THE IMPRESSION SETTER - YOUR HOME'S SIDING

Siding does more than just make a home look good. It’s the outer layer that protects everything behind it. When it’s done right, it keeps water out, helps regulate temperature, and gives the home a clean, finished look that holds up over time.

At Lifetime, we primarily work with James Hardie fiber cement siding because it performs so well in the Florida climate. It’s built to handle heat, humidity, and exposure without breaking down the way a lot of older materials do. It doesn’t rot like hardwood or engineered wood, it’s resistant to pests and woodpeckers, and it holds paint far longer than traditional wood siding. This is specially true with the ColorPlus option! Pre-finished siding has been around for years but most contractors will suggest Primed siding and painting it due to the simplicity in material ordering and logistics. Frankly, Primed James Hardie is much easier to install, however, our installation team is made up of Hardie-trained professionals with an attention to detail that allows us to offer you what's best for your home. We don't shy away from what's difficult if it means a better end product.

There are a few main siding styles we install, and each one gives a different look depending on the home:

Lap Siding is the most traditional. It runs horizontally and gives a clean, classic appearance that works well on almost any home. It’s simple, balanced, and doesn’t go out of style. These options are available in a 4", 5", 6", 7", 8" and 10.75" overlap but 7" will be the most common, most cost effective, and provide the most readily-available options like 15 pre-finished ColorPlus colors.

Board & Batten Siding runs vertically and has become more popular over the last several years. It adds height and depth to a home and tends to give that modern farmhouse look a lot of homeowners are going for. It also works well as an accent, especially in gables or on certain sections of the house.

Shake Siding is typically used as an accent or sometimes full wall segments. You’ll see it in gables, around entryways, or on bump-outs most often. It adds texture and breaks up larger wall areas so everything doesn’t feel flat. Shake Siding tends to be more expensive than Lap or Board & Batten, but when used in small areas, the cost difference is rarely considerable.

A lot of homes use a combination of these styles to create contrast and give the exterior more character. The siding is what people see first, so getting that balance right makes a big difference.

Beyond the style, there’s also the finish. James Hardie offers both Primed siding and ColorPlus. Primed siding gets painted after installation, which gives more flexibility in color choice. ColorPlus comes factory-finished, which creates a more consistent finish and tends to last longer before needing to be repainted, even coming with a 15-year finish warranty directly through James Hardie. Both have their place depending on the project.

What matters just as much as the siding itself is everything behind it. That includes house wrap, flashing, and sealing around all penetrations. This is what actually keeps water out of the home. If those details are missed or rushed, it doesn’t matter how nice the siding looks on the surface. At Lifetime, we pride ourselves on high-end materials, attention to detail, and complying with James Hardie's highest standards for flashings like the aluminum caps above door trim, window trim, penetrations like hose bibs, and more.

We install a full weather barrier system behind the siding and re-flash all necessary areas so everything performs the way it should. Around windows, doors, lights, vents, and any other penetrations, we take the time to block and seal those areas properly. It’s not the part homeowners see, but it’s the part that prevents problems down the road.

Trim work is another detail that ties everything together. We install trim around all windows, doors, and corners to create clean transitions and give the siding structure.

There are also upgrade options like starter trim at the base, frieze boards where the siding meets the soffit, and belly bands to break up different sections of the home. These are the details that take a project from standard to something more finished and intentional, using 4", 6", 8", or 12" wide trim to add accents and features to walls otherwise that might be easily overlooked. We can custom-make wider bands or trim accents upon request, however to keep the cost reasonable and not inundate our homeowners with too many options, we typically suggest one of the 4 standard widths.

During installation, we also account for things that don’t show up until demolition. Sometimes there are multiple layers of siding, damaged sheathing, or areas that don’t have proper backing. When that comes up, we address it so the new system has a solid foundation. Skipping that step is how you end up with problems later.

At the end of the day, siding is what defines your home’s exterior for the next 20 to 30 years. It’s not something you want to redo or think about again anytime soon. When it’s installed correctly, with the right materials and attention to detail, it protects the home, improves its appearance, and holds up without constant maintenance.

That’s the goal every time. Clean installation, a solid structure behind it, and a finished product that looks right and lasts!