Siding repair: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering siding repair

Siding repair is a match-and-seal job where the profile, the color and the hidden moisture damage decide how the repair looks and how long it lasts. Your win is finding the rot behind the wall and showing the homeowner a repair that blends in.

What customers ask

  • Can you find a siding match for my house?
  • Will the new section look different from the old siding?
  • Did water get inside my wall?
  • How much of the wall do you need to open up?
  • Will the repair hold up to the next storm?
  • Can you repaint the new section so it matches?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask what material the siding is, how old it is, where the damage shows, and whether there has been a leak inside, so you arrive knowing the likely cause.
  • Bring a sample board or the closest profile match to the visit, and show the homeowner the color and texture side by side with the existing siding.
  • Probe the siding and trim with a screwdriver on the site visit, and photograph every soft spot before you quote the repair.
  • Put each damaged section, the sheathing repair, the flashing repair and the paint work in the quote as separate lines.
  • Explain that you will open the wall wherever rot is found, and get written approval before you cut beyond the quoted area.
  • Use house wrap or flashing tape at every cut opening, and photograph the wrap before the new siding goes on.
  • Send a closeout packet with the siding product name, color code, a photo log of the repair, and the caulk and paint used.

What to put on your profile

  • Before and after photos of siding repairs that show the damaged section, the sheathing repair and the finished match
  • Siding materials you repair, such as vinyl, fiber cement, wood or engineered wood
  • Whether you do sheathing and flashing repair as part of a siding job
  • Service area and whether you paint or finish the new sections yourself

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a full exterior inspection to check the other walls for the same moisture damage, if this repair found rot.
  • Suggest a gutter and downspout check, since a clogged gutter can run water down a wall and cause the same damage again.
  • Recommend a sealant and paint review on the other walls, to keep joints and trim in good condition.

Licenses and permits

Siding repair is commonly done by licensed exterior and general contractors, and sheathing or structural repairs may need a permit. Check your state and local licensing and building office requirements before you bid.

Questions

What if the siding has been discontinued?

Tell the homeowner before you start. Options include a close match, a repaint of the full wall, or a different siding across a full elevation. Show the options and let the homeowner choose.

Do I need a permit for a small siding repair?

Often not for a small cosmetic repair. Sheathing, framing or flashing changes can need one. Check with the local building office before you open the wall.

How do I handle rot found behind the siding?

Stop, photograph the damage, and send a priced change order before you cut beyond the quoted area. Repair the rot before the new siding goes on.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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