Spray foam engineering consulting, answered

An independent building-science professional who reviews SPF assemblies, investigates failures, and advises on code compliance — without installing the foam or being affiliated with a specific manufacturer or contractor.

No. We provide engineering and technical consulting only. If a project needs installation or remediation work performed, that's a separate contractor relationship — one we're not part of and don't get a placement fee from.

No. A general home inspector's scope is typically a visual, non-invasive walkthrough. Our engagements are specific to SPF building-envelope performance — assembly-level analysis, code-section citations, and, where warranted, forensic or litigation-support-grade documentation.

We take engagements nationwide, with review and analysis scoped to the applicable code and climate zone for the specific project location.

Before the assembly is locked into construction documents, ideally — while there's still room to adjust foam type, thickness, or vapor strategy without a change order. A pre-permit review is the most common architect engagement.

Document what you're seeing with photos and notes on location, then request a consultation. We'll scope a site visit to establish the likely failure mode before any remediation work is committed to.

We can provide a written code-compliance memo addressing the specific sections and jurisdiction in question, which can support a permit submittal. Whether that constitutes formal 'sign-off' depends on licensure requirements in your state and project type.

Forensic findings can be documented to a standard suitable for litigation support. Tell us about the dispute during scoping so we can confirm fit and discuss expert-engagement terms specifically.

Project-based — a fixed fee for a defined document review, or a scoped estimate for a site visit and written report, rather than a per-square-foot rate. You'll get a written scope and fee before any billable work starts.

It depends on the number of assemblies and drawings involved. A single-assembly review is a smaller, faster engagement than a full construction-document set — we'll give you a specific number after an initial scoping call.

Costs scale with complexity — a straightforward site assessment and short report is a smaller engagement than one involving lab testing, extensive documentation review, and litigation-support deliverables.

For a spec review: the assembly detail or drawings and the project location. For a forensic investigation: what's being observed, when it was installed, the project location, and whether litigation support is anticipated.

High-density closed-cell SPF commonly performs as a code-recognized Class II vapor retarder under IRC R702.7 at typical application thicknesses, though the exact perm rating depends on the specific product and thickness — worth confirming against the manufacturer's tested data for a given assembly.

In many colder climate zones, yes — low-density open-cell foam's higher vapor permeability can require an additional vapor-control layer, depending on the specific assembly and climate zone. This is a common finding in our spec reviews.

A thermal barrier (commonly ½-inch gypsum, per IRC R316.4) is required between foam plastic and occupied interior space in general. An ignition barrier is a narrower set of allowed materials for foam left exposed in attics or crawl spaces accessed only for utility service, under the specific conditions in R316.5.

Off-ratio mixing is one of the most common root causes of SPF field failures, and it produces recognizable, documentable defects — texture, adhesion, and cure characteristics that differ from correctly mixed foam nearby — which is central to establishing a root-cause finding.