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Our Vinyl Siding Installation: Process And Costs

Hoca

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Discover the process and costs of vinyl siding installation. Learn about our experience replacing siding, soffits, fascia, and more for our family home.

Our Vinyl Siding Installation Process And Costs

Our Vinyl Siding Installation Process And Costs

Why We Replaced The Vinyl Siding And Guttering​


When we first purchased our home in 2009, we considered replacing the roof and siding; however, the timing was off.

By 2010, we installed a new roof and never returned to the vinyl siding replacement until 2023.

Just before this project, I remodelled the garage, and one of the tasks was to rip the ceiling down to reinsulate and drywall.

There was nothing inherently wrong with the siding apart from being 25 years old, white, and dirty, which could have been cleaned.

However, we decided to insulate behind the siding as temperatures fluctuate between summer and winter.

We couldn’t keep a consistent temperature, so we needed to add insulation.

The second largest room in our two-story,1450sq ft bungaloft is over the double garage and is often too hot or cold.

Only a portion of our home’s upper level has vinyl siding; the rest is all brick.

Our basement is a bit over 1000sq feet, as is our main level with a sunroom *not added sq footage, plus the upper level is 450sq feet.

This summer, I will have more insulation blown into the two attics of our home as it could stand to have more.

Securing The Shell Of A Home​


I’ve always said that before I renovate the kitchen and basement of our home, I wanted to ensure the outside is taken care of.

The shell of your home holds everything together, and if that’s falling apart, nothing you do on the inside will make a difference.

We weren’t sure of the cost to replace the siding on our home, but we knew we wouldn’t paint it or do the work ourselves.

White siding with black trim seems popular, and vice versa, dark siding with white trim on newly built modern homes.

Replacing the siding on your home comes with considerable costs, so you should hire the right contractor.

New Vinyl Siding Installation vs. Painted Brick​


Neighbors up the street had their brick painted white to match their white house siding and painted the windows and trim black.

They have a dark steel roof that ties it all together, and people who pass by seem to like it as it stands out among the other 90s homes.

However, be prepared for upkeep and extra costs whenever you paint anything.

Over time, paint can chip, which is caused by moisture, and painting is permanent.

Although I’m not sure how much it costs to paint brick, you can get free estimates as many factors are involved professionally.

From research, I found this pricing guide from Home Painters Toronto in 2020.

Average job size for Exterior Brick Painting​


One of the major factors that influence the exterior brick painting process cost is the size of the project. Generally, based on the size of the project, the cost is around:

  • Bungalows 800-1200 Sq. Ft: $3,800-CAD 6,700 + HST
  • Home 1500-2500 Sq. Ft: $5,700-CAD 14,300 + HST
  • Home 2500-3500 Sq. Ft: $7,600-CAD 19,000 + HST

Nevertheless, I know removing and replacing vinyl siding is not cheap.

We went whole-hog outside the house because getting a siding estimate made sense.

Not only does new vinyl siding add curb appeal, but it also increases the value of our home.

While the siding contractors were on the roof, I had them remove the gutters and downspouts and replace the soffits and fascia.

New Board and Batten Vinyl siding, soffits, fascia and eaves

New Board and Batten Vinyl siding, soffits, fascia, and eaves

Benefits Of Vinyl Siding​

  • Durable: Living in Canada, we have extreme weather and temperatures, which makes vinyl siding a perfect option. Vinyl siding will not warp or crack when faced with snow, rain, hail, and heavy winds, which is essential to us. Vinyl also protects your home from moisture and pets such as mice, rats, squirrels, and bugs, adding another layer of protection. When the siding was removed, many bugs fell out, which bothered us, so we ensured the house was properly insulated and sealed before the vinyl was applied.
  • Low Maintenance: There is little to no maintenance of vinyl siding, which is why it’s popular among homeowners. No painting, sealing, or staining is required apart from cleaning it as needed with soap and water. I always washed our siding with soap, water, a bucket, and cloth. I would hose it down afterward because using a pressure washer can damage the siding as it’s too powerful. You can paint vinyl siding; however, ensure that you use the proper paint and be mindful of the upkeep involved. As a busy homeowner, I think this option stood out the most to us.
  • Variety of colours, textures, and designs: There are various options, such as traditional clapboard, board and batten, and shingle, giving homeowner lots of options to fit the style of their home.

Vinyl Siding Installation Companies​


There were four things we knew 110% that we would not do when hiring a siding company.

  • The cheapest house siding contractors are not always the worst or best choices.
  • Reviews, including photos or site visits, were a must.
  • We were not paying upfront for the entire project.
  • There had to be a minimum of three solid estimates for house siding.

We live in the Greater Toronto Area, so there are plenty of house vinyl siding installation companies to choose from.

The first step we chose to conquer was to ask a Facebook group for our city who came highly recommended and why.

We expected to get lots of comments and possibly some not-so-good vinyl house siding companies to avoid.

From there, we made a list of the vinyl siding companies and wrote notes from the comments.

We also talked to friends and neighbors who have had the siding and guttering replaced on their homes for company referrals.

You can hire local vinyl siding companies, but many will travel from city to city.

Free Vinyl Siding Installation Estimate For Home​


I don’t know of any company that does home renovations and doesn’t offer free in-home estimates.

When it comes to sales, there’s always a team ready to hit the road to sell and negotiate for companies.

The good thing is that it gives the homeowner options and buying power.

Always negotiate apples to apples; remember, you get what you pay for.

The least expensive is not always the best option, and the highest quote could be the worst decision of your life.

For this project, we went with four free estimates, with three being outside and one inside our city.

Ultimately, we chose an established company from the Toronto area that was honest about what they did and didn’t do.

Their price was not the cheapest of all the estimates, but not the highest.

If you’re unsure, do some research and make a list of questions that you want to ask the person offering the free estimate.

We also looked up the companies online and read as many reviews as possible.

If a company you are interested in has done work in your area, ask them for referrals to homes you can look at from the road.

Some homeowners don’t mind if you go up close to the home, but generally, companies suggest you look from the road.

I’m sure it has to do with not wanting potential customers to chat with previous customers.

I don’t know; that’s my theory, but if there’s nothing to hide and a customer opts to be a referral, I don’t see the problem.

By the sounds of it, most companies don’t want to get involved this way.

They did the same even when we had Magic Windows in for an estimate and asked for referrals. \

All we were given was addresses, and they told us to drive by and look.

Costs Involved To Start The Project​


Below is what the company wanted from us to start the project in late 2023.

Downpayment: $5000 to start the project and the remainder the day it is finished.

Project Time Frame: Four days

Start Date: The project started two months after the downpayment was paid. It could have started sooner; however, they needed to wait for our windows to be installed.

Removing House Siding From Home​

Removing Vinyl Siding From Our Home

Removing Vinyl Siding From Our Home

Choosing Vinyl Siding To Fit Your Home​

Board and Batting Siding, eavestrough and downspout

Board and Batten Siding, eavestrough, and downspout (soffits and fascia)

We decided on modern practically using the vertical board and batten vinyl siding, which meant no seams or joins.

With horizontal vinyl siding, there will always be a joint in the middle when it goes to the next panel.

From various colors available, we chose Chesapeake Gray for the fascia, soffits, and guttering (eavestroughs and downspouts) and Dover Gray for the Board and Batten vinyl siding.

Gentek Canada Board and Batten Colours

Gentek Canada Board and Batten Colours

We purchased the vinyl siding from Gentek, which offers the following features when using board and batten.

Board and Batten Upper level Vinyl Siding Installation Gentek

Board and Batten Upper-level Vinyl Siding Installation Gentek
  • Extra-Heavy Wall Thickness

Heavy-duty .050″ thickness (nominal) provides superior rigidity, ensuring straight, smooth walls.

Meets or exceeds ASTM D5206 industry test standard for negative wind load resistance.

  • Design Versatility

Featuring an authentically proportioned 7″ exposure with a 5-1/2″ board and 1-1/2″ batten strip, this quality-crafted panel works well as a whole-house exterior or as the perfect accent siding.

  • Light Roughsawn Emboss

Beautiful low-gloss finish achieves natural appeal and excellent durability; it requires minimal upkeep.

Insulation Under The Vinyl Siding​


There was also a layer of foiled-backed XPS extruded polystyrene insulation to reduce heating and cooling bills.

Vinyl Siding Lifetime Warranty​


Gentek offers a lifetime warranty on its ultra-premium board and batten vinyl siding.

This is a big deal because things can and do happen, so knowing that a company backs homeowners like this was important to us.

Fade Protection​


Featuring richer, darker colors fortified with ChromaTrue fade-defying technology, Board & Batten vinyl siding carries a lifetime limited warranty against fading.

A Lifetime of Protection​


Board & Batten ultra-premium vinyl siding is backed by a lifetime limited, transferable warranty that includes fade and hail protection.

Fascia and Soffits

Fascia and Soffits

Problems With Our Vinyl Siding Installation Project​

Two Shades Of Aluminum Siding Grey

Vinyl Siding Grey Board and Batten Chesapeake and Dover Grey

Here’s where things started going wrong with the project.

After day one, the contractors removed the old materials and insulated the upper level.

For our size project, we had five guys, which we thought was a reasonable amount.

Keep in mind our home has surveillance cameras around the house so we can see and hear what they are doing.

They were gone when I got home from work, so I went onto the roof to inspect what was completed.

I’m guessing they didn’t expect me to do that, or most homeowners don’t.

Right away, I started to see problems with gaps in the soffits and fascia, which I was furious about.

I removed some of the insulation, and many bug casings fell out.

This is normal for all homes as we can’t control where the bugs try to enter or hide out.

Another reason why everything must line up perfectly during insulation.

Bug Casings That Fell Out From The Siding

Bug Casings That Fell Out From The Siding

I called the supervisor about the project, and let’s say it got a bit heated as I was not impressed.

He promised to visit the project site as much as possible to check in with everyone.

Good, he should be doing that since overseeing the crew is part of his job.

Gaps during vinyl siding installation that were a problem

Gaps during vinyl siding installation were a problem

Unexpected Guests Visited The Project Twice​


Mrs. CBB listened and watched as much as possible to ensure things went smoothly.

Not only were they smoking all over the property but we had a bylaw here twice because of neighbour complaints about loud music.

At no point did the city bylaw come to the door to talk to Mrs. CBB either time they visited.

We didn’t know they came the first time and the second time a neighbour saw them.

Mrs. CBB didn’t catch it on the cameras because she had other things to do rather than stare at them all day.

When she approached the head contractor about it, he said, “Oh yeah, the guy said that a neighbour complained about the music, and if he comes back again, the homeowners will get a ticket.”

Thanks for telling us, guy; we appreciate it.

A phone call to the bylaw office was pointless as nobody could help.

I would have liked to see them try to ticket us when they didn’t tell us about the issue.

Nobody Is Listening​


To make matters worse, I told them not to put anything heavy on the driveway as I had just had it installed, and they didn’t listen.

I came home to find four marks from the table saw legs they had on the driveway.

The damage was already done; all I could do was call the supervisor again and lose my mind.

There’s more; grab some popcorn now.

The amount of arguing outside was horrible between the head contractor and the workers.

We only understand the swear words since we don’t speak their language.

The young guys were lazy and slacking off and were the cause of the gaps on the upper level.

They shouldn’t have worked for this company if they didn’t want to be there.

Biggest Disaster With The Project​


The biggest screw-up came the day they installed the board and batten while I was at work.

Unfortunately, Mrs. CBB did not leave the house until 3 pm to pick up our son from school.

She looked at the house and thought something was off but wasn’t sure.

When I got home, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

They used one colour of vinyl on the house, which looked ridiculous.

Even the head contractor later said that he thought it was weird to have no contrast.

Of course, it looks odd, but nobody cared to question it with us.

The supervisor who ordered the products did not order Dover Grey, only Chesapeake.

It wasn’t the worker’s fault, but the head contractor could have questioned it.

Proof Of Communication​


We had to pull emails and the contract that stated the two colours to prove it.

You can imagine how that phone call to the supervisor went.

It took a few minutes for him to try to act like he was right until I lit a fire under his, you know what.

He phoned back the same night, offering us a deal to keep what we had up.

The deal was lucrative, but the house would look awful, and I said, no, pull it all down.

It was their loss and not our problem.

So, we had to wait two days to have the new product shipped, which extended the project.

In the meantime, the neighbours asked what was happening, and we had to explain.

What a disaster, but at least it was fixed, and yes, every night, I was on the roof inspecting everything.

I told the supervisor I was doing that and that he wouldn’t see any money if the job was not done correctly.

He was a bit of a donut, to be honest.

They were short two pieces of the downspout, which he delivered a couple of days after the project ended.

When he came to the door, he said he showed me the parts and would install them and be on his way.

Once he left, I went to look for friends; the guy put them on upside down.

I shook my head, grabbed a beer, and was happy this project was finally done.

Tips For Ensuring The Job Is Done Right​


Friends, please keep all communication with contractors, including estimates and text messages.

Read the fine print of contracts and ask as many questions as needed when researching your project.

Always check in and review what the workers are doing because lots like to cut corners even if they are one of the best companies.

Ensure that the cleanup is done correctly.

I borrowed a magnet from a friend and found loads of nails and screws all over the lawn, not to mention smoke butts.

Vinyl Siding Installation Costs For Our House​

Final bill for new board and batten vinyl siding , fascia and soffits 2023-2024

The final bill for new board and batten vinyl siding, fascia, and soffits 2023-2024
2023-2024 Costs To Install Vinyl Siding On Ontario Home

2023-2024 Costs To Install Vinyl Siding On Ontario Home

Labour and Manufacturer’s Warranty​


Instead of incurring the 2% surcharge, we did an e-transfer for the downpayment and the remaining costs.

Labour warranty and manufacturers warranty vinyl siding, soffits and fascia 2023

Labour warranty and manufacturers warranty vinyl siding, soffits, and fascia 2023

Canada Greener Homes Grant​


Thankfully, we could apply for a rebate through the Canada Greener Homes Grant by getting a before and after home energy audit.

Grants from $125 to $5,000
To get back a portion of your costs for eligible home retrofits.

The grant covers eligible retrofits like home insulation, windows and doors, heat pumps and solar panels as well as resiliency measures.

You must undertake both a pre- and post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation of your home to be eligible for the grant.

Canada Greener Homes Grant – Now Closed

The audit is completed before the projects begin which also includes the windows, and again after it ends.

After the initial audit, you will receive a report that shares any energy savings opportunities.

We qualified by adding insulation under the board and batten and installing Energy Star windows throughout the home and in our sunroom.

We paid $678.00 for the energy audit and are now waiting for the rebate cheque from the Greener Homes Grant, which will take up to eight months.

Overall Vinyl Siding Installation Experience​


I wish I had many positive things to say about this vinyl siding installation project, but I don’t.

In the end, everything looked great, but it came with significant stress, especially having to be on their backs.

We’re not done with home renovations yet but we will take this learning experience and apply it to the next round of projects.

I hope this helps anyone who is planning on a vinyl siding installation. I’ll share a post about our window installation, and garage remodel projects, with costs soon.

Discussion: What questions should homeowners ask siding contractors when deciding who to hire for the job?

Please leave your comments below.

Mr. CBB

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