How to Avoid Being Scammed by a James Hardie Siding Contractor

Written by Michael Myers

December 14, 2022

We receive countless emails every year from people across Indiana who are unhappy with the condition of their James Hardie Siding and the contractors they hired.

Homeowners only have one chance to pick the right James Hardie Siding contractor for their home, so it’s important to choose wisely whether you’re looking for Hardie Plank Lap, Hardie Architectural Panel, Hardie Shingle, Hardie Vertical, Hardie Trim, Hardie Soffit Pannels, the Magnolia Home James Hardie Collection siding.

But even though we know better, we continue to choose poorly.

I always wanted to give one main piece of advice that would make a huge difference for people looking for James Hardie Siding contractors. Although we have other articles discussing how to properly choose your contractor, today I want to focus on this primary suggestion.

What is this key advice?

In the end, it all comes down to references.

Some individuals might assume that they know everything they need to in order to hire a contractor, but there is more process than just asking for references. Here is the right way to go about it:

 

How to Get the Most Out of References From Your James Hardie Siding Contractor

Let’s pretend you have a James Hardie Siding contractor in your house who is giving you an estimate for your out-of-pocket James Hardie siding project or wants to represent you for your insurance claim. Before asking your potential James Hardie siding partner for their reference list, try asking this question first.

How many Hardie Siding projects did your crews install last year?

This might seem like a straightforward question, but it’s really not. Every James Hardie siding contractor will likely inflate the number of James Hardie Siding projects they did last year in order to appear larger than they actually are.

Your next question should be the real decider:

Can I please see your reference list from last year?

Let’s assume the contractor said he installed 20 James Hardie siding projects in 2021.

In other words, if you only receive 10 references, 50% of people were satisfied with your work.

What do you think about those odds?

Time and time again, I’ve been amazed at how many people have told me that contractors refuse to give out names due to “privacy issues.”

This is false.

James Hardie siding installation is our company’s specialty and in the years we’ve been doing it, only two of our customers have ever asked to not be listed as a reference – and that’s because they were celebrities.

Consider this for a moment- out of over 1000 people not a single person has said no. The reason is easy to understand.

If you’re planning to pick a James Hardie siding contractor in the next few months, please do what I suggest.

If a James Hardie siding contractor denies your request for references, move on. You deserve honesty and transparency in business dealings, so don’t settle for less.

You could save a lot of trouble and money by taking this step.

Use your head and follow this suggestion.

I’m confident that this will work for you too.

Up Next:

How to Hire a James Hardie Siding Contractor: the Ultimate Checklist

Who Are The Best James Hardie Siding Contractors Around Indianapolis, Indiana? (Reviews/Ratings)