Free checklist
EIFS (exterior insulation and finish)EIFS (exterior insulation and finish) pre-cover inspection checklist
A eifs (exterior insulation and finish) pre-cover inspection is the hold point before concealed work disappears behind the next layer. This checklist is built for that walk: verify, photograph, then release the cover, not the other way around. Work is commonly verified against manufacturer's published instructions, the applicable building code. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo evidence it needs
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.
Insulation board
Board attached and joints as the system requires
Board set tight with staggered joints and full attachment, no open gaps packed with base coat, rasped flat before coating.
Edges back-wrapped at openings and terminations
Mesh wrapped around board edges at openings and terminations, no raw foam left exposed at any edge.
Board label matches the approved submittal
Board stamp or bundle label photographed showing type and thickness, matched to the insulation the approved system submittal names.
Attachment checked on a pulled board
A freshly set board pulled on each elevation to see adhesive contact or fastener pattern matches the manufacturer's detail, ribbons vertical where the system drains.
Board joints kept off the corners of openings
No board joint lines up with a window or door corner; L-shaped pieces cut around the corners so cracks don't start there.
Base coat and mesh
Reinforcing mesh fully embedded in the base coat
Mesh troweled into wet base coat so the pattern is barely visible, laps as specified, not floated on the surface.
Aesthetic reveals coated and wrapped
Reveal grooves lined with mesh and base coat, edges crisp, no bare foam left in the groove.
Base coat and mesh labels match the approved submittal
Base coat pail and mesh roll labels photographed and matched to the approved system, including the mesh weight shown for each zone.
Base coat thickness within the manufacturer's range
Thickness checked at a cut edge or with a gauge against the manufacturer's listed range, no thin spots where the mesh shows through.
Diagonal mesh at every opening corner
Diagonal mesh pieces embedded at each corner of windows, doors and louvers, placed with the field mesh as the manufacturer details.
Base coat protected from weather until cured
Temperatures kept within the manufacturer's application range and rain kept off until cure; tarps or heat noted in the daily log on cold or wet days.
No photo
Joints, openings and release
Sealant gap left at openings and penetrations
Board edge held back from frames and penetrations by the joint width the details show, wrapped edges clean and not filled with base coat.
Expansion joints open full depth with edges wrapped
Board separated at each joint location, both edges back-wrapped, no base coat or mesh bridging the gap.
Base coat surface dressed and clean before finish
Trowel ridges, mesh laps and base coat splatter knocked down flat, surface clean and dry, and primer on where the manufacturer requires before finish starts.
No photo
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Reinforcing mesh laid on the wall and skimmed over on top, sitting on the surface instead of embedded in the base coat.
- Board edges at openings not back-wrapped, leaving raw insulation exposed at a reveal or terminus.
- Aesthetic reveals cut after the base coat and left with bare foam in the groove instead of a wrapped, coated edge.
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this eifs (exterior insulation and finish) pre-cover checklist cover?
- 14 items across 3 sections, covering insulation board, base coat and mesh, joints, openings and release. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The EIFS foreman walking behind the base-coat crew, or the GC's superintendent releasing each elevation for finish.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After insulation board, base coat and mesh are on and edges are back-wrapped, before the finish coat goes over it all.
- Why do these items ask for a photo?
- 12 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 15 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails an eifs (exterior insulation and finish) pre-cover inspection?
- Reinforcing mesh laid on the wall and skimmed over on top, sitting on the surface instead of embedded in the base coat. Board edges at openings not back-wrapped, leaving raw insulation exposed at a reveal or terminus. Aesthetic reveals cut after the base coat and left with bare foam in the groove instead of a wrapped, coated edge.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.
Related checklists
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 15 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.