I was looking at a house today and noticed a lot of cracks in the Hardie board on 3 sides of the house. I am assuming it is from improper installation (2014) but was wondering if this was something that would need to be fixed or is it mostly an esthetic issue?
Thank you in advance.
Looks like improper installation, lack of butt end gaps!
IMO, entire home needs resided.
Suggest current homeowner check/verify his warranty, and have it resided prior to buyer taking possession!
Also, (don’t know how but heard it’s possible…) to check if homeowners insurance has already paid out and the owner pocketed the $$$$!!
Also looks like a lack of flashing above the windows.
This.
or is it mostly an esthetic issue?
Not this
That doesn’t look like Hardie Plank. It looks like Certainteed which has a class-action over this exact thing. Was the bottom edges of the planks rounded or squared? Rounded is Hardie and squared is probably Certainteed.
^^^^^ That.
Morning, Zach. Welcome to the InterNACHI forum.
Did the veneer/siding appear wavy from end to end.
I would report; Poorly installed siding.
Cracks are vertically aligned with wall studs. Buckled between studs. No room for expansion/contraction. Nailed too tightly.
Poor ground clearance.
Refer to a siding or general contractor for repairs/replacement.
Good, no great information to know, Lon.
Thanks.
Robert
Looks like that was 10 years ago or is there another one brewing? CertainTeed Agrees to $103.9M Defective Siding Class Action Settlement - Top Class Actions
And it looks like February of this year was the deadline to file a claim, so it becomes a bigger and more expensive defect for homeowners/sellers now.
Certainteed & LP both = high grade cardboard siding.
That siding is well beyond a cosmetic issue.
Best to just leave brand out of any conversation on something like this.
A few years ago, a competitor of mine told a buyer that the crumbling shingles on the home they were buying were Certainteed organic and not to worry since they would be covered under a recall. The home was being sold as is. The buyers went through with the sale. After moving in, they filed a claim just like the inspector instructed them. Big problem since they were just worn-out Owens Corning shingles. Even bigger problem was that the inspector was telling everyone that he had E&O insurance, when in reality he only had GL. When he received notice of the lawsuit, he immediately closed his business. I have no idea what happened with the lawsuit as he had an LLC.
It depends on what you know, but how you word comments matter.
When I see a house as depicted in the OP’s photo (and I see it once a year), I reported before the Certainteed lawsuit closed,
" Cracked fiber cement siding appears to be Certainteed which has a class action lawsuit regarding this defect."
The key verb there is “appears.”
Now that the lawsuit is closed, there is no reason to add the brand name to a report because there no recourse. I will just report the condition.
The inspector’s problem was less a mis-identification of the shingles than instructing the buyers that there was nothing to worry about and they could file a claim after moving in. He would have avoided a lawsuit (or at least had a defensible position) if he had only reported that the shingles appeared to be Certainteed organic which has a class action lawsuit and stopped there. Advising clients that anything can be taken care of or repaired or replaced after they close and take possession is bad, bad…really bad advice.
In my opinion, there are always a few inspectors that want to be the hero by giving a false sense of hope that the buyer will not have to pay for a major expense. Sometimes when it comes to narratives, less is more.
There are multiple comments throughout the years on here that claim that you should never use the word, “appears”. In this case, I can see where appears could get you in trouble.
Talking brands is fine if you know what you’re talking about. Saying things like what’s quoted above is beyond mind blowing. I have often talked/worked with inspectors that just don’t understand the possible downside of things they are saying and this is a perfect example.
How do you see that “appears” could get you in trouble? For almost 24 years, I’ve used “appears” for many suspected problems or conditions. Maybe I’ve been lucky, but I don’t think so. Unless someone can show me that I’m wrong, I am a strong advocate for using the term “appears.”
Ask the seller to provide a copy of the C.L.U.E. report for the home.
To answer your original question. Broken siding is not an aesthetic problem. Damaged pieces should be replaced.
I find the recall information helpful because it illuminates a possible defective product installed near the time this home was built. Similar issues would be poly piping up to the early 90’s, Atlas Chalet shingles around 2000-2005 or Chinese drywall around 2000-2010. It helps an inspector be on high alert. Just be careful what you put in the report.
