Who repairs siding, a siding contractor or a handyman?

A handyman or a siding contractor can do the job, so long as the person is licensed for the price of the work and has repaired siding before. A handyman suits one or two ground-level panels. Hire a siding contractor when there is rot behind the siding, the damage is high up, many panels are involved, or the wall needs to be matched and warranted.

When a handyman makes sense

A handyman is a good fit for small, simple, low-risk repairs: one cracked panel you can reach from the ground, a hole to fill, a loose piece to renail. The work is a zip tool, a few nails and a matching panel, and a careful person who has done it before can finish it in an hour or so. See how to patch a hole in vinyl siding for what the job involves.

Ask first whether they have repaired vinyl before. A panel nailed too tight buckles when it warms, so the nailing detail is what you are paying for.

When to hire a siding contractor

Pick a siding contractor when any of these is true:

• Rot or moisture behind the siding. The wall needs carpentry and a proper water barrier before new siding goes on.
• Height. Second-storey work and gable peaks need scaffolding, a second person and fall protection.
• Many panels or a whole wall. A contractor can source matching stock, or tell you when re-siding the wall is smarter.
• Warranty or insurance. If the siding is under a maker's warranty or the damage came from hail or a storm, contact the maker or your insurer before you hire anyone.^[6] A contractor can work through that claim with you.
• Older house with painted trim. EPA requires that anyone paid to perform work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes built before 1978 be certified, and their employees trained in lead-safe work practices.^[7]

Installation skill is not a minor point, because the maker's warranty will not pay for poor work: Alside's, for example, does not warrant installation nor defects caused by installation.^[6]

The licence question in Virginia

Virginia law is plain: "No person shall engage in, or offer to engage in, contracting work in the Commonwealth unless he has been licensed under the provisions of this chapter."^[1] The class has to fit the price of the contract: a Class C contractor works on single contracts over $1,000 but less than $30,000, a Class B contractor on $30,000 or more but less than $150,000, and a Class A contractor on $150,000 or more.^[2] So the lowest class begins above $1,000; for any repair priced above that, ask for a licence number and class.

The licence also has to cover the work. The home improvement (HIC) specialty covers repairs and improvements to dwellings and townhouses, and the residential building (RBC) classification also covers that work.^[3] A "handyman" is a job title, not a licence class; what matters is the licence the person holds.

Check it yourself. DPOR warns that a licence number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the licence is valid.^[5] Look up the contractor on DPOR's website or call the Board for Contractors at (804) 367-8511.^[5] Our guide to checking a contractor's licence walks through the lookup.

Permits

Siding repair rarely needs one. Virginia's building code says no permit is needed to replace any amount of siding on houses in residential Groups R-3, R-4 and R-5 outside areas where the design wind speed is above 100 miles per hour,^[8] though a building official may require one for replacement siding in a locally designated historic district.^[8]

Compare bids and put it in writing

Ask for local references, call them, and look at finished siding jobs if you can.^[5] For anything beyond a one-panel fix, DPOR advises you to get at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications,^[5] and warns that a bid substantially lower than the others probably means a mistake or work left out.^[5] See what siding repair costs in Virginia.

For residential work, the Board for Contractors requires a written contract that includes when work is to begin and the estimated completion date, the total cost, the amounts and schedule of progress payments including the down payment, a list of the specified materials and work.^[4] It also says any change to cost, materials, work or completion date must be in writing and signed by all parties.^[4]

On money, DPOR's rule of thumb is a deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less, and up to 30% for custom-made or special-order items,^[5] and do not pay 100% of the bill until the work is 100% complete.^[5]

Stop and call a pro if

• The person will not give a licence number for a job priced above $1,000.
• They want most of the money up front, or cash only.
• You find rot, mold or wet insulation behind the siding. That is a repair for a carpenter or contractor, not a patch.
• Wiring, a vent or a light fixture sits behind the damage. Leave that to a licensed electrician.
• You are on a ladder above the first storey. Do not do this yourself; hire a crew with the right equipment.

Getting help in Virginia

Loclis lists licensed businesses with their licence number and class. Browse more home repair answers, or see local siding services.

When you are ready, describe the damage once and licensed local businesses quote it.