Are non-fungible tokens — NFTs — a good investment? We are not financial advisors, so we will stay out of that kerfuffle. What about vinyl siding? Is vinyl siding a good investment? Vinyl siding may not be as dazzling as sports memorabilia or artwork (NFT fodder), yet it can be an answer for many Indianapolis-area homeowners.
Go For the Vinyl
You may think vinyl is only useful in music records or flooring, but this tough, versatile plastic (polyvinyl chloride or PVC) appears in all aspects of home construction:
- Water pipe
- Window frames
- Gutters and downspouts
- Electrical wire and cable insulation
- Wallcoverings
- Siding
The many positive aspects of vinyl for siding on Indianapolis homes will give many homeowners plenty of reasons to seal the deal with a reliable, local installer:
- Vinyl siding is less expensive to buy and install than many other types of residential siding.
- Vinyl — made of two natural materials (salt and ethylene) — is naturally water repellent, able to withstand harsh rain, ice, and snow.
- Color selection is enormous, with just about any color you desire readily available.
- Vinyl siding requires very little maintenance.
- Modern vinyl can be installed with great insulative value.
- Vinyl siding can take a lot of abuse — from play balls, bats, branches — and maintain its form.
- The color in vinyl siding is baked in throughout the material, not painted on the surface.
Should You Stay Away From Vinyl?
No perfect material exists. Vinyl siding has many, many positive aspects. It is readily available, fairly easy for good contractors to install, long-lasting, and easy to maintain. But it does have some downsides the Indianapolis homeowner must consider:
- Vinyl siding is not as durable as fiber cement siding.
- Vinyl siding color fades under sunlight.
- When installed, it is not waterproof because of the open edges at corners (it cannot be rigidly attached because it expands and contracts in changing temperatures).
- The sheathing underneath the vinyl siding must be expertly and thoroughly wrapped in house wrap before any siding is installed.
- Vinyl siding may be harsher on the environment than other exterior materials.
- Vinyl siding will deform under intense heat, including direct sunlight or your grill.
- Vinyl siding can break, especially in low temperatures when it loses its plasticity.
- Vinyl siding may decrease your home’s resale value compared to fiber cement siding.
- Only highly trained, experienced siding installers should measure, cut, handle, and install the siding; it is not for the home handyman or a do-it-yourselfer.
Costs
As with all building materials, vinyl siding comes in a range of price and quality grades. You can get thin, inexpensive vinyl siding suitable for the doghouse or kids’ playhouse. You can get thick, long-lasting vinyl siding requiring contractor-grade equipment to install it.
Siding costs quoted to you by a nearby siding contractor are affected by several factors:
- Standard colors cost less than custom color orders.
- The thicker the vinyl siding, the more you will pay.
- The more surface area your home has, the higher the cost.
- The taller your home is, the more difficult installation will be, and therefore you will pay more for time and labor.
- Vinyl siding is sold by the “square,” meaning enough material to cover 100 square feet; it comes in long, large expanses which disguise joints well.
Part of your decision-making must consider how long you expect to stay in your Indianapolis-area home. If you plan to remain for decades, you might opt for fiber cement siding. If you are thinking of moving on within a decade, vinyl siding can be an economical answer.
Contractor
More than half the formula for successful vinyl siding is the contractor installing it. A good, reputable contractor can make the most of whatever siding you decide upon. This means a high-quality contractor can take an economical siding and make it look great. A handyman service, disreputable contractor, or do-it-yourselfer can ruin the most expensive siding with a poor installation.
Be willing to pay for the services of an established, experienced and local contractor. You need someone you can turn to again — in a year, five years — for follow-up service. You may have an unfortunate “grill against the siding” episode and need the same contractor to return and fix the damage.
If you are considering vinyl siding and weighing it against other choices (like James Hardie fiber cement siding), your siding contractor can help. Work together to determine the best option for your Indianapolis home. Please connect with us today at Moss Roofing in Indianapolis. We are your local, reliable contractor for all exterior home services, from roofing to vinyl siding and much more. We expertly install fiber cement siding from James Hardie and tough, low-maintenance vinyl siding from major manufacturers. We are uniquely positioned to offer you sound advice on choosing the right siding for your Indianapolis-area home.
