While the exterior siding of your home is an attractive aspect that significantly helps curb appeal, it also provides essential protection from the elements. It contributes to your home’s energy efficiency. As such, you’ll want to guarantee that any damaged or deteriorated siding is replaced swiftly by a skilled siding contractor.
When picking a siding contractor to install siding cladding, you’ll want to exercise caution. Numerous respectable specialists possess the necessary knowledge, tools, and experience to accomplish your siding project. However, an equal number of imposters lack the necessary credentials and are out to defraud you or leave you with substandard work.
Here are some essential recommendations for hiring the best siding contractor for your home’s siding installation.
1. Become Familiar With Your Siding Options
Siding is available in various materials, including wood, metal, fibre cement, and vinyl. Each option has a distinct appearance, function, and advantage, which you may explore to pick the one that is the most excellent fit for your home and budget.
The installation technique and tools used differ according to the material. While some contractors work with all types of siding regularly, some specialize in one or the other or even work entirely with one kind. Additionally, you can look at certain manufacturers to check if they have a litmus test for certifying or educating contractors on their product’s installation.
You’ll want to decide which type of siding you’d like to put on your home so that you may narrow your contractor search to that material. Vinyl siding contractor if vinyl siding is your desire or a wood siding contractor if the wood siding is your option.
2. Start Looking For The Most Qualified Contractor
Are you a fan of the siding on a property you’ve seen? Referrals from personal and professional contacts are an excellent place to begin your search for the best siding contractor. Enquire about a referral and whether the homeowner was satisfied with the contractor’s timeliness, professionalism, quality of work, adherence to the budget, and other aspects of the job.
Conduct a local search for contractors in your geographic region. Remember, you can further refine your search by specifying the sort of material you wish to employ — for example, a vinyl siding contractor.
3. Conduct Due Diligence on Potential Contractors
After compiling a list of potential siding contractors, you’ll want to examine their references and online reviews. How previous clients feel about a contractor’s quality of work and customer service is a reliable indicator of what you can expect on your job.
Bear in mind; however, referrals, that internet reviewers may be compensated to write glowing reviews or may have a track record of never being happy. In other words, you should consider the aggregate of evaluations rather than placing undue emphasis on any single review.
It’s critical to additionally contact the contractor’s references. Any professional contractor should be able to supply you with at least three references whom you can get to inquire about the following:
- Was the job completed on time and according to the agreed-upon schedule?
- Was the project done correctly and according to any agreed-upon specifications?
- Was the project on schedule and within budget?
- Was it easy to contact and interact with the contractor when you needed him?
- How is the final job holding up, and how has the contractor dealt with any concerns?
- What is your opinion of the contractor’s customer service?
4. Examine The Contractor’s Previous Work
Most contractors will have a page dedicated to testimonials and images of previous work on their website. If this is not the case, request a portfolio from the contractor. This will give you a sense of the level of craftsmanship to expect. It’s also a good idea to look at before and after photos when deciding on your material choices.
Reputable siding contractors frequently provide a free bid or estimate. They’ll come to your house and assess the job’s scale, as well as the supplies, tools, and person-hours required to do it. Obtaining numerous bids may appear to slow down the installation of your siding. Even so, it can provide you with a wealth of helpful pre-installation information, such as the following:
Never take a bid from a contractor eager to offer you a number without inspecting the job first.
Bids should be generally similar; any significant difference indicates that the contractor is unfamiliar with siding projects or is attempting to defraud you.
Estimates are a great way to learn about your contractor’s experience, personality, and professionalism to evaluate if they’re a good fit for your job.
Contractors should be eager and able to answer all of your siding inquiries clearly and concisely so that you can comprehend and be satisfied. If not, it’s time to find a contractor who can better fulfill your needs.
While much of this information can be found on a contractor’s website, you’ll want to make sure you have the answers to a few key questions before hiring a vinyl siding contractor:
- How long have you been doing siding installation?
- Do you have a specialty when it comes to siding installation?
- Do you have any specialized training or certifications in the installation of a particular type of siding?
- Do you have a local brick-and-mortar location that can be visited should I have a question, concern, or problem in the future?
- What kind of craft and insurance contracts do you provide?
- Are you insured, licensed, and bonded to cover any workman’s compensation or accident issues that may emerge on the project?
- What customer service policy do you have to help me? Would I contact you or someone who works for you if I had a problem during the project?
- Do you provide a free on-site estimate?
- Is there a detailed pricing breakdown of goods and services in your final quote, as well as a completion timeline?
- Who obtains all of the necessary permits for the job? (Legally, tickets fall on the homeowner’s shoulders, but many contractors take care of this aspect for you.)
- Who bears responsibility for the project’s garbage and waste?
- What are post-project cleanup services included in the contract, such as a rolling magnet for loose metal?
Never engage a contractor without first obtaining a formal contract. A detailed pricing breakdown of labour, materials, optional materials and overall cost should be included. It should consist of all terms and exceptions of work and payment, including a minimum guarantee of professional quality and product material warranties.