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The Homeowner’s Handbook for Hardie Siding
Your home is one of your biggest investments. It shelters your family, serves as a gathering place, and protects you from the elements. Indianapolis homeowners take pride in their homes. A deteriorating or outdated exterior detracts from the beauty of your abode’s façade and creates a headache for you and your family. Rotting, pest damage, cracks, and warping are all signs that it’s time for an exterior overhaul.
UHQ Construction is the leading choice for Indianapolis homeowners in need of exterior home updates because of our superior workmanship and reliable products, including James Hardie and Mastic Vinyl siding. James Hardie Fiber Cement Siding products — such as HardiePlank Lap Siding, Hardie Textured Panels, HardieShingle Siding, and HardiePanel Vertical Siding — grace the sides of more than 8 million homes across North America. And when you learn about its benefits, you’ll understand why!
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What Are the Benefits of James Hardie Siding?
A home exterior remodel is a large financial undertaking, so when you embark on such a project, you want a return on your investment and assurance that the improvements will last for decades to come. James Hardie fiber cement siding — a blend of cement, sand, and cellulose fiber — is exceptionally durable.
James Hardie developed its HardieZone system following extensive study of the long-term effects that different climates can have on home exteriors to ensure every homeowner gets the right product for their region. HZ5 products were created to withstand extreme seasonal temperature changes, such as the hot, sticky, summer, and harsh winters that we experience here in central Indiana.
Here are some of the many benefits of James Hardie Siding:
- Return on investment: Re-siding your home with fiber cement siding provides an exceptional return on investment. 91% of builders agree that fiber cement siding increases a home’s appraisal value.
- Gorgeous siding and a variety of styles: James Hardie siding comes in a variety of styles, from traditional horizontal lap siding to contemporary vertical siding.
- Withstands climate: James Hardie siding was designed to withstand extreme weather events such as hurricanes, strong UV rays, and snowstorms.
- Low maintenance: The only maintenance that James Hardie requires is a twice-a-year simple wash with a garden hose and a medium bristle nylon brush.
- Non-combustible: While wood is highly flammable and vinyl melts instantly when exposed to fire, James Hardie siding does not ignite when exposed to flame and will not contribute fuel to a fire.
- Pest-resistant: Fiber cement siding is resistant to termites, woodpeckers, and other pests, which ensures an effective shield to counter invasions.
- Environmentally friendly: James Hardie siding uses sustainable materials.
- Fade-resistant – James Hardie’s proprietary ColorPlus Technology is a factory-baked-on color that is fade and UV-resistant.
How Does James Hardie Siding Compare to Other Siding Materials?
It is easy to understand why James Hardie siding is so popular among homeowners when you compare it to other siding materials. It is simply peerless. Consider the following comparisons:
- LP SmartSide: This wood composite is considered a lower-end replacement siding, is less durable, and frequently fails.
- Vinyl siding: While vinyl siding has its benefits, it is not as eco-friendly because it produces twice as much carbon dioxide as fiber cement.
- Wood siding: This traditional material is attractive, but it is also highly flammable, requires frequent maintenance, and is susceptible to wood rot and termites.
- Stucco: This material’s brittle texture is vulnerable to cracks when a home’s foundation settles. Many Indianapolis area homeowners with stucco exteriors are seeking renovations due to failure, which is why UHQ doesn’t use this material.
What Styles Are Available?
No matter how much you love your home, there will come a time when an exterior renovation is in order. Whether it’s damaged or simply outdated, a siding update has the power to transform your home’s exterior. Whether your home is contemporary, arts and crafts, colonial, or a Cape Cod, one of the exceptional aspects of James Hardie Siding is the endless possibilities. UHQ Construction can help you find the perfect James Hardie siding to suit your aesthetic and revitalize your place of residence so that it is once again a place you are proud to come home to.
Among James Hardie siding styles are:
- Timeless HardiePlank lap siding comes in both a cedar mill texture for a traditional look or HardiePlank lap siding, in sync with today’s home trends.
- HardieShingle siding has a staggered edge and half rounds that can enhance the quaint feel of a Cape Cod-style home.
- HardieVertical siding is an elevated look for either an entire home façade or as an accent to James Hardie’s traditional HardiePlank product.
- Board & Batten is extremely versatile, allowing builders and architects to create an ultra-custom aesthetic.
- Hardie Trim comes in a variety of widths and textures, including rustic grain and smooth grain batten to create a polished, finished look.
- Hardie Soffits are both protective and decorative and offer an array of choices.
- The Artisan Collection is for especially discerning homeowners who want a high-end look, including deep shadow lines and extra thick boards.
- The Aspyre luxury collection pairs thick distinctive panels with smooth, geometric siding and optional mitered corners for a highly refined appearance.
Choose the Best Siding Colors
Once you’ve settled on a siding style, you’ll need to select your colors. Deciding on the right hue to enhance your home can be a daunting task. There are numerous factors to consider, such as which colors will fit in with the rest of your neighborhood and which hues will compliment your home’s style.
James Hardie’s online house color visualizer affords you a chance to “try on” different colors to see which might work best for your home. The tool takes you through several steps that allow you to choose the main siding color and an accent color. By choosing the homestyle that is closest to yours, you will be able to visualize how your chosen combination will appear on your home. James Hardie’s selections range from vivid, statement-making blues to softer, subtler taupe.
UHQ Construction provides guidance to help you choose the colors that are most suitable for your home’s style. Here are some of the options:
- James Hardie’s proprietary Color-Plus Technology: Baked on in the factory, ColorPlus is fade and chip-resistant and requires minimal maintenance.
- Primed James Hardie: This option is primed and painted upon installation.
- Dream Collection: The Dream Collection offers more than 700 ColorPlus custom finishes.
- Statement Collection: The Indianapolis region’s most popular ColorPlus Technology colors are locally stocked and readily available.
How Much Does James Hardie Siding Cost?
Quality workmanship is not cheap, and neither are superior products. Ultimately, a shoddy installation job from an inexperienced contractor or a product that deteriorates in a few years will result in more headaches and cost you more money than you’ll save.
Premium James Hardie fiber cement siding is more expensive because it outperforms economy options in both appearance and durability and offers a superior 30-year warranty. In addition, Jame Hardie siding offers a tremendous return on your investment. You can anticipate a 78% resale value recoup with fiber cement siding. Although siding installation costs vary based on multiple factors, you can anticipate around $10,000 – $30,000 for an average siding replacement job. UHQ offers financing and special offers to help you afford a renovation.
Here are some factors that can affect siding installation costs:
- Location
- Season of the installation
- Size of home
- Does old siding need to be removed?
- Does decking need to be installed?
- ColorPlus Technology or primed siding?
When you partner with UHQ construction, we provide an estimate match guarantee. If you get a lower estimate from a competitor, we’ll match it as long as you provide a detailed estimate, the competing contractor is a member of the James Hardie Alliance and/or is an Elite Preferred Contractor, and they match UHQ’s lifetime labor warranty.
How to Properly Install James Hardie Siding
Before undertaking a siding replacement project, be sure to research your potential contractor and ensure it is a James Hardie Elite Preferred Contractor. A DIY job can jeopardize your results and run you the risk of paying for the same job twice. UHQ is a James Hardie Elite Preferred Contractor and employs a three-step installation process that will ensure your home transformation is seamless!
We understand that trusting a contractor with your biggest investment can be scary. That’s why we created our process to walk Central Indiana homeowners through every step of their home exterior remodel. Here’s how it works:
- Schedule an appointment: We’ll spend time listening to your needs and creating an estimate that fits your budget and will create the transformative results you want.
- Quality installation: UHQ’s pre-build inspection ensures the high-quality outcome you should expect.
- Love your home: Enjoy the results!
What to Look for in a Certified Hardie Siding Contractor
It is crucial to choose a contractor that has extensive experience in fiber cement installation, as an improper installation job will void your lifetime warranty. UHQ undertook exhaustive training to earn its Certified James Hardie Elite Contractor title to ensure your warranty is protected.
What else should you look for in a home exterior remodeling contractor?
- License and insurance
- Experience: How many years of experience do they have?
- References: Can they offer you a list of satisfied customers that you can contact?
- Ground rules: Ensure the contractor tells you how its crew will operate, including hours, parking, and cleanup.
- Do they have a physical address? The lack of a physical address is a sure sign that you’re dealing with a storm chaser and not a reputable contractor.
- Ask about payment timing: A legitimate, dependable contractor will not request the entire payment upfront.
- Review the contract: Ensure it is detailed with a start and finish date, a payment schedule, and is printed on company letterhead.
Why Indianapolis Homeowners Choose UHQ Construction for James Hardie Siding Installation
As a value-conscious, Indianapolis-area homeowner, you want industry-leading home exterior products to make your home look beautiful and function correctly. We pride ourselves on providing the highest quality products, honest estimates, extensive communication, and the overall attentive service that you should expect.
At UHQ Construction, we believe you should have a home exterior that reflects who you are — from the pride you take in caring for your home to the modern products and updated style you want. Our customers are thrilled with their results. Take some time to read reviews from dozens of happy Indianapolis homeowners.
Contact us today to set up a meeting or phone consultation and find out how we can create your dream home exterior.
