Green Insulation is the organization to hire when you are looking for top notch quality and performance as well as someone who can deal with the needs of code officials, home owners and general contractors. Call the others in Chicago, if you are interested in the cheapest price, call Chicago Green Insulation if you are interested in using your dollars to make Chicago a better city for all of us!