Overview: Siding Contractors
Siding keeps rain and snow out of your walls, and a Canadian winter tests it hard. Vinyl covers a lot of houses because it's cheap and handles wet well. It also turns brittle in deep cold, so a puck or a stone thrown by the snowblower can crack a panel in January. Fibre cement, engineered wood, brick and stucco each cost more and age in their own way.
What sits behind the cladding matters more. In the wettest parts of the country, coastal British Columbia included, the building code calls for a drained gap between the siding and the wall membrane. That rainscreen lets water that slips past the siding run out, and it lets the wall dry. Loosely hung horizontal vinyl or metal can count as its own gap. BC's building code appeal board has ruled that replacing old cladding is work the code covers.
Near forest or grassland, the choice is also about fire. FireSmart BC says untreated wood and vinyl siding offer very little protection against wildfire, and radiant heat can melt vinyl. Stucco, metal, brick and fibre cement resist fire far better.
Each listing shows what the company says about itself on its own website. Choose your province, then your city, to find crews that re-side homes in your area.
Frequently asked questions
Which wall material is the right choice?
It depends on your climate and your lot. Vinyl is the budget pick, but it cracks in hard cold and melts in a wildfire. Fibre cement shrugs off freeze and thaw, holds paint for years and resists fire, and its weight shows up in the labour bill. Cedar looks lovely and wants stain every few years. On the Prairies, ask how each product stands up to hail.
What goes on the wall before the cladding does?
A membrane over the sheathing, lapped so water runs down and out, and sealed at every window and door. In wet coastal climates, the code also wants a drained air gap between that membrane and most sidings, usually made with wood strapping. Loosely hung horizontal vinyl or metal can supply its own gap. Some crews add rigid foam outside the sheathing too, which keeps the wall warmer and drier.
Could my old siding contain asbestos?
It could, in an older house. Health Canada lists house siding among the materials that may contain asbestos. Fibres get into the air when the material is cut, drilled, sanded or broken, and that's when it becomes a health risk. Before anyone tears the old siding off, have a professional test it. If the test finds asbestos, Health Canada says to hire a qualified removal specialist.
What if a siding salesperson shows up at my door?
Take your time, because the law gives you some. In Ontario, a contract signed in your home comes with ten days to cancel. In Quebec, a door-to-door seller needs a permit from the Office de la protection du consommateur, and you generally get ten days from receiving your copy of the contract. That stretches to a full year if the seller had no permit. Cancel in writing and keep proof.
What licence should a Quebec siding contractor hold?
A licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec, which anyone doing construction work for someone else needs. The contractor has to show the licence number on its ads and paperwork, and you can look it up in the RBQ's online directory. Licence holders also carry a security meant to compensate clients when the work goes wrong or never gets done. Check the number before you pay a deposit.
