There are many reasons why you should not install siding yourself. You may believe that you are saving money but unless you know how to do it properly, you could be costing yourself more money. This is not a job that should be tackled alone. While it may not look or always be a complex job, when you do it yourself there are a lot of things that can go wrong. For one, your warranties may be voided and there could be damages to your home if not done right. Even if you have all the tools and supplies, calling a professional is best, read on to learn why professional installation is best.
TRAINING BY MANUFACTURE
Siding is not the most difficult project that you can do on your home. However, it will take some training and prior knowledge before doing it. There are certain techniques that will be taught by the manufacturer. These are tips that only certified people will know.
Plus, when you skip any step that was supposed to be in the process, it will void your warranty. If you skip steps, you will also likely notice water damage later because it was not done properly. Plus, professionals know how to identify issues when taking the old siding off. These are steps that you may not know about as an individual. It is worth calling the experts to ensure that your home is properly taken care of.
COVERAGE OF WORKMANSHIP
There are always warranties from good contractors. They will stand behind the work that they do and if it does not hold up, there is someone to blame. If you are doing this yourself or hiring someone who is a repair person, you have no one to blame if the work is wrong except yourself. This can be a problem. Woth workmanship warranties, you are going to have a peace of mind knowing that the work was done right. If it was not done right, you have someone to call and blame and they will fix the problem at no cost to you.
THE EXTERIOR OF YOUR HOME AND UNDERSTANDING IT
The exterior of your home is not just one piece. They are all connected. For example, your roof is connected to your gutters. The gutters are connected to what is known as soffit. Soffit will be connected to your siding. Your siding is then in return connected to the window trim. This means that if you are trying to replace or even repair items, you need to know that it is all connected.
Knowing the soffit, furrow strip, backerboard, trim, and house wrap is essential. If you do not know how these all interact or what these are, do not attempt siding projects yourself. You are going to end up replacing or repairing more than you initially thought you would. This means that you are going to be spending more money on windows and other items. When you have your siding installed professionally, you are not going to have to worry about any of this. They know all about all the exterior of your home so that you are not going to have to replace more than siding.
When you hire a professional, the only time you will need to replace more than siding is if the company finds damages to other exterior portions. This could include damage to the soffit or your window trim. Do not worry, they will let you know before fixing it and raising prices.
TIME DURATION OF INSTALLATION
If you have all the right tools, do you even have the time for installation? Keep in mind that as soon as the old siding is removed, your home is exposed to the weather. This means if it were to rain, you could have water damage. Even if there is not any rain, the siding still adds value. When you remove the siding, your home will not hold heat or cool air as efficiently as it used to. This means that your electric bills could be higher as it would take you several days if not weeks to finish the job.
If you believe that you can do the installation, make sure that you are asking yourself these questions.
- Can I do this job in a timely manner?
- Do I have the time to do this job?
- Do I have all the tools needed for the job? (Keep in mind that there are more than just cutting tools and siding. You will also need scaffolding tools.)
- Will there still be a warranty from the manufacturer if I do this job myself? (If there is not a warranty if you do it yourself, you could be in big trouble if it is installed wrong.)
- Will there be a permit needed for me to do this job?
COSTS
You should always be sure to consider how much it is going to cost. Yes, hiring someone else will cost more. However, how much will it save you in the future? If you are going to hire a professional, it will cost more upfront. However, you are going to be saving tons on heating and electric bills. Not to mention, you will not have to worry about water damage when it rains. Let the roofing professionals do the job that belongs to them. Make sure that you are getting quotes and not jumping at the first low quote. Remember, you usually get what you pay for.
WRAPPING UP: CAN I INSTALL SIDING MYSELF?
Taking the time to do all the research needed to install siding is going to take forever. You will never know how to do it unless you have had other proper training. Allow AK Contractor in New Jersey to help you with all your siding needs. They will answer any questions you may have about the project and give you a free estimate. They are going to be your best bet in the Union New Jersey area. Take the time to give them a call for your siding quote!
You should now know the answer to your question can I install siding myself!
