Author Topic: please help--I need new siding!  (Read 4278 times)

srob

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please help--I need new siding!
« on: July 10, 2015, 12:47:56 PM »
Hello mustachians! I have a rental property that has deteriorating 4x8 sheets of cheap T1 11 siding. I have a couple of quotes from siding companies that include putting on vinyl, soffits and fascia, ranging from 11-13k! It is only the top floor in the picture shown...3 sides. Does that seem expensive? Can anyone think of less expensive siding options? (corrugated metal, etc?) Any ideas are greatly appreciated. It is a project I am reluctant to tackle myself bc it is on the 3rd floor.

(I posted this in the DIY forum but thought some of you landlords who are more experienced than myself may have some experience with this kind of thing too)

BooksAreNerdy

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2015, 02:22:18 PM »
We had our 2900sqft, two story house done a few months ago. We had T1 11 and covered it with smart side lap. They did trim and corner boards as well. No faschia or soffits replaced. It ran us about $5300.

srob

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2015, 05:12:18 PM »
That sounds like a better deal, considering that the soffits and fascia add only about 2k to the bid. Maybe it is because it is high up that they bid more?

BooksAreNerdy

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2015, 02:05:06 PM »
Just wanted to come back and specify that that was the price for labor only.

srob

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2015, 12:59:20 PM »
Does anyone have an idea how long that smart-side stuff from home depot lasts?

Seeking the Brass Ring

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2015, 06:39:17 AM »
Cost for this kind of work is going to vary depending mostly on where you are located.  A job that might be $15K in San Diego might be $8K in small town Oklahoma.  Another factor is time of year.  If you live somewhere with severe winter weather you'll pay more in the summer because the contractors are busy.  If you can, try to defer until the fall.   

You might be able to reach out to some contractors who are outside of your area if you are in a high cost of living area.  I know that contractors will travel to get work and they don't care if they are paying for a hotel room or two to get a job. 

SarahMD428

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2015, 09:07:16 AM »
If T1 11 has started to rot, can you still cover it with smart lap?

bluestone

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2015, 07:49:31 PM »
Hardipanel? The sheets are a little over $1/ft2. It comes in stucco, flat and T-11 look. Unlike T-11, it is not a wood product.  I believe it comes in factory painted colors that might complement the gray of your building. I take it it's an apartment building?

https://www.jameshardie.com/Products/HardiePanel-Vertical-Siding

BooksAreNerdy

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #8 on: July 19, 2015, 01:35:10 PM »
We used Hardie lap on the last house we built. Very nice stuff, but do not get the pre painted option. It ends up costing the same as having it painted but you have the nightmare of matching the caulk color as well as painting and repairing the unavoidable chips and nicks that happen during installation.

Smart side should last 20+ years with good care.
Hardie panel will last as long as brick or stone, in theory.

As for rotting T1 11, we cut out any rotting pieces and put in OSB to keep the area flush before siding over with lap. The biggest issue with rotting siding is that often there is water damage/ants in the OSB behind it as well. Always remove rot. :)

bluestone

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #9 on: July 19, 2015, 02:40:58 PM »
Aside from saving some in labor, and a wee bit of insulation(?) are there any advantages to leaving the siding on?

I would have thought to remove it so that the trim around the windows isn't flush with the siding.

I think hardiepanel and hardieplank cost the same per square foot. I imagine labor wise, it's cheaper to install the hardiepanel. Correct flashing between sheets is key.

SwordGuy

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #10 on: July 19, 2015, 04:49:54 PM »
The Hardie panel is good stuff, but a 4x8 sheet weighs about 95 pounds.

If you are thinking about doing this yourself, that's a lot of weight to manuever, especially three floors up.

See what it would cost to rent scaffolding.   Putting up 4x8 siding sheets that don't weigh as much as Hardie sheets is really easy.  So is putting up Hardie siding planks.

Depending upon what the scaffolds cost, you could save $9000+ dollars!  My friend and I put up eighteen 4x8 sheets in half a day (though we only had to deal with one window and one door.   Hardie planks will take longer but are equally easy and will last longer.

RWD

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #11 on: July 19, 2015, 05:59:58 PM »
Hardipanel? The sheets are a little over $1/ft2. It comes in stucco, flat and T-11 look. Unlike T-11, it is not a wood product.  I believe it comes in factory painted colors that might complement the gray of your building. I take it it's an apartment building?

https://www.jameshardie.com/Products/HardiePanel-Vertical-Siding

Back in college I took a class on plastics and we had a project to research alternatives to vinyl siding (after watching the Blue Vinyl documentary). We also came to the conclusion that Hardie was the way to go.

Mrs. PoP

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #12 on: July 19, 2015, 07:09:15 PM »
The Hardie panel is good stuff, but a 4x8 sheet weighs about 95 pounds.

If you are thinking about doing this yourself, that's a lot of weight to manuever, especially three floors up.

See what it would cost to rent scaffolding.   Putting up 4x8 siding sheets that don't weigh as much as Hardie sheets is really easy.  So is putting up Hardie siding planks.

Depending upon what the scaffolds cost, you could save $9000+ dollars!  My friend and I put up eighteen 4x8 sheets in half a day (though we only had to deal with one window and one door.   Hardie planks will take longer but are equally easy and will last longer.

Just want to echo that putting it up yourself is doable.  We redid all the t1-11 on our house (and put proper house wrap water barrier) after we first bought our house since it was rotting.  Had to rent scaffolding to put up the 2nd layer on the sides of the house.  Rent good scaffolding, and it can be a DIY job for a couple thousand bucks in supplies.  But don't blame yourself if it takes you longer than sword guy.  We never came close to 18 sheets in a day - but it still got done! 

srob

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Re: please help--I need new siding!
« Reply #13 on: July 28, 2015, 10:46:11 AM »
Thanks for all your replies guys! I ended finding a guy who will do it all (siding, soffits, fascia, parapet caps) for 6700. Ideally I would have done it myself with hardiplank, especially if it was on the first or 2nd level, but this is on the third level and then some, and I have been up there before and it is too intimidating for me--I've got kids at home depending on me! Plus, I have a full time job that keeps me busy. Hopefully I will semi retire in a few years and then be able to tackle bigger projects like this one myself. I do love the satisfaction that comes from doing the project rather than paying someone else.