Hardie Board Siding, which was first designed and created by James Hardie, is a popular option for innovative siding for homes and businesses of all sizes. Commonly called cement board siding, this product has been around for decades. During this time, it has always had a strong following over the years, with cyclic peaks in popularity among residential and commercial owners. Its popularity lies in the fact that it is low-maintenance, long-lasting, and attractive. Many business owners and homeowners alike ask us about Hardie Board Siding, so we wanted to address the questions our customers are asking about this product. Here are the pros, cons, and costs associated with this popular siding option.
How Much Does James Hardie Board Siding Cost Exactly?
Hardie board siding costs anywhere from $1 to $7 per square foot of material installed on a home. If you were to replace siding on an average-size home of 1,500 square feet, you could expect to pay anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000 in total installation and replacement costs. Hardie board siding installation costs will vary based on the design and size of your home, local labor rates, the cost to remove old siding, and whether you are doing a full or partial siding replacement.
The Pros
The reason Hardie Board Siding has always remained a popular choice for siding, especially in this modern age, is the impressive list of pros associated with it:
- Longevity: Hardie Board Siding usually comes with an impressive warranty of at least 10-15 years. It is also resistant to rust, rot, mold, decay, and insect damage. This is something that sets it apart from most of the other siding options out there.
- Appearance: Many people love this siding because it can easily be fashioned to resemble other siding materials, including wood and tile. Color options are limitless and just about any color palette can be easily matched with this siding material.
- Fire Resistance: Hardie Board Siding offers something no other siding option has been able to up to this point- it is extremely fire resistant. This siding is more than 90 percent sand and cement and has impressive fire retardation properties homeowners love.
- Storm Resistance: Another reason people love this product is that it is extremely durable and resisted wear and tear. Whether it is normal sun and rain, or the effects of massive storms, hail, and wind, Hardie Board Siding holds up better than anything else available.
- Maintenance: Hardie siding takes very little maintenance other than a re-paint every 15 years or so.
- Re-sale Value: Your investment in Hardie products will pay when you sell your home. The James Hardie demand is growing extremely fast in Indy
The Cons
Like all things in life, there are some downsides to using Hardie Board Siding on your home or business, and it is important to know these before choosing this siding option.
- Higher Installation Cost: Because it is a highly-specialized type of siding, a lot more goes into making, preparing, and installing Hardie Board Siding than more traditional siding. More tools are required, more planning is needed, and more preparation work is necessary to get the location ready for the siding. This, in turn, can result in higher installation costs by the end of the project.
- Labor Costs: There also needs to be a larger labor force involved with even a seemingly simple installation project. This is largely due to the fact that this siding type is very heavy and cumbersome. 100 square feet of Hardie Board Siding can weight as much as 300 pounds compared to 60-70 pounds for the same amount of traditional vinyl siding. This means more work, more hands involved, and a longer timeline for completion.
Do You Have Hardie Siding Questions?
If you have questions or concerns or need more information, the team here at Stay Dry Roofing is ready to help you with all your siding needs. We have years of experience working with Hardie Board Siding and other siding materials, so give us a call and let us help you find the siding options that are right for you!