Is there a weatherproofing layer?

Each sheet should have edge nailing into 2x material.

You should not be seeing daylight. There should be an OSB sheathing layer under the siding, and a Tyvek wrap. If they just nailed that siding to the framing, you're going to have big problems with water damage to the structure. Caulking is not a fix for this major issue, and, even if it works temporarily, the siding may just continue to bow or flex based on the weather and the season. You need to get a competent contractor to look at this and see if it is just poor installation in this one area or a whole house issue. I hate to be so negative, but this could be a major problem.

There is sheathing under there To my knowledge. I had a comprehensive inspection come and he noted that there was weather wrap on the other side of the osb wall and isn’t needed they did it as an extra layer of protection. Apparently there should be osb on the other side of that weather wrap. I’m going to get better photos in the daytime for you guys.

If that is so, how are you seeing daylight?

Is there flashing above the wood trim at the the top of the windows? I can't see in the picture.

If T1-11 was improperly installed you can call all you want the calking will not hold and it will open up again. The only way to hide this is to put 1x4 along all joints to match. It will look like "Board and Batten siding" and it will hide installer screw-ups along the seams.

"I had a comprehensive inspection come and he noted that there was weather wrap on the other side of the osb wall and isn’t needed they did it as an extra layer of protection."

Huh? If that is the way his report is worded I would have serious doubts about his qualifications as an inspector.

Was this a permitted and municipally inspected build?

Likely the house wrap and OSB could very well be installed.... below the attic line. The RB&B (T1-11) is installed directly to the gable trusses in the picture. The attic space behind this particular siding is not conditioned, however water damage doesn't care.

Simple to fix really, Add house wrap to the outside of this siding then add more sheets of the siding. Up in the air is no fun, but otherwise not a difficult job.

Lazy/cheap/corner-cutting that it was installed this way...

Sure was passed by multiple city inspectors heck even a warranty rep from LP siding came out and pretended like everything was good. Im sirry for the good builders out there but they are simply CROOKS. I battled with warranty claims for 9 months because my siding Building everywhere and the sill plate was exposed. They lied to my face it was fine I knew it wasn’t I hired an inspector who pointed out the issue and then they finally added that trim piece at the bottom With flashing.

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There is no flashing over doors or windows or really anywhere it’s pathetic it’s not a county building code so they don’t have to. Yet aren’t builders suppose to install siding per manufacturer requirements? lp requires all windows and doors to be flashed.

This just in its also not a code requirement to install sheathing on the gable ends like D B described. Do I live in the twilight zone or what. Good ol Idaho.

i reached out to my inspector for clarity and what D B described is exactly correct. However he claims not to worry no city inspector or home inspector would expect sheathing on the gable end

I once read "a house built to code is the most expensive house ever built". Can't remember where I read that to give credit, but truer words have never been spoken.

On a side note, city inspectors do not look for poor quality craftsmanship, installation per manufacturer instructions, or ANYTHING other than code violations. It's not their job. Nothing against most of them, it's just not their job.

Depending on the thickness of the LP siding, it can actually function as the wall sheathing for a structure. I've had a couple projects that used this philosophy to avoid paying for 2 layers (sheathing & siding). Not my favorite thing, but if done properly with the correct air sealing measures before the siding goes up, it can be done with success. IMO not worth the effort, but with the astronomical pricing we are seeing for sheet goods (and everything lumber related) these types of practices will only gain ground. Makes me wonder how many builders have figured this out with the popularity of the farmhouse style of siding/sheathing?

D b they built my home in less than 2 months and had those gable trusses prefabbed. I’d rather have quality over short cuts and rushed builds.

No flashing over trim at windows will cause rot in both pieces (after the warranty period). To slow it down, some urethane caulk applied liberally with a little slope to the outside could be applied. I've lived in a house that had T1-11 as only material on the studs. I think it's still standing.

2 months.... Amazing!! My customers can move in in 9 months, 10 months for all the final little items to be finished. Sometimes it goes faster, but usually 9 is correct. There are usually about 10 or 15 total days lost to scheduling conflicts with subs. Weather days vary. Every house we build is custom. Usually 195-300/sf.

2 months.... unbelievable. Even for a prefab.

For anyone reading through these thinking about building. Please focus on quality not quantity. If the builder only brags about the finishes you might be in for a ride. If he's obnoxious about the stuff you can't see (like me!) then you probably have a winner.

@User I can attest to that, and also as Joe said... Yes, some building departments require submission of manufacturer installation guides but as workmanship goes they couldn't care less for as long as it is installed per manufacturer specs.

It basically depends on the inspector also, some will tell you to correct an obvious screw-up (depending on what the screw-up is, and if it can pose "some-what" a safety issue) some just don't care.

@GN Builders L.L.C i could go on about the things the builders did not do that LP requires. The nailing isn’t correct, the ship lap edges aren’t aligned properly, the siding is not primed or painted behind it, none of the doors or windows have flashing, I’m probably missing some stuff but can builders really get away with ignoring all Those Requirements without consequence? I’ve been pretty blunt with the Companies supervisor he tried to tell me wavy/buckling siding is normal I told him flat out of the installation instructions are followed there should be no wavy or buckling siding he’s wrong.

As far as I’m concerned LP is a joke too and In cahoots with builders. For 8 months LP tried to tell me my exposed sill plate was normal and all my improperly spaced siding is normal. It wasn’t until I paid for an inspector to get it on paper that they addressed the sill plate issue. I could go on with how shady LP acted.

Deven, if the home is only under a year old, and you have a new home warranty which covers 1st-year workmanship, and if your builder is not willing to take responsibility for the sub-par work done by his contractors and correct all these issues.

You should collect all the information, images, etc if you need to, hire a 3d party who is certified to make a report showing the work is faulty and not in compliance with the industry standards, and go after the builder. It seems like you have plenty of evidence to prove him wrong.

Good luck

LP sent a actual rep to your home and offered you opinions on products other than theirs? Typically they will not even offer a report to you on their own product. Are you sure he was an actual LP rep or the salesman for the company your builder uses as a supplier?