I am building a house using Nudura ICFs for the foundation and basement, traditional 2x6 stick construction for the main living area. I am looking for a stucco look for the exterior. My builder is a Perma Crete advocate, but I have read stories about problems with non-traditional stucco-like products. Any advice given your experiences would be appreciated.

I don't know what Perma-Crete is exactly, but non-traditional stucco-like finishes seem to cost every bit as much as conventional stucco, which is the original no-maintenance siding material, if properly applied.

Without knowing what special conditions may exist on your house, I'd vote for conventional three-coat stucco, if you can find a mason who knows how to apply it. I have used both, and have had no problems over many years where I have used synthetic stucco, but the costs have become about equal, so I lean towards the conventional methods.

Perma Crete is a relatively new product; the company was founded in 1990 in Nashville, TN. A description is available at http://www.permacrete.com/history.php

I'm currently completing a home using Permacrete. It is a beautiful finish that is much stronger than traditional stucco. So much better in fact that we have switched to using it exclusively. It is the only ICC approved product of its kind. Don't mistake this product as an EIFS type product which has virtually no strength. Permacrete is the strongest and best product in its class on the market. I'm an old school guy but I know how to do product comparison and Permacrete came out on top. You can see this house at Http://mysite.verizon.net/vze424w3 or email me for information and pictures. With this being said, a product is only as good as its installer. Make certain that you hire a quality installation company.

check this out

I have a 200 foot long driveway and I was looking into permacrete. Do you know of any good contractors in the state of michigan that you would recommend to do a driveway?