Sloppy work and siding nailed the wrong way, they didn't clean up the surface after using the filler and left the build-up on the surface.

On the siding itself, you shouldn't have nail holes visible, the siding is nailed under overlapped course of siding so you don't see the nail holes.

Thanks I appreciate your advise. The solution our builder offered us last year was he'd have the house painted. This was an expensive home for us to build and we wanted low maintenance.
My husband choose this builder because he was the president of the local building association. Not sure how to deal with this the builder as he will no longer return our calls.

Do I name him? Overall he's been a huge disappointment! From a distance our house looks good. This year the siding looks even worse than last year as it looks chalky on the touch-up areas.. Our home is just two years old. As a designer myself who goes out of the way to ensure my clients are happy I am frustrated as Heck!

Thanks for the feedback.

It's a beautiful home and they should have done a much better job. You shouldn't have waited so long to resolve this, the longer you wait the harder becomes to get him to do anything.

At this point, I would document all the issues, pictures, etc get a few local contractors to give you estimates how much will it take to correct all the issues, and contact your attorney and have him send the builder a letter saying, that if this matter is not resolved you will take him to court. IMO this is the only option you have.

Good luck

BKID:

Sorry, but your exposed fasteners are the least of your problems. The shingles must be removed and replaced with a minimum lap of 1 1/2" between joints in successive courses per manufacturer's specifications. It appears your shingles exceed Hardie's 1/4" maximum spacing too. Your shingles are leaking, I promise. Figure 19.

This is so egregious I would check everything this builder's done in the whole house per specification and code. I would also check my neighbor's homes; he probably used the same Craigslister sub. When your lawyer starts talking class action lawsuit, he'll start returning your calls, believe me.

horrible job :(

Yes I agree and I appreciate your opinion.

Yikes. Not good, and not a quality level Hardie would want to see on its products. You may have recourse through Hardie if the builder is one of their certified installers.

Thanks, we can't believe our builder won't fix it either. Obviously he has no pride in his workmanship! I will contact Hardie and check.

We have hired an inspector to inspect the entire house. I have no confidence in this builder. He doesn't understand the service level required for a custom house.

Our builder has offered to come back and paint the trim board. A good gesture on his part at least.

BKID:

While I'm happy you're getting a response, you need much more than a "good gesture".

You have improperly installed siding and not just over two courses but in your small picture I can see two places that are out-of-specification over three courses. Wind-blown rain is going to penetrate the shingles. This is actually worse than no shingles, because the shingles keep the trapped rain from evaporating. You are on the road to mold and rot; I'm not exaggerating.

Your builder does not have an argument with me or you. He's arguing with James Hardie, and he's losing. You are going to suffer serious loss if you don't get serious with your builder immediately.

That's great advise. We have an appointment with the inspector on Friday.

Belinda, yes- stop any and all calls/emails to contractor. Check your contract/Builder's Warranty. Send a letter- registered mail, return receipt- with your concerns. Include pictures. Cheap. and your contractor cannot ignore it, unless he has flown the coop.

Hopefully, you had a lawyer on this from the beginning. If not, get one. Will be expensive, but you are looking at a total loss, sometime in the near future. Not only is this improperly laid/installed, it's painted poorly. You will, in the near future, take on water/mold.

Once upon a time, Hardie Plank was involved in a class action lawsuit in the NW. We were part of it. The inspector came out, declared our siding a total loss. Small house (1800 sq ft, interior, one story) and we got a check for $14K. Lol. We power washed the house, mold corrected, got a couple of install issues/boards fixed. Then we painted it- by hand, thick, two layers. Kept most of the money, just on paint protection alone.

Your install is improper, and the paint job does absolutely NOTHING to protect the siding. Get in this now, with your contractor. He/she isn't your friend, but an adversary who is trying to blow you off.

Don't let it happen, or prepare to replace it all, very soon.

Joseph--Just a point of clarification re: the 1/4" spacing to which you refer in Fig. 19: It looks like (and Belinda, please correct me if I'm wrong)

HARDIESHINGLE® STAGGERED EDGE PANELS were used (see Fig. 15). Do you agree? I'd hate for Belinda to lose her argument based on a technicality, because the rest of the job really does suck! ;)

Thanks you make a few excellent points!

Certainly would not defend this installation, it is bad. But for others that may be considering this product, we have not found it to work well. We end up painting it anyway so in the long run it is way too expensive.

Sammy: It doesn't matter, the rule is the same even if the illustration isn't

"(figs 15 & 17). Ensure keyways do not line up on subsequent courses.".

I can assure you that a wind-driven raindrop will find no difference in the specifications or drawings.

Thanks

Wow, that's one ugly job. Definitely go after the builder.

Joseph, I think you misunderstood what I was talking about.

"The shingles must be removed and replaced with a minimum lap of 1 1/2" between joints in successive courses per manufacturer's specifications."

Agreed!

It's this part I was talking about:

"It appears your shingles exceed Hardie's 1/4" maximum spacing too."

If the product they're using are the Staggered Edge PANELS (as opposed to singles) then the spacing between each keyway is built in (except, of course, where the edges of two panels meet).

thanks

The paint used on the hardie is baked in at the factory. When adding touchuo paint to the hardie after installation it will fade and discolor from exposure to the sun and elements faster than the baked in color will. To bad that the touch up kits supplied by hardie are often way larger than needed. I found that using a q-tip to do the touchups on nail heads etc works best and anything that needs something larger to do touchups with should be replaced because after a couple years you will be able to see what was painted and what wasnt. Often installers are unaware they are even doing this as they dont see the product 3 years later and are using the supplied kits by hardie.

Uh Churchill. This a 3 1/2 year old post.

Thank you for the advise!

I know this is an old post but i have a similar situation wuth a house i m in contract to buy. its a remodel home and inspector says siding is installed wrong. unclear if seller will fix. i was also told most homes with these siding are done incorrectly and it would be impossible to buy a home without this issue.

Was the reason for the improper ground clearance? It should be a min of 8" what else did he say was wrong.

There is also the code that lap siding should have vertical flashing at butt joints that not many take the time to do it was that the issue?.

IRC R703.10.2 requires lap siding to have:

1. A minimum vertical overlap of 1 ¼ inch and

2. One of the following butt joint treatments:

a) Joint Flashing,

b). Caulking, or

c). “H” jointer covers

Not only the code, the manufacturer also specifies a 6"wide joint flashing should overlap the lower course by 1" or maybe your local codes require a different size flashing or anything in addition to that.

Your inspector should specify what the code violation is so you know what needs to be done.

Connie, it looks like GN builders is offering you very good advise.