DIY: SIDING
June 15, 2007
Free Money?
It was with much anticipation that my wife opened the letter from the Sidings Claims Service Saturday afternoon. We had filed a claim for our Masonite Hardboard siding in March and were hoping for a sizable check with which to upgrade the exterior of our home. It turns out our siding is in much better shape than we thought - the letter informed us we were to receive a whopping $2.18.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. You probably haven’t any idea to what I’m referring. You’re not alone. Fewer than one third of all eligible homeowners have filed a claim to money they are entitled. Let me tell you a little bit about a class action lawsuit of which you are likely a beneficiary.
Many of the homes in our area are clad in Masonite Hardboard siding. This siding has proven to be an inferior product to most of the currently available siding alternatives, but the product was so cheap builders used it as fast as Masonite could produce it. Some common signs of defective siding are paint peeling, nail popping, swelling, edge cracking, warping/buckling, wax spots and board rot. If your home shows any of these symptoms, you should pay close attention to the remainder of this column despite the dismal results I shared concerning my siding claim.
On January 15, 1998, the Circuit Court of Mobile, Alabama approved a settlement in a class action lawsuit known as Naef v Masonite, CV-94-4033. I don’t have nearly enough room to share all the details of the settlement, as it’s quite complicated. One requirement is to cut a 6×6 square sample from your house to send in for analysis. The process is so complicated that most homeowners haven’t bothered to cut through the red tape to get their check.
Due to this, there are more than a dozen independent claims companies which have been formed to assist you. For their services, they receive a portion of the paid claim. The company I used gets 30 percent. I’m sure they’re thrilled about the $0.68 check that will soon hit their payables department on my behalf.
The other critical detail is the lawsuit expires on January 15, 2008 - 10 years after the lawsuit was settled. There is still time to file your claim and homeowners who have filed in the past may be eligible for additional money. You’re actually able to file a claim once per year.
Honestly, when the disappointing letter arrived Saturday I considered pursuing a different topic for this column. However, I still feel that most homeowners in the area should at least investigate the process further. I’m told the average claim pays between $2,000 and $4,000. I’ve heard of other people receiving amounts significantly surpassing the $4,000 mark. Even if your results are not that impressive, it’s free money, right? My neighbor cashed an $800 check, but it was still worth the small investment of his time.
A simple google search on Masonite Siding Claims will return several informative links and companies that may assist you. However, I recommend contacting the local gentleman we used. My poor results had nothing to do with him, as an independent inspector actually surveyed my siding for damage. SCS is a full-service claims company and actually comes out to your home to complete the process. It took about 45 minutes to fill out the paperwork with Mark Gray of SCS in March and he took care of everything else. If you wish, Mark can be reached at 816-529-1798 or 816-886-1251.
Filing a claim does not require any monetary investment from you. Do not pay anybody money up front. If they ask, find another company.
If your home does not have Masonite Hardboard Siding it may still qualify for another claim. There are currently three lawsuits against different manufacturers under which you may collect money for the replacement or repair of your siding.
Sean from Greenwood asks: “I intend to replace the siding on my home, what products should I consider?”
Answer: I plan to get as much life as possible out of my current siding, but when I do have to replace it I will be using a fiber cement siding which looks a lot like the Masonite product but is made of fiber-reinforced concrete. Because it contains no wood, it won’t rot, bugs won’t eat it and it generally holds up better long term. In fact, some manufacturers offer a 50-year guarantee. The most commonly available fiber-cement siding is from James Hardy (available at Lowes, Home Depot and Owen Lumber). I’ve used Hardy siding extensively and it will be the choice in the future. The James Hardy company claims their product will hold paint up to three times longer than wood. Other popular choices are vinyl or aluminum siding, stucco, stone, brick or natural wood products.