SIDING: Installation Cost For WeatherBoards

Nailbird

Hello Gang:

First - this is a great site. I build custom homes on the Chesapeake Bay and have found a wealth of great tips and advice here!

I'm in the process of building a house that will require 40 square of siding. The customer wants cement board, and after sorting through the material I've read here I believe the right choice is Certainteed WeatherBoards. It's a great looking product, but I've never worked with it before.

My question relates to pricing - what are you folks charging for installation? I'm getting the product for $170 per sq. prepainted. I can't find much in the way of info to form a basis of estimate. I'm using 3" PVC lineals, and PVC soffits; the house has about 40 windows. I'm not sure what I'm heading into on this job and don't want to underestimate the labor. I was going to charge $400 per sq. labor and materials and $8 per foot for the soffits, but I fear that might be a bit low.

Also, what do you folks recommend for PVC trim for use with WeatherBoards? Any issues I should know about there?

Any other words of wisdom are certainly welcome!

Thanks in advance!!!!
Nailbird

Grumpy

We use miratec for our trim boards instead of pvc. Miratec is a composite type material.

40 squares will take 3 guys at least 2 weeks to complete. I am paying my subs between $135 and $150 for a 6" exposure, plus trim. Obviously pricing varies by region blah blah blah.... Are you doing this yourself or going to sub it out? If youa re going to sub it out ask your subs what they charge.

In my area your price for siding is right on for a 6" exposure (7 1/4" panel) but your soffit price is low.

Nailbird

Thanks Grumpy...

I'm going to have my crew tackle this mostly because I've been very unhappy with what I've seen from subs in this area when it comes to cement board. I've seen some really horrible installations. Also, Hardie still rules around here and folks don't like to change, but I'm convinced that the WeatherBoards is a better product. I have a superb crew, but am just not sure what we're heading into since this is a first time for us. Your time estimate really helps - I can do some figuring from there.

You recommend Miratec, eh? I've not used it, and I noted a fair amount of complaints on this site. Someone called Miratec "sawdust and glue" - what are the facts?

Cheers,
Nailbird

Grumpy

It really is sawdust and glue to break it down to the most basic elements, though I've been using it for 3 years and have no complaints from installers or customers. It's lightweight, easy to install and looks good. Plus it can be prefinished like the fibercement so you can get any color you want, and if it's prefinished I wouldn't worry one bit about the elements.

vinylguy

sell the crane solid core siding low mateneince never paint same look

Nailbird

Grumpy - thanks, I'll go check out the Miratec - appreciate the tips!

vinylguy - I like insulated vinyl and have done a few homes with products; craneboard, alside prodigy... not tried the Certainteed Cedarboard (formerly True Comfort). In general, I found the material cost of the high-end insulated vinyl to be about the same as prefinished cement board. Crane has a really terrible color pallet; and their accessories leave a lot to be desired and are very expensive. Alside's insulated siding has a funky sheen to it that customers all say "NO!" to. On the insulation side, I'm betting that my crew will put up the Certainteed Weatherboard product in just about the same amount of time; maybe a little bit longer. I anticipate a 15% or less cost differential between the installation of insulated vinly to cement board. On the painting side, the prefinished cement product will only go 12-15 years before the paint crew shows up, but customers get to pick from an infinite pallet and can change their minds later. When you add up the pros and cons I find high-end vinyl and cement board to be a pretty even competition, with an edge in looks to the cement board. My homes are all on the water as well, and I'm still watching the long-term toughness of insulated vinyl. So far, so good; but the cement board has the advantage of being well-tested and tough in this environment.

Thoughts?

All best - Nailbird

Grumpy

There's no way vinyl siding looks like a fibercement product once installed. Ok maybe some vinyl manufacturers have been able to reproduce the wood grain texture as well as certainteed has with their fibercement, however I've never seen it, but for conversation lets say Crane has. It will still look like vinyl siding with the seams and the J channels etc... You get a much nicer look from fibercement siding. Real Cedar looks the best by far.

In regards to never painting again. By the time it's time to paint a 2 coat fibercement, you would also be considering repalcing the vinyl because of deteroriation or just being bored with the color, or the new owner wants an updated look. The point being this stuff is available witha 25 year color warranty.

vinylguy

ok ok !i get the picture, here in my part of pa. you won't find to much cement board so i'm just going off of what the manufacturers give me. you both make very good pionts! it's now noted LOL! all i do is vinyl so with all the marketing material i have and samples of the crane next to the cedar or cement when i saw the post i just naturally chimed in. of coarse all my sample displays are set up inside my showroom and not outside weathering! any ways keep up the good work and the great info you give here THANKS!

vtgaetano

only thing I can add is I have found that meritech and pvc both shrink considerabaly. If useing the pvc, I would also say make sure you use a big enough headed nail, we did a job with finish nails and had problems with the fasteners not doing there job. I have put on miles of hardi-plank, for 3 years thats all I did.

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