Homeowners in another fairly new neighborhood upset color on siding is fading

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — From the butterflies to the flowers to the houses, The Farms in Mooresville is colorful.

But some residents such as Holly Keller say those hues are wearing thin, literally. “And it’s progressively getting worse,” Keller said.

According to an email chain she shared with Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke, one of her neighbors complained to the builder, Lennar. Lennar said the siding is HardiePlank and to contact the company that makes it, James Hardie. James Hardie told him it was not its problem either, that someone must have used touch-up paint. But Keller’s neighbor writes, no, the siding wasn’t “treated in any way.”

“It kind of goes back and forth,” Keller said.

Keller says she complained to both Lennar and James Hardie as well.

“[James] Hardie will reach out and say that it’s Lennar. And Lennar hasn’t recently reached out to me or back to me,” she said.

Stoogenke reached out to Lennar. He called, emailed, and texted different contacts for the company for more than a month. No one responded in time for this report.

He also exchanged calls and emails with James Hardie.

Bottom line, the manufacturer told him yes, some houses in The Farms have HardiePlank, and others don’t. And just because a house might have it doesn’t mean James Hardie painted it.

The company says it doesn’t think Keller has its product.

“How does it feel?” Keller said. “Not heard, I guess. There’s no voice really.”

Some homeowners in another neighborhood, Trilogy Lake Norman in Denver, complained about faded siding as well. Multiple homeowners told Action 9 they have a different builder but that they also have HardiePlank.

Other homeowners across the country have complained about HardiePlank discoloration for years. Some even sued the company. But Stoogenke didn’t find anyone who won.

James Hardie emailed Stoogenke:

“James Hardie is the leading North American producer of high-performance fiber cement home siding and exterior design solutions. Hardie products are made from non-combustible and sustainable raw materials specifically engineered to withstand damage from severe weather including hurricanes, snowstorms, rain, and fire. We provide rigorous installation guidelines to ensure our customers can receive the highest performance from our products. Additionally, we provide detailed maintenance recommendations for homeowners and emphasize any painting, touch-ups, or cleaning follow these guidelines, as product issues arising from improper painting, touch-ups, cleaning, or maintenance would not be covered under warranty.”

Action 9 asked five house painters in the Charlotte area who have A+ ratings with the BBB how long the paint on HardiePlank should last. Answers ranged from 5 to 15 years.

Either way, Keller says her color started wearing off after only three years.

Action 9 priced out paint jobs. Obviously, a lot depends on size, but expect to pay between $2-4 per square foot. Several consumer experts say that adds up to about $3,000 - $4,000 for the average house. And for those of you who have HardiePlank, here are recommendations on how to get the most out of it.

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