If your exterior is starting to look a bit worn-out, you may want to consider a siding replacement. Wouldn’t it be more cost-effective to give your siding a fresh coat of paint instead of replacing it? While painting your siding may seem more cost-effective at first, it arguably makes more financial sense to replace your siding in the long run. Paint may be able to hide signs of wear and tear on siding at first. But over time, it becomes harder and harder to cover clear signs of deterioration.

What are the long-term benefits of a siding replacement? VillWell Builders, LLC, your trusted exterior and roofing contractor, lists them below:

A more consistent look – Regardless of how skilled a contractor is, there’s always a risk there will be inconsistencies in their brush strokes. Remember: when it comes to exterior design, consistency is key. Manufacturers, on the other hand, use specialized equipment that applies an even coating to the siding boards, eliminating inconsistencies in the siding’s appearance.
More vivid colors – Thanks to technological advances, the colors of modern siding remain vivid for longer. Some manufacturers have even introduced siding that’s resistant to ultraviolet rays, which can cause fading over time.

How to Choose a Siding Color That Complements Your Exterior

A siding replacement can increase your home’s curb appeal and by extension its property value. However, if your siding replacement’s color clashes with your exterior’s color scheme, your home’s overall curb appeal may be lowered. That’s why it’s important to choose a siding replacement that complements the rest of your exterior.

Here are some design tips:

Find out the colors that have been traditionally used in your home’s architectural style – To quickly narrow down your options, find out which colors have been traditionally used in your home’s architectural style. There’s a reason why these color combinations have been used for decades. It’s because they work so well. For instance, Craftsman-style homes (one of the most popular architectural styles in the country) prominently feature moss green and white, dark gray and white, and cream and blue color combinations.
Stick to a neutral color scheme – There’s nothing wrong with choosing trendy colors that can draw attention to your home. The problem is trendy colors tend to go out of style very quickly. To maximize the returns on your investment, we recommend sticking to neutral colors, which complement a wide variety of colors and never go out of style.

Important note: Coordinating colors can be tricky. If you’re having trouble finalizing the color scheme for your new siding, don’t hesitate to consult a roofing contractor.

Achieving Color Harmony in Your Trim and Siding

Keep in mind that even details as minor as your new siding’s trim can have a large impact on your home’s curb appeal. To achieve color harmony in your trim and siding, we recommend using the color wheel. The color wheel is a tool used to find out if two colors complement each other.

Here’s an overview of the most widely used color harmonies:

Analogous colors – We recommend using analogous colors (which can be found in nature) if you want to give your exterior a serene, calming feel. Analogous colors have low contrast and are located next to each other on the color wheel.
Complementary colors – Complementary colors can add some much-needed vibrancy to dull exteriors. These colors are located opposite to and contrast with each other on the color wheel.
Triad – As the name suggests, triads are three-color combinations made up of a dominant color and two colors from either side of a complementary color. If you’re using a triad color scheme, you should keep in mind the 60-30-10 rule: one shade should be the dominant color, another shade the secondary color and the third color is to be used sparingly as an accent.

For more design tips, consult a roof repair and replacement contractor.

Practical Benefits of a Siding Replacement

The siding forms a large part of your home’s curb appeal, but it also serves a functional purpose as well. It protects your home’s structure and interior from the elements and prevents water from infiltrating your walls.

Here’s an overview of a siding replacement’s practical benefits:

Energy efficiency – Scratching your head over a higher-than-expected electricity bill? Inadequate insulation might be the culprit. Installing insulated siding can help improve your home’s energy efficiency and lower overall heating and cooling costs.
Enhanced durability – Prolonged exposure to the damaging UV rays and extreme temperatures may have weakened your siding, increasing the risk of leaks in your exterior. Thanks to technological advances, modern siding lasts longer than your old siding.

Keep in mind that no matter how durable your new siding is, it won’t last long if it’s not suited to the local climate. That’s why it’s important to choose a type of siding that’s durable enough to withstand the local climate.

Vinyl – Vinyl siding is the most affordable option on the market. It has minimal maintenance needs and comes in a wide variety of designs and colors. Several manufacturers make vinyl siding that can mimic the texture of more expensive materials such as wood. However, vinyl siding isn’t the best choice for homes in cold climates. That’s because vinyl becomes brittle when exposed to cold temperatures.
Wood – Natural wood’s rustic, textured look can give your exterior an old-world elegance, but it’s not without its disadvantages. To preserve wooden siding’s rustic appearance, it needs to be repainted and restrained occasionally. Not to mention you need to have it treated to protect it from pests.
Fiber cement siding – This type of siding is resistant to several common siding issues, including environmental damage, insect infestations, and mold growth. Not to mention it can withstand

Having trouble choosing a siding replacement? Here’s a tip: consult one of your local roof repair and replacement contractors. Since they’re familiar with the local climate and building codes, they can make better recommendations.

Important note: No matter how durable your siding is, it’s likely to have suffered some form of damage after an extreme weather event. As a general rule, you should have a contractor inspect your exterior after a storm or extreme weather event.

What if there aren’t any leaks or signs of damage yet? It would still be a good idea to have your exterior inspected. That’s because it takes time for certain signs of damage to emerge. And by the time they do appear, it’s already too late to mitigate storm damage. Remember: the sooner siding damage is detected and emergency roof repair and exterior repair is conducted, the better.

Should You Replace Siding in Sections or All at Once?

Technically, a piecemeal siding replacement is possible. But unless it’s absolutely necessary, it’s more practical and cost-effective to replace all of your siding panels at once. For starters, it’s difficult to replace worn-out or damaged siding panels without damaging the siding near them. Not to mention certain types of siding (like vinyl siding) are cut in custom lengths to ensure a seamless look for your exterior and, as such, would need to be installed all at once.

One more thing: to make sure your new siding is installed correctly, make sure to vet your contractor before hiring them. Here’s a tip: the number of years a contractor has been in business should give you a good idea of their level of expertise.

VillWell Builders, LLC, a company with over 20 years of experience, offers a wide range of professional exterior services, including siding installation and emergency roof repair services. To schedule an appointment, call us at (475) 271-1242 or fill out this form.

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