House Siding Installation Tips

Installation Tips for Your House Siding

When you decide on the material what do you do?

If you've never before been faced with the task of having siding installed on your house, it may seem like a daunting endeavor. However, it may not be as bad as you think. Knowing a few facts and what to expect before you start can help you plan ahead and make it all much easier.

Make sure you remove all those lawn ornaments.

Indoor and Yard Prep

You'll need to clear a space in your yard for the contractors to work and put their materials, though siding doesn't take up a lot of room. Remove things from your yard such as ornaments and lawn equipment that may be easily damaged. Don't worry- the workers won't be there long enough to permanently damage your lawn. Make visible boundaries surrounding plants, garden, etc. to reduce the probability of them getting trampled and communicate with your contractor about what areas you'd like the work crew to use and which you want to protect. As far as indoor preparation, there's virtually nothing to worry about. You can go about your daily routine or even leave while the crew works, coming home at the end of a day to a house that looks completely different!

Length of Project

The entire process will typically take only 2-3 days, depending on the size of your house and the number of people working on it. Sometimes it can be done in as little as one day.

Noise Concerns

Siding installation probably won't last as long or be as noisy as, say, having a new roof put on, but a courteous move would be to alert your neighbors anyway to what will be happening. They'll probably return the favor next time they create a disturbance. It also paves the way for plenty of compliments when they see how wonderful your new siding looks!

Old Siding Materials

• What happens to the old stuff? In a new home the siding is put over the bare wall sheathing, and likewise it's best to remove the old siding when doing a siding replacement. However, it is not always necessary. Sometimes old siding, if it's wood or stucco, can be left there and you can have the new siding installed directly over it. If the old siding is made of metal, however, it will definitely need to be removed. It also depends on whether or not the old siding is still in good shape. You should never install new siding over rotten siding and your contractor will know this.
• A siding contractor will either tear all the old siding off one day and then put new siding on the next day, or they'll have part of their men tearing off old siding and the other part installing the new at the same time. If inclement weather is a concern, it's obviously better to get the new siding on as fast as possible, but sometimes the removal of old siding can take all day. The number of workers available may also put a limitation on how the process is conducted.
• There are advantages to removing the old siding: you are free to have your house re-insulated or weatherized before installing the new siding, it looks better as a finished product, and it makes it easier to side the parts around windows and doors.