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One of the biggest factors for homeowners who are considering to install vinyl siding for their home is the cost. Many are deciding to upgrade their house’s exterior because of the many benefits of having sidings such as increasing energy efficiency, insulation, and protection to your house. At the same time, it is one of the cheapest ways to make over your home from the outside and give additional aesthetic value to your curb appeal.
Among the many types of sidings available in the market today, vinyl siding is the most popular one to US households. Because of its many available designs, ease of installation, durability, and simplicity of maintenance, more and more property owners are deciding to go for this type of siding. Additionally, it is one of the more affordable ones, which is always a plus factor.
However, the old saying remains as true about vinyl siding as other items: You get what you pay for. Lower-priced options of vinyl siding are usually not as durable and long lasting compared to higher priced and quality ones in the market.
Vinyl siding is tough and comes in a wide range of colors, textures, architectural trims, and more. Vinyl sidings are designed to mimic the appearance of an architectural feature and accents such as slate, wood or stone.
On the average, the cost of the vinyl siding itself ranges from $3 to $8 per square foot, while installation or replacement projects can cost up to $8,000 to $20,000 depending on a number of factors.
You will find the cost to install vinyl siding will vary with material, finish quality, amount of surface area, number of windows and doors, preparation and special needs, and the labor rate.
Finish Quality
When you start shopping for vinyl siding you will hear people talk about builder grade vinyl siding. That is siding that is commonly used by new construction builders on new houses. Generally, a grade or so above the ‘economy grade’ but still competitively priced for budget minded homeowners. The higher the quality of the finish of each vinyl siding, the more expensive it will be, given that those with higher quality are made more meticulously and would give your home a more elegant and flawless look.
Thickness
Vinyl Siding thickness is measured in millimeters. According to professional contractors, the types which are good enough should measure at least .44mm, it being their minimum recommendation. A good vinyl siding should have a thickness of at least .44mm to .55mm—which for them is very good and can be considered premium products. They also advise home owners who are considering vinyl siding to stay away from those with a thickness of just .35mm, saying they are just a waste of money and are predicted to break down after a short time.
Surface Area
Logically, a vinyl siding installation project will definitely cost more for bigger homes, primarily because of a larger surface area. More than the additional cost for labor, it will require more vinyl siding pieces which will ultimately affect the total price to install it.
Number of windows and doors
Houses with more windows and doors are harder to install vinyl siding to compared to those with fewer wall accents. Imagine that every time there is an obstruction (in this case windows and doors), contractors will need to cut the vinyl siding following its shape and size to make sure that all surface area are covered and none of the original exterior is exposed.
Labor Rate
Of course, one of the biggest determinant of the installation cost is your contractor’s labor rate. Established companies would tend to price their services higher compared to those who are new in the market. This is because they have years-worth of experience and a long list of satisfied customers who would recommend them. While it would be unfair to have judgments based on pricing alone, keep in mind that you should be suspicious of companies who offer incredibly low prices when it comes to siding installation projects. It’s either they will not do a good job or use substandard vinyl siding—both scenarios will only end up with you spending more in the long run.
This is why it is important to get a contractor you can trust to do a great job and who know what they are doing. With a myriad of contractors in every area, how can you make sure that you get one of the best companies? You can take a look at some of the projects they’ve completed in the past. Experienced home contractors should have an extensive portfolio showcasing their past work, leaving you with confidence in their ability to deliver a similar quality of work to your home. Ask for some photos of their past projects. If you like what you see, request references and call contractors’ former customers to check up on them. Ask how the contractors did at executing the projects. Were they on time and on budget? Were the customers pleased with the outcome? Was there anything that could have been done differently?
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