Now that you have decided to replace your home’s siding, it is important to know what to expect during this project. While every job is different, there are some steps that nearly all siding replacement projects have in common.
In this blog, we will explain what you can normally expect from the siding replacement process, including ways to prepare, questions to ask through the process, and plenty of other helpful information to help your project go as efficiently as possible.
What You Can Do to Prepare
There are multiple ways that you can prepare your home and property. These tasks can help speed up work and keep your home and property safe during construction.
- Prepare the inside of your house. Siding removal and installation will cause your walls to shake. Be sure to take away items that are leaning against or hanging on walls, and anything located on shelves, as they may fall.
- Prepare the outside of your home. Move anything that may block access to your exterior walls such as firewood or patio furniture so the crew can get right to work. You should also consider removing outdoor decorations and wrapping shrubbery in landscaping canvas to prevent any accidental damage. Another task that can help crews find nails or other debris that go astray, is to make sure your grass is cut short.
- Clear a power outlet. To ensure that the crew can get access to power for their tools, it is helpful to have a clear outlet available.
- Make alternate arrangements. Construction is a noisy process. If you have pets, you may want to make different arrangements. If you work from home, you may want to make other arrangements as well.
What to Expect Before Construction
You can anticipate a dumpster and your new siding to be delivered, most likely a day or two before the installation crew arrives. Some areas may require a building permit, so be sure to discuss those details with us beforehand.
Not all areas will allow dumpsters or building materials to be left on the street, so please let us know exactly where in your driveway you want these items to be placed. The crew will want them as close to the house as possible, but you may not want to block access to your garage. As stated previously, please communicate effectively with us beforehand on where trailer placement works best for you.
Siding Replacement Work Begins
When the crew arrives, they will start to set up their work stations. Once work is ready to begin, their first step will be to remove your existing siding.
Depending on weather conditions, some crews will only tear off one side of the house at a time to prevent leaving walls exposed. If the crew is larger, they may remove all of the siding right away.
The most important aspect to keep in mind is safety. To ensure your safety, our crews will be sure to clean up as they work and at the end of each day. Keep in mind that a siding project is messy, and you should always assume there are nails on the ground. To avoid stepping on any nails, we recommend you wear sturdy shoes or boots when walking in your yard while construction is underway.
During construction, your contractor may leave their scaffolding in place overnight. To prevent any accidents, keep an eye on any children and warn them to stay away from the construction site.
Unexpected Repairs
In some cases, unexpected repairs can be discovered when the old siding is being removed. No contractor will know exactly what to expect without tearing off all of the existing siding. The best way to handle unexpected issues is to effectively communicate with us. Ask us any questions you may encounter and let us know of any concerns you may have. Once these issues are raised, we can determine how to best fix the situation.
New Siding Installation
Once the siding is off and repairs are made, we will start to install or replace the weather-resistant barrier (WRB) on your home, otherwise known as house wrap. A WRB protects your home by providing water resistance and breathability to your house structure.
Once this is completed, the crew will begin to install your new siding and trim.
How Long Does a Re-Side Take?
As previously mentioned, every house is different. However, a typical tear-off and siding installation project may take between 7 to 14 days. Many things can extend the time such as the size of your house, whether you are using prefinished siding or it needs to be painted, and unexpected repairs. Bad weather can also be a factor and there may be some downtime waiting for building inspections.
Conversations and Cooperations
It is important to inspect every wall and discuss any concerns with the job supervisor before the crew leaves. It is just as important to have a conversation before the work gets started. Talk to your contractor about start and stop times, which home or yard features to look out for, parking preferences, weekend working hour options, etc.
Construction is a hard, physically demanding job, but our siding installer crews are true professionals. Learn their names. Have daily conversations with them. A good relationship with your crew will help ensure you have a great siding replacement experience. And as always, please feel free to call our office at any time if you have any questions or concerns. We are here to make this process as easy as possible for you and your family!
Thank you to James Hardie and their useful information. Please head to jameshardie.com to get more content.
