Published on: March 02, 2022
Before you embark on a Kent siding project for your Washington home, read up on the top considerations to ensure you select the best siding materials and contractors to complete the work.
New siding will dramatically transform your home. You’ll see a fresh look, but with the right materials and installation, you’ll also have peace of mind knowing that your home is well protected with high-quality materials and workmanship.
Siding is about more than visual appeal. It offers a protective barrier essential for Kent homes to ward off the often severe weather we encounter. But it also protects from insects and other threats to your home’s foundation.
You don’t need to know entirely which siding you want on your home just yet. But having an idea of what type of siding you like will guide you in calling qualified siding contractors who are skilled at installing that type of siding.
You have 11 options for siding material types.
If you want to repair your siding, you might have recourse with your last siding contractor based on installation warranties. You might want to start there or go directly to the materials manufacturer if you suspect a defective product.
A Kent siding contractor can help you evaluate whether you might have a warranty claim but won’t be able to speak to specifics if they don’t have all the details about when your siding was installed, by whom and with what materials.
You might start out thinking you’ll repair one area of your home but later find that the damage is farther reaching than you originally realized. At that point, you might pivot to a complete siding project and have more options for what types of siding to install and the design of that siding.
Before you get in too deep with discussing your siding project with a contractor, you should get an insurance inspection if you suspect storm damage. That way, you know the budget you’re working with to make informed decisions about how to handle the project.
This will help your discussions with the contractor move quickly as you won’t be waiting around for estimates and uncertain of your total budget for the project.
Insurance might only cover replacing damage on one side of your home. For example, a hail storm that involved heavy winds from the north might only replace the siding that faced northward on your home because it sustained the damage. You’ll then have to decide if you’re ready to do a whole home siding project and pay for the other three-fourths of the project out-of-pocket.
It’s best to know this information before you put time into calling and meeting many contractors only to find out you won’t be getting as much insurance coverage as you thought.
When you search for Kent, Washington, siding contractors, you’ll find results for more than a dozen companies that install siding in the Kent area. You certainly don’t have time to call all these companies. So how can you pick a few options and get quotes?
It’s best to start with ensuring the contractor has expertise in the siding type you want. Then read up on reviews to learn more about the experience working with these companies. As you read reviews, consider which ones are about the quality of the work. That’s the most important aspect of a siding project.
Of course, you want the team to be easy to work with, but everyone’s standards for that are a little different. Some online reviews will be exceedingly knit-picky about the contractor. And many will likely focus on the price of the service and less on the quality. So read reviews with a critical eye to learn more about the specific content of those reviews.
Now that your list is shorter, you can schedule consultations with a few of the top contractors on your list. During this phase, you need to be prepared for discussing the following with the contractor.
Siding contractors who provide a warranty on their installation jobs demonstrate a commitment to excellence. When a company offers a warranty on their work, it tells customers that they will stand behind their work for many years to come.
Combining the warranty the contractor offers and the warranty on the materials installed should cover your home from the unexpected for several years. This can provide peace of mind.
When evaluating the worth of a warranty, you should first understand that siding projects generally have two different warranties: the siding manufacturer’s warranty and the contractor’s workmanship warranty.
The manufacturer’s warranty covers the materials from defects. Your contractor can help you weigh the pros and cons of a variety of siding manufacturers to find the one that is best for your home based on the warranty and many other factors.
Some manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty. That does not always mean that the materials are covered for as long as you live. Instead, it likely means that it’s covered for the expected life of the siding, which could be 20 years or it could be 50 years. Ask for more details when the warranty simply says lifetime.
The contractor’s warranty protects you from defects in the workmanship. You might be able to negotiate for a longer contractor’s warranty if you need it.
If you’re looking for quality Kent siding, contact 2FL Windows, Siding and Roofing. We have an office located at 10605 SE 240th St., #130, Kent, WA 98031. Our quality workmanship and warranties provide a guarantee of quality you won’t find anywhere else in the area. Schedule your free consultation now.
Further Reading:
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