What to Know About Siding and Trim Repairs
Now that winter is finally over, it’s time to take a good look at your property’s exterior. The longer you look, the more likely you are to find issues with your siding and trim, however minor they may be. From there, you must decide whether it’s worth the time, money, and effort to repair your siding and trim. Knowing a thing or two about these matters will help you make a more informed decision that ultimately benefits your budget and your home or business. With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about siding and trim repairs for your property.
What to Know About Siding and Trim Repairs
Fixing Your Siding and Trim will Increase Curb Appeal
Alongside tasks like pressure washing and exterior painting, fixing up your siding and trim can have a major impact on your property’s outward appearance. Looks aren’t everything, but they do have a bearing on the value of your business or home. Curb appeal refers to how attractive your property is to those looking at it from the outside. If you plan on selling your property in the future, you want to maximize and maintain this curb appeal to reel in the most buyers and lock in the best price. In this way, updating your siding and trim constitutes a significant investment with the potential for a high return.
The Condition of Your Siding Affects Your Interior Rooms, Too
Siding and trim repairs aren’t just about external aesthetics, of course. These features serve important functions, too. Your property’s roof, siding, and trim all work together to defend against moisture, pests, wind, and other environmental threats. Siding also insulates your home or business, helping to maintain a comfortable internal climate and reduce energy costs. If your siding and trim are in rough shape, your property’s interior spaces are more susceptible to moisture, pest intrusion, energy loss, and other forms of damage. Repairing and maintaining these features is crucial for protecting your property on the whole.
Wooden Siding and Trim Are Highly Susceptible to Deterioration
Various materials can be used to manufacture siding and trim, including wood, vinyl, metals, and so on. While all of these materials wear down over time, wooden siding and trim are often the most vulnerable. This isn’t to say wood shouldn’t be used for exterior features – on the contrary, wood remains a popular choice for siding and trim for its appearance, strength, paintability, and more. If you go this route, however, make sure you invest in high-quality, properly treated wood. Additionally, understand that you’ll have to invest more time and resources on siding and trim maintenance for wood exteriors than most alternatives to prevent rot, mold, warping, and other wood-specific issues. If you’re looking for a cheaper, lower-maintenance siding option, consider vinyl.
The Cost of Siding and Trim Repairs Varies Based on Several Factors
Cost is a major factor in determining whether or not someone invests in siding and trim repairs in a given year. That said, these costs can vary widely depending on numerous factors, including the materials used for siding and trim, the project’s size, the extent of damage, the types of repairs required, the time of year the project takes place, your location, the contractor(s) you hire, and more. On the low end, a siding or trim repair job can cost as little as $50 – on the high end, you might be looking at a bill exceeding $5,000. This price disparity speaks to the importance of receiving multiple estimates and doing your own homework to ensure you don’t overpay or miss anything important.
Siding Repair Often Involves Some Replacement
When we talk about “siding repair,” we’re often talking about different degrees of siding replacement. After all, if a portion of your siding is damaged, the best course is often to remove the boards in question and install new ones (smaller repairs might simply involve filling cracks and holes, of course). A full siding replacement refers to removing all of the existing siding and installing new features – a large-scale project like this is often recommended if more than half of your siding requires significant repair since it’s usually more cost-effective to start fresh than to repair each section individually.
Seek Professional Help for Siding and Trim Repairs
At Anderson Painting, we’re well aware that the DIY spirit is strong in Raleigh, NC, and we encourage that enthusiasm. When it comes to siding and trim repairs, however, we wouldn’t recommend attempting it on your own. While many types of siding are relatively easy to install with the proper knowledge and tools, certain boards can be highly fragile and difficult to work with. Improper repair and installation can lead to all sorts of short- and long-term problems, so it’s best to seek reliable siding repair contractors near you.
Set Aside Enough Time for Siding and Trim Repair
Just as siding and trim repair projects can vary in cost, they can also vary in duration. While smaller projects can be completed in as little as one day, larger ones can take several days or weeks to finish. You must keep weather conditions in mind the whole time, too, as these repairs shouldn’t take place if it’s too cold, too hot, rainy, windy, or otherwise hazardous – this goes for all outdoor carpentry repair and painting projects. Working with a reputable contractor will allow you to establish the optimal timeline for your project to minimize interruptions and maximize efficiency.
Want to Know More About Siding and Trim Repairs?
We’ve covered the basics of siding and trim repair here, but there’s always more to discover. If you have questions or concerns regarding your property’s exterior, call today at 919-610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!
