When it comes to choosing your home’s siding, the number of choices available can be overwhelming. It is the first part of your home that anyone will see which adds more pressure to the decision-making process. The good news is there is a simple approach to choosing your best option.
While it’s easy to get distracted by choices such as color, it comes down to the best combination of price, durability, and return on investment. With that in mind, here’s our guide to choosing the best siding options for your home.
What You Need to Know About Siding
To begin with, let’s make take a quick look at each of these three factors.
- Price is the amount you pay for materials and the labor to install the siding. Before making any purchase, you should have an idea of your budget and what you can afford.
- The next factor is durability. Durability is the projected number of years that you should expect before having to replace the siding again. While your goal may be that you only do this once, you need to consider the fact that you could do it again if you plan to own your home for a while.
- The third factor is the return on investment. Return on investment comes into play when you sell your home. Your ROI is based on how much value is added to your home by replacing the siding. Some siding investments can recoup up to 83% of their value according to some studies.
Let’s take a look at siding options available today.
Vinyl Siding
Perhaps the most common type of siding these days is vinyl. Its combination of affordability and ease of installation make it an ideal choice for most homeowners. There is also a wide range of color and accessory options to choose from which further adds to its appeal.
In addition to being lower priced, some homeowners even feel comfortable installing it themselves which can save on the labor costs. The tradeoff for the lower price will be durability. While you can expect to enjoy your vinyl for 15 years or more, it will typically not last as long as some of the other options.
Fiber Cement
One of the newer options available today is Fiber Cement Siding. Its popularity has continued to grow due to its combination of price and durability. Homeowners can expect to enjoy their fiber cement siding for 30 years and beyond.
One potential drawback of this type of siding is the installation process. The fiber cement siding is much heavier and requires special tools and installation techniques. This could drive up your costs due to increased installation labor charges.
Wood
Nothing turns heads like a beautiful wood sided home. Plus, you can customize the look of wood siding. Depending on the grain of the wood and stain that you intend to use, you can create a naturally beautiful look to your home.
The challenges with wood are price and maintenance. Wood siding is going to be more expensive than other options. Plus, you will have to re-stain or re-paint it every 3 to 5 years. Since the wood exterior can last for 20 years, you could end up doing this several times while you own your home.
The Bottom Line
Stay focused on price, durability, and ROI, and you can’t go wrong with any of these siding options.
