Siding and Gutter Buyer's Guide
Materials, what drives the price, what a good quote includes, and what the warranty years actually mean.
Siding: the three main choices
New siding changes how a house looks and how well it keeps water out of the walls. Most homes around Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky end up choosing between three materials. None is "best" for everyone: it depends on your budget, the look you want and how long you'll own the house.
| Material | What it is | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl | PVC panels in lap, Dutch lap, shake and board-and-batten styles. We mostly install Westlake Royal (Royal and Polaris lines). | The most affordable to buy and to maintain. Never needs paint. Quality varies a lot by thickness and line. |
| Fiber cement | Cement, sand and wood fiber boards, such as James Hardie HardiePlank. | Heavier and more expensive to install. Resists fire, rot and insects, and holds paint well. |
| Engineered wood | Treated wood-strand boards, such as LP SmartSide. | The look of wood with better impact resistance than vinyl. Needs paint over time. |
We're a James Hardie Alliance member, and we install all three.
What a good siding quote includes
- Tear-off and disposal of the old siding
- New house wrap (the weather barrier behind the siding), taped at the seams
- Flashing at windows, doors and anywhere the siding meets the roof
- Corner posts, J-channel and trim, and how window and door trim will be finished
- Rotted sheathing: how it's found, handled and priced
- The exact product line, profile and color
- Cleanup and a magnetic nail sweep
- The written labor warranty, and which manufacturer warranty applies
What drives the price
The size of the house, the material, how many windows and doors need trim, how many stories, and how much rotted wood turns up behind the old siding. On our site, most whole-house siding jobs fall between $20,000 and $40,000, and a typical home is around $30,000. Your written estimate is the real number for your house.
Repairs and matching
A few cracked or loose panels don't mean you need a whole new house of siding. Repairs are usually a few hundred dollars up to a few thousand. Matching depends on whether the manufacturer still makes your siding and how much it has faded, so ask to see samples before any work starts.
Gutters: what to look for
Seamless aluminum is the standard
Seamless gutters are made on site from a coil of aluminum, cut to the exact length of each run, so the only joints are at the corners and downspouts. Fewer joints means fewer places to leak.
- Size: 5-inch K-style handles most homes. Six-inch suits steep or large roofs that send more water to the gutters.
- Hangers: hidden hangers, spaced closely and screwed into solid wood.
- Downspouts: enough of them, sized for the roof, and pointed at least four feet from the foundation.
- Fascia: the board the gutter hangs on. Rotten fascia should be replaced before new gutters go up. With us, fascia and sub-fascia replacement is included in the gutter price, however many boards it takes.
Well-maintained aluminum gutters typically last 20 to 25 years.
Guards: only where they earn it
Gutter guards keep leaves out but add cost, and they aren't needed everywhere. Ask your installer to quote them run by run: guards on the runs under trees, none on the open runs. Good existing screens can often be reinstalled.
What a good gutter quote includes
- Total length, gutter size and color
- Number and size of downspouts, and where each one drains
- Hanger type and spacing
- Fascia repair, and whether it's included
- Guards, run by run, if you want them
- Removal and disposal of the old gutters
- The written labor warranty
What the warranty years mean
Two warranties usually apply: the manufacturer's on the material, and the contractor's on the installation. They're separate, and you want both in writing.
No Big Deal written labor warranties
| Standard | Preferred | Elite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siding replacement | 5 years | 10 years | 20 years |
| Job | Written labor warranty |
|---|---|
| Gutter system | 5 years |
| Gutter guards only | 2 years |
| Repairs | 1 year, when it's written on your invoice |
The manufacturer's warranty on siding or gutter material is set by the manufacturer, and its terms (and any registration it needs) are in their documents. Your contract and warranty certificate are the final word on your job.
Questions to ask any installer
- Are you fully insured? Can you send your certificate of insurance?
- Who does the installation, and are they insured?
- What happens if you find rotted wood behind the siding or the gutters?
- How do you protect windows, landscaping and the driveway?
- What's due at signing, and when is the rest due?
- What does your written labor warranty cover, and for how long?
Next step
Book a free siding and gutter estimate at nobigdealwithjoedeal.com/inspect, or call or text me at (859) 420-7382. I'll measure, photograph what I find and give you a written, itemized quote.
Joe Deal, No Big Deal Home Solutions
Get a written, itemized quote
I'll measure, photograph what I find and give you a quote that answers every question on these lists.