Reddi-Wall

This review is for the company itself, Reddi-​Wall, and its recommended installer. I used this company’s forms about 13 years ago for another build I general contracted and had the best installer. Late last year after being unable to find the previous installer, I hired another one recommended by Reddi Wall — Mike Hugler from Per-​Form, Inc. who did the work for my current ICF basement. He set up a footing inspection and passed but then I discovered he did not go 42″ below grade for the footing for walk-​out door (unfortunately inspector missed!). He alleges it was not in original prints sent for bidding purposes even though final ones were sent to him and construction prints were available. This guy has done this for 20 years or so? This is Michigan and all footings need to be below the frost line. How could he have missed this or failed to ask if there was any discrepancy? He was either completely trying to pull a fast one or incredibly stupid. Excavator (yes the excavator, not installer) took the time to dig down under the footings to the proper depth at which time more concrete was poured to adhere to Michigan building code. The excavator felt somewhat responsible although it is *not* the excavator’s responsibility to (nor can he) dig a 42″ trench for a walkout. When it was time to fill ICF walls with concrete, Per-​Form, Inc. didn’t call for inspection and didn’t ask if there should be one. He filled the walls with no inspection and then said it was my responsibility (even though he set up footing inspection himself previously). I have an unusual metal floor truss that he was supposed to help me determine the best way to insulate the concrete floor on it, but didn’t. The metal floor truss company even took the time to call Reddi Wall headquarters to discuss options and was assured the installer would help. After these shenanigans, I called and spoke to Bob, the owner of Reddi Wall, and was essentially told that Mike Hugler has been doing this for years and everything was my fault. If some cities require inspection and some don’t before filling the walls, it would be a good idea for any installer to either ask the general contractor to check or find out for themselves. Subsequent contractors complained about the unevenness and inconsistencies in the wall which is always annoying. The vertical tracks for nailing weren’t installed high enough and it became difficult to screw necessary forms the to the sides of the ICF walls for the forming of the first floor deck. When the vertical tracks were used for other purposes, they yanked right out of the form rendering them useless! Either they were not installed properly or it’s a design flaw. In addition, he read the prints wrong and made an area of the footing too small which had to be fixed later. Not anything that couldn’t be fixed, but it was about the second or third thing he had to fix. Had he actually had a co-​worker with him helping as he said he would, perhaps two heads could have caught any mistakes. I did not notice it myself. But someone like him early on certainly has opened my eyes to double and triple check contractors’ work!
So maybe if you’re a builder who has done this a thousand times, you can deal with this installer and company, but if you build once a decade, this guy is not going to take charge and do what needs to be done.