How Long Does Siding Installation Take?

Your Timeline Can Vary, But Craftsmanship Shouldn’t!

When homeowners consider installing siding, they usually have two big questions:

How long does the siding installation process take?
How much does siding installation cost?

Unfortunately, neither of the answers are straightforward. Timeline and cost will vary based on your home, where you live, who you hire, the materials you choose, and the weather – to name just a few factors.

Despite uncertainty, though, you can at least estimate how long siding installation may take if you look only at the steps in the process.

Keep reading to find out how long siding installation for your home might take, and what you can do to shorten the timeline.

Carefully Vet Potential Siding Installers

The first step in the siding installation process is carefully considering your siding company options.

Take these steps to make sure you can trust the crew you’re hiring and keep your installation timeline as short as possible.

Ask for customer references and read online reviews, such as on Google Business Profile, Houzz, HomeAdvisor, Facebook, or Angi.
Check the Better Business Bureau for reports and complaints. Did the company satisfactorily resolve customer complaints?
Look for real samples of their work. Use Google Reverse Image Search to check whether their portfolio photos are real or stock images.
Find out who will be working on your home. Is the contractor familiar with their crew, or are they simply finding anyone who is willing to work?

During the vetting process, ask for an accurate estimate from each company you consider. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples; each estimate you receive should be for the same type of siding and square footage. This will help you compare siding installation costs as you make your decision on who to hire.

Reputable Siding Installers Show Up

Contractors who begin work and disappear for days or weeks may not be the most reliable. You want to work with siding installers who get the job done in a timely manner. They respect you and your home.

Crews that don’t show up, work for only short time periods per day, and don’t communicate changes to the schedule ahead of time will draw out your siding installation project. You’ll be waiting much longer than you expected for your new siding.

Getting On the Siding Installers’ Schedule

Reputable siding companies are busy because homeowners only want the best – as it should be! Those siding companies may have weeks or months-long waits on their schedule. They should give you a general timeframe for when your project will start and keep you in the loop about any changes.

The Siding Installation Process

Home services experts agree that siding installation can take up to 14 working days, including every step of the process. The timeline will vary depending on weather conditions, your home size and architectural style, and the type of siding you’ve chosen.

Steps of the process can include:

Demolition
Materials delivery
Installation
Caulking and painting
Homeowner walkthrough
Reattaching accessories
Clean-up

Removing Your Old Siding

If your siding company needs to remove your old siding, this will happen first before any other work occurs. Sometimes called “demolition day,” the day the siding installers remove your siding will be fast-paced and efficient. It’s a lot faster to take things apart than it is to put things together! Expect one day dedicated to “demo.”

Siding Installation Materials Delivery

Your siding company might drop off all the materials they’ll need to install siding on your home before they remove your old siding. They also may bring these materials on the day that installation begins. What happens depends on their project management style and company guidelines.

Installing Your Siding and Trim

After the materials arrive and your old siding is removed, the siding installers can begin attaching siding to your house. This is a slow, precise process. Your crew should ensure that your home is fully protected. This step takes the most amount of time.

Caulking and Painting Your Siding

If you chose a siding material that must be caulked and painted, such as cedar shake, engineered wood lap, wood board and batten, or certain fiber cement siding materials, this is one of the final steps in your project. It can take multiple days to caulk and paint, especially if your house is large or has multiple stories. This step is more weather-dependent than others in the siding installation process.

If you chose siding that does not need to be caulked and painted, such as vinyl or seamless polymer siding, you can skip this time-consuming step!

Homeowner Walkthrough

The siding installation team should ask you to look over your house after all the siding and trim are attached. The crew wants you to be happy with your siding results! Take your time during the walkthrough and carefully look at your home. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about what you’re seeing.

If you need updates based on your walkthrough, your siding installer foreman should be able to tell you how long those should take them to complete.

Reattaching House Numbers, Gutters, and Mailboxes

If you had house numbers and a mailbox attached to your home, the siding crew should reattach it – as long as you discussed that beforehand. If they removed your old gutters or if you’re getting new ones, they’ll attach those as well.

The Clean-Up Process

Most siding installers clean up as they work, either carrying off construction debris or placing it in a roll-off dumpster for easy removal. When the crew is finished installing your siding, they should take a look around your home and pick up any last-minute pieces of litter. This includes checking around your home for nails or screws, which can become dangerous if left in your yard or driveway.