Asking a few questions can help you make your decision
Choosing between wood, vinyl, and fiber cement siding for your home depends on your budget, climate, maintenance preferences, and the look you want.
Expect to pay $6,600 to $23,000 for fiber cement siding installation and $7,000 to $23,000 for wood siding, depending on your home size and brand choice.
Your climate influences the best siding choice for your home, as wood requires more frequent maintenance in harsh weather while fiber cement resists fire and extreme conditions.
Hiring a local siding professional provides reliable guidance on material selection and timeline estimates, helping you choose the right siding for your home and budget.
If you’re planning on re-siding your house, you’ll have to choose between a number of different siding materials—among them, wood and fiber cement. Asking your siding contractor a few questions before you make your final decision can make you aware of how each choice could impact your budget, timeline, and future maintenance needs.
Fiber cement siding is a mix of Portland cement, sand, water, and cellulose fibers that create durable, long-lasting, and low-maintenance house siding. Fiber cement siding doesn’t require much maintenance, but the process to manufacture it isn’t as environmentally friendly as the process for wood siding.
Wood siding is typically made from cedar, pine, or another durable wood. There are a few different types of wood siding, including shakes, shingles, or clapboard. Wood siding is a sustainable option as it’s made from renewable resources but requires some maintenance over its lifespan.
Vinyl siding is made of polyvinyl chloride mixed with dyes and then molded to give it a texture that mimics the appearance of wood siding. It’s available in a variety of colors, sizes, styles, and shapes, making it very versatile. It’s also affordable and low-maintenance, often lasting for decades. Unfortunately, the color can fade over time, and painting it may void the warranty. It’s also not as durable as other materials. You can replace vinyl siding, but the new areas can stand out if the remaining siding is faded.
Depending on the size of your home and the difficulty of the installation, siding installation can take between four and 12 days, with projects taking an average of around seven days. Your local siding contractor will be able to give you a better estimate based on the complexity of your home’s design, how many stories it is, and if any custom features could add to the timeline.
Your climate can impact the choice between fiber cement and wood siding. If you live in a harsher climate with lots of sun, wind, rain, or snow, you’ll have to treat the wood siding more often to protect it from the elements. Fiber cement siding is durable and will hold up in harsher environments. Fiber cement siding is also fire resistant, so if you live in an area where fire is a concern, it may be a good choice.
Understanding your budget can help you make the right decision when it comes to the best siding material to choose. Fiber cement siding costs can range from $6,600 to over $23,000, depending on the size of the home, the brand, and installation costs. Wood siding costs between $7,000 and $23,000, so the decision will really come down to the qualities you need and the look you want for your home.
No matter what kind, siding is intended to protect your home from damage. If your siding is damaged, that means that it’s not protecting the home, leaving it susceptible to mold and mildew, damage from pests, and impacts from hail and branches. Signs that you need to repair or replace siding include cracks, holes, loose or warped pieces, and anything else that could mean the siding isn’t protecting your home properly. Your siding contractor can also assess any additional damage to the home that may have resulted from damaged siding.
The guys at PaveWay are top notch. From the estimate to the job being completed,all was done in a timely and professional manner. I myself was a DOT Engineer Inspector(know what to look for) and got to talking with Cameron and he himself was a Contract inspector for a few years,same job as...
All Star Paving and SealingI highly recommend KTM construction! I will look no where else for anything that needs to be done, in or out side of our property. The level of craftsmanship is 5 star service across the board! The level of detail, knowledge and professionalism is 5 star service across the board! Ken is a...
KTM Construction, LLCI purchased the "Big Deal": $199.00 for exterior pressure-washing of one- or two-story home up to 2,000 square feet. They cleaned the siding only. I wasn't aware when I bought the Big Deal that they would not do any other surfaces other than the siding (i.e. sides of the gutters or stucco). I...
Complete Home ServicesThis brownstone is historical and the carpentry work is very detailed. I was very happy to secure a company in NY and living in OH to complete the request. Wood work on this brownstone has been existing since approximately 1888 and West side did a GREAT JOB. I will not be able to...
Westside Home ImprovementNice group of workers, very friendly. Day 1 covered everything before starting, seemed very organized. Things seemed to be going great. Day 2 they didn't show up until around 10:00a.m. and work crew was cut in half, was told they had another job. Day 3 they didn't show up until around...
CertaPro Painters of ColumbusThe work went great! Couldn't ask for better. Joel set a work start date. About the time of the storms that may have been associated with Sandy. He was half a day late. They set up on a Thursday. On Friday they had a full crew at work. By Monday they were finishing up. Now, the best...
NJW ConstructionA few months ago, a tree branch fell across my car, leaving a series of dents across the hood and driver's side fender. I took it to Rife's after reading the Angie's List reviews. Rife's did a great job! My car looks like new. And they made the process as easy as possible. When I came in...
Rife's Autobody IncI received an email from Angie's List offering Car Detailing 4 U's services for $99. Coming from Angie's List, I expected this to be a highly dependable and qualified company that was known for doing exceptional work. I set the appointment for them to come to my home. They were arrive at...
We first had Mark fix the back patio and liked his work so much we had him make a brick patio on the side of the house. When we decided to change our concrete walkway to brick, we wanted Mark to do the job because his prices were fair and he did such good work on t he other two projects.
Mark Monnette MasonryI was very pleased with the cost and end result. I truly expected this job to cost me 50% more than it did. When you factor quality and cost, I would highly recommend Mark's services and plan to use him in the future. The best part was, I asked Mark to match the paint color in one section...
Fresh Touch Custom Painting Inc.From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
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You want the best contractor for your project, so interview several people before hiring anyone. If they ask any of these questions, find someone else.