The Top 7 Frequently Asked Questions About Siding

aerial photo of a home with white siding, brown roof, and brown gutters
  1. How can homeowners prepare for a complete home re-side? There are a few items to address before beginning a complete re-side project on your home.
    • Homeowners should remove anything from the wall on the interior of the home so that our siding team doesn’t knock anything off the wall and damage items during the removal and subsequent installation of the siding.
    • Homeowners may want to trim any overgrown shrubs to make it easier for the crew to work on the home without damaging any landscaping or shrubbery. Our siding crew will be as cautious as possible, but sometimes damage to plants is unavoidable. It is also a good idea to keep any shrubs or trees trimmed and kept a safe distance away so as not to age the home quicker than it should.
  2. How do customers choose the color of their siding? When it comes to picking your siding color, most customers look for colors that coincide with their neighbors’ homes as well as their home’s environment. Residing a home is a big commitment and homeowners should pick a color that also reflects their personal taste and design preferences. For more information on color options and assistance matching a color, visit the James Hardie website.
  3. What is the lifespan of siding? James Hardie Siding has a 30-year product warranty and a 15-year paint finish warranty. You can expect James Hardie Siding to last a minimum of 30 years but most likely it will outlast you. It is always a good idea to pick a siding product that best suits your climate to ensure it has an optimal lifespan.
  4. Does siding require any maintenance? Nothing on the exterior of a home will ever be maintenance-free; however, siding requires minimal maintenance, if any at all. Vinyl siding will need occasional pressure washing to remove the build-up of dirt and grime and fiber cement siding, such as James Hardie, may need a new coat of paint after 15 years. In order to keep your siding from aging prematurely, it is crucial that your gutters work properly and are pointed away from your home so that water is not pouring on, and potentially penetrating your siding.
  5. What are the most common types of siding? The two most common types of siding that we use are James Hardie Color Plus and Mastic Vinyl. We are a preferred installer and a preferred remodeler for James Hardie and for Mastic Vinyl. They are both industry leaders and we typically position ourselves in the same way.
  6. Is it expensive to fix or replace your siding? It can be expensive to replace your siding depending on the scope of the project and how much of your siding you need to replace. If you want to replace a part or a piece of siding it can be really expensive because it is challenging to gently remove pieces of siding and some inexperienced contractors may end up damaging it more. The best option for homeowners is to do a complete re-side, it is more expensive but you get the best end result. Depending on the product you are using and the size of your home it could take about one to two weeks from start to finish.
  7. When is the best time to replace your windows? The best time to replace your windows is when you are also replacing your siding; this allows the best possible flashing and water infiltration protection. This allows our siding crew to wrap the windows so that they properly tie into the vapor barrier on your home. We always recommend that homeowners replace their windows and siding at the same time.
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