Siding Repair & Replacement in New Jersey
Siding repair and replacement across North Jersey. Vinyl, fiber cement and wood, with proper house wrap and flashing.
Most people replace siding because of how the house looks. The reason it actually matters is that siding is part of how your house keeps water out, and when it fails, the damage happens inside the wall where you can't see it, sometimes for years. We do siding for the same reason we do chimneys: it's all the same water problem. A stain on an upstairs ceiling gets blamed on the roof constantly when the actual cause is failed siding or missing flashing above a window. When one crew handles the whole exterior, nobody gets to point at the other trade. Call (862) 374-7900 and we'll come out and look at it.
Materials
Vinyl
The most common choice in North Jersey, and for good reason: low maintenance, wide range of profiles and colors, reasonable cost. It needs to be hung correctly, nailed so panels can expand and contract rather than pinned tight. Vinyl that’s been nailed too tight buckles in the first hot summer, and that’s an installation failure rather than a material one.
Fiber Cement
More expensive and considerably more durable. Holds paint well, doesn’t warp, and takes the freeze and thaw cycles here without complaint. Heavier and slower to install, which is reflected in the price. Worth it on a house you’re keeping.
Wood and Cedar
On older homes, particularly in Montclair and the historic pockets of Bloomfield, original wood siding is often worth repairing rather than replacing. Cedar shingle and clapboard can be selectively replaced and repainted. If your home is in a historic district, material choices may be subject to township review, so it’s worth checking before you commit.
Aluminum
Mostly something we’re removing rather than installing, though it can be repaired where a full replacement isn’t warranted.
What’s Behind the Siding Matters More Than the Siding
The panels are the visible layer. The system underneath them is what keeps the wall dry.
Sheathing
The structural skin. If water has been getting behind the siding, this is where the damage is, and it has to be replaced rather than covered over.
House wrap
The weather barrier. It sheds any water that gets past the siding, which will happen. Installed properly it’s lapped so water runs down and out. Installed carelessly it channels water into the wall instead.
Flashing
Around windows, doors, and where the wall meets a roof. This is where nearly all siding related water damage originates, and it’s the detail most often rushed.
Siding installed over rotten sheathing looks perfect for a few years and then telegraphs the failure right through the new panels. We look at what’s underneath before quoting, and we tell you if there’s more there than you were expecting.
Signs Your Siding Needs Attention
– Soft spots when you press on it, especially low on the wall. That’s sheathing rot underneath.
– Peeling paint or wallpaper inside on an exterior wall, which means moisture is getting through
– Buckling or wavy panels, usually an installation problem rather than age
– Gaps at corners, around windows, or at the bottom edge
– Cracked or missing sections after wind
– Rising heating bills. Siding replacement is the chance to correct wall insulation while the wall is open, and on a 1920s North Jersey house that can be significant.
– Woodpecker or insect damage, which is a symptom of soft wood underneath rather than a bird problem
Siding and the Roof Together
If you’re replacing both, do them in the right order and ideally with one contractor. The junction where a wall meets a roof needs step flashing that ties both systems together, whether that’s a dormer cheek, a second story wall, or an addition. When the roofer and the siding contractor are different companies, that intersection is exactly where responsibility gets fuzzy and where the leak shows up two years later.
See roof replacement if you’re considering both, and roof repair if you’re currently chasing a leak that might be either.
Where We Work
Siding across North Jersey, including Newark, Paterson, Clifton, East Orange, Bloomfield, Montclair, Belleville and Passaic. See all areas we serve.
Get a Free Siding Estimate
Call or text (862) 374-7900 or email Primebuildconstruction9@gmail.com. We’ll come out, look at what’s under the siding as well as on it, and give you a written price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you replace just a section of siding?
Yes, and often that’s the right answer. The difficulty is matching. Vinyl fades and profiles get discontinued, so an exact match on a house that’s twenty years old may not exist. Sometimes we can pull matching panels from a less visible elevation and put the new material there instead.
How long does a siding job take?
Most single family homes run three to six days depending on size, how much sheathing needs replacing, and the material. Fiber cement takes longer than vinyl.
Do I have to remove the old siding first?
It should be, in almost every case. Siding installed over old siding hides whatever is happening to the sheathing and prevents anyone from installing house wrap and flashing properly. It’s cheaper on the day and more expensive over the life of the house.
Can you insulate while the siding is off?
Yes, and it’s the best opportunity you’ll get. With the wall open, insulation and air sealing can be addressed properly. On older North Jersey housing with little or no wall insulation, it makes a real difference to comfort and heating cost.
Is my ceiling stain the roof or the siding?
It can easily be either, which is the point. Water entering through failed siding or missing window flashing travels down inside the wall and can appear on a ceiling well away from where it got in. We check both rather than assuming.
Do you do soffit and fascia too?
Yes. They’re usually replaced along with siding, and the fascia in particular is where roof and wall meet. It’s often already damaged from gutter overflow by the time we see it.
Will you match my existing color?
As closely as the current product range allows. On older vinyl, exact matches often don’t exist because of fading and discontinued lines, and we’ll show you the closest options rather than promising a match we can’t deliver.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Registered with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs as a home improvement contractor, with liability insurance and workers’ compensation. Certificate provided before work starts.