When purchasing new siding for your home, yes, it should be affordable while successfully protecting your investment. But if you want to be happy with it for as long as you own your home, it should tick multiple boxes. Siding material, type and geographic region should also be factored into the equation.
Cost
As with any home renovation, start with a budget. It can be broken down into anticipated costs for materials, labor and miscellaneous expenses related to the project. If you are not doing the installation yourself, then the cost of hiring an exterior finishing contractor should reflect the type and style of siding material you’ve chosen. If you’ve received an estimate for vinyl siding, for example, that is higher in price than one for cedar siding, then you’ll probably need to do a little more investigating.
Siding Material
Think about what you want from the siding you choose. If environmental issues are one of your priorities, select siding made from recycled materials or a siding material that can be recycled. Do you want to increase energy efficiency or make your house appear more contemporary? You can make it happen by picking the type of siding that complements the goal you have in mind.
Siding Type
The four most common types of siding are wood, vinyl, aluminum and cement fiber.
Wood siding: Cedar siding is probably the most “famous” type of wood siding. But siding produced from engineered wood or wood composites created out of recycled materials is also a viable alternative. It can be made to look like cedar shake or have real wood grain without the higher cost.
Vinyl siding: Vinyl is a man-made material from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). As a siding material, it’s cheap to produce; very durable; and relatively easy to maintain.
Aluminum siding: Aluminum siding is a popular choice with homeowners because it is light-weight, long-lasting and inexpensive. It requires little maintenance and when damaged can be repaired by replacing only the affected section.
Fiber cement: Fiber cement is a very versatile type of siding material. Known by several names including Hardie board and cement fiber planks, fiber cement siding can look like wood grain, stone or cedar shakes.
Geographic Region
Siding designed to withstand a long Prairie winter might not be the best choice for a Pacific West Coast house that endures a lot of rain. Select a siding material that will perform well in the region where you live.
