Ah, summer in the Twin Cities! This weather means vacation for many, although often weekends are dedicated to home maintenance and improvement rather than relaxing. With the harsh winter we’ve had and the heavy rain storms, some of the people we’ve talked to are taking a good, hard look at their siding. If yours isn’t looking the best, you might be wondering if you could get by with a paint job or if it’s in fact time to replace that old siding.
If Your Siding Looks Old, Do You Repaint or Replace?There are many things to think about when it comes to making the exterior of your home look its best. Your siding is probably the most important, since it’s the biggest surface area.
Pros of Painting Siding, Not Replacing
Painting old siding is one of the biggest exterior home remodeling jobs that you will ever tackle, whether you do it yourself or hire a professional painter. There are pros to painting the siding, though.
We understand why some homeowners opt for new paint jobs. It’s less expensive at the time. However, being cheaper now doesn’t mean that it is going to cost less in the long run. You can expect to need another paint job in about seven years or so, and eventually you’ll be faced with replacing it anyway.
It is definitely less expensive up front to repaint rather than replace siding, but it’s not a long-term solution. It can be the right choice for someone who’s fixing up their home to sell it or for siding that is in great physical shape but needs a cosmetic fix.
One benefit for repainting siding is that you can choose whatever color you want. Painters can custom mix colors, which siding manufacturers can’t do. If you’ve got your heart set on a certain shade, paint might be a better solution.
You do have to choose the right paint, though, which can be tough to do, and expensive. And it might cost more than you think. Paints that stand up well to our weather and will last a long time can be costly. For example, top-quality, long-lasting paints can cost anywhere from $75-$85 a gallon. The average home (2,500) will take about 12 gallons to paint, so you’re talking close to $1,000 just for the paint. That doesn’t include things like primer, caulking, and labor costs. Plan on tacking on around $4,000 more for that.
The other thing to consider is the warranty on your existing siding. With some vinyl siding manufacturers, repainting can void a warranty. That is something you definitely want to check before you do anything to it.
Ultimately, painting is great for a short-term solution until you can get the cash needed to replace the siding on your home, but in the long run it might not make the most financial sense. And if freeing up your weekends for relaxation is important, replacing that old siding with maintenance-free materials just might make the cost worth it!
Call us today to find out what siding options we can provide you with. James Hardie fiber cement siding is available with a ColorPlus® finish that lasts at least twice as long as a typical paint job. And we also install insulated vinyl siding that will NEVER need repainting. We can install the siding you need and want and give your home the beauty it deserves.
Window Outfitters is a premier Window Replacement, doors, siding contractor and installer. As Contractor in the St Paul, Minneapolis, (Twin Cities) Minnesota (MN) metro, we proudly serve, but are not limited to, the following areas: Minneapolis Energy Efficient Vinyl Windows, Replacement Window Contractors Minnesota, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Lakeville, Savage, Bloomington, Edina, Richfield, Eagan, St Paul, Hastings, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Eden Prairie, Farmington MN, Chaska, Shakopee, Chanhassen, Victoria, Mendota Heights Anderson Windows Minneapolis, Marvin Windows Minneapolis.
