Personal Wood Siding Repair: Expert Advice and Recommendations for Long-Lasting Results

[flemings99]

We have wood siding and need to have some rotted sections repaired and repaint. We've been given conflicting information and just wondering if anyone else knows who is correct.

1st guy said he'd replace a few of the sections of damaged wood and the rest he would add a board to the bottom of to cover the rotted 2-4 inches and then caulk and repaint our home. He says it will last up to 10 years. Bid $2,400

Guy today said the 1st guy offered us a band-aid and would not last more than a couple years and would still have continued rotting of existing wood. He wouldn't even give us a bid for that type of work and said he'd only do it if we replaced all the wood. He's point was the new wood wouldn't match, caulk would expand/contract allowing more damage to the wood underneath. He didn't give us a bid at all b/c he said it would be more cost effective to side our home and gave us a guy he recommended to call. Siding will be anywhere from 8-10,000+

My husband wants to go with the 1st guy b/c we don't have $$ to side.

Opinions wanted....anyone with experience or have recommendations.:cry:

 

[lesliec]

I think guy #2 is exactly right, but it is what you can afford and are willing to do. If the band-aid will fix the problem for the next 2-5 years when you can readdress the issue, I would say go with that.
We had this issue with our last house, but weren't intending to stay there forever, so didn't want to spend the $15-20,000 on siding, knowing that we wouldn't get it back out of the house at the time of sale.

 

[Sheila]

Rotting wood doesn't just go away. All of the damaged boards need to be removed. If there's the least bit of moisture in there & you caulk over it, you are creating a bigger problem in the long run.It's always better to fix the problem, not cover it. Unfortunately, many of the repair people want your money so bad that they are willing to do the temporary fixes to get cash out of you today vs recommending the RIGHT repair and taking the chance that you'll turn them down.I agree with the 2nd guy. You need to fix the problem, not put a bandaid on it. Sorry, I know that's NOT what you wanted to hear.

 

[Sheila]

Which ever route you take, make sure you get the proper permits and that you have inspectors check the work. Odds are, the first guy will try to do the work under the table without the permits or inspections. That's a HUGE RED FLAG that he's doing something shady.

 

[flemings99]

Rotting wood doesn't just go away. All of the damaged boards need to be removed. If there's the least bit of moisture in there & you caulk over it, you are creating a bigger problem in the long run.

It's always better to fix the problem, not cover it. Unfortunately, many of the repair people want your money so bad that they are willing to do the temporary fixes to get cash out of you today vs recommending the RIGHT repair and taking the chance that you'll turn them down.

I agree with the 2nd guy. You need to fix the problem, not put a bandaid on it.

Sorry, I know that's NOT what you wanted to hear.

Actually I didn't "agree" with the 1st guy to start with, but can buy into his logic if you will. He came highly referred by a restate office that uses him and the agent is a friend of mine. What I didn't like was that he had to e-mail me the bid and it took several days to get it. (after I called asking for it).

I'd prefer to go with the 2nd option but $$ is a BIG factor and my husband (who is less than "handy") is fine with option #1 b/c of the $$ issue. I've looked up some other companies on BBB and am going to see about a 3rd opinion. Guy #2 is listed and guy #1 isn't so I think that goes for saying a lot.

That said I know that the "patch" work is common practice, but am told it is usually done as a quick fix for people putting their house on the market. Sounds like a dirty under the table thing to do to a new home buyer---I will for sure be on the look out if we ever move.

ANYONE else have an opinion? Guess I'm wanting some on the siding side...what to get...is there really a big difference in brand, quality, and so on...how will I know?

 

[Sheila]

You can go to Home Depot or Lowe's and look at some various types. I'm guessing you probably don't have a Direct Buy account? That's the cheapest way to get the supplies if you already have an account. Not so cheap if you are buying into the program for just one thing.

 

[vanscootin]

I would go with vinyl siding.... and did do that. Not only will it fix the problem, but the value in your home will go up. With wood, it is pleasing to the eye, works well as an insulator, but requires more maitenance that vinyl. Plus you are more prone to termite infestations etc. Vinyl is more affordable and less upkeep.

If someone selling their home put that band aid" on it, the problem would be caught during the home inspection and they'd be back where they started... either having to completely replace it or risk losing the sale or even getting a lower price than asking.

As for affording such a project, banks have excellent rates on home equity loans because of the economy right now, which I am told is a better way to pay for such a project. Generally you can write it off on your taxes that way with the interest, etc... so I am told. I have a good friend who is a manager at a local bank branch.

Good luck! What ever route you choose, find several contractors to give you bids, and do your research!

 

[esavvymom]

I think I would figure out a way to get the #2. Rotting wood could also be a sign of termites (have you had that checked out?) Termite infestation I believe can look like rotting wood too.Rates are still low I think? Can you get a home equity to make the needed repairs??? I know it's not the ideal, but over the long-haul, a bandaid may fix THAT symptom of whatever the bigger problem is. But it could end up costing you alot more down the road if rotting occurs elsewhere (of heaven forbid, it IS termites- or leads to it) because of continued damage and then the cost to repair that. Not to mention mold and water issues if the siding can't do it's job.Definitely do some homework in regards to the contractors.

 

[PCLaurel]

I would try to avoid the bandaid fix because you'll just end up doing it again... and again... and again - many times over, and when you compare the lifespan of vinyl siding it just doesn't make sense. I think you should go with vinyl siding if you can find a way to swing it $$$-wise. My in-laws have wood siding, and they have painted it 2 or 3 times in the 12 years that I've been with my hubby. And it's not just painting - every time they have to repaint, they have to scrape of allll the loose paint, then go around and patch any bad spots in the wood. It's a very labor-intensive job - my in-law's do it themselves, but for all the time involved I'm thinking it's probably going to be $$ to have a pro do it. As for vinyl siding, I used to work for a company that made additives that went into the vinyl - stuff that made it stronger, more weather-resistant, kept the color longer, etc. While I can't recommend any particular brands or companies, I would definitely say that up to a certain point, you do get what you pay for. In a cheaper siding, your color will start to fade faster. Also, if you live in an area that gets pretty darn cold in the winter and pretty darn hot in the summer, you need to realize that thermal cycling like that does affect vinyl. Now, that being said, most companies have tweaked the composition of the vinyl & its additives to account for that, but these types of problems are more common in cheaper sidings. Quality of manufacturing also plays into how noticeable the seams are where one run of siding overlaps the other - I'm not talking about the horizontal seams, I mean the vertical seems that you shouldn't see. A well made siding will lay a bit better in this regard. This isn't just a visual thing - you don't want those seams to be too open so that rain can blow in. You'll probably pay more to have the siding that looks like it's got a wood grain on it, vs something that's just a flat panel. And when you're calculating how much you will need to determine the cost, remember that you will need more sections of a narrower width piece of siding to cover the same area, as compared to a wider piece of siding. Here's a link that provides info about vinyl siding - it's a trade association website that also talks about how to find a reputable installer.About Vinyl Siding - VSI - The Vinyl Siding Institute

 

[sandilou]

My hubby has been a builder for 30+ years. His 1st comment was, why was there rotting? Maybe something there needs to be addressed first. The patch job would work if you made sure you weren't getting water in from somewhere and if you removed all the rotten wood. If you wanted to replace all the siding, his suggestion is fiber cement. The siding has a warranty for 40 years and the paint or stain you can get on it is warranted for 15 years. It can be made to look like natural wood. Do you get lots of hail? If so, be careful of the vinyl.

HTH,
Sandi

 

[esavvymom]

My hubby has been a builder for 30+ years. His 1st comment was, why was there rotting? Maybe something there needs to be addressed first. The patch job would work if you made sure you weren't getting water in from somewhere and if you removed all the rotten wood. If you wanted to replace all the siding, his suggestion is fiber cement. The siding has a warranty for 40 years and the paint or stain you can get on it is warranted for 15 years. It can be made to look like natural wood. Do you get lots of hail? If so, be careful of the vinyl.

HTH,
Sandi

Our last house had the fiber-cement siding (hardiplank is what it is called I believe). It is very tough stuff. But ours certainly didn't have paint/stain warranty like that. We had it painted after 7....was told that it would usually last about every 7-8 yrs or so before needing more. We did that 5 years ago now I think....so I don't know if there is another kind out there.

Not sure what the cost-factor is for hardiplank though. Vinyl is certainly cheaper, albeit maybe not the most ideal for longevity. It just means doing your homework, and getting good references for whichever contractor you speak/work with.

 

[sandilou]

Yep, Hardi was the 1st one out, but there are lots of different ones now that are better and all different price ranges. We have cedar on our house now, but plan on fiber cement for in the future for the maintenance factor alone.

Sandi

 

[esavvymom]

Yep, Hardi was the 1st one out, but there are lots of different ones now that are better and all different price ranges. We have cedar on our house now, but plan on fiber cement for in the future for the maintenance factor alone.

Sandi

Good to know!

 

[flemings99]

My hubby has been a builder for 30+ years. His 1st comment was, why was there rotting? Maybe something there needs to be addressed first. The patch job would work if you made sure you weren't getting water in from somewhere and if you removed all the rotten wood. If you wanted to replace all the siding, his suggestion is fiber cement. The siding has a warranty for 40 years and the paint or stain you can get on it is warranted for 15 years. It can be made to look like natural wood. Do you get lots of hail? If so, be careful of the vinyl.

HTH,
Sandi

Thanks for all the advice.

Regarding the rotting. We have a siding on our home that went through a civil lawsuit yrs. ago. I think they refer to it as Masonite. It's got something wrong with the make up with it and everyone in our area has it and has the same problem with the rotting. Unfortunately we weren't aware of it when we bought our home (used) and we missed the boat on the lawsuit.

 

[esavvymom]

Thanks for all the advice.

Regarding the rotting. We have a siding on our home that went through a civil lawsuit yrs. ago. I think they refer to it as Masonite. It's got something wrong with the make up with it and everyone in our area has it and has the same problem with the rotting. Unfortunately we weren't aware of it when we bought our home (used) and we missed the boat on the lawsuit.

it's too bad you can't go after the PREVIOUS owner for not revealing this lawsuit and problem to you!
*You actually might, but that would require an attorney, and obviously $$.*

They should have had it fixed themselves under the lawsuit- unless they opted out maybe.
But doesn't really help you out in the here-and-now.