Siding installation Hardie, vinyl & other siding

There’s no single winner. Fiber cement handles freeze-thaw well: it doesn’t rot, it holds paint, and James Hardie makes its HZ5® line for cold, wet climates like ours. Vinyl doesn’t absorb water and costs less, but it moves with temperature and gets brittle in deep cold, so it has to be nailed loose and gapped correctly. With either one, the water-resistive barrier and flashing behind the siding do most of the work. Tell us your budget, how long you’ll own the house and what your town allows, and we’ll recommend one plainly.

It’s better at some things. Hardie fiber cement looks more like painted wood, resists fire and dents, and stays put through temperature swings. Vinyl costs less, never needs paint, and is lighter and faster to hang, which matters on big multifamily walls. Hardie needs repainting over time; vinyl can fade, and a hard hit in winter can crack it. For a long-term home where looks matter, Hardie is usually the stronger pick. For rentals and tight budgets, vinyl is often the smarter spend. The fiber cement and vinyl pages go deeper.

It depends on the house more than the material: wall area, number of stories, how many windows and doors need flashing, trim detail, repairs found during tear-off, and access for staging. Vinyl usually comes in below fiber cement. We don’t publish per-square-foot prices because they rarely match the real job. Send elevations or plans with dimensions and we’ll send a free written price, usually within 48 hours. No drawings yet? Your estimate is still free: we visit, measure and send your price after the visit.

In Massachusetts, generally yes. Re-siding is permitted work under the state building code, and the permit comes from your local building department. In a local historic district, the commission’s approval comes before the permit. In New Hampshire it depends on the town: some require a permit to re-side and some don’t. Either way, the requirements for your address get confirmed before work starts. Our Massachusetts and New Hampshire pages cover the state rules in more detail.

Sometimes, but we rarely recommend it. Covering old siding hides rot and failed flashing, adds thickness that leaves windows and doors sitting back in the wall, and can trap moisture between the layers. Hardie’s instructions are written for installation over sheathing or framing with a proper water-resistive barrier, which in practice means a tear-off. Vinyl can go over a flat, sound, dry wall in some cases, but you give up the chance to see what’s underneath. A tear-off costs more up front and tells you exactly what you’re building on.

It depends on the size of the house, the number of stories and openings, the material, any repairs found once the old siding is off, and the weather. Fiber cement takes longer than vinyl: the boards are heavier, slower to cut and come with more trim work. We aim to tear off only as much wall as can be wrapped and closed the same day, so the house isn’t left open overnight. Ask for a schedule with your price and we’ll tell you what to expect for your house and what could change it.

Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint; federal EPA RRP rules, and Massachusetts’ own lead-safe renovation rules, apply to paid work that disturbs it, including removing old painted clapboard or trim. In Massachusetts the Department of Labor Standards runs the program; in New Hampshire, the EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting rule applies. Tell us the year your house was built so the estimate accounts for it.

Yes. Try looks on the demo house above, then ask for a 3D rendering of your own house with your estimate. It’s built from the same drawings we price from, with the profile, body color and trim you’re considering, so you can compare a few schemes side by side. Treat it as an illustration, though: screens and daylight shift color, so confirm your final pick with physical samples outside.