How is it that all home improvement companies seem to have these amazing “factory trained” installers.  How about the companies that have “certified” installers?  Is that better than “factory trained”? 

“Factory Trained” can mean that an installation manual from the manufacturer …

Whether it’s at a home show or a prospective customers house I’m always asked, “how does the price of HardiePlank compare to vinyl siding?”  I wish I had a standard answer for that question but I don’t. 

We have a customer …

My wife has a co-worker who wants to replace her old drafty windows with new energy efficient windows.  She has gotten many quotes, but has the same complaint about all of them.  Grids cost extra and they all only wanted …

Replacing your rotten rails and columns is a simple and cost effective job that can dramatically improve your homes “curb appeal”.  In a lot of cases it’s only the rails that need to be replaced and it’s even more cost …

Roughly 90% of the HardiePlank siding we install at Blue Ridge Exteriors is beaded.  That’s because Central Virginia is primarily a beaded siding market because of the influence of Colonial Williamsburg architecture.

Some vinyl siding dominated home improvement companies brag about …

In February 2009 I counted no less than 5 vinyl siding and window companies that have this in their ad in the Richmond VA, market. When you see this in an advertisement for a home improvement company what exactly does it …

The “thickest” vinyl siding on the market today is made by Alcoa and is .055 mls thick.  Duraplank plastic siding is next at .054 mls thick.  Builders grade plastic siding is typically .042-.044 mls thick.  The difference you may ask?  Less …

The latest “innovation” in plastic siding is to give it names that hide what it is actually made of.  Plastic siding with names like Crane Board and Duraplank can be misleading to consumers who aren’t familiar with siding products.

Come on!  Wrap your …

Does vinyl siding look like real wood on the house?  Maybe if you squint your eyes, cock your head and forget the skinny reveal it will look like real wood.  Before having vinyl siding installed on your house I suggest that …

Vinyl siding is installed over your existing siding.  If you have any rotten surface wood you would hope that it would be replaced with fresh lumber before you new siding is installed, but what about the sheathing (wood) that is …