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So I just had nice new James Hardie siding put on. They tore off everything, replaced the insulation from the outside, put on new sheathing, house wrap, and then Hardie board.

Part of the contract was to remove the gable vents (they are also a roofing company, and suggested I just have the soffit and ridge vents).

I discovered the below in the attic today - they put up new sheathing where the gable vent was (that's new OSB there), cut a freaking hole in it for a gable vent, and then slapped house wrap over it before putting the siding on.

They only did this at one end of the house - I'm assuming it was accidental, e.g. someone not realizing they were supposed to remove the gable vents.

How much of a pain in the ass should I be about this? Should I just cut some OSB to fit that area, nail or screw it in with 2x4s and cover with seam tape?

Or should I demand they come out here, pull all the siding off that area, and redo it all? I'm nervous about it because it seems to me that I am one tear in that house wrap away from water getting into my attic.

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    Your approach to "cut some OSB to fit that area, nail or screw it in with 2x4s" is what I would do. I don't see a need for the tape if the house wrap is intact.
    – SteveSh
    Commented Jun 21, 2023 at 21:09
  • Thank you, @SteveSh. If you want to make that an answer I will accept.
    – negacao
    Commented Jun 21, 2023 at 23:05
  • This is a crappy thing to have done but I don't think it's something to lose sleep about. Hardi siding is rigid, it will protect the house wrap. You have the house wrap so the barrier is complete. It's a vented attic so if a little water does come in it will dry up. It's less of an opening than the gable vents were. What is bothersome is that the wrap isn't sandwiched between siding and sheath so it will bulge in and out when wind hits your house.
    – aquaticapetheory
    Commented Jun 22, 2023 at 11:35

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I would cut a patch of sheathing to fit the opening. Then screw a couple of 1x2's or 1x4's that are longer than the patch is wide to the patch. Then place the patch in the opening and the 1x boards should overlap the remaining siding. Then screw those boards into the siding, making sure you use screws short enough so that they don't fully penetrate the existing sheathing and damage the housewrap or the Hardi siding.

You could call the contractor back, but there's no telling what they will do.

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  • Thanks, I am really happy there's no reason to try to force them to remove the siding and start over on that part - I hate being a jerk about stuff like that. I will however ask them to handle doing what you said (e.g. let them do the work in the hot attic full of cellulose).
    – negacao
    Commented Jun 22, 2023 at 10:10
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    @negacao If it was me, I'd do it myself. Otherwise you're likely to end up with too-long screws driven from the inside into your new siding (or even through it). They're not going to send their best and brightest to fix this. Also I'd use a little adhesive between the patch "flange" boards and the siding: 1/2 inch of screw hold isn't much. Use quality fasteners.
    – aquaticapetheory
    Commented Jun 22, 2023 at 11:30
  • @aquaticapetheory, that's a good point, guess I will DIY. :)
    – negacao
    Commented Jun 22, 2023 at 11:50
  • I would make the OSB panel, screw *through) it to some (same width as the panel) 2x4 spacers on the "inside" face. Then screw some longer 2x4s to the spacer 2x4s, place the panel in the hole, and screw the ends of the 2x4s to the "frame" around the ex-vent. (This assumes the "frame" is 2x lumber.)
    – Huesmann
    Commented Jun 22, 2023 at 13:32

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