The Exteriors Company is a licensed siding contractor based in Madison, installing James Hardie fiber cement, LP SmartSide engineered wood, and vinyl siding across Madison and Dane County. We pull the old siding back far enough to inspect the sheathing and house wrap on every job, because in this climate the barrier behind the siding matters more than the siding itself.
Full re-sides, partial replacement, and the repair work that’s usually hiding behind the old siding.
James Hardie lap, shingle, and panel. The most dimensionally stable option for Wisconsin freeze-thaw, installed to Hardie’s fastening and clearance specs so the warranty holds.
LP SmartSide & Dimaond Kote lap and panel. Real wood texture, lighter than fiber cement, easier to work on complex elevations, at a lower price point.
Certainteed, Mastic and Ascend insulated panels. The budget option, and perfectly sound when the wall behind it is detailed correctly — which is where most vinyl jobs go wrong.
What we find behind old siding more often than not. We replace soft OSB and rotted framing before new siding goes up, priced transparently.
The layer that actually keeps water out. Proper weather barrier, window and door flashing, and correct lap direction — the part a cheap bid skips.
Cracked, holed, or wind-torn siding, documented for your insurer.
Prices are installed, per square foot, and include tear-off and standard house wrap. Sheathing repair, trim, and complex elevations price separately.
Siding Failures Are Moisture
In our experience, most siding we’re called to inspect in Dane County failed because water got behind it — not because the material wore out. Backwards house wrap laps, missing window flashing, and no clearance at grade are the usual culprits. That’s why we quote the wall assembly, not just the siding, and why the cheapest bid is often the one skipping the layer that matters.
Most siding projects are complete within 1 week, weather depending.
We assess the elevations, check for existing moisture damage, and talk through material.
Line-item quote naming siding, wrap, flashing, and trim — with a sheathing repair allowance.
Old siding off, sheathing checked wall by wall. Rot gets replaced before we go further.
House wrap, flashing, then siding to manufacturer spec, one elevation at a time.
Corners, trim, caulk, cleanup, and we register your manufacturer warranty.
We assess the elevations, check for existing moisture damage, and talk through material.
Line-item quote naming siding, wrap, flashing, and trim — with a sheathing repair allowance.
Old siding off, sheathing checked wall by wall. Rot gets replaced before we go further.
House wrap, flashing, then siding to manufacturer spec, one elevation at a time.
Corners, trim, caulk, cleanup, and we register your manufacturer warranty.
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Most Madison homes run $8 to $14 per square foot installed for vinyl, $11 to $18 for engineered wood like LP SmartSide, and $13 to $22 for James Hardie fiber cement. A typical 1,800 to 2,400 square foot home lands between $16,000 and $42,000. The biggest variable is how much sheathing or trim needs replacing behind the old siding, which no one can price precisely until tear-off — which is why we build a repair allowance into every quote.
Fiber cement and engineered wood both hold up well to freeze-thaw cycling. Fiber cement is the most dimensionally stable and fire resistant, but heavier and pricier. Engineered wood is lighter, easier on complex elevations, and gives a real wood texture at lower cost. Vinyl is the budget option and performs fine installed correctly. But the honest answer is that material matters less than the water barrier behind it — most siding failures here are moisture problems, not material failures.
Yes. James Hardie makes a climate-specific line engineered for freeze-thaw regions, formulated to resist moisture absorption and cracking through repeated freezing. The catch is that it must be installed to Hardie’s fastening, clearance, and gapping specifications or the warranty is void — which is exactly why installation quality matters more than the name on the label. We install to Hardie spec and register the warranty for you.
Almost always one of two things: water in the sheathing behind the siding, or fasteners driven too tight so the material couldn’t expand and contract with temperature. Both are installation issues, not material defects. Replacing the siding without addressing the wall behind it just resets the clock on the same failure, which is why we pull it back and inspect before quoting a fix.
We strongly advise against it, and usually won’t. Siding over the old layer means you can’t inspect the sheathing, can’t correct the weather barrier or flashing, and can’t fix whatever moisture problem is likely already underway. It hides exactly the things that cause walls to fail. Full tear-off costs more up front and is the only way to know what you’re actually dealing with.
Most homes take one to two weeks, depending on size, number of stories, and how much sheathing repair turns up once the old siding is off. Historic homes and complex elevations with lots of gables and trim run longer. We give you a real timeline at the estimate rather than a vague window, and we work one elevation at a time so the house is never fully exposed.
If your home is in a designated district — Mansion Hill, Third Lake Ridge, University Heights, Marquette Bungalows and others — street-visible material and profile changes go through Landmarks Commission review. Vinyl is often rejected in these districts; fiber cement and engineered wood in matching profiles usually pass. We’ve been through the process and can bring options likely to be approved.
Get your free, no-obligation inspection today.
