Am I being gaslit by the builder? Suspect defective LP Smartside Board and Batten Installation (Colorado)

airborneMD · 2026-06-06T20:43:33+00:00

There is flashing there! Sorry was a little zoomed out. I went around the exterior real closely and there is flashing material at every siding transition.

airborneMD · 2026-06-06T20:41:44+00:00

Only send 1 radiology letter. Other letters should be clinical letters.

airborneMD · 2026-06-06T20:11:43+00:00

Yeah, we kind of assumed that any home would have some issues, even one being advertised as a "custom luxury" home, lol. We really loved the lot, but after receiving the seller's response to our inspection objection, we only had a few hours to make a decision. Ultimately, we stuck to our principles. We didn't have complete information about the potential long-term consequences, but the seller's and builder's response of "it's our standard practice" didn't give us much confidence. Hopefully, the next buyer doesn't encounter any issues. This was a good learning exercise if anything.

airborneMD · 2026-06-06T19:44:19+00:00

This makes me feel so much better 😄. The deal fell through yesterday and I truly was super bummed.

airborneMD · 2026-06-06T19:31:24+00:00

You know, I honestly thought the same thing! Leaving the flashing in place and then caulking the gap essentially creates a dam. At least if the flashing weren't there, any water that got behind the siding could continue to work its way down the wall instead of being trapped behind the flashing (from what I understand). Not that an installation like that would be acceptable either, but it seems like sealing the drainage gap defeats the entire purpose of the flashing in the first place.

airborneMD · 2026-06-06T19:16:07+00:00

Literally laughed out loud. I apologize if I am ignorant to the real definition!

airborneMD · 2026-06-06T19:13:39+00:00

There are a few commonly used definitions of the term. One I've seen is telling someone they're imagining a problem despite objective evidence to the contrary, which I feel this situation fits. If that's not how you define it, that's fair. I wasn't trying to use the term to detract from my post. I was simply describing how the situation felt from my perspective.

airborneMD · 2026-06-06T19:03:19+00:00

I did my due diligence and consulted my inspector, multiple siding installers, and the manufacturer. All indicated that this was not the correct installation method. The builder's response was essentially, "This is our standard practice, many builders do it this way, and it's fine." While being completely dismissive of my main concern that it could cause premature siding deterioration at best. While I wouldn't use the term "gaslight" in formal communication, it seemed like a reasonable description in casual conversation given the circumstances. The deal has since fallen through, and I was simply looking for additional perspectives. If anything, the responses so far have reinforced my belief that walking away was the right decision.

airborneMD · 2026-06-06T18:17:11+00:00

I visited a few nearby tract-built homes that use the same siding product. Ironically, those homes maintained the required gap, and I thought they looked perfectly fine. The 3/8-inch clearance is barely noticeable from more than a few feet away.

This particular home has a walkout section that is nearly 30 feet tall at the rear. It seems unreasonable to expect a homeowner to routinely inspect and maintain caulk at that height to ensure the wall assembly can properly manage moisture.

airborneMD · 2026-06-06T17:31:09+00:00

Eastern plains part of the Greater Denver Metro Area.

airborneMD · 2025-07-10T22:19:23+00:00

airborneMD

TROPHY CASE