Selecting the Right Siding for Your Home

If you are seeking to improve the value of your home, there are few things you can do to increase the value of the home more than adding new siding. Siding also relieves you of much of the maintenance associated with the outside of the house, and delivers instant curb appeal as well.

But when you have made the decision to add new siding, there are still many more decisions to be made. Siding comes in a variety of materials, all of which have different looks and price ranges.

For a smaller budget, aluminum and vinyl siding are good choices. They both require minimum maintenance, and come in a vast array of colors. With these types of siding, however, the color can not easily be changed, and residing the house will be needed if you desire a change of color.

For larger budgets, wood and clapboard sidings are considered upscale and attractive. If you do decide on one of these types, keep in mind that they are more expensive than other options, and they do require more maintenance than aluminum or vinyl. But, wood and clapboard are easy to paint and repaint if you want to change the color.

Home improvement stores stock small siding samples, as well as books, magazines, and other reference materials. Utilizing these references can help you to get a feel for the kinds of siding that are available, and to make the decision making process easier.

When you decide on the type of siding to be installed, there are still variations within that type. There are different levels of quality in any type of siding, some of which are sturdier than others. Price should not be your only frame of reference when choosing your siding. A sturdier siding that comes with a warranty is a better choice than the cheapest brand if you want to avoid replacing it every few years.

If you have decided on wood siding, you will be able to choose the type of wood for your home. This should include wood that has a minimum number of imperfections and knots.

Once you have shopped around to different siding dealers, you will be faced with contracts, estimates and warranties. It is important to get some type of warranty on your siding, as improper installation can cause countless problems with the façade of the house- including water damage. It is common practice to get several different estimates for the work before choosing a contractor to do the installation. You must be certain of the amount of siding that will have to be bought, and that the contractor is licensed and has experience installing your type of siding.

You may be faced with the decision of whether to buy the siding directly from the siding dealer, or to buy it through the contractor. It is generally less expensive to purchase it directly from the dealer, but for convenience sake, many people prefer to let the contractor purchase the siding and to factor that cost into the installation price.

To be sure how much siding will be needed, you will need to know the exact square footage of the house. Siding is usually sold in "squares", which are about 100 square feet. If you know how many squares you will need, it is easy to calculate how much the siding will be for your home.

Once the siding has been chosen, it typically takes no more than a few days to get it installed. With new siding being installed, it will not be long before the entire look of your home is transformed.




author: L Shepherd

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