Hey everyone, I've got an 11-year-old house with James Hardie siding that's starting to bow and crack in several places. After getting some siding contractors to take a look, they've all advised me to completely replace the siding, which will cost between $80,000 and $100,000. One even used a drone to survey and found about 40% of the panels with hairline cracks. My main concern is whether there are any options besides a full re-install. I really want to protect my investment, but I might only be in this house for another three years. Here are some pics showing the issues I've found: [https://imgur.com/a/FgvMjVe](https://imgur.com/a/FgvMjVe) from Seattle, WA.
2 Answers
Have you thought about whether you really want to stick with Hardie Board? There are other cement board products out there that might be cheaper and easier to maintain. Metal siding could also be an option. Hardie can get pricey and has its maintenance needs, so exploring alternatives could save you some cash!
That’s a tough situation! James Hardie typically has a 20-year warranty, so if the installation was really poor, you might want to consider looking into legal action against the contractors. It could be worth your time since you’d potentially have a case for damages. Just be careful—if your original builder didn’t have any kind of warranty, it might complicate things a bit. Maybe reach out to Hardie directly to see if they can assist you with anything?
I spoke with a real estate lawyer about this, and they suggested you might be out of luck without a warranty from the builder. However, reaching out to James Hardie might yield some results if you can get your builder to verify you have their products. Good luck!
I get that Hardie is a premium brand, but do you know of any specific alternatives that work well in heat and rain? I’m in NE Florida and looking for the most durable options.