Which Type of Siding is Right For Your Home?

Which Type of Siding is Right For Your Home?

Questions to Help You Narrow Down Your Choices

Are you thinking of replacing the siding on your home? Whether you’re moving into a new house or updating your long-time residence, choosing new siding for your home is an important decision, and one that shouldn’t be made without doing some basic research first.

When moving into a new home, updating the siding can be a great way to instantly personalize your home, while also ensuring that your home is well protected from the elements. Or, if you’re looking to sell your home and make some updates to freshen the exterior, the right siding can completely transform your home’s curb appeal.

Types of Siding

There are many different types of siding to choose from, which makes shopping for siding fun for some, but can also make the decision process a bit overwhelming. Some of the most common types of siding include:

• Vinyl
• Wood
• Metal
• Fiber Cement
• Insulated
• Stucco
• Brick
• Concrete
• Stone

Choosing the Right Type of Siding

While choosing siding may seem daunting, the process can be simplified quite a bit by answering a few questions ahead of time:

What’s Your Budget?

Certain types of siding are more expensive than others, so you can narrow down your choices by setting a firm budget, and eliminating anything that’s beyond your reach. Vinyl siding tends to be the most budget-friendly option, making it a popular choice for many homeowners. Wood and metal siding are relatively inexpensive as well. If you’re looking for a slightly higher quality look, fiber cement board is a littler pricier, but may be an option, depending on your budget.

What Works Best In Your Geographical Climate?

Some types of siding are better for specific climates than others, so it’s important to research what will work best in your area before making a decision. Stucco siding, for example, works well in drier climates, but it is not recommended for areas which get a lot of moisture.

Are You Trying to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient?

Insulated vinyl siding and concrete siding are known for being more energy efficient than other siding types, but as you might expect, they do come with a higher price tag. If energy efficiency is an important factor in your decision, these options are certainly worth considering.

Do You Have a Material Preference or Desired Aesthetic?

Each type of siding has a slightly different look and feel to it. Some prefer the look of wood siding to vinyl siding, while others may prefer the look of stone or brick. If you’re going for a certain look, that will certainly narrow down your choices. Fiber cement siding, for example, has more of a natural wood look to it, but is priced a bit higher than vinyl due to its extreme durability.

What’s Your Ideal Level of Maintenance Required?

If you want your siding to be low maintenance, you’ll want to make sure you don’t choose a material that requires a lot of upkeep. Vinyl and fiber cement siding are very low maintenance options, while wood siding does require painting or staining periodically to prevent it from breaking down. If you’re looking for that wood look, without the high maintenance, engineered wood is actually more affordable, and easier to maintain, than real wood siding.

Ability to Paint or Choose a Specific Color

If you want to be able to change the color of your siding in the future, vinyl siding is out, since it’s very difficult to paint. You can, however, choose from pretty much any color of the rainbow; you just have to stick with it. If you’re prone to changing your mind, you’d be better off with wood siding, which needs to be repainted for maintenance, anyways, so you can change the color every few years, if you really want to.

We Can Help

Now that you’ve narrowed down your choices (hopefully!), it should be easier to make a final decision. And, once you’ve got your material and color all picked out, you may need some help with installation. Contact My Handyman of Dover, Portsmouth, and Rochester for help with installing, replacing, or repairing your siding today.