Siding is one of those products that most homeowners look at from time to time. The majority of homeowners would be interested in the various types of siding and how they look. However, there is more to siding than meets the eye. Siding is actually part of the structural envelope of a home and if it is not installed properly, it can cause serious problems. Problems with a home’s siding can develop years after the siding was installed. The problems can be caused by poor workmanship and the use of inferior materials. While many contractors can hang siding, that does not mean that they can manage a building envelope. Most of the work that is involved in a good siding installation is behind the scenes work and is not visible until years later when problems arise.
These are some guidelines to follow when trying to advise someone on a replacement of siding on a house, writing up a bid for work to be done on a house, or comparing proposals from contractors for work to be done on a house.
A scope of work that describes the wall, not just the panels
Instead, a homeowner should look for a contractor who provides a written scope of work. This written scope should clearly outline all of the work that is to be performed from the time that the framing of your house has been completed until the time that the finish work (i.e. Trim work and other work) has been completed. This scope of work should describe the condition of your sheathing, the use of a water resistive barrier, the installation of appropriate flashing and the completion of your trim work.
This scope should include details regarding hidden damage found once the old siding is removed (it will be found), and charges for any needed repairs to the sheathing (list as a unit price for example). This will give you an idea of how organized and fair the contractor is when dealing with the above mentioned situation and any other changes that may arise.
Line items worth insisting on
- Removal and disposal method, including whether existing siding is being stripped or covered over
- Inspection and documented condition of sheathing and framing, with photographs before the new barrier goes on
- Specific flashing details at windows, doors, decks, roof intersections, and penetrations
- Fastener type, length, and spacing, matched to the substrate and the manufacturer’s instructions
- Treatment of soffit, fascia, and trim, which is where most bids quietly diverge
Material selection driven by exposure, not preference
The type of siding you choose to put on your exterior walls will depend on a number of factors including the sun exposure of the wall, the age of your home, and your ability to perform routine maintenance on your home’s exterior. For example, a south facing wall with no overhang will be very hard on vinyl due to heat distortion. A shaded north elevation with poor drainage will be hard on wood.
| Material | Typical service life | Maintenance cadence | Relative installed cost | Main failure mode |
| Insulated vinyl | 30 to 40 years | Washing every few years | Low to moderate | Impact cracking, thermal movement at joints |
| Fiber cement | 40 to 50 years | Repaint at 10 to 15 years | Moderate to high | Moisture wicking at unsealed cut edges |
| Engineered wood | 30 years | Repaint at 8 to 12 years | Moderate | Swelling where the coating is breached |
| Aluminum or steel | 40 years plus | Inspect coating, spot repair | High | Denting, coating failure at fasteners |
| Natural wood | Highly variable | Stain or paint every 5 to 8 years | High | Rot at end grain and ground contact |
Where the trade-off actually falls
Year 12 Maintenance, This is when the real cost of siding comes out. Owners that are planning on selling their home within a decade will most likely overpay for siding that will last long after they move. Owners that are planning on staying in their home for a long time will underspend on the coatings and flashing that will prevent a second siding replacement.
Water management as the measure of quality
Most water will penetrate the siding and then attempt to escape from the back side of the siding. This type of system is called a rain screen. Therefore, the main elements of the exterior envelope of a house are the barrier behind the siding, the flashing at every horizontal joint, and the path of water down the bottom of the wall.
Special conditions, such as flashing at the window heads and kickout flashing at roof to wall intersections, must be checked to ensure proper clearance to grade and on roof. On older homes, the contractor may only complete part of the wall for siding installation. The new barrier must be tied into the old barrier at these locations which can leak if not done properly.
Contractor evaluation beyond license and insurance
Minimum insurance that any contractor should have is for their license, for general liability, and for workers’ compensation, and an established Frederick MD siding company will hand that documentation over before you have to ask for it. It is also a good idea to verify if a contractor has the correct insurance coverage for his license by checking the certificate of insurance with the carrier. Most homeowners don’t.
Questions that separate bids quickly
- Who performs the work, direct employees or subcontracted crews, and who supervises daily
- What manufacturer certifications the installing crew holds, since extended warranties often depend on them
- How the workmanship warranty is worded, what it excludes, and how long the company has operated under its current name
- What the payment schedule looks like, with deposits tied to material delivery rather than large sums paid up front
- How punch list items and post-installation callbacks are handled and documented
Long-term protection and the owner’s role
Manufacturer coverage is typically limited to siding that has been inspected and maintained on a regular basis. So in addition to checking caulk for failure at siding joints, checking weep holes for blockage, and checking for signs of water tracking behind siding, it is also a good idea to check siding on a regular basis for any problems before they become large expensive repairs.
When the work is complete, a homeowner should receive more than a bill for the work performed by a quality Frederick MD siding contractor. The homeowner should receive a detailed description of the work performed by the contractor, photographs of the work performed that cannot be seen, copies of any warranties that were registered for, and a simple schedule of how to perform routine maintenance on the exterior of a homeowner’s walls.
