If you are ready to become the envy of the neighborhood by replacing your siding, you’ve come to the right place. New siding will give your home better self-esteem, increase property value, decrease maintenance, and help an older home have a more updated appeal. Before you move forward with a full replacement siding project, you understandably want to know what a siding replacement project would cost. As with most things, the answer is: “it depends.” Factors that will influence the cost include:

Siding Material Cost

House siding comes in many different materials, which vary in appearance and durability. The environment you live in and what will hold up well, your aesthetic taste, maintenance requirements, when you want your project completed, and budget should guide you in deciding your options.

James Hardie Fiber Cement

There is a perception that fiber cement siding will cost more than other siding materials. True, the upfront cost and price tag will be higher on the front-end, but given the warranty on the color (15 years) and the warranty on the board (30 years) – choosing fiber cement will get you out of the Colorado maintenance cycle due to our extreme weather. The siding boasts exceptional resistance to damage caused by moisture and temperature fluctuations, and even typical hail storms. Furthermore, according to Remodeling Magazine, fiber cement siding has consistently delivered a higher return on investment than comparable types of siding since 2005.

Wood Composite Siding

Wood composite siding is another option for your home’s exterior. However, most clients in Colorado steer clear because this product typically comes primed, which means you are painting every 6-7 years here in Colorado and it isn’t as resistant to animals like woodpeckers. Depending on the cost of materials (which have fluctuated quite a bit recently) and having to paint the boards – the cost normally does not come out to be significantly less and the maintenance will increase.

Vinyl Siding

Honestly, vinyl siding is a big no-no in Colorado in our opinion. Popular colors like to melt in Colorado’s climate, if your property gets hit with a hail storm you have holes all over, and insurance companies low-ball the replacement of vinyl making it tougher to replace if bad weather does occur. Vinyl is the least expensive option – but it just isn’t suitable for our environment – we highly encourage clients to choose something else. This advice is based on our 20+ years of experience in this business.

Metal Siding

Metal, Steel, and Aluminum siding are cool options in Colorado and can be a great choice for Colorado properties. These days you can put metal siding on your home that looks like wood, feels modern, or rustic. The price tag is high – but using these materials as accents or as part of a complete replacement finishes nicely. Metal is low maintenance, holds up in our environment well, and will last long.

The Size & Design of Your Home

The cost of your siding project will also depend on factors such as the amount of material that you’ll need to use, as well as if you are choosing a stocked option or a more customized color or profile. A quick way to have an idea of how many squares of siding you’ll be installing would be to calculate square footage for your project by multiplying the length of each exterior wall on your home by the wall’s height. A reputable installer will do measurements using technology programs that will work in proper waste factors to make sure there isn’t to much or to little material ordered and delivered for a project. You should keep in mind that custom options will have more waste added in – because you can’t be short!

Professional Installation

Properly installing siding requires hands-on expertise with the specific material, someone who has a lot of experience installing vinyl siding SHOULD NOT be installing Fiber Cement.

A well-run siding business will have crews that can install each type of siding distinctively. You should have options as a customer and not be sold on just ONE OPTION because the siding company you are interviewing is pushing you into a product they have experience installing. There isn’t one size fits all in Colorado, so don’t be fooled if you are being sold that way.

When making a final decision about your project, we recommend that you choose a licensed and insured company that has a license to work in your municipality. A company that is highly rated on the BBB and other review sites can quickly provide details of past projects they have completed and not just show stock imagery.

Installing new siding is a big investment, so make sure to review all of the details on a company (not just their price) when signing a contract to move forward with your siding project.

Contact Colorado Siding Experts

If you live in the Denver, Colorado, area and would like a quote on your siding installation project, contact Northern Lights Exteriors. We’re a James Hardie-Elite Preferred Contractor offering all of the siding products described above and more.