Finding Siding Contractors You Can Trust
What does it take to find a siding contractor that you can trust?
At Badger Consulting, we make a promise to every customer that we’ll be there for all their home improvement needs, no matter what it is. As an employee-owned and operated full-service home improvement contractor, we take pride in the long-term client relationships we build through every job.
What that means for you is that you’ll get a contractor who knows what they are talking about and can provide you with reliable service and expertise. We’re happy to answer your questions and give you an estimate over the phone. Give us a call today to learn more about our siding work.
How Hard Is It to Do Siding on a House?
For someone new to getting their vinyl siding replaced, it can be intimidating to reach out to contractors and get a bid on the work.
This may lead you to asking about how hard it is to do siding on a house, and whether you have everything necessary to follow the correct steps. DIYers will need a knowledge of the type of sheeting their home has underneath the vinyl, and the ability to cut the long vinyl panels. Fastening siding itself isn’t the dangerous part, but cutting and handling the siding, particularly on tall buildings, can pose a significant risk as this work must be done on a ladder, and with multiple people. Furthermore, incorrect installation can cause more damage to the home than damaged siding by itself, so it’s unwise for someone inexperienced to attempt to do their own siding.
Questions to Ask Local Siding Contractors
If you are contracting home improvement work for the first time, it can be difficult to learn what questions you should ask, versus what questions you will actually want to talk about more with the contractor.
You should start by considering what kind of information would be helpful for you to make a decision on one contractor over another, then determine what kind of questions those bring up.
Otherwise, common questions include asking if the contractor installs a particular brand of siding, or the products they prefer working with and whether they source the materials or if you will. You can also ask after the types of warranties and coverage the contractor provides on the work, and whether they work with just a product warranty or if they also provide a labor warranty. You may also want to ask after the cost of removing old siding, if you have not had the siding removed from your home first.
When requesting bids from local contractors, you can request to speak with previous references or discuss their previous experience with a specific brand of siding, or with siding your style of home.
Approaching Your Siding Project Confidently
At the end of the day, your siding project is an investment into your home.
Not only will your new siding protect the home from moisture and other elements, but it will improve your home’s energy efficiency and curb appeal as well.
A good way to approach the project confidently, even if this is your first time contracting for a home improvement job, is to research the materials and learn more about the work yourself. Once you’ve learned more about the process, you can approach siding contactors with a little bit of knowledge in your back pocket.
Learning about the process of bids and what factors you can negotiate on will also help you feel like are more in control of the process, and you won’t be relying on information from the contractor’s sales team. At Badger Contracting, we do our best to help educate our customers and provide for their home improvement needs every step of the way, from the bidding process to installation and post-install labor warranties and troubleshooting assistance.
To learn more about the services we provide as your choice siding contractors, give us a call. We’re ready to hear about how we can help you improve your home’s curb appeal and enhance resale value, all while protecting your home from harsh weather conditions.
Can You Negotiate on Siding?
You can always negotiate the cost of a siding project with a contractor, but it’s important to note that any contractor with experience and professional skill will always be negotiating based on what you get in the construction agreement, not on the cost of their services.
Anyone who is willing to negotiate on the cost of services, rather than the services provided in the agreement, is not likely to provide you with quality services in the first place.
Negotiating on siding should never be combative, either. It should be a budgetary discussion based on your needs for the space, and what you are looking for from the contractor. If you’re worried about the negotiation, simply discuss your budgetary concerns with the contractor and see if they can help you minimize the costs by adjusting the work they are doing.
How Do You Prepare Your House for Siding?
You should prepare your home for siding work a few days in advance at least, as it can take a bit of work to get everything around the exterior of the home ready.
First and foremost, confirm with your contractor and ask if there are any special needs that they have for the install. You should always listen to their directions when they provide instruction. Ideally, your home will have been assessed for the install already, and any problem areas for the install should have been highlighted when making the appointment.
It is essential that no pets, livestock, or children are present during the install. They should be secured and away from the construction work. Additionally, any exterior power should be turned off, and any items on the walls or near the siding (such as garden hoses or decorations) should be removed from the area. If you park nearby the home, you should also make sure to park elsewhere for installation days, as the contractors will need the room to move the siding into place and also access their truck with materials.
What Siding Has the Best Resale Value?
All siding has a similar resale value based on its durability and lifespan.
Vinyl siding is the most popular as it’s a commonly available siding that fits most people’s budgets when they are considering home improvements, but if you want a long-lasting and durable siding choice that can improve the resale value of your home the most, fiber cement siding is the best choice, especially if you don’t plan to sell your home for a few years at least. Fiber cement siding is durable and provides the longest lifespan for the investment.
To get advice and an accurate estimate for your siding work, give Badger Contracting a call today. We stand by our work and pride ourselves in taking care of our clients’ needs anytime they need a full-service home improvement contractor. As your siding experts, we can help you through every step of the way, from sourcing the right type of siding, to installing it, and even walking you through the labor and product warranties.
How Often Should House Siding be Replaced?
The frequency that you should replace house siding depends on the type of material it is made of.
While specific brands may hold up differently, the base materials have a similar enough lifespan that it can be estimated easily.
Vinyl siding should be replaced every 10 to 20 years, while aluminum siding should be replaced every 20 to 40 years. Fiber cement siding, on the other hand, should be replaced every 50 years. Of course, the exception to this is when your siding has been visibly damaged, either due to moisture, an impact, or environmental damages like a storm or treefall.
At Badger Contracting, we typically recommend going with vinyl siding or fiber cement siding for the best of both worlds. Vinyl siding is typically more budget friendly, able to be installed for a lower cost than fiber cement siding, but the overall lifespan and durability of fiber cement siding is worth the up-front investment for its ability to last up to 50 years.
Badger Contracting: Trusted Siding Contractors
At Badger Contracting, we never question your decisions around who you hire or how you hire them.
All we want to do is provide you with a quality service that you can trust. That means that, while we might not be the least expensive in the business, you can trust that we will provide quality installation services with trusted brands and products.
To our contractors, customer experience is king, and we believe that extends to how durable the product is and how long it lasts after installation as well. All our products come with product warranties, and every job has a labor warranty to match. You can rest assured knowing that your investment is backed with confidence, no matter where you are in Central Maryland.
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