The first quote came in at $31,000. I nearly choked. The fifth quote, for the same house with the same materials, came in at $19,000. Same vinyl siding, same brand, same color, same scope of work. Twelve thousand dollars difference between companies operating in the same zip code.
Finding siding companies near me turned into a weeks-long education in why getting multiple quotes isn’t just advice people give, it’s the difference between overpaying by the cost of a used car and getting a fair deal. Here’s everything I learned about finding, vetting, and choosing a siding contractor.
Why the Quotes Vary So Much
I assumed siding installation was siding installation and prices would cluster within a reasonable range. Wrong. The variation comes from real differences in how companies operate.
Overhead costs. The $31,000 company had a showroom, a big marketing budget, and salespeople who drove company trucks with logos. The $19,000 company was three guys who’d been working together for fifteen years and got business through referrals. Both did quality work, one just had higher operating costs baked into every quote.
How busy they are. Companies with full schedules sometimes bid high because they don’t need the work. If you say yes at their inflated price, great. If you say no, they weren’t counting on your job anyway. Companies looking to fill their calendar bid more competitively.
What they include. This is where comparing quotes gets tricky. One quote might include full tear-off while another proposes installing over existing siding. One includes all new trim and soffit work while another quotes that separately. The scope has to match before prices mean anything.
Profit margins. Some companies aim for 40% margins, others work on 20%. Neither is wrong but you’re paying the difference.
Materials markup. Contractors buy materials at contractor pricing and mark them up. The markup varies. Some add 15%, some add 40%. Same product, different price depending on who’s selling it to you.
How to Find Siding Companies
Start your search before you’re desperate. Needing the work done immediately limits your options and leverage.
Ask around first. Drive through your neighborhood and look for houses with siding you like. If you see a crew working, ask who they’re with. Ask neighbors who’ve had work done recently. Personal recommendations from people who’ve actually paid for and lived with the results beat any online search.
Check local contractor directories. Your local home builders association maintains member lists. Some areas have contractor licensing databases you can search. These at least confirm companies are registered and operating legitimately.
Search online but dig deeper than page one. Google “siding companies near me” returns a mix of paid ads and organic results. The top results are companies that invest in marketing, which doesn’t correlate with quality. Look at reviews, check how long they’ve been in business, see if they have a real address.
Review sites with caution. Google reviews, Yelp, and HomeAdvisor contain useful information but also manipulation. Some companies offer incentives for positive reviews or have fake reviews written. Look for detailed reviews that mention specific employees, describe actual work performed, and include both positives and negatives. Vague five-star reviews reading like they were written by the marketing department probably were.
Home improvement stores. Lowe’s and Home Depot offer installation services through contractor networks. Convenient and they handle warranty issues but typically more expensive than going direct to contractors. You’re paying for the middleman.
What to Look for in a Siding Company
Once you have names, start evaluating.
Time in business matters. Siding installation isn’t complicated for experienced contractors but the learning curve for new companies means more potential problems. A company that’s been around ten or twenty years has worked through issues, knows local codes, and will likely still exist if warranty claims arise.
Proper licensing. Requirements vary by state but most require contractors to be licensed for work above certain dollar thresholds. Ask for their license number and verify it’s current. Unlicensed contractors might be cheaper but you have less recourse if things go wrong.
Insurance is non-negotiable. They need general liability insurance protecting your property and workers’ compensation covering injuries on your job site. Without workers’ comp, an injured worker could potentially come after your homeowner’s insurance. Ask for certificates of insurance, not just claims that they’re covered.
Local presence. A company based in your area is easier to hold accountable than one that travels from hours away. Local companies depend on local reputation and have more incentive to make things right when problems occur.
Manufacturer certifications. Major siding manufacturers like James Hardie, CertainTeed, and LP SmartSide certify installers who’ve completed training programs. Certification doesn’t guarantee quality but indicates the company has invested in learning proper techniques for specific products.
Warranties offered. Understand both the manufacturer’s material warranty and the contractor’s labor warranty. Material warranties typically run 20-50 years depending on product. Labor warranties vary wildly from one year to lifetime. Get warranty terms in writing before signing anything.
Getting Useful Quotes
Request at least three quotes, ideally five if you have patience for that many appointments.
Schedule in-person visits. Accurate quotes require measuring your house, assessing current conditions, and discussing specifics. Phone or online quotes are rough estimates at best, misleading at worst.
Be specific about what you want. Before contractors visit, decide on material type and quality level. Quotes comparing vinyl to fiber cement aren’t comparable. If you want a specific brand or product line, say so.
Ask about tear-off versus overlay. Installing new siding over old saves labor and disposal costs but prevents inspection of underlying sheathing and may void some warranties. Most professionals recommend tear-off but the added cost is significant. Understand the trade-offs.
Get itemized quotes. A single number doesn’t tell you what you’re paying for. Request breakdown by materials, labor, tear-off and disposal, permits, and any additional items like trim, soffit, or fascia work.
Confirm what’s included. Does the quote cover new house wrap? Replacement of damaged sheathing? Flashing around windows and doors? New trim? These items add thousands if excluded initially and added later.
Get everything in writing. Verbal promises mean nothing. Your written quote and eventual contract should specify exact materials, scope of work, timeline, payment schedule, and warranty terms.
Comparing Quotes Fairly
Lay out your quotes side by side and check that they’re actually comparable.
Same materials. Vinyl siding ranges from $2 to $8 per square foot. A quote using premium vinyl versus budget vinyl isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison even if both say “vinyl siding.”
Same scope. One quote might include all new soffit and fascia while another covers walls only. One might include hauling away old siding while another leaves disposal to you. Adjust your comparisons for these differences.
Same approach. Tear-off quotes cost more than overlay quotes. Both are valid but you’re choosing different things, compare quotes using the same method.
Watch for allowances. Some quotes include “allowances” for things like damaged sheathing, estimated at some amount that may or may not reflect reality. Understand how additional costs will be handled if the allowance proves insufficient.
The lowest quote isn’t automatically the best value. The highest quote isn’t automatically the best quality. Understanding what you’re getting at each price point lets you make an informed choice.
Red Flags to Avoid
Some warning signs suggest walking away.
Pressure to sign immediately. “This price is only good today” or “we have an opening next week but I need commitment now” are sales tactics, not legitimate constraints. Good contractors have busy schedules but don’t manufacture false urgency.
Unusually low quotes. Significantly cheaper than every competitor usually means cutting corners somewhere, cheaper materials, inexperienced labor, skipping proper preparation, or planning to hit you with additions later.
No physical business address. A contractor operating out of a truck with no office, no storefront, and no verifiable location is harder to find if problems arise.
Requesting large upfront payments. A reasonable deposit at contract signing is normal, typically 10-30% depending on job size. Requesting 50% or more upfront, especially in cash, is a red flag. You lose leverage if they have your money before doing your work.
Reluctance to provide references. Established contractors should readily provide contact information for recent customers. Hesitation or excuses suggest something they’d rather you not discover.
No written contract. Handshake deals provide no protection. Everything should be documented including price, scope, timeline, payment terms, and warranties.
They approached you unsolicited. Legitimate contractors don’t need to knock on doors. Door-to-door sales, especially following storms, often indicate fly-by-night operations that do poor work and disappear.
Our Decision
We eliminated the $31,000 quote because we couldn’t identify what justified the premium. They had nicer trucks and a fancier presentation but nothing in their proposal suggested better materials or workmanship.
We eliminated the $19,000 quote because their timeline was four months out and they seemed overextended, taking on more work than their small crew could handle comfortably.
We went with a $23,000 quote from a company in business locally for eighteen years, great online reviews with specific details, proper licensing and insurance, manufacturer certification for our chosen product, and availability to start within six weeks.
The work took nine days. They discovered some moisture damage behind the old siding and called us out to see it before proceeding with repairs, added about $900 we hadn’t planned for but clearly necessary and fairly priced. The finished product looks great. They came back once to address a minor issue with some trim that wasn’t laying flat, no argument, no charge.
That’s what good contractor experience looks like. And it started with getting enough quotes to understand the market and asking enough questions to understand what we were buying.
Siding costs vary significantly by material, region, and home complexity. Always get multiple written quotes and verify contractor credentials before signing contracts.
