Siding damage is easy to overlook. A cracked panel here or a bit of peeling paint there doesn’t seem urgent, until water gets behind the siding and starts rotting the sheathing, framing, and insulation inside your walls. By the time you see a stain on an interior wall, the damage has usually been building for a long time.
A free siding inspection is the easiest way to find out what’s really happening on the outside of your home. Here’s exactly what happens when The Exteriors Company inspects your siding, step by step, from the questions we ask before we arrive to the written estimate you’ll receive. No surprises, no pressure, and no obligation.
Before We Arrive
When you call or request a free siding inspection online, we’ll ask a few quick questions so we come prepared:
- What prompted the call? Storm damage, cracked or loose panels, fading, peeling paint, a stain on an interior wall, or just aging siding?
- What type of siding do you have? Vinyl, aluminum, wood, engineered wood, fiber cement, or not sure? We’ll identify it either way.
- How old is your siding? Even a rough guess helps.
- When was your home built? If it was built before 1978, painted surfaces may contain lead, which affects how siding work is done.
- Have you had storm damage or filed an insurance claim?
Our schedule is flexible, so we work around yours: mornings, afternoons, evenings, and even weekends. We ask that a homeowner be present during the inspection. It’s important for safety and liability reasons, and it means you can ask questions and see what we find firsthand.
Step 1: A Quick Conversation
Every inspection starts with a few minutes of conversation about what you’ve noticed. Those details point us in the right direction. A stain on an interior wall below a window often means water is getting in around the window flashing, not through the siding itself. Peeling interior paint on an exterior wall can point to moisture trapped in the wall. Siding that looks wavy or rippled on a sunny wall can mean the panels were nailed too tightly or are being warped by heat.
We’ll also ask about your goals. Some homeowners need a repair after a storm. Others are thinking about a full re-side in the next year or two and want to know what to budget. Both are great reasons to schedule an inspection.
Step 2: The Full Walk-Around
We walk every wall of your home, not just the front. The back and sides of a house, which see less attention but often more weather, are where problems tend to hide. We look at your siding from a distance first, checking for wavy or bowed walls, color fading on sun-facing sides, and patterns of damage that point to a storm, a drainage problem, or an installation issue.
Step 3: Inspecting the Siding Up Close
Then we get up close, wall by wall. What we look for depends on your siding material.
Vinyl Siding
- Cracks, holes, and chips: often from hail, lawn equipment, or cold-weather impacts, when vinyl becomes more brittle
- Warping and buckling: panels that bulge or ripple, usually from being nailed too tight, or from heat sources like grills or sunlight reflecting off nearby windows
- Loose or unlocked panels: courses that have come unlocked from the row below, often after high winds
- Fading and chalking: a sign the vinyl is aging and losing its protective finish
- Trim and channels: damaged or separated J-channel and corner posts around windows, doors, and corners
Wood and Engineered Wood Siding (Including LP SmartSide)
- Rot and soft spots: we press on suspicious areas, especially lower courses, board ends, and spots near the ground
- Swelling: board edges that have absorbed moisture and puffed up
- Paint failure: peeling, blistering, or bare wood that leaves boards unprotected
- Gaps and failed caulk at butt joints, corners, and trim
- Pest and woodpecker damage: holes, tunnels, or nesting
Fiber Cement Siding (Including James Hardie)
- Cracks and chips: often from impacts or from nails driven too close to board edges
- Unsealed cut edges: exposed edges can absorb moisture over time
- Gaps at butt joints and failing caulk around trim
- Paint or finish wear, especially on sun-facing walls
Aluminum Siding
- Dents from hail, ladders, or impacts
- Chalking: a white, powdery residue that rubs off on your hand when the finish breaks down
- Loose or bent panels and damaged trim
- Whether matching panels are still available: many older aluminum profiles and colors have been discontinued
Step 4: Checking for Hidden Moisture
The most expensive siding problems are the ones you can’t see: water that has gotten behind the siding and into your walls. We look for the warning signs:
- Soft or spongy spots when we press on the siding or the wall behind it
- Staining, mold, or mildew on siding, trim, or the foundation below
- Bulging or bowed walls, which can mean wet or damaged sheathing underneath
- Interior clues: water stains, peeling paint, or a musty smell along exterior walls, especially below windows and near the roofline
Step 5: Flashing, Sealants, and Penetrations
Water most often gets behind siding at the joints and openings, so we look closely at:
- Window and door flashing: whether the tops of windows and doors have flashing or a drip cap to shed water away from the opening
- Kickout flashing: the small piece at the bottom of a roof-to-wall joint that directs water into the gutter. Without it, water runs behind the siding and is one of the most common causes of hidden wall rot.
- Deck and porch connections: whether the deck ledger board is flashed where it meets the house
- Transitions between materials: where siding meets brick, stone, or a different siding type
- Penetrations: sealing around hose spigots, dryer vents, electrical boxes, light fixtures, and air conditioning lines
- Caulking: cracked, shrunken, or missing caulk at trim, corners, and openings
Step 6: Trim, Soffits, Fascia, and the Areas Around Your Siding
Siding doesn’t work alone. We also check corner boards and trim for rot, soffits and fascia for damage or pest entry, and the areas around your home that affect siding:
- Clearances: siding that sits too close to the ground, a roof, or a deck can wick up moisture. Manufacturers specify minimum clearances for good reason.
- Landscaping: soil or mulch piled against the siding, shrubs that hold moisture against the wall, and sprinklers that spray the house
- Gutters and downspouts: overflowing or leaking gutters that dump water down the siding
Step 7: Photos and Documentation
We take photos throughout the inspection, so you can see exactly what we see, wall by wall. If we find storm damage, we document it carefully for insurance. Hail can crack vinyl, dent aluminum, and chip fiber cement, and clear photos of each damaged elevation make the conversation with your adjuster much easier.
Step 8: Reviewing What We Found
Before we talk about price, we walk you through the photos and explain what’s urgent, what can wait, and what’s in good shape. We’ll tell you honestly whether you need repair or replacement. If a few damaged panels can be replaced and blended in, we’ll say so.
Replacement usually makes more sense when:
- Damage or moisture problems show up on several walls, not just one area
- The sheathing or framing behind the siding has been damaged
- Your siding style or color has been discontinued, so repairs won’t match
- The siding is near the end of its life, with widespread fading, cracking, or warping
- Storm damage is extensive enough that insurance may cover replacement
If you’re considering new siding, we’ll walk you through your options, including vinyl, LP SmartSide, and James Hardie fiber cement, and what each costs to install.
Step 9: Your Written Estimate
After the inspection, you’ll get a clear, written estimate. We try to provide it on the spot. For larger or more complex projects, you’ll have it within a couple of days. Whether you need a repair or a full re-side, your siding quotes spell out every part of the job:
- Scope: which walls are being repaired or re-sided, plus removal and disposal of old siding
- Sheathing repairs: how damaged sheathing is handled and priced if it’s found once the old siding comes off
- House wrap and insulation board: the weather barrier behind your siding, and any insulation upgrades
- Siding product: material, brand, product line, profile, and color
- Flashing: window and door head flashing, kickout flashing, and transitions between materials
- Trim and accessories: corner posts, J-channel, window and door trim, soffit, and fascia
- Installation standards: installation to the manufacturer’s requirements, which keeps the warranty valid
- Warranty, price, and timeline: a clear total with no hidden fees
For pricing context, see our siding replacement cost guide. The siding repair cost for a few damaged panels is a fraction of a full re-side, which is why an honest inspection matters.
If You Have Storm Damage: Insurance Help
If we find hail or wind damage, we’ll document it with photos and notes you can use for an insurance claim. We’ll walk you through the process step by step, explain what your adjuster will look for, and can meet the adjuster at your home so nothing gets missed. Having a contractor inspect your siding is not the same as filing a claim. You decide whether and when to contact your insurance company.
Financing Options
If the estimate is more than you were planning to spend, we’ll go over financing options through Upgrade, with approved credit, that can turn a siding project into manageable monthly payments.
What a Free Siding Inspection Is Not
A free siding inspection with The Exteriors Company is not a high-pressure sales visit. You won’t be asked to sign anything on the spot, and you’ll never get a “today only” price that disappears tomorrow. We don’t do same-day pressure pricing. Your estimate is yours to review, compare, and think over for as long as you need.
How to Compare Siding Estimates
- Is the same material, product line, profile, and color quoted?
- Is the old siding being removed, or installed over?
- How is damaged sheathing handled and priced if it’s found?
- Are house wrap and insulation board included?
- Are new flashing, trim, soffit, and fascia included?
- Will the siding be installed to the manufacturer’s requirements so the warranty stays valid?
- Are permits, disposal, and cleanup included?
Free Siding Inspection FAQs
Yes. There’s no cost and no obligation. You’ll get a clear picture of your siding’s condition and a written estimate whether or not you move forward.
A typical inspection takes about 45 minutes. Larger homes, or homes with several types of siding, may take a little longer.
Yes, we ask that a homeowner be present for safety and liability reasons. Being there also lets us check interior walls for moisture clues and walk you through what we find in person.
Surface mildew wipes away and doesn’t damage the siding itself. Rot, swelling, or soft spots are a different story. If you’re cleaning vinyl, the best way to clean vinyl siding is a soft brush or cloth with a gentle cleaner and a low-pressure rinse. Avoid high-pressure washing, which can force water behind the panels.
Often, yes. We’ll identify your siding and check whether matching panels are still available. If your style has been discontinued, we’ll explain your options, such as replacing one full wall so the difference isn’t noticeable.
Every few years is a good rule, plus after any major hail or windstorm. Fall is a great time, before Wisconsin’s winter puts your siding to the test. See our fall exterior inspection checklist for what to watch for between inspections.
Schedule Your Free Siding Inspection
Whether you’re dealing with storm damage, worn siding, or a mysterious interior stain, a free siding inspection gives you clear answers and a real number, with no pressure attached.
