By the time you're booking an EIFS inspector, two things are settled: the walls are EIFS rather than hard-coat stucco (how to tell), and you've decided the house is worth testing (what to check first). What's left is choosing who does the work. The person you hire decides whether you get a number you can act on or a reassuring paragraph you can't use.
Price is the easy part to compare: our report engine puts the job at $400 – $800 for a moisture survey by an EIFS-qualified inspector. What really separates one inspector from another is the method, the report, and the timing.
Moisture meters: a scan is not a probe test
In EIFS testing, a surface scan and a probe test answer different questions. This Old House's guide to EIFS waterproofing, by Eileen Colkin Cuneo, explains it plainly:
- A scanning meter reads changes in density behind the foam. It can point to where water may have got in, but it "won't tell the exact moisture content."
- A pin-probe meter drills through the cladding into the sheathing. It measures the water content there and shows how far any damage has gone.
A good inspector uses the scan to choose where to probe. A survey that stops at the scan gives you a map of suspicions, not readings. The EIFS evaluation guide covers each method in more detail.
Questions to ask before you book
Will you probe-test, or only scan? You want probe readings from the sheathing. If the answer is scan-only, remember that a scan doesn't give you moisture content. If it finds something, you'll still need probe readings before you can act on it.
Where will you probe, and how many spots? Expect them to name places like window and door corners, sealant joints, roof-to-wall intersections, deck attachments and the bottom edge of the wall. If they can't say where, they haven't thought about your house yet.
Which certification do you hold, and who issued it? Write down the name of the credential and the issuer, then check it with the issuer yourself. This Old House points readers to the Exterior Design Institute, which it describes as a non-profit keeping a directory of qualified EIFS inspectors and moisture analysts. Treat any credential as something to check, not as proof of good work.
Do you, or a company you're tied to, do the repairs? An inspector who also sells the fix has a stake in what the readings say. Texas writes this into its rules for licensed home inspectors. Under 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 535.220(e)(6), an inspector may not take work repairing or upgrading the systems they inspected for a real estate deal within 12 months of the inspection. Your state's rules may differ, so ask the question directly wherever you're buying.
What will the written report show? Ask for a photo or diagram of each test spot, the reading at each one, whether the sheathing felt firm or soft, and a plain recommendation. A report you can hand to a contractor and to the seller is the point of the whole exercise.
When will I have it? Give them your inspection deadline. You need the report early enough to get a contractor's quote before that date, not on the last afternoon.
Will you seal the holes, and do you need anything from the seller? The inspector should seal each probe hole afterwards. Because the test drills into the wall, get the seller's permission in writing before the appointment, and tell the inspector you have it.
What does the price include? Ask how many probe locations are included, whether the written report is extra, and what a return visit costs if more testing is needed.
Red flags on the phone
- They offer a clean bill of health before seeing the house.
- They quote a repair price before they've tested anything.
- They can't name their credential or who issued it.
- They can't get you a report before your deadline, and don't seem bothered by that.
None of these proves bad work. Each is a reason to call the next name on your list.
Once the report is in
The readings decide your next move: proceed, ask for a repair or credit, or walk away. Should you buy a house with EIFS? explains how to read the three broad outcomes and what to get in writing before your deadline.