Hi Gary. This is our Artisan® lap siding and the corners are mitered. You can find out more about the corner details here: http://www.artisanluxury.com/exterior_cornerdetail.shtml

my GC tells me its a lot of work to miter the corners and will cost much more for labor in terms of time- is this so?

Installation may take longer since the miter cuts would need to be made. In terms of cost, that is something that would need to be worked out with your contractor. If you would like more information regarding Artisan installation, please fill out the contact form on our website and someone will connect you with an installation specialist. http://www.jameshardie.com/Product-Support/Contact-Us

As an Elite Preferred James Hardie Remodeler, mitered corner cuts on Hardie Artisan are more time consuming versus using the HardieTrim for corners and butting the planks against the trim. Hardie installers will be a little more costly for this type of labor, but it is worth the investment. The Artisan product is more costly than standard plank and takes a little more time to work with regardless of corners, but the outcome is fantastic! Please post pictures when the work is complete!