10 Steps to Prepare for Your Home Siding Installation

Preparing your home for your upcoming siding installation will help the whole process go smoothly and make it an overall positive experience with a great outcome!

You’ve found the right home exterior contractor, selected the top siding material, picked your style and color, and your siding replacement is approaching. How do you get ready for your home exterior and yard to become a work zone? Can you do things in advance that will help avoid accidents?

We’ve broken down the steps to help you get ready for your siding installation:

How to Get Your Home Ready for Your Upcoming Siding Replacement

1. Turn off your exterior power

To prevent the risk of shock, turn off the electricity for your exterior lights before the installation team arrives. At American Way Exteriors, our employees’ and customers' health and safety are one of our primary concerns. We comply with all safety, health, and environmental policies.

2. Remove outdoor obstacles from the work zone

Outdoor furniture, potted plants, children’s toys, grills, ornaments, and lawn equipment should be removed from your home’s deck, patio, and perimeter. Tuck them away in the garage or the far corner of your yard so the crew can easily access your siding without going through an obstacle course to get to it. This will streamline the installation process and show courtesy to the crew.

3. Cut your grass

The siding team will use a magnetic nail finder and comb your grass to ensure any stray nails or debris that may have fallen are removed from your yard. When you cut the grass short before installation day, you make it easier on the crew to find any nails in your yard, ensuring your safety after your siding replacement.

4. Trim overgrown tree branches and shrubs

If large tree limbs brush up against your home, trim them so the crew can easily access your exterior. Trees should be trimmed with at least ten feet of clearance from your house. This helps keep leaves and needles from falling into your gutters and stopping them up. It also helps keep your roof clean and keeps unwanted animals from obtaining easy access to your roof. Primarily, it will help your siding contractor install your new siding with ease. If you’re uncomfortable trimming trees as a DIY project, contact a reputable professional to trim them.

Trim (or tie back) the shrubs that border your home’s perimeter so there is ample space between them and your exterior. If you have a garden, cover it with a drop cloth, so it doesn’t get littered with debris. Shield the flowers and the mulch surrounding them bordering your home with a tarp to preserve them.

5. Clear your driveway

When the installation team arrives, your driveway will be a significant part of the work zone. They will haul your current siding away from your driveway and deliver your new siding to it. During your siding installation, ensure your driveway is free and clear of cars, clutter, and toys. Park your car down the street throughout your exterior upgrade to keep it safe and out of the way.

6. Remove your shutters and other exterior fixtures

If you have shutters on your home exterior, remove them before the siding contractor arrives so they aren’t in the way as they detach your current siding. Gutter downspouts may also need to be disconnected.

7. Inside your home, stow fragile items away safely

When the siding team hammers on the outside of your home, it can disturb items in your interior. As your current siding is removed and new siding is installed, the resulting vibrations can cause delicate items in your home to fall or break. Remove picture frames from your interior walls, and safely stow any fragile items or heirlooms.

8. Make prior arrangements for children and pets

Your siding installation will be scheduled in advance, so make arrangements for your young children and pets. It’s best not to have either of them in your yard when your new siding is installed. Consider hiring a babysitter and pet sitter or plan a date with friends or family while your home exterior is upgraded.

9. Overcommunicate with your project manager

When there are several moving parts in a home exterior upgrade, overcommunicating is always helpful. How do you do that? Don’t assume anything. Realize you will probably only replace siding once or twice in your lifetime, so it’s important to ask questions about the process, the timeline, what to expect, and more.

Inquire about start and stop times on installation days and what to expect if the weather becomes an issue. You’ll have the best possible siding installation experience if you plan ahead, communicate with the project manager, and take your cues from the experts on installation days.

10. Meet your project manager

On installation day, take a moment to meet your project manager in person when the team arrives. Let them know the best way to reach you if they need to communicate throughout the installation process.

At American Way Exteriors, we know that who you welcome on your property is important to you. That’s why our crews arrive dressed in an American Way T-shirt, so you know who is at your home.

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Transform Your Home with Gorgeous New Siding

Is your current siding leaking, causing rot and mold to lurk beneath the surface? Siding replacement maximizes your property’s beauty, increases its overall value, and protects it from damaging moisture intrusion.

At American Way Exteriors, products that last are important to us. That’s why we specialize in James Hardie siding. It’s the strongest siding available, stands up against Ohio’s harshest elements, and has a 30-year warranty. Have any more questions about your upcoming siding installation? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us!