There’s more to hiring a vinyl siding contractor than comparing quotes and prices.

While considering the cost is equally important, your hiring decision shouldn’t solely depend on that one factor.

When you choose an ineffective contractor, one who is not experienced with vinyl siding installation, who takes shortcuts, or is overall not reliable and professional, the vinyl siding manufacturer’s warranty may be void.

Thus, a vinyl siding contractor must be thoroughly vetted – as carefully as you would evaluate a doctor, lawyer, or any other service provider.

If you have family, friends, or any other within your network who have had remodeling projects done for any vinyl siding contractor recommendations. Make sure to reach out and interview at least three contractors.

Take your time to get to know each vinyl siding contractor. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about their services. Since they are the experts about the matter, they should be open, willing, and happy with any questions their potential clients have.

New Siding, Exciting!

Siding a house is an exciting home improvement project. As a homeowner, it’s your chance to refresh your property’s aesthetic. On top of that, you’re enhancing your home’s weather protection and energy efficiency capacities.

The availability of custom colors, added protection, and easy maintenance is just some of the many benefits of siding a home. On top of that, excellent siding significantly improves your home’s curb appeal.

However, siding a house requires the expertise of an experienced and qualified installer. It’s one of those home products that only work as it should if installed correctly. Indeed, the quality of the siding project is the result of top-quality materials and an expert installer.

Faulty siding installation jobs often lead to significant damage and costly repairs to your property. Thus, we couldn’t stress the importance of hiring a qualified home siding contractor for your project enough.

A dishonest, inexperienced, or ineffective contractor can cancel your siding’s manufacturer warranty. O top of that, a poor siding installation leaves your home unprotected and unsecured.

For these reasons, it’s essential to make an informed decision when employing a siding contractor’s services.

Keep Away from Substandard Vinyl Siding Contractors

Substandard contractors lead to inferior and low-grade installation job. This incident could then result in costly and time-consuming consequences.

Aside from the vinyl siding manufacturer’s warranty getting avoided, ineffective vinyl siding installation can cause severe problems to your property.

Vinyl siding can warp and buckle. If the fasteners are overused, the siding could break and allow moisture to leak into your walls, leading to water damage, which is a severe issue.

Here are some red flags you need to watch out for when looking for vinyl siding companies.

• They promise hefty savings and significant discounts only if you agree to hiring them or purchasing from them right then and there.
• They use scare tactics by telling you that your property is facing potential threats and hazards without fully explaining what it is.
• They offer bargain prices because they have leftover, substandard, and shoddy materials left from a previous project.

What to Look for in a Home Siding Installer

Experience

A siding company that’s been in business for many years is a good sign. However, don’t be quick to dismiss newer siding companies.

While years in the industry are useful to consider, you must also check that they’ve provided exemplary service throughout the years. Do they have many satisfied customers? If yes, this company is definitely worth your time.

On the other hand, a newer company may have invested more of its available resources for getting better equipment and materials and more training and education.

While experience is necessary to get the best results, look at the company as a whole. See if the contractors are actually capable of working around the specific edges and contours of a residential property.

Reliable and Trustworthy

As with any company you want to give your business to, you want to work with one you can trust and feel confident about.

Unfortunately, there are shady and dishonest contractors out there who will leave you with sloppy and half-finished projects, waste your time, and take your money.

Professional contractors are willing to provide answers and information you need at every stage of the siding installation work, whether it’s about labor and materials costs, estimated date of project completion, and any issues that may arise.

Trustworthy contractors would not have any problems with transparency and giving customers all the necessary information to complete the project.

One effective way of finding out the trustworthiness of contractors is by reading through their customer reviews. These details should be available online – whether on social media or local review sites.

You can also ask for references and follow up on past clients to quickly check their experience with your prospective contractor.

Licenses and Insurance

Experience and trustworthiness are fundamental qualities to look for in a vinyl siding contractor. However, appropriate licenses, permits, and insurances are just as vital.

Comprehensive insurance, endorsements and certifications from reputable groups in the industry, and state licensing are all helpful guarantees that the contractor you’ll hire will not leave you high and dry.

These qualifications will give you peace of mind that the siding company does honest-to-goodness work and will be professional throughout the project.

Helpful Questions to Ask a Vinyl Siding Contractor Before Hiring Them

What licenses and permits do you have?

Not all states require home improvement contractors to have a license to operate their business. Find out from your local licensing authority if contractors need professional licensing.

Keep in mind that tax licenses are different from professional ones. The former is not an indicator of a contractor’s competency and qualifications to perform the work.

Can you provide referrals or references?

This is standard for any company. If they can’t give you these details, then it’s a good indicator that they haven’t provided satisfactory work.

Ask for before and after photos of their previous jobs. You can also ask for names and contact details of recent clients. Reach out to them for a brief chat and start the conversation with the following questions:

• Were you satisfied with the work?
• Were they prompt, friendly, responsive, and respectful?
• Was the job completed on time?
• Did you have to pay anything extra outside of the agreed-upon bid price?
• Would you hire them again?
• Would you recommend them to your friends and family?

Do you have in-house contractors?

As opposed to subcontractors, in-house contractors are usually a good indicator of a stable and more coherent work.

However, that’s not always necessarily true. Many siding companies hire subcontractors they trust and have had a long working relationship with.

Either way, you have to make sure that the siding company you hire will explicitly stand by their installers and not pass blame should any problems arise.

Siding Contracts and Proposals

The initial phase of the project entails coming up with an estimate. Then, a proposal for the project is submitted.

Many contractors typically offer complimentary estimates.

This is a quotation of the project’s general price, usually without specifics or customization details first.

A proposal, on the other hand, usually comes after the estimate. Not to be confused with the actual work contract, the proposal is a tentative agreement detailing all the options about the installation you have should you hire the contractor.

This variety of options include aesthetics, performance, prices, brands, manufacturers, and other similar details. The contractor should be able to let you know the pros and cons of each option.

From finishing to trim options – this is your chance to ask the contractor for their expert recommendations about your home siding project. You shouldn’t feel pressured at all in making any decisions about the installation.

Other additional provisions included in the proposal are financing options, change order, product samples, brochures, and other related literature.

While it’s important to listen to professional advice from experts in the industry, watch out for ominous signs. If you believe that the contractor is insisting or forcing you to go in a direction you’re not comfortable with, that’s usually a red flag, and it’s best to choose another contractor.

After narrowing down your options and determining your preferences, you can ask the contractor to send over an updated bid with your specifications.

This stage will allow you to look over your pricing options and make an informed decision about this investment.

Don’t Always Go for the Lowest Bid

Remember, you get what you pay for. You certainly wouldn’t want to compromise on quality just to have short-term savings.

In some cases, lower bids could mean that the contractor is cutting corners, doing haphazard work, or does not have the right insurance.

Pay Attention to Details

Honest and professional vinyl siding contractors will provide simple and straightforward proposals and contracts. Bigger and more experienced siding companies may have more extended contracts with more details.

Either way, it’s in your best interest to pay attention to the important details and carefully read the contract. This will avoid any disagreements, misunderstandings, or conflicts down the line.