Blog written by Let It Flow Exteriors in Edmonton
Positive first impressions of your home are important. Whether you are trying to sell your house or looking to be proud of what you own, curb appeal plays a big part in this.
The type of siding you have on your house, and the condition it is in often dictates this. If you have faded, dirty siding the curb appeal goes down, and vice versa. This is why it is important to make sure your siding is looking the best it can. This can be as simple as washing off any dirt, or even as complex as completely replacing any siding. Let It Flow Exteriors are experienced siding contractors in Edmonton. We offer various siding types such as Vinyl, Aluminum, Fibre Cement. Each of the options has its pros and cons along with their associated costs.
Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is the most popular siding option available today, being used in most new homes and renovations. It is available in many different styles such as Board and Batten, Dutchlap, and Horizontal.
Pros
Inexpensive: Vinyl siding is the cheapest siding option available ranging from $2.25sqft – $6.50sqft.
Low maintenance: Vinyl siding will never need to be painted and is extremely easy to clean as all you need is a hose.
Wide variety of Colours: Vinyl siding comes in a range of colors to perfectly match your needs.
Cons
Low return on investment: Compared to other siding options available, vinyl siding offers a lower return on investment
Aluminum Siding
Aluminum siding is the least popular siding option available, popular in the ’50s-’80s aluminum siding is found on older homes. Often now only used as an accent or on higher-end homes. It is available in horizontal and board and batten.
Pros
Durable: Aluminum siding is extremely durable depending on the thickness, only becoming damaged when faced with extreme impact.
Resistant to damage: Fire, water, rot, and insect resistance. Due to it being metal, aluminum siding is extremely fire resistant, will not rust or rot, and will keep any creepy crawlers out of your walls.
Cons
Expensive: Aluminum siding costs anywhere from $3.75sqft – $9.50sqft to install.
Fades: Aluminum siding is extremely susceptible to fading in the sun.
Fibre Cement Siding
Quickly becoming one of the most popular types of siding on the market, fibre cement siding is being used on more and more homes. It is quite popular with high-end home builders. It is also favoured by house flippers as it often adds value to the house where’s typical vinyl siding does not.
Pros
Durable: Fibre Cement is much more durable than vinyl and aluminum siding, more resistant to fading, chips, and splitting.
Realistic look: Due to the thickness of the material it allows for deeper grains in the board, giving it a more realistic wood look then other siding options, this means better curb appeal and a natural look.
Fire, Moisture, Rot, and Insect Resistant: Fibre cement siding is fire resistant, meaning it won’t melt or warp when exposed to heat and won’t combust easily. It is also moisture resistant meaning it wont swell or rot in humid climates. It is also resistant to insects and pests. You won’t have to worry about things like termites or other critters.
Great Return on Investment: Fibre cement siding typically holds 70% of its cost when reselling your home, meaning if you spent $20,000 on reselling your home, it’ll add $14,000 to your home’s value, on top of the curb appeal.
Cons
Expensive: Costing between $6sqft – $14.50sqft, fibre cement is the most expensive siding available on the market. This is due to the costs of material, along with the weight of it which typically requires two installers or special tools to install.
Fades: Fibre cement siding will typically need to be repainted every 15 years as the color fades in the sun.
Overview
Each type of siding available has different pros and cons to it. Some are cheaper, some are more durable, some offer more value to choosing it. As a homeowner, it is important to do your due diligence and research the product that is right for you. At Let It Flow Exteriors we offer expertise that can help you along in the process from choosing the type of siding for your home all the way to the final install. Serving Parkland County and surrounding areas we offer eavestrough, soffit and fascia, siding, and faux stone installation.
Visit us at Let It Flow Exteriors, call 780-932-3810, or email us at letitflowexteriors@gmail.ca to get in touch and find out more.
