Start with the list in the section’s opening designer note and confirm that the elevations and wall sections show each item: where the EIFS goes, whether it is Class PB or PM, the drainable system details, the joint layout, the R-value at each location, and where each impact resistance level applies. Then check that the sheathing board, insulation, and NFPA 285 fire test basis kept in the issued Section 07 24 00 match the wall types drawn, and that every flashing, opening, and parapet the shop drawings must detail is already shown on the architectural sheets.
Assemble the review package
Gather the exterior elevations with EIFS joint layout, the wall types and wall sections, the head, jamb, sill, base, parapet, soffit, and roof-to-wall details, the building expansion joint locations, the energy compliance documents with the envelope R-values, the code analysis showing whether an NFPA 285 tested assembly is required, the site plan showing loading docks, walkways, and areas of public access, and the issued Section 07 24 00 with Sections 05 40 00, 07 92 00, 01 45 00, and the flashing and sheet metal section. Review one elevation from base to parapet, including one window, before assuming the others are detailed the same way.
WBDG publishes UFGS 07 24 00: Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems as a public guide-specification reference (accessed October 28, 2026). Use your project’s issued specification and amendments for the actual comparison; the guide specification does not automatically govern your project. The checklist below is an original suggested review workflow, not a reproduction of the UFGS requirements.
Eight checks to run against the issued set
Use one record per location or system. The CSV contains the same eight prompts plus fields for source revisions, observed evidence, the review owner, the decision, and closure references.
| Check | Sources to compare | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| What the drawings must show | Opening designer note on drawing information + elevations + wall sections | Do the drawings show EIFS locations, the class, color, and finish texture, joint layout, joint and corner details, the R-value for each location, and the locations of each impact resistance level and each insulation thickness used for architectural features? |
| Class and drainable system | System Description and Requirements article + Thermal Insulation article drainage paragraph + wall sections | Does the issued section keep Class PB, Class PM, or both “as indicated,” and do the wall sections show a drainable system with drainage channels or a drainage spacer, rather than a barrier-type detail carried over from an older project? |
| Substrate and sheathing board | Sheathing Board, Fiber Reinforced Cement Sheathing Board, and Glass Mat Gypsum Sheathing Board articles + wall types + Section 05 40 00 | Does the sheathing called for on the wall types match the board the edited section keeps, with cement board only where the designer note calls for highly moisture resistant construction, and is the stud framing in Section 05 40 00 edited for the EIFS manufacturer’s tolerance? |
| Insulation board and R-value | Thermal Insulation and Insulation Board articles + wall sections + energy compliance documents | Is the R-value shown on the drawings for each EIFS location, as the article requires, and is any added insulation for reveals and bands drawn on top of a continuous layer, with any insulation beyond the EIFS layer specified in a separate section? |
| Fire test basis | Full Scale or Intermediate Scale Fire Test, Surface Burning Characteristics, and Radiant Heat articles + code analysis + wall types | If the code analysis says the wall needs an NFPA 285 tested assembly, does the tested assembly cover the sheathing, insulation, framing, and air and moisture barrier actually drawn, and is the wall fire test kept in the submittals? |
| Impact resistance zones | Impact Resistance article + elevations + site plan | Where more than one impact level is specified, do the elevations mark where each applies, such as ground floor walls with public access, and is EIFS kept off loading docks and areas exposed to vehicles, as the designer note advises? |
| Joints and sealant | Joint Sealing, Joint Sealant, and Backer Rod articles + elevations + joint details | Are expansion joints shown at building expansion joints, at substrate changes, and where significant structural movement occurs, are control joints shown for Class PM, and do the joint details show back wrapping, base coat, backer rod, and sealant? |
| Flashing and terminations | Shop Drawings and Installation articles + coordination designer note + head, sill, base, parapet, and roof details | Are flashings drawn at window and door heads, beneath sills, at roof-to-wall intersections, above projecting features, at parapet caps, and at the base of the wall, with drips at soffit edges, so the shop drawings detail what the architect already decided? |
Worked example: a barrier detail and no impact zones
Illustrative example: a two-story administration building uses EIFS on metal studs at a coastal installation. The issued Section 07 24 00 keeps Class PB and requires a drainable system, but the typical wall section shows insulation adhered directly to glass mat gypsum sheathing with no drainage channels, the elevations show no joint layout, and the ground floor entry wall beside a walkway has no impact resistance zone marked.
Ask the architect to revise the wall section to the drainable system the specification requires, to confirm whether the installation’s environmental severity classification calls for cement board instead of gypsum sheathing, to add the joint layout and expansion joints to the elevations, and to mark the ground floor impact resistance zone. Confirm that the NFPA 285 test report the contractor will submit covers the revised assembly.
Avoid a false conflict
Section 07 24 00 provides the sheathing when EIFS goes over new sheathing, but the studs and furring belong in Section 05 40 00, joint sealants may also appear in Section 07 92 00, and flashing is often specified in the sheet metal section, so check those before calling a requirement missing. Whether an NFPA 285 tested assembly is required depends on the building code adopted for the project and the wall construction; confirm it with the architect of record and the authority having jurisdiction.
When requirements disagree, follow the project’s document-control and clarification process. Do not assume that drawings always override specifications, or the reverse. Identify the exact sources and request an authorized decision.
Close the issue across the affected documents
Record the location or tag, drawing and specification references, issue dates, observed difference, and the decision needed. Assign an owner and keep the item open until the response identifies the governing requirement. Check the revised drawings and specification references together; a response email alone may leave the issued package inconsistent.
For the overall process, use the guide to drawing and specification conflicts. Mark an inapplicable checklist row with a reason, and distinguish a verified correction from a question that still needs design information.
Where Groundbook fits
Groundbook’s drawing and specification review helps investigate potential disagreements in the documents you supply. Include the relevant specification sections and drawing references, then verify the cited evidence with the responsible reviewers before acting on a finding.