Siding is one of those projects where the mistakes are hidden until they are not. Most siding problems come from the install: trim in the wrong color installed without a conversation, panels warping or falling off in the first winter, and a top row nailed wrong so the whole course goes wavy as the vinyl expands and contracts in the sun.
Almost all of it can be prevented with a few conversations before the contract and a few details done right on the wall.
Materials conversations to have before you sign
- The siding material (vinyl, James Hardie fiber cement or LP SmartSide), plus the exact brand, product line, color and profile.
- The matching trim colors: J-channel, corner posts, soffit, fascia wrap, and window and door trim.
- The housewrap or weather-resistive barrier that will go on behind the siding.
- The flashing details at every window, door and roof-to-wall intersection.
Installation details that make or break a siding job
- Vinyl siding is nailed loosely so it can expand and contract. The top edge is secured with undersill trim or utility trim, not nailed through the face.
- Panels overlap in a specific direction. Done wrong, water drives into the laps.
- Housewrap is lapped like shingles, upper pieces over lower, with any tears taped. We have seen jobs where housewrap was left covering attic vents and dryer vents, which creates humidity problems inside the house.
- Rotten sheathing underneath is replaced before the siding goes up, not covered over.
Fixing siding that's failing
If your siding is warping, letting water in, or the colors don't match, we will come out, document what we find, and give you honest options. In most cases problems like these come down to improper nailing or missing flashing details, and both can be corrected.
What we commit to
- A written materials schedule with the brand, product line, color and profile of every piece you will see when the job is done.
- An English-speaking supervisor on site every day.
- Housewrap replaced where it is damaged, and flashing at every penetration.
- Undersill trim at the top course of vinyl, never nails through the face.
- One final walk-around with you before we invoice, plus photos of the hidden details (housewrap and flashing) so you have a record of what is behind the walls.
