The Finish Line: Who is Responsible?

EIFS manufacturers go a long way in developing their EIFS products. This includes how they should be used. Yet all the time I see people taking liberties with what they think the system can do. Bad idea. What happens is this: when some well-intentioned but dumb idea is used on a project, sometimes it does not work. So who is responsible?

If the project ends up in court, lawyers will gravitate toward going after the party with the most money, such as big companies with lots of insurance. The small guy who made the mistake gets away for free. What to do about this?

The trick is use the product in a way that the manufacturer accepts, such as in printed literature. If you do something weird with an EIFS product, get an OK in writing from the building designer and EIFS manufacturer. Doing so is worth its weight in gold if the stuff hits the fan.

As for me, I tend to stick to the rules and thus out of trouble.