CHARLOTTE — Myna Watford says she bought her house in the Riverpark Community in Mount Holly in 2020 and it was new construction.
“Probably around year two or three, I noticed hairline fractures and cracks within the siding,” she told Action 9 attorney Jason Stoogenke.
She showed Action 9 that some of her neighbors seem to have the same issue.
[ RELATED >> Homeowners in second neighborhood say siding cracking on fairly new houses ]
Action 9 started investigating this issue more than two years ago. Since then, dozens of homeowners in communities across the Charlotte area -- Locust, Monroe, and Statesville -- have complained to him about Allura siding.
“As a company, you can’t stand by the product that you produced so that’s very much problematic,” Watford said.
Watford says Allura offered her 13 new boards and she’d have to pay to install them.
“I did not take them up on that offer,” she said.
So Stoogenke went to work for her.
Allura emailed Action 9, saying: “We understand how important a home is to a family, and at Allura, we take every customer concern seriously. Each warranty claim is reviewed individually and with care. Siding products, like all building materials, can be affected by a range of factors beyond our control. When a claim is submitted to our warranty department, our standard process includes a thorough review of the claimant’s documentation and supporting evidence. When appropriate, a qualified specialist is dispatched to inspect the siding and assess the situation firsthand. This process allows us to accurately identify the source of any issue and fully understand the concern. Allura’s limited warranty outlines the evaluation framework that guides this process. While these guidelines inform our decisions, our approach is rooted in respect, transparency, and thoughtful review. Regarding your inquiry about Ms. Myna Watford, we are actively reviewing her concerns and working with her to address them in accordance with our established evaluation process. We appreciate the trust that builders and homeowners place in Allura when selecting our fiber cement siding products. With a U.S. presence since 2014 and more than 70 years of corporate experience in building materials manufacturing, Allura stands behind the quality of its products and remains committed to addressing concerns with professionalism, care, and integrity.”
It took a few more weeks, but Watford said that about a month later, the business replaced not just 13 boards, but more than 400 boards.
Stoogenke says no matter what company made your siding, be persistent. You may want to talk to a lawyer. And you can always reach out to him.
In a lot of these cases, the builder was the same: Smith Douglas Homes. So Action 9 emailed them for their thoughts on Allura siding. They said this is between the homeowner and Allura, not them, the builder.
Smith Douglas Homes said, in part: “Claims need to be addressed through the siding manufacturer, Allura. Allura will respond to each claim, inspect if necessary, and decide on the extent of coverage on a case-by-case basis. Homeowners must first make a claim on the Allura website. An inspection will be scheduled within a specified timeframe. The findings from the inspection will be forwarded to the individual making the claim, and any resolution determined will be communicated directly between Allura and the homeowner. Allura addresses each claim individually and is committed to honoring the warranty on their product. Again, the only way to initiate the process with Allura is to first file a claim on their website. As stated previously, this issue is not with the builder and communication needs to go through Allura.”
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