When to Consider Home Siding Replacement: Benefits and Tips
If you have owned your home for handfuls or decades of years, a refreshing your home’s siding has probably crossed your mind once or twice. A siding replacement project provides several benefits to your home. Aesthetically, it gives your home a new makeover and boosts its curb appeal. At the same time, replacing siding increases home value and makes it more appealing to prospective homebuyers, should you decide to sell.
Perhaps more importantly, new siding also protects your home’s structure from weather and the elements. Problems that can arise when neglecting siding over time include insect infestations, moisture, mold and mildew growth – all of which can have severe ramifications on your home’s underlying structure.
If you are considering refreshing your home’s siding, Modernize is here to help. This Siding Replacement Guide is designed to help homeowners understand different types of siding, the cost of each, the return on investment to expect from a siding replacement, and more. Continue reading to learn everything you need to know ahead of a home siding project.
Siding Replacement Return on Investment
One of the many reasons homeowners seek out siding replacement projects is due to the high return on investment. In fact, siding replacements yield one of the highest R.O.I rates of any home improvement project, which makes them an especially practical investment when homeowners plan to resell.
The 2021 Cost vs. Value report indicates that stone veneer siding replacements are one of the most valuable home improvement project in terms of costs recovered during resale. And this is not just for home siding projects – stone veneer siding installations trump every other home improvement project in terms of potential recovered costs, besides garage door replacements.
Take a look at what to expect in 2022 in terms of return on investment, based on the type of siding installed on your home:
When is it Time to Replace Siding?
1. Rotting
2. Warping
3. Cracking
4. Holes from insects or birds
5. Unexpectedly High Energy Bills
6. Interior moisture
House Siding Options
- Structure and durability
- Weather resistance
- Appearance
- Cost per square foot
- Return on investment
- Maintenance and upkeep needs
- Vinyl siding
- Fiber cement siding
- Hardie board siding
- Natural wood siding
- Engineered wood siding
- Brick siding
- Natural stone siding
- Stone veneer (aka faux stone) siding
- Stucco siding
- Aluminum siding
Choosing Siding Colors
- Determine your siding type. You may be limited on siding color options based on the type of siding. For instance, brick and wood allow for fewer color options, while vinyl color options are almost endless.
- Consider your home’s style. Home style is often a helpful indicator in which siding colors will work best. For instance, colonial homes work best with white, gray, and subtle colors. Victorian style homes better support bold colors and textures.
- Look at your front door, windows, and roof. It’s a good idea to choose a siding color that goes well with other exterior elements. For instance, you can contrast a dark front door or roof with a lighter colored siding, and vice versa. Keep in mind that you can always replace your door affordably to better suit your new siding replacement.
- Explore other homes in your neighborhood. Walking around and taking a look at other homes in your area is a good way to get siding inspiration and color ideas. Perhaps there is a home that you admire and shares your home’s style and build. Even better – if there is a home for sale in your neighborhood, take a look at its value online. This information can potentially indicate whether a home’s siding is resulting in a higher resale value.
How Much Does it Cost to Replace Siding?
- Measure and multiply the height times the width of all the rectangular sections of your home in feet to determine square footage. Do not subtract window and door openings to allow for waste.
- Next, measure and multiply height and width of gable ends and any other triangular areas and divide the total by two.
- Add all of the totals together and divide by 100.
- The resulting sum will be the number of squares of siding you will need for your project.
Hiring a Siding Replacement Contractor
- For any contractor you contact, request a written estimate that includes all costs involved. This includes removal and disposal of old siding, and other job-related debris. All estimates should be signed and dated. To eliminate confusion regarding contract details, clearly note the scope of the work, the contractor’s warranty, and how long the warranty is in effect.
- Check with any local government office that has information about licensed contractors as well as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for contractors regarding past or present complaints. Be sure to hire a contractor with positive reviews and years of experience doing siding replacements
- Evaluate quotes from three to four contractors. Consider both cost and quality in your assessment. Keep in mind that you can negotiate cost in some instances.