James Hardie

James Hardie Stria range failed installation, Contacted James Hardie after builder (Matclair Constructions ) had attempted to repair and they refused to inspect after builder said it has been installed as per installation manual

Has Asbestos Julie been replaced with Barbeque Barbie? – Peet, my builder, had an agent who swore black and blue that Peet complies with the National Construction Code (NCC). Turns out that was not true (firewall, plumbing, powerpoint location installation, many other defects). However, after a building inspector proved with photos that the firewall does not meet the roof and does not extend the full length of the shared wall, Peet/YHB Group claimed that the firewall is installed according to James Hardie's (and NOT the NCC's) specifications.

Apparently James Hardie's products don't have to - or don't always - comply with the NCC. They have a way around it, that is apparently legal. I don't understand how this is done or why the government allows it. Or what the point is of a National Construction Code when certain companies are given exemptions. Like my [Content Removed] wall cladding that leaks heat in this bitterly cold winter, instead of the brick that Peet promised verbally and put into their inclusions. I wonder if the [Content Removed] cladding is also James Hardie product because that, too, has not received approval for inclusion under the NCC. I digress. Back to the firewall.

After some days a technician replied saying "Based on the correspondence I have had with yourself and our representative, [Name Removed], my understanding is that the main point of concern is with the roof space and roof truss area where the HardieSmart ZeroLot Boundary Wall System has been installed."

James Hardie Group refused to respond to my queries about Peet and YHB Group’s failure to correctly install the zero lot firewall with regards to air gaps between pieces and regarding the fact that, contrary to the construction drawings used to get the building permit and used as advertising material, the firewall does NOT extend to the external cladding.

However, James Hardie did, in July 2024, give instructions on how to raise the height of the firewall. YHB Group decided not to follow James Hardie’s instructions and, instead, left me with a boundary “wall” (do pieces of insulation bats stuffed into airgaps count as a wall?) that is NOT compliant with minimum fire safety regulations.

Also I cut a hole in the powder room wall to inspect the insulation there. Based on the measurements in comparison with the construction drawings, it seems unlikely that Peet and YHB Group installed the correct thickness of fire insulation in the wall elsewhere, as well as completely omitting 4 of the 5 layers of the firewall in the ground floor roof cavity and the first floor roof cavity. I intend to get a tradie in to cut a bigger hole for a more thorough inspection so I can measure the wall studs and inspect the fire insulation in detail.

The problem with the James Hardie firewall is, in my opinion, twofold: 1. the firewall is significantly less resilient than a brick firewall and is only guaranteed for 10 years if it is installed correctly 2. builders are, evidently, not installing the firewall correctly. They are cutting all segments of the firewall short, failing to install fire insulation in joins and generally doing a really sloppy job. Not necessarily all builders but I personally will never again knowingly live in a town house with a James Hardie “firewall” because of the risks.

The photos are of the firewall as it was installed, showing the gaps between sections of the zero lot firewall, air gap between the top of the firewall and the roof sheetig and the absence of the weather barrier and fire insulation bats that are mandatory to bring the wall up to a minimum fire safety rating. The photo with the roof mostly closed shows the builder’s work yesterday where the builder refused to rectify the wall as per James Hardie’s instructions and instead just slapped a bit of a bat on top of the firewall. The builder seems to have decided that his profits are more important than compliance with the building code and his profits are more important than people’s lives.

If I ever have a choice, I will choose the "not James Hardie" product over the James Hardie product. And I will never again purchase a home from Peet or a home built by Peet or one of their allied companies.