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Builder/siding company has not installed vinyl siding according to manufacturer specs. What are my options?

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Deal Addict
Jun 1, 2015
1446 posts
729 upvotes
Calgary, AB

Builder/siding company has not installed vinyl siding according to manufacturer specs. What are my options?

We bought a new house from a builder Dec 2017. A few months ago, after a wind storm in Calgary, part of our siding blew off. At first, the builder denied responsibility claiming the issue was weather related however after doing some research of my own, i reached out to the builder and politely made them aware that the siding had not been installed according to manufacturer guidelines. Eventually, they had the siding company repair the damaged siding. Attached pictures of the siding following the storm.

I also requested the builder to take off a couple strips of siding (randomly chosen) around the house to check if the siding was installed according to manufacturer spec in other areas and sure enough both random spots that were chosen had nails greater than 16 inches apart (mittens vinyl siding install guidelines state that fasteners/nails should be installed maximum 16 inches apart) however in the 2 random areas we checked, we found nails roughly 20 or so inches apart.

We are coming up in about 3 weeks to our 1 year warranty on the home and I am considering what my best course of action is at this point since it is likely safe to assume that a good portion of the vinyl siding has not been installed correctly based on the spots that were randomly checked.

My understanding is that the manufacturer for the siding will not cover damage to the siding if the damage is the result of faulty installation - this is a condition of their product warranty - for reference,

https://www.mittensiding.com/blog/how-c ... -correctly

https://www.mittensiding.com/documents/ ... ersion.pdf

I have expressed this concern to the builder - their response was that they (our builder) directly contacted the manufacturer (mittens) and that the manufacturer informed the builder that they (manufacturer) would still honor their material warranty for the siding, even with nails/fasteners used more than 16 inches apart in some areas. This statement from the builder contradicts the info I see on the manufacturers website on the pages I referenced above.

Curious what thoughts are on this matter - should we be asking the builder to remove all of our siding and install it according to manufacturer spec before our 1 yr warranty runs out or should i keep a record (in writing) of the builders claim that the manufacturer will warranty the material even without the installation guidelines not being met?
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9 replies
Deal Guru
May 1, 2012
10538 posts
11427 upvotes
Toronto
Find proof that the builder installed siding inadequately. File with whatever is equivalent to Tarion over in Alberta. Then hope they give a crap.
Deal Fanatic
Jan 15, 2017
5750 posts
6122 upvotes
Ottawa
Most definitely invoke the warranty on your new home. Have it all removed and installed correctly.
Deal Addict
Dec 17, 2007
2625 posts
1620 upvotes
Alliston, ON
Include it in your 1 year warranty report. Also ask the builder to provide written proof from the manufacturer that the siding installation doesn't void the warranty. They shouldn't have no problem with that request if they actually got the OK from the manufacturer
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Oct 19, 2008
7407 posts
2998 upvotes
Whitby
RigorMortis wrote: I also requested the builder to take off a couple strips of siding (randomly chosen) around the house to check if the siding was installed according to manufacturer spec in other areas and sure enough both random spots that were chosen had nails greater than 16 inches apart (mittens vinyl siding install guidelines state that fasteners/nails should be installed maximum 16 inches apart) however in the 2 random areas we checked, we found nails roughly 20 or so inches apart.

We are coming up in about 3 weeks to our 1 year warranty on the home and I am considering what my best course of action is at this point since it is likely safe to assume that a good portion of the vinyl siding has not been installed correctly based on the spots that were randomly checked.


I have expressed this concern to the builder - their response was that they (our builder) directly contacted the manufacturer (mittens) and that the manufacturer informed the builder that they (manufacturer) would still honor their material warranty for the siding, even with nails/fasteners used more than 16 inches apart in some areas. This statement from the builder contradicts the info I see on the manufacturers website on the pages I referenced above.
Not a siding expert but shouldn't it be nailed on the studs-so 16" apart. If siding is nailed 20" and at random lengths those nails will pull easily out of the sheathing, the nails need to be into studs to hold.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Jan 3, 2008
978 posts
268 upvotes
W.GTA
Zamboni wrote: Not a siding expert but shouldn't it be nailed on the studs-so 16" apart. If siding is nailed 20" and at random lengths those nails will pull easily out of the sheathing, the nails need to be into studs to hold.
Not for vinyl siding, more nails equal more holding power. Can't find the studs all the time, siding staples can be use to install Mitten siding - they are cheap and fast.
Koodo/Public Mobile
Deal Fanatic
Nov 18, 2005
5111 posts
1546 upvotes
Kitchener
toyorav4me wrote: Not for vinyl siding, more nails equal more holding power. Can't find the studs all the time, siding staples can be use to install Mitten siding - they are cheap and fast.
That Densglass or 1" foam board won't hold a nail
Sr. Member
User avatar
Jan 3, 2008
978 posts
268 upvotes
W.GTA
Drthorne wrote: That Densglass or 1" foam board won't hold a nail
I agree with you, I was answering Zamboni in a general sense. In OP case, striping should be install.
Koodo/Public Mobile
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Oct 19, 2008
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Whitby
toyorav4me wrote: Not for vinyl siding, more nails equal more holding power. Can't find the studs all the time, siding staples can be use to install Mitten siding - they are cheap and fast.
Like i said, I'm no expert but it was pretty easy to find/nail on studs the few times I installed siding. Might take a little effort and slow down the install on that first piece but you know when the nail didn't hit the stud....go to the next slot, find the stud and then tape that starter strip/ siding so stud location is known for siding pieces above on that wall.
Seems like 1 nail into a stud would have more holding power than a couple into sheathing, its not like builders use 3/4 ply as sheathing.
Deal Guru
Jan 25, 2007
12695 posts
7861 upvotes
Paris
Get a letter from Mitten acknowledging the warranty. 20” isn’t the end of the world. I’d be more concerned that they didn’t firm nail one end and leave the others loose which is typically the issue with siding installs.

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