According to Hal Clair, owner of HLC services in Orange County, California, there are two parts to measuring quality: vinyl siding grade and the contractor. Here are some things to think about in those two instances.
Finding Quality Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding grades differ among major suppliers - however, there is a standard for certified vinyl siding. Clair suggested comparing the thickness of the materials and whether it is made from pure materials or from recycled materials. The Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI), a trade organization for the vinyl siding industry, offers a designation Certified Vinyl Siding for materials that have performed well on fading, cracking, warping and other similar tests.
Consumer Reports studied VSI's certified vinyl siding and reported that thicker materials do not always correlate with a higher vinyl siding grade. Color retention as well as how flat the vinyl siding lays on the house and how well it stays on the house in a windstorm are equally important.
Quality of the Contractor
If you have an older home, you probably know that with each project you do, you uncover something new about your house. With lots of unknowns, you will want to hire a contractor who has experience working on homes like yours--lots of experience. When you hire experience, you might pay more for that, however, you might pay less in the long run because problems will be solved or avoided.
On the other hand, if you have a pristine property and you are pretty sure it will be a turnkey project, then a less experienced, and perhaps less expensive, contractor might be fine.
All contractors need to be licensed and need to carry the proper insurance that will protect you and the contractor if something goes wrong. Ask to see those certifications.
There are many attributes to a quality vinyl siding, at the minimum homeowners should insist on a certified vinyl siding to protect their investment.
