Hardie board siding is the name of the most popular brand of fiber-cement siding. Like Band-Aids and Q-Tips, it's sometimes used to refer to any type of fiber-cement product. Other times, fiber-cement is called simply hardboard siding. Fiber-cement is actually a composite material made from cement, sand, wood pulp, and water. It can be painted to virtually any color but is often stained and textured to resemble wood. Unlike wood, however, fiber-cement is nearly unchallenged in overall siding performance. Impervious to the sun, rain, heat, and cold and extremely resistant to wind, impact-damage, and pests, fiber-cement is second only to stone when it comes to strength and durability. Considering the high cost of stone, fiber-cement is generally considered to be the most cost-effective, bang-for-your-buck siding material on the market.

The Value of Choosing Hardie Siding in New York
In New York, Hardie siding creates resale value for your home unlike any other home improvement project. According to Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs. Value Report, this form of siding installation returns 84% of its cost in added property value. This data was collected during 2008, when the housing market had already begun to collapse. With today's property values, you probably won't see this rate of return, but once the market begins to recover so will the value of your new siding. Specifically, Hardie siding in New York is a great choice because this leading manufacturer isn't going bankrupt any time soon. You can feel confident your warranties will be honored. But, as a homeowner, the real value still lies in the stunning look and enhanced performance of this siding material. Once you contact contractors and see some of their recent fiber-cement siding projects, you're likely to fall in love with the idea of Hardie siding.

New York Hardie Board Siding Choices

Hardie Plank Siding: The most popular choice already installed in millions of homes, this Hardie siding is accompanied by a 50-year warranty.

Hardie Shingle Siding: The most realistic imitation of wood siding shingles, many homeowners choose this product, despite a shorter 30-year warranty.

Hardie Vertical Siding: Similar to plank siding, these vertical panels offer a different look. This product also carries a 50-year warranty.

Cost of New York Hardie Board Siding
Simply put, as compared to other common siding materials, fiber-cement and Hardie siding is going to be more expensive than vinyl but less expensive than most other forms of siding, such as stone, brick, and stucco. The average vinyl siding installation costs about $11,000 and a comparable Hardie siding project will cost around $13,500. If you're looking at a more expensive foam-backed vinyl siding, the difference evaporates altogether. That said, we've seen projects of just more than a $1,000 (some homeowners only use fiber-cement for part of their siding), and we've seen projects top the $20,000 mark. By looking at the size of your home, you can begin to guess where on this spectrum estimates may fall.

New York Hardie Board Siding Installation
Hardie board siding is among the most technical siding installation projects. The material must be carefully nailed to avoid cracking, the one time in which this strong, durable material is susceptible to harm. From installing the water-resistive barrier, to cutting the planks, to avoiding inhaling silica dust, each aspect of your siding installation must be carefully executed to protect the safety of the installer and to create a beautiful, seamless result. For these reasons, while metal siding averages about a week to install, and vinyl siding nearly two weeks, fiber-cement siding averages about three weeks to install. Indeed, the labor costs largely explain why fiber-cement usually costs a little more than vinyl siding.

More than hiring a pro for the job, you should seek out a siding professional with specific experience in installing fiber-cement siding. ServiceMagic can help you find these contractors, who will deliver a superb siding to your home for a reasonable cost. We put each and every one of our contractors through a rigorous ten-step screening process, while providing you with online customer ratings and reviews. These reviews allow you to see what other homeowners have thought about their installation projects and create a powerful motivator for contractors to meet and exceed your expectations. Unless you request a specific contractor, we'll try to match you with as many local contractors as we can: Soliciting multiple estimates is still a staple of a wise hiring decision.