What kind of siding should i put on my house - There are many different types of siding materials that you can choose to use on your home. Each one has positives and negatives associated with it.

Hardie plank is a recommended siding. This siding provides low maintenance, but unlike vinyl, doesn't sacrifice the beauty and character of wood. Hardie Plank siding won't rot or crack, and it resists damage from rain, hail and flying debris. It's also available pre-finished with a 15-year paint warranty. Best of all, this siding is fire resistant. Hardie plank can sometimes come with a 50 year warranty.

The area you live in will dictate what type of siding may be best for your home. You will probably choose a different siding if you live down in Florida, Texas or another Southern state than you would if you lived in Alaska, Washington or Vermont. First, look at where you live and research which siding choices are best in your area.

Along with various colors and styles to choose from, siding, whether it is wood or vinyl have different grade levels and is priced accordingly. Once you have found a style that you like, shop around for price, always comparing apples to apples.

Vinyl siding is one of the most widely used and reasonably priced sidings available. Shop around and look at not only price but how well the siding is rated and how well it is made to handle the elements of your specific area of the country. Some sidings have a longer life span than others and some are made more specifically for areas of cold or areas of warmer weather.

Depending on your neighborhood, you may be required to place a certain style of siding on your home. Some communities require that everyone within the neighborhood needs to place cedar siding on their home. This creates a certain aesthetic appeal to the neighborhood, and can result in rapidly appreciating property values. Another advantage is that you won't have to worry about one home in your neighborhood that decides to do something to their house that will ultimately affect your property value as well.

Most siding can be installed by the home owner and 1 or 2 helpers with basic tools. Most large home improvement stores such as Lowes and Home Depot offer in store seminars on how to install siding. By going the DIY route you will save yourself substantial money on the siding project. Although many home owners choose to use a siding contractor for their homes siding installation. Finding the right local contractor is a very important step in the siding process.

How To Choose a Siding Contractor?-Here is a step by step guide to help you hire a quality home improvement contractor.

Before talking to any contractors the first thing to do is create a budget for the project. Without a budget you will be flying blind and may end up over spending. Having a tight budget will also help you make decisions about what kind of fixtures, and materials to purchase. Most products have a wide price range and having a budget will help keep you in line when making buying decisions.

After you have your budget dialed in get three written estimates from three different contractors. Be sure the estimate is complete; getting a “written” estimate on the back of a business card is not a sign of a good contractor. Getting three estimates will enable you to compare prices from different contractors. Reliableremodeler.com is a great service that will help you get free estimates from quality contractors for free.

Take the time to talk with each contractor and get a feel for which one you will be most comfortable working with and having in your home. Be sure and pay attention to things like who shows up on time and who is prepared to talk about your project. If a contractor shows up late to your appointment chances are they will show up late when working on your project.

While you are in the process of selecting a contractor it is a good idea to make sure they have the proper license, insurance, and bonding. All three of these items are in place to protect homeowners. Working with a contractor who isn’t licensed or doesn’t have the proper insurance might come back to haunt you. A good contractor will show you copies of these documents when they present your written estimate.

The next step is to check the references of the contractor you are leaning towards selecting. Be sure to ask specific questions about their experience with the contractor. “Did the contractor show up on time?” “Did the contractor clean up after themselves?” If you want to be more aggressive you can ask the contractor for the names and numbers of their last three jobs and call those instead of their handpicked references. This will provide a more realistic overview of the contractors daily work habits and skills.

The last step is to select your contractor and have them provide you a timeline for the completion of the project. Having a timeline will help ensure your project is completed in a timely manner.

How should I spend my home-improvement budget?-Everyone is interested in improving their own home - just look at how many televisions programs there are dedicated to “doing-it-yourself”. Whether you are doing it yourself or hiring out the job, how do you decide what to spend your money on?

Given that the average American moves every 4 years, it is important to think about resale value when planning a project. Just because an improvement to your home costs $20,000 doesn’t mean your property’s value has increased by $20,000.

No matter where you live, kitchen and bathroom remodels generally have the best return on investment. Updated flooring (other than in bedrooms, carpet is considered pasé) also has wide-spread appeal. Anything which improves energy efficiency helps attract buyers. New windows and doors do just that and improve a property’s look inside and out.

Some improvements can actually cost a seller money. A swimming pool is a good example of an “improvement” which is considered a negative adjustment to value in certain areas of the country. Pools require additional homeowner’s insurance due to liability for injury/death, they are costly to maintain, and many areas of the country have water-use restrictions.

Over-improving a home can also be a bad investment. For example, a house located in a neighborhood with homes in the $250,000 range would not appraise significantly higher because it had lead-crystal chandeliers or a 6-car garage. Even if the home is “worth” $350,000, people looking for a $350,000 home want to buy in a neighborhood with similarly priced homes. Values are determined not only by the condition of the subject property but also the value and type of homes which surround it.

When planning, consider carefully whether or not your schedule and know-how will allow for the successful completion of your project. There is nothing worse than realizing that you have bitten off more than you can chew halfway through. Sometimes doing it yourself costs more money in the long run, not to mention the stress of trying to live in a construction site! Professional builders always calculate at least a 5 to 10% “contingency” when estimating a job for unforeseen delays/supplies so it’s a good idea to do the same in a do-it-yourself project.

I you are doing it yourself, utilize the knowledge and advice of the employees at your local home improvement center. They can be a wealth of information and save you a lot of headache and money in the long run.

If you are hiring a professional make sure to ask for references. Verify with your contractor whether who will be responsible to get any necessary permits from the appropriate government agencies. Don’t cut corners by trying to avoid paying for a building permit. Conforming to local building codes ensures that your improvements will be done properly. When you are selling, if the appraiser notes improvements that are not of public record, additional and sometimes costly inspections could be required to make sure that the home is up to code and doesn’t violate zoning restrictions.

People have varying tastes. Avoid doing anything very out of the ordinary to your home that cannot be easily changed, but express yourself. Purple paint never hurt anyone!

The things you will want to avoid are adding items such as hot tubs, suanas and swimming pools. While one of these items may appeal to you they may not appeal to a large percentage of buyers and do little to increase your homes value and may actually cause your home to sit on the market longer should you ever decide to sell it.

Remolding and improving your home is a great idea. Spending the money in the kitchens and bathrooms is a no brainier.