Price, less maintenance is key for siding customers

By Deborah Neyens, correspondent

Ask professional remodelers, and theyll tell you an exterior replacement project is one of the most valuable improvements a homeowner can complete on a home.

Not only do new exterior siding, windows and doors add to a homes curb appeal and make a favorable first impression on visitors, they have a solid return on investment.

According to a 2014 cost-versus-value report published in Remodeling magazine, more than 70 percent of the cost to replace siding, on average, is recovered when the home is sold. Nationwide, a new steel entry door has an average payback of more than 96 percent of cost, while the cost-value ratio for new windows approaches 80 percent.

Brian Zumhof, owner-operator of Ideal Window, Siding and Doors in Marion, said many of his customers want all three of these projects done at the same time.

A typical exterior home renovation project may include a mixture of siding, natural or cultured stone, and shingles or shakes.

Designers and architects will tell you that three different textures and three different colors make for an attractive home, Zumhof said. Well create a palette for the house that is appealing to the eye.

Zumhof started Ideal in 1991 as a building materials supplier. Over the years, the company evolved into construction and remodeling, with installations now making up 60 percent of the business.

With the exception of stone installation, which is subcontracted to a mason, the company generally handles all the work on a project.

R&P Construction of Cedar Rapids also handles complete home exterior renovations, including siding, windows, doors and decks. Other than some gutter work that is subcontracted, R&P also performs all its own work, co-owner Paul Kaune said.

Read the rest here:
Price, less maintenance is key for siding customers