Sure it meets code, it's not ideal. Why do you need to support your position -just say what you want and his job is to do it.

Yes, pprioroh, under normal/usual circumstances I would do just that.

However, because the rebuild is being primarily paid for by the insurance company - they want to keep costs to a minimum.

I have already incurred HUGE out of pocket costs because the insurance co was unwilling to pay for actual replacement costs (even though I have "replacement" coverage and have not exceeded my coverage limits), so I am trying to limit "upgrades" that will put me further in debt.

Spray foam the space. You can do this yourself if you wanted to. There are spray foam kits a hardware stores for the DIYer.

iFG batts "meet code."

Same here under a different Code. If the house that burned down had spf in the rims you might have a case. Otherwise, it seems all you can do is rip it out after it's done and apply spf, diy or by a pro.

Thank you, worthy.

Was not impressed by the online reviews for the DIY SF kits. Can you recommend a good one?

The bizarre part is my roof got spray foam in order to meet R-values with the old 2x4 construction (house is 100 yrs old). Fire dept did not put enough holes in the roof to require the entire roof to be rebuilt; just 25%. Also, insurance did not care about matching shingles, so I paid for 75% of new shingles.

Wow, can you tell me what insurance you have, so I can make sure I don't have the same company!

The diy spray foam kits require pro skills and preparation, so I've always left it up to the pros. As Harry Callahan says, "A man's got to know his limitations."

pprioroh - I think they should say, "you are NOT in good hands." See attached document.

Again, thank you worthy. That is what I thought. Unfortunately, limitations include financial. Am thinking of DIY cutting pieces of xps and using great stuff around the edges.

Here is a link that might be useful: insurance companies

I would disagree with the foam statement - I did a DIY foam spray in my attic and it wasn't hard. You could definitely do a rim project as DIY. However it's not cheap. I had to tear out some icynene and was replacing foam.

Thanks pprioroh. Can you tell me what product you used?

I think cutting xps and spray foaming the edges and also the spray foaming the sill plate to the concrete is a good way. Uses less spray foam but still gets you the airtight seal you need. My basement was a LOT warmer after I did this. There was just batt there before, I just stuck the batt back after the spray foam cured. I used spray foam cans.

This post was edited by Vith on Wed, Feb 4, 15 at 13:43

I used the foam it green company.

Thank you pprioroh! The amazon and link below reviews look good.

http://blog.trebacz.com/2012/09/diy-spray-foam-insulation-foam-it-green.html

Very DIY-friendly? I used two layers of 2" thick XPS. Total R20. Did it about a month ago. I ripped the sheets to width on a table saw then cut to length with the sharpened edge of a putty knife.

I have TJIs for floor joists, so I notched out the four corners of each piece of foam for a snug fit around the projection of the TJI flanges. Fit tight as a drum. And the installation was surprisingly fast.

Originally I was going to cut the XPS slightly small, set them in place, then foam around the edges. But for grins I tried friction fit. Worked great.

The DIY foam kits work well for something like rim joists. But have the entire area cleared out with easy access. With the nozzles on those kits, once you start foaming you don't want to stop. Any delays that cost you a couple of minutes can result in a clogged or partially clogged nozzle.

Thanks mongoct! "Surprisingly fast" is exactly what I wanted to hear.

I also used a DIY foam kit. It was Dow Frothpak. Worked well. Have to apply it in the summer when the rim joist wood is warm so the foam will cure properly. Agree with the comment above that you have be completely ready to go and finish the job without a break. It really wasn't too messy either. I sprayed about two inches in depth in each bay then placed pieces of Roxul insulation to fill up the bay. The foam is a Class 1 fire retardant, according to Dow, but the Roxul serves as an additional fire and thermal barrier.

Thank you reed_nj. Am annoyed the following was done by my builder since it "met code" and approved by the village inspector. Will probably be even more annoyed when I rip it out to redo it "right."

"http://i847.photobucket.com/albums/ab33/md-ln/2e49af4c240528f0057d7631dc6b7875_zps328d2a64.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" />

Believe me, we've all been through having to make things "right" after a contractor finishes a job. Don't let it get to you. Doing it right yourself will give you a great sense of satisfaction! Good luck.