The siding of your home takes quite a beating, especially in this part of the country, where the wind has no mercy, and where the rain and snow are quite possibly more common than sunshine. However, siding, when installed correctly, is surprisingly more durable than you’d think, lasting anywhere from 10-50 years! The right siding will even help you out with your utility bills and bring substantial aesthetic value to your home. That being said, even the best of siding wears out, and eventually, you will need to replace it. When this time comes, you’ll want to know just how much it’s going to cost you so you can budget it into that month’s bills.
How Do I Know When It’s Time To Replace My Siding?
There are a few ways you’ll be able to tell when the siding on your home is ready to be replaced. For starters, it will look damaged, and I’m not just talking about a few scuff marks and some mud splatters; I’m talking about missing pieces, bent pieces, pieces that are hanging askew, or even faded coloring (as fading is an indicator of very old siding).
Next, you’ll want to inspect your home closely for mold or mildew, which could indicate a water problem. If you notice extensive mold or mildew damage, it’s time to replace the siding.
Another way to tell if it’s time to replace the siding is to pull away a piece from your home. If it moves easily, or bends or warps into weird positions, it’s time to put up new siding. However, if it’s sticking pretty steadfastly, check for the other two aforementioned problems before making a final decision.
Lastly, if you see any large cracks, dents or holes, it’s definitely time to get rid of the old siding and replace it with new.
If there is only damage in one localized area, then you could probably get away with replacing the siding in just that section. However, if more than half of your house’s siding shows signs of wear, you should strongly consider total replacement.
What Kind of Siding Should I Use?
There are currently 4 siding options available to you: Wood, aluminum, vinyl and fiber cement.
Wood siding offers the best appearance, in our opinion, and really gives a home character. However, the nicer appearance of wood siding comes at a price. Not only does treated wood cost more than any other kind of siding material, but you have to maintain wood siding a lot more often than aluminum, vinyl or fiber cement. To avoid wood rot, you’ll need to have your home repainted or restained every few years. You’ll always have to continually monitor for mildew or insects, such as termites, as wood siding is more prone to these pests than other sidings.
Aluminum siding is a far cheaper alternative to wood siding, is ridiculously easy to install and requires very little ongoing maintenance. It also comes in a wide variety of colors and styles. However, it’s very noisy to install, dents easily (as you can imagine) and the colors fade over time.
Vinyl siding was created as an alternative to aluminum siding (which was developed as an alternative to wood), and is cheaper than the above two options. Vinyl is also very easy to install and also requires little to no maintenance. Another bonus is that the color won’t chalk or fade over time – something that cannot be said for wood or aluminum. However, vinyl is very difficult to install, and if not done properly, your siding will look warped and uneven.
Furthermore, vinyl siding isn’t very practical for cold weather climates, as it’s subject to crack when frozen and subsequently struck by a hard object (think tree branch, rock and other debris that flies around in the winter).
Fiber cement siding is the last siding option and also the newest addition to the siding market. Fiber cement siding looks like wood, it cuts like wood, it installs like wood and it has the durability of wood. But it’s not wood. Manufacturers guarantee that fiber cement siding will last 25-50 years. This is all great news, right? Well, again, the greatness comes at a price; fiber cement siding costs more than any other type of siding, but if you’re planning on living in your home for forever (or at least 25-50 years), then I’d say it’s well worth the investment.
So, What’s It Going to Cost Me?
For wood siding, you’re looking to pay anywhere from $5 to $8 per square foot of siding. For an average, 2-story home, you can expect to pay anywhere from $14,000 to $20,000 for labor and everything. To have aluminum siding installed to the same size home, you can expect to pay anywhere from $13,000 to $16,000. For vinyl, it’ll be between $7,000 and $11,100, and for fiber cement siding, you’re looking at paying between $20,000 and $22,000. All these costs include materials, removal and disposal of old siding, and installation of new siding. It does not include any extras, such as fascia, soffits, trim or crown molding.
If you plan on replacing just a section of your siding, you could probably do it yourself, and all it will cost you is the price of materials. However, if you’re dealing with extensive rot or damage, and if you need to replace your siding completely, it’s best to leave the job to the professionals. If you’re looking to replace your siding before the snow hits, contact Liberty Paint & Construction, LLC today for a FREE ESTIMATE!
How Do I Know When It’s Time To Replace My Siding?
There are a few ways you’ll be able to tell when the siding on your home is ready to be replaced. For starters, it will look damaged, and I’m not just talking about a few scuff marks and some mud splatters; I’m talking about missing pieces, bent pieces, pieces that are hanging askew, or even faded coloring (as fading is an indicator of very old siding).
Next, you’ll want to inspect your home closely for mold or mildew, which could indicate a water problem. If you notice extensive mold or mildew damage, it’s time to replace the siding.
Another way to tell if it’s time to replace the siding is to pull away a piece from your home. If it moves easily, or bends or warps into weird positions, it’s time to put up new siding. However, if it’s sticking pretty steadfastly, check for the other two aforementioned problems before making a final decision.
Lastly, if you see any large cracks, dents or holes, it’s definitely time to get rid of the old siding and replace it with new.
If there is only damage in one localized area, then you could probably get away with replacing the siding in just that section. However, if more than half of your house’s siding shows signs of wear, you should strongly consider total replacement.
What Kind of Siding Should I Use?
There are currently 4 siding options available to you: Wood, aluminum, vinyl and fiber cement.
Wood siding offers the best appearance, in our opinion, and really gives a home character. However, the nicer appearance of wood siding comes at a price. Not only does treated wood cost more than any other kind of siding material, but you have to maintain wood siding a lot more often than aluminum, vinyl or fiber cement. To avoid wood rot, you’ll need to have your home repainted or restained every few years. You’ll always have to continually monitor for mildew or insects, such as termites, as wood siding is more prone to these pests than other sidings.
Aluminum siding is a far cheaper alternative to wood siding, is ridiculously easy to install and requires very little ongoing maintenance. It also comes in a wide variety of colors and styles. However, it’s very noisy to install, dents easily (as you can imagine) and the colors fade over time.
Vinyl siding was created as an alternative to aluminum siding (which was developed as an alternative to wood), and is cheaper than the above two options. Vinyl is also very easy to install and also requires little to no maintenance. Another bonus is that the color won’t chalk or fade over time – something that cannot be said for wood or aluminum. However, vinyl is very difficult to install, and if not done properly, your siding will look warped and uneven.
Furthermore, vinyl siding isn’t very practical for cold weather climates, as it’s subject to crack when frozen and subsequently struck by a hard object (think tree branch, rock and other debris that flies around in the winter).
Fiber cement siding is the last siding option and also the newest addition to the siding market. Fiber cement siding looks like wood, it cuts like wood, it installs like wood and it has the durability of wood. But it’s not wood. Manufacturers guarantee that fiber cement siding will last 25-50 years. This is all great news, right? Well, again, the greatness comes at a price; fiber cement siding costs more than any other type of siding, but if you’re planning on living in your home for forever (or at least 25-50 years), then I’d say it’s well worth the investment.
So, What’s It Going to Cost Me?
For wood siding, you’re looking to pay anywhere from $5 to $8 per square foot of siding. For an average, 2-story home, you can expect to pay anywhere from $14,000 to $20,000 for labor and everything. To have aluminum siding installed to the same size home, you can expect to pay anywhere from $13,000 to $16,000. For vinyl, it’ll be between $7,000 and $11,100, and for fiber cement siding, you’re looking at paying between $20,000 and $22,000. All these costs include materials, removal and disposal of old siding, and installation of new siding. It does not include any extras, such as fascia, soffits, trim or crown molding.
If you plan on replacing just a section of your siding, you could probably do it yourself, and all it will cost you is the price of materials. However, if you’re dealing with extensive rot or damage, and if you need to replace your siding completely, it’s best to leave the job to the professionals. If you’re looking to replace your siding before the snow hits, contact Liberty Paint & Construction, LLC today for a FREE ESTIMATE!