Years go by and many unsuspecting property owners are not aware of substandard work performed by their exterior siding contractor. When a leak finally surfaces behind a panel of siding, the resulting damage to the sheathing can oftentimes reveal that a flashing detail had not been correctly installed by the siding contractor years prior. The exterior siding material you select is far less important than the contractor who installs it.
Evaluating siding installers to ensure proper installation can be broken down into three easy-to-verify documents to ensure the contractor will pay for poor workmanship, as well as comparing the scope of work listed in the quotes for siding to ensure that all contractors are listing the same work to be completed, and reviewing the terms of the warranty offered.
Credentials that survive a phone call
Rules for siding contractors can vary by state and even by municipality. Siding may fall under the category of a general contractor but more often it is classified and even issued as a special permit by a municipality. Verify the rule that applies in your state and check the siding contractor’s license number with the state licensing board, not by accepting a copy of his/her license.
A contractor’s insurance must also be verified in the same detail as their licensing. A certificate of insurance (a one-page verification) only verifies that the contractor has insurance at the time the verification is requested. Typically, the verification requested by the contractor is made in the contractor’s best interest and can cease at any time during the contract, often in the middle of the project.
Three documents worth requesting before anything else
- A certificate of insurance sent directly from the agent or carrier, naming the property owner as certificate holder and showing general liability and workers’ compensation limits with effective dates.
- Proof of manufacturer certification if the bid relies on an extended or system warranty, since those programs usually require trained installers.
- Evidence of how subcontracted labor is covered, because crews hired per job are a common gap in a contractor’s own policy.
What a complete written quotation contains
Keep an eye out for the contractor who gives you a one-page scope of work showing the square footage of your home and the total price to complete the work. It’s usually best to avoid such contractors as they will find ways to charge more for their time as they complete the job as they see fit.
Line items that reveal how the bid was built
- Tear-off and disposal, with a stated assumption about how many existing layers will be removed.
- Sheathing replacement priced per sheet rather than as a lump allowance, so damage found during tear-off is priced in advance.
- Weather-resistive barrier type, fastener specification, and whether a rainscreen gap or furring is included.
- Flashing details at windows, doors, roof-to-wall intersections, and penetrations, named individually.
- Trim, soffit, fascia, and corner treatment, since these are frequently excluded and added later.
A contractor performing work in Charlotte, NC will have to comply with local requirements for siding in Charlotte, compared to other locations in the country such as inland non-humid climates, therefore make sure to compare bids for siding in Charlotte on an apples to apples basis to local building methods. For that reason it pays to ask an established Charlotte NC siding company to walk you through how their assembly handles humidity and wind-driven rain before you sign anything.
Warranty structure and where coverage actually ends
Disputes are typical for a multilayered insurance package where work is covered by separate layers with different durations, insurance companies and exclusions.
| Coverage layer | Who stands behind it | Typical duration | Most common exclusion |
| Product warranty | Manufacturer | Limited lifetime, often prorated after an initial period | Labor to remove and replace the failed material |
| Finish or color warranty | Manufacturer, sometimes separate from the product | Shorter term, often 10 to 20 years | Fade measured below a defined threshold |
| Workmanship warranty | Installing contractor | One to ten years, highly variable | Anything attributed to product defect |
| System or certified-installer warranty | Manufacturer, with contractor certification required | Extended non-prorated period | Use of components outside the approved system |
Inquire as to how a claim will be handled for damage that occurs within covered layers. Will that be handled by one administrator or separate? Are there any exclusions? Are there any exclusions within a layer? Can extended warranties be transferred? What are the registration requirements and deadlines to ensure the extended warranty will remain in effect and not revert back to the base warranty?
Normalizing bids so the comparison is real
Quotes based off total price to complete work can vary greatly as most contractors exclude a list of items to lower their price and arrive at the bottom line number.
A workable adjustment method
- List every scope item appearing in any bid, then mark each quote as included, excluded, or unstated.
- Price the gaps using the highest bidder’s unit rates, and add those figures to the lower bids.
- Separate the material line so product grade differences are visible rather than buried in the total.
- Convert warranty differences into years of coverage on labor, which is the expensive part of any future repair.
- Compare the adjusted figures and note how far each moved from its headline number.
Contract terms that govern the job once work starts
The final payment should be held until the work is completely finished and a complete punch list has been addressed.
Require written change orders (with pricing and signature) for all work (including additional removal work) prior to implementation of work. Most billing disputes occur due to oral change orders made during removal. Identify who pulls permits, schedules inspections and provides required site protection for items such as landscaping, windows and other adjacent surfaces on a daily basis.
