You never get a second chance to make a first impression. This saying rings true when it comes to a home’s exterior as well. When viewing from the outside, a home’s siding is most often the very first thing noticed due to the large amount of surface area covered. If your siding is run down or beaten up by the harsh weather, its lackluster appearance can make your home seem less inviting. Newly replaced siding can provide a dramatic aesthetic boost that draws people in, increasing your home’s overall curb appeal and value. Siding replacement also offers more than what meets the eye. The installation of quality siding can provide better protection to your home and improve your energy efficiency (and save you money!). These factors alone have made siding replacement consistently one of the top home improvement projects for ROI. What to Expect on Your Return

While there are many variables that affect the expected ROI of a siding replacement project, the 2017 Cost vs Value Report from Remodeling Magazine estimates that homeowners in the Chicagoland area will on average receive more than a 70% return.

 

Which Siding Provides The Most Value

From aesthetics and protection to improving efficiency, we've broken down the best siding products for each of these important categories.   Curb Appeal

The aesthetics of a home are important to the homeowner as well as their neighbors and future potential buyers of their home. Most often when someone is looking to replace or remodel an element of their house, improving or upgrading the curb appeal is a main factor. When you are ready to sell, if the potential homebuyers initially see worn down, damaged or unappealing siding it can set the precedence for the rest of the showing. Prospective buyers may begin calculating the additional costs for siding replacement, or even question the quality and age of other elements of your home. With siding being one of the most prominent and noticed parts of a home’s exterior – the cosmetic look matters.

So what type of siding will provide the highest ROI when considering curb appeal? The answer really comes down to your style preference and material costs. While brick and stone siding can be beautiful, the price tag can be quite hefty. Wood siding has a more natural classic look, however does require more ongoing maintenance to keep up a great curb appeal. Whereas aluminum siding doesn’t provide a quality look. This leaves you with fiber cement and vinyl siding, both similar in the variety of options they both provide.

Our Winner: Fiber Cement With deeper groves and a more authentic wood-grain effect, fiber cement siding provides a more elegant look to a home’s exterior. Additionally, fiber cement siding offers a wider variety of trim options which can be important. According to the 2017 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report, adding high quality trim can increase the ROI of your project by more than 15%.   Protection & Maintenance

Living in the Midwest, residents know that the weather can often be harsh and at times unpredictable. Whether it’s the snow and ice in the winter, or the pounding rain and wind of the summer your siding is going to face some tough conditions. Wood is susceptible to moisture making it vulnerable to rotting and warping. Aluminum is too susceptible to denting through hail. So, when it comes to durability, fiber cement and vinyl would be the final two contenders in the race for best siding options.

Our Winner: Fiber Cement While vinyl is weather and insect resistant, it can potentially crack with impact in extremely cold conditions. That is why fiber cement wins – it is extremely durable and low maintenance. Fiber cement siding can:

• Endure most extreme conditions • Resist expanding and contracting with humidity and temperature changes • Resist chipping, peeling or cracking • Resist bugs, termites and water • Be non-combustible • Carry a warranty for 30+ Years!

  Energy Efficiency

From freezing to sweltering temperatures during our typical “two-season” type weather, there’s no doubt your thermostat gets in a good workout throughout the year. This can be reflected in your heating and cooling bills. However, how well insulated your home is can be a factor in determining if your thermostat needs to work overtime. Some types of siding provide more insulation than others, but regardless of the siding choice, insulation can be added to the exterior walls instantly providing a more energy efficient insulated house. A more energy efficient house means you can begin to see a return on your investment immediately after installation.

Our Winner: Foamed Back Vinyl When considering adding insulation to the exterior walls, that can be done to any siding, but foamed back vinyl siding the top choice. Adding a foam backing to vinyl siding makes your house much more energy efficient instantly allowing savings.

 

Where to start?

Ready to begin planning your siding replacement project, but aren’t sure where to start? Generally, the best first step is to research all your options and get a better understanding of which type of siding is right for you.

If you are interested in replacing your siding we’d love to help you get started! Contact us today, for a free consultation.

 

Download our Siding Replacement ROI infographic here.