Vinyl Siding - can it look good?

We are considering having new siding put on our house. My dream is Hardie but not only is it expensive, but I can only see two companies who install it: Good Guy and Premier. Are they others? Anyhow, does vinyl ever look good? If so, who should I have install it? What kind is best? Thanks

returnrestoration

in General Discussion 6 years and 9 months ago

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resident2 | 6 years and 8 months ago

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Good Guys & Premier pay Hardie to be listed as approved contractors on their website which is why you only see them as Hardie Plank installers.
But any carpenter that can and does install clapboard siding, can instal Hardie Plank. A carpenter that builds kitchen cabinets of course is not going to do this.
Carpenters by nature are generally humble guys and do not advertise themselves so the best way to find them is to walk the streets; especially in the Summer months and in neighborhoods where there are many wooden houses and, watch them work.
Also keep in mind that carpenters that do this work are booked way in advance. Be very wary of anyone that says they can start within the next couple of weeks.
This is not work that is done during the winter months so it is not likely that you will find someone for this year.

returnrestoration | 6 years and 8 months ago

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I’m not seeing all the contractors who do this work. It only seems that Good Guys and Premier do it… What am I missing? Premier is blowing me off. It’s been two months now and want to start this project and they’re just a mess.

Guest User | 6 years and 8 months ago

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Just did Hardie siding on our place in Greenpoint. It stands out next to all the vinyl sided houses on the block and everyone loves it. It’s a major step up from vinyl aesthetically, and yes, there are many people who install. I remember there being a post on Brownstoner a while ago about this and it mentioned some other contractors who did this work…. ah here it is! https://www.brownstoner.com/interiors-renovation/how-to-restore-a-wood-frame-exterior/

murph | 6 years and 8 months ago

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Do they offer brownstone Hardie?

cate | 6 years and 9 months ago

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Second what Resident2 said. Yes, anyone who can install clapboard can also install Hardie.

mozeeatupu | 6 years and 9 months ago

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We had premier install our hardie and had no no problems with the install, premier, or hardie.

daveinbedstuy | 6 years and 9 months ago

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Years ago I restored a painted lady Victorian in Chicago. The facade was properly restored all in wood but on the sides and rear I used a very nice 4″ to the weather metal siding that came in some very nice colors that I matched with the facade. No idea who made it. I would never use vinyl siding. It looks like crap.

resident2 | 6 years and 9 months ago

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Vinyl Siding never looks good and it is not good for your building; it can have condensation problems causing mold, it is not as good an insulator as Hardie, it harbors insects, it does not protect against a fire and many other issues.
Any competent carpenter can install Hardie; it is not much different than installing wood clapboard siding. And certainly a lot cheaper than hiring “Good Guys” who have no right to use that name.
Hardie or “Fiber Cement” which is what Hardie actually is will be much cheaper in the long run. Google “Fiber Cement” and you will find some cheaper options than the name brand “Hardie”.

EJR | 6 years and 9 months ago

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Seems like this would be a matter of personal preference. As with most people (yourself included based on the title of your post), I tend not to like the look of vinyl. That said, for sh*ts and giggles, I googles “attractive vinyl siding” and some of the hits did look pretty nice, at last on a computer screen. I have no idea how pricing and longevity shake out as between vinyl siding and Hardie, but I suppose if Hardie is more durable and will last longer that needs to be factored into the up-front cost.