Ross:  I hope that you have read the updates to this situation and see it for what it really is.  Please don't give up on the SIP's because of an unjust complaint.  The owner of Thermocore put his number in his remarks below. Give him a call if you were thinking on their product.  Have fun with your SIP project!  If/when you have questions, bring them here. There are many SIP-types eager to support you.

John
PanelStar Custom Homes

Jelly;

all these radius' are on the front of the same house

This is a beautiful house.  I especially like the wood finish garage doors. They look authentic in the arched frame.

Nice!

I am following the story as told in this forum. I see its important to have the manufacture install the panels if that service is offered. I am still determind to use sips. Any info on the cost of installation? (2400 sq' gable style home)

Installations can vary greatly from $1.50 to $4.00 per sq. ft. of panel, depending on size  and complexity of job, if a crane is needed or not.

Kevin;

why don't you just sue him and save us all your sour grapes! because you made a bad choice

Does not look like that is possible. If the claims were true, he would have hired a structural engineer to do an analysis with a detailed report and testify as an expert witness in court. It smells like extortion to me. Or, it could be the result of a limited intellect reaching far beyond it's means.

Sooner or later I hope to see the company owner take legal action to protect his company reputation and minimize damages from this.

My opinion.

John

For the record our crews DID go to Kevin's house to inspect. I can assure you that if there was a defect we would have promptly made any and all repairs to Kevin's house. Kevin has never contacted me to discuss how to make any repairs to his home.

Kevin knows where I can be reached to talk about his house. For that matter if ANYONE would like to talk about this house or any past or future projects please feel free to call me. We would be happy to share the panel drawings for this project. You are also welcome to come and visit our plant to see how we manufacture panels and talk about our third party inspection process and review our records.

Kevin;

what do you think is defective about the panel?

I had heard about panels bowing with temperature fluctuations, but then you hear a lot of stuff and have to filter it out. Is that a common problem?

Again....here are the facts.

We have already, two years ago, gone out to see Kevins house. We found no defective panels. Again, Thermocore went out and visited Kevin's house. We found no defective panels. This finding would mesh with the fact that Kevin and his family have lived in this house for 2 years. I have spoken with Kevin's builder and he informed me of many things about this project and Kevin most importantly that this house has passed every inspection. I invite Kevin to call me at 317-831-8888 so that we can further discuss this issue. Kevin has not made any contact with me in over a year. I have not seen an indepentant report by an engineer stating that out panels are defective.

Kevin did not use our install crew to install his panels.
No one called us to report any issues with any of the panels we manufactured prior or during install
Some of the panels were cut into with out the knowledge of Thermocore during install.
Panels will, as all wood based manufactured products are prone to do, expand and contract with te change in seasons. It is not a defect but rather a reality of dealing with wood. Polyurethane foam is very stable even in extreme temps. OSB on the other hand does have a coeffcient of expansion that can lead to a slight bow. If our install proceedures are followed one can midigate the bowing. It is not a defect.

I invite Kevin to call me and we can talk about his house.

My previous post about suggestions did not make it in.

In a nut shell..

Kevin - ACTING ON ANY SUGGESTIONS YOU AGREE THAT I AM IN NO WAY LIABLE FOR ANYTHING, PERIOD. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS THEN YOU MUST DO NOTHING.

Check the panel engineering drawings closely. Compare the drawings with the actual installation. Compare each and every panel. measure each of them. Make sure each panel is installed in the location it is engineered for. Look for anything out of place. Specifically, look for load bearing points. Can you post the drawings for us to look at? I will offer suggestions, without assuming any liability what-so-ever! AGAIN: BY ACTING ON ANY SUGGESTIONS YOU AGREE THAT I AM IN NO WAY LIABLE FOR ANYTHING, PERIOD. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS THEN YOU MUST DO NOTHING.

The reason is I offer this exercise: Frankly, we are tired of your subjective claims that come with no supporting evidence or objective facts. You obviously don't realize this, but you spill the beans on yourself in your own website. I have copied it with a website grabber for future reference and educational purposes. The pages are also cached in at least one search engine that I know of.

If you truly believe in what you say, then help this forum understand the facts. Not doing these things imply to this forum that you have zero credibility. "IF" it turns out that the cause of the problem is in fact a manufacturer defect, then you will have a greater audience and an elevated negotiating stance. Are you ready to let the facts be known?

Now that this challenge is presented to you, you have no alternative but to cooperate, review the installation against the engineering drawings and present this forum with facts. Ready to man up?

Review the drawings and have them posted in this forum. If you do not have electronic versions of the drawings, ask the manufacturer to post them here. My guess is that he will agree.

1. Compare the drawings with the actual installation. Were all roof panels installed in the correct location? Were all of the wall panels installed in the correct location? I ask because sometimes various panels may "look" similar, but are engineered different. Some may have support structures inside and others not. The loads from above must be transmitted to the foundation exactly as specified by the engineer.

2. Were there any cuts, trims, bends, snips or any other type of activity applied to any panels that would alter the panel from the original as delivered condition in any way? Example: Someone cut into a panel to install an electric wire, cable TV, telephone cable? Were holes drilled other than described by the in the engineers directions. Were any modifications what-so-ever, no matter how small or perceived insignificant made to any panel or other component delivered from the manufacturer?

3. What kind of roof system is on your house? Panels with support built in? Panels resting on trusses? Panels resting on 2X rafters? Panels resting on timber frame?

4. How are the interior walls attached to the exterior panels? Describe in detail. Take pictures and post to this forum.

5. Take many more pictures from all points of view, angles heights, and consider proper lightin. And this time, get close and show clear detail. Not like the distant pictures you've posted so far. They show nothing but you placing a post along the outside of a house. Is that really your house?

6. Review the physical installation and take measurements. Compare the installed conditions to the engineered drawings. Are there any unsupported point loads? Example: In a stick framed house a wood stud is usually underneath a truss or rafter. Do your loads line up with the support structure in the walls?

7. The wall that you claim is "spooning". Is it on the south side of the house?

That should be enough to give a good start. IF you refuse to do these things, it proves what you're all about. If you chose to do these things and report factual and highly detailed findings, pictures and information to this forum, you will gain some credibility. But if you continue to report vague defamatory information, it will speak volumes about you and your story.

We're interested in your response.

John

Thermocorereps;

I suspect the installer cut something they were not supposed to on an a skin, which is now covered and causing the bow. Drywall or siding is not going to hold it together.

HVAC noise.. any number of possible issues from, too close to house, or under a window, or refrigerant lines in contact with a structural member - telegraphing noise thru the house.

We don't know! These are things that an experienced GC will watch out for and a DIY learns the hard way

It seems thermocore has extended the invite several times to Kevin to help towars resolution?

The challenge was issued. The silence is revealing.

We have been back out to Kevins house. Kevins house is 100 yards away from Interstate 55. You can google his address here. 8316 Iron Horse Ln Springfeild, IL. Kevin has a lot of highway noise. While the panels are helping he still has noise. Any ideas to deaden the sound?? He has brick on part of the house and that seems to help. Anything else that can help??

Well, that's an obvious source of major noise. But gee, did he really give you permission to publish his home address in a public internet forum?

a fast growing row of hedges, will help buffer sound

He's not close he is on top of it!

During the site visit to the house did you happen to take closeup pictures of the so called "spooning" wall? Any indication of buckling, cracking or broken drywall at the connection to or in the ceiling? Was it possible to check that all wall and roof panels are in the right place? Very curious situation where the facts would be helpful to anyone following or who may read this in the future.

I cannot imagine building a house that close to an Interstate not believing there wouldn't be a continuous rumble. I lived between Jimmy Carter Blvd. and Oakbrook Parkway In Norcross, GA. As a crow flies; I'm guessing about 250-300 yards from Interstate 85, maybe more. The rumble was ALWAYS present. You get used to it or move to the sticks.

John
PanelStar Custom Homes

We did look at the panels. All of the panel changes are related to seasonal expansion and contraction of the OSB. This is common amounst all panels. We have found it to be more pronounced in panels that have gotten wet during install. Proper fastening of interior walls eliminates this issue.