6 Mistakes “Craigslist” Contractors Make With Siding Installation In Bronxville.
Siding Installation Can Be Complex. Many Things
Can Go Wrong If You Hire An Inexperienced Installer.
To Guarantee The Best Siding Installation In Bronxville,
Hire An Experienced, Well-Reviewed Professional.
If you need siding installation in Bronxville, the contractor you hire will make ALL the difference. To ensure the best installation, hiring an experienced professional with plenty of rave reviews is the only way to go.
The other option? Finding a guy on Craigslist—or hiring the “friend of a friend of a friend” who dabbles in home improvement as a side job—to save a few bucks up front.
But here’s the problem with that: While the latter route may shave some money off the top, you’ll almost certainly be paying through the nose shortly after due to poor installation. The truth is that siding installation highly technical. There are many, many installation aspects to consider. And only an experienced, certified, professional contractor is equipped to handle them.
To prove it, here are six mistakes we see “Craiglist” (i.e., inexperienced) contractors make ALL THE TIME.
Mistake #1: Nailing The Siding Too Tightly
Vinyl siding (the most popular siding on the market) expands and contracts along with temperature changes. If your installer nails the siding panel too tightly, the panel’s natural movement is restricted. When the siding expands during warm months, this can cause the siding to crack. To allow the siding to expand and contract freely, pros know to leave a 1/32-inch clearance between the siding panel and the nail head.
Mistake #2: Nailing The Siding Too Loosely
It’s also common for some siding installers not to nail down the siding enough. This will cause the siding to sag when it expands during the warm months. In other words: there is a fine line between nailing too tightly and nailing too loosely.
Mistake #3: Too Much Joint Overlap
For vinyl siding, the industry standard for overlap is 1″ to 1¼”. If a contractor exceeds this length, it can limit the movement of the siding when it expands. This can lead to a host of aesthetic and functionality problems, including a wavy appearance and cracks.
Mistake #4: Not Allowing The Proper Clearance
Some companies don’t use the proper clearances when installing siding. If the siding is sitting directly on the roof or trim (meaning the proper clearances weren’t used), it can capture moisture. The same thing happens if the siding is sitting directly on the ground. The moisture from the ground can seep into the siding and can cause it to break down.
Mistake #5: Not Offering Foam-Backed Vinyl Siding
Foam-backed vinyl siding (a.k.a. insulated siding) provides a number of benefits for Bronxville homeowners. This includes high R-value, which means the siding resists energy loss from within your home.
Foam-backed vinyl siding also has better impact resistance—ideal when your kid accidentally plunks the side of your house with a baseball or your lawnmower shoots a rock toward your home. You’ll also enjoy better sound insulation and a host of other benefits, including fewer seam problems, less maintenance, and easier panel replacement. If your installer does not offer foam-backed siding, it’s not the end of the world. But it does mean that he is not providing you with what may be your best option.
Mistake #6: Ignoring The James Hardie Manual When Installing Fiber Cement Siding
The installation manual for James Hardie fiber cement siding is over 120 pages. Why? Because installing Hardie Plank is an incredibly technical job!
Fiber cement siding is a completely different animal than vinyl siding. If the contractor does not have intimate knowledge and experience with HardiePlank—and does not follow manufacturer specifications cover to cover, page for page, word for word—you’re going to run into problems. Make sure any contractor you’re considering for fiber cement siding installation in Bronxville has an abundance of experience with the material.
Need Siding Installation In Bronxville?
Consider Signature Exteriors.
Bottom line: You can’t afford to “go cheap” when hiring a siding installer. Siding installation is very complex, and it requires a skilled and experienced hand to do it exactly right the first time.
When it comes to siding, no contractor serving Bronxville has the same amount of skill and positive feedback. We’re the area’s most experienced siding installer and have performed over 10,000 siding projects since 1951. We are professionally certified to the gills, and we are renowned for our meticulous attention to detail throughout Fairfield and Westchester Counties.
Contact us today for free, no-pressure quote on siding installation. You can also explore the Siding section of our website to see the different products we offer.
