James Hardie Siding Installation Inspection

Specific Inspection Topics Exterior Inspections
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Howdy,

I recently had James Hardie horizontal lap siding (HardiePlank) installed on my home in the north Austin, TX area and I’m looking for a qualified inspector to perform a thorough post-installation review.

Specifically, I’d like someone experienced with James Hardie products who can check the installation against the manufacturer’s guidelines (clearances, flashing at butt joints, proper overlaps, fastening, WRB integration, etc.) to help ensure warranty compliance and long-term performance.

If you’re a CMI or have significant experience inspecting fiber cement/Hardie siding installs, please let me know:

• Your availability in the next couple of weeks

• Rough cost for a focused exterior siding inspection

• Any relevant background or examples of similar Hardie inspections you’ve done

I can provide the specific installation instructions for my Hardie Zone and access to the property. Photos of the work can be shared in advance if helpful.

Thanks in advance — I appreciate any recommendations

Edit: The home is a two-story 1,900 sq ft house. The exterior features 16 squares (1,600 sq ft) of 1x8 James Hardie horizontal lap siding. The back of the house is fully sided, the sides are approximately 50/50 siding and stone, and the front is partially sided on the second story along with the chimney area. includes James hardie soffit and fascia, two front gables, and trim on all windows and doors where the siding meets them.I’d like the inspection to cover all of these areas—including the siding, soffit, fascia, gables, window trim, and flashing—to ensure everything meets James Hardie manufacturer guidelines and best practices. Also, Installed direct-to-WRB-over-OSB.

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Hi Al, I wish you luck with locating a qualified person to help you out.

Don’t be mad, any relation?

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Sorry, I just had to…………..

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How about home size and some pictures of the installation to go on?

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How do you add multiple pictures? For some reason it only lets you upload one photo.

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You are a “non member guest “ Register and you can post more

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Is “registration” behind a paywall?

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Mr. Cawhern,

Thank you — I appreciate the well wishes!

If you (or anyone you know) happens to be available or familiar with James Hardie lap siding inspections in the Cedar Park / Austin area, I’d be very interested. The project includes 16 squares of 1x8 horizontal lap siding on a two-story 1,900 sq ft home, with full back coverage, 50/50 sides with stone, partial second-story front siding, chimney, soffit/fascia above the garage, front gables, and Door/window trim.

I have photos ready and can share more details privately. Thanks again!

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They didn’t follow instructions around the pipe.

James Hardie Install.pdf (3.4 MB)

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It looks like a typical hack job, that’s what you get with the younger generation of carpenters. I could go on,

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You need to call the roofers back on this one, not the siding installers.

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Thanks for looking at the photos and for the feedback, Lon.

I appreciate you pointing out the area around the pipe. I agree it doesn’t look like they followed the manufacturer’s instructions there.

I’ve attached another photo of another pipe penetration. Would you be able to take a quick look and let me know how significant the issue is and what the proper correction should be per the James Hardie guidelines (referencing the Install.pdf you mentioned)?

I’m trying to get a clear understanding of what needs to be fixed by the siding crew. Any recommendations or details you can share are very helpful.

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Thanks again!

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Thanks for taking a look at the gable area photo, Mr. Currins.

I appreciate the quick feedback. Just to clarify — the roofers have already completed their work, and this gable area was finished as part of the James Hardie siding package (including the siding, trim, flashing, drip edge and transitions).

Would you recommend I still reach out to the roofing crew for this, or is this something a siding contractor should address? I’m trying to figure out the best next step for getting it corrected under the right trade.

I’ve attached one additional photo of the chimney area for comparison. Would you mind taking a quick look at that one as well? Do you still recommend I call the roofers back, or is this something the siding contractor should handle?

Any advice on the best next step is appreciated. Thanks again!

Any additional advice is welcome — thanks again!

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It’s not compliant. Here’s the thing. Hardie has zero tolerance for installations that are not to the letter of the instructions if you ever try to make warranty claim. So, it comes down to what will the contractor warrant and will they stand behind the work for any installation that isn’t perfect.
Practically speaking, the penetration in that photo can be sealed with caulk and be good, but they did an inadequate job with the caulking.

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Thanks for the detailed feedback, Lon. I really appreciate you taking the time to review the pictures.

You’re right — I’m concerned about long-term warranty compliance because James Hardie is very strict about installations following their instructions exactly. The contractor is a big box store, and they strongly disagree with me that the work is non-compliant. They are currently standing behind their installation as-is.

I’ve attached a zoomed-in variation of the same pipe penetration photo so you can clearly see the failed caulking. Additionally, none of the penetrations (pipes, vents, electrical boxes, etc.) appear to be properly weatherproofed — they simply cut large rough holes in the OSB and vapor barrier wherever there was a penetration.

My goal is to obtain a professional independent inspection report that I can pair with a letter from my attorney. This will hopefully persuade the contractor to bring the installation up to James Hardie’s standards so my warranty remains fully intact.

Do you think the current issues (especially the penetrations and caulking) can be corrected relatively easily by the siding crew, or would this require more extensive rework? Any advice on how best to approach the contractor with these findings would be extremely helpful.

Thanks again, Sir!

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They failed the first time, and likely haven’t learned any different skills since the initial installation.

So it’s possible, but I imagine there’ll be a number of sections that have to be removed and re-worked. Experience has shown them that if they say no to customers (the ones that complain) enough, they won’t have to redo anything.

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What Dominic said. The good news is that if you are talking about Home Depot or Lowes, they are likely to be around in the future with the pockets to pay for an installation failure where 99% of the problems with Hardie arise. The bad news is they will likely be dragged kicking and screaming to any kind of settlement.

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Thanks again, Lon.

I’ve attached another photo showing the exterior hooded dryer exhaust vent and hooded bathroom exhaust vent. The holes are roughly cut into the OSB with no proper weatherproofing. The hoods themselves aren’t sealed to the wall and are fully exposed to the elements. They also aren’t connected to the actual exhaust pipes inside.

Would you mind taking a quick look at this one too and sharing your thoughts on compliance and recommended fixes?

Appreciate it!

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Second photo.

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