The biggest mistake that a lot of contractors make when it comes to vinyl siding replacement is not counting the number of accessories that are required for the project – not knowing how to estimate the job properly. Every house is different and must be estimated individually with the exact number of items required for it. That mistake will be discovered during the installation, and somehow it is needed to be compensated, usually that’s where the cutting corners begin.
Vinyl siding materials are in a high demand nowadays and major delays take place. It’s very frustrating when the project begins, and the contractor realizes that he’s missing a few important accessories that must be installed before the side panels. Sometimes it may extend the duration of the project up to weeks.
That’s why we at M&Y Pittsburgh Roofing always order extra materials and in most of the projects we have leftover materials. We always prefer to order extra materials in advance so as to keep our work in progress and to overcome any kind of uncertainties or contingencies that hinder the flow of our work.
HOW TO CHOOSE RIGHT CONTRACTOR
The biggest mistake made by the homeowners is to choose the contractor of the lower price, which most oftenly is regretted during the time of completion owing to the poor quality of the work order. On many occasions, such non-productive projects are either not completed or left abandoned by the contractors themselves. It’s a shame, but still it takes place on a regular basis in today’s market.
One of the common mistakes with vinyl siding replacement is skipping the step with vapor retarder installation. I can’t stress enough on how important it is to install it and how often it is not installed.
Simple fact that if vapor retarder is not installed, PlyGem Mastic will not honor their manufacturer’s warranty for the vinyl siding. This is considerably enough to understand how significant this accessory is. Still, in many old home renovations, it will be skipped and presented as a money saving complement to the homeowners by their contractor.
Another common mistake with vinyl siding replacement project is the incompetent crew or not enough supervision. Vinyl siding installation process has very few but very strict instructions for the installers. First requirement is the nails. What’s so important with the nails, you may ask, it’s just a nail! Proper nail size and placement techniques are the most important requirement with the vinyl siding replacement project. Nails must penetrate through the wall surface at ½” minimum, must be spaced no greater than 16” apart, nails head size must be no less than 5/16” and it must be nailed perfectly straight. One thing to bear in mind is that the nails must not be nailed too tight or too loose. Wow! Really, that much requirement for nails??? Yes, it’s very important to pay attention to which type of fasteners to use and how to apply them.
Vinyl siding panels must be able to move freely during all 4 seasons, and must have room for contraction and expansion during cold or hot seasons. In the Pittsburgh area, we have 4 full seasons, and the weather conditions can be pretty harsh. We need to make sure that vinyl siding projects can withstand all of these weather conditions and protect the house in the long span of time.
Mastic manufacturer offers an ongoing education with the certifications for the installers. We are at the M&Y Pittsburgh Roofing, certified and licensed installers by the Mastic vinyl siding manufacturers. We will make sure that all our crew members are knowledgeable, educated and highly-informed with the product we work with. Our technicians have many years of hands-on experience with the vinyl siding replacement, but we always keep up with new aspects of technologies and requirements for the installation process.
Yes, it’s not rocket science, when it comes to the vinyl siding replacement but at the same time, it’s very easy to make crucial mistakes that cause unnecessary expenses to be borne by the homeowners. Proper training and ongoing education are very important aspects of our operation with M&Y Pittsburgh Roofing.
For more information about our services, contact us today for a consultation and a quote. Our team is ready to take care of all your Pittsburgh roofing needs so that you feel comfortable in your home once again!