Siding Repair in Albany, NY

What We Repair

Most of the calls we get in Albany are for vinyl or aluminum panels that cracked, came loose, or blew off in a storm. We also patch holes left by woodpeckers, hail, and old satellite dish mounts, and we fix rotted wood clapboard, broken fiber cement boards, damaged corner posts, and soffit and fascia that has started letting water in. We work on single-family homes, two-family flats, and rowhouses all over the city.

Before we replace anything, we figure out why it failed. If a panel keeps blowing off, it was probably nailed wrong or the channel holding it is bad. If there's a soft spot near a downspout or the roofline, water has likely been getting behind the siding for a while. We'll open up the wall if we need to, fix any rotted sheathing, and flash it properly so the same spot doesn't fail again next spring. If your gutters caused the problem, we can take care of the gutter repair on the same trip.

Siding Problems We See in Albany

Much of Albany's housing went up before World War II, and the siding problems usually line up with the age of the house. In Pine Hills, Center Square, and the Helderberg neighborhood, many houses still have their original wood clapboard on the sides and back, with decades of paint on it. That's where we see peeling, split boards, and rot along the bottom rows and under the windows.

Around New Scotland Avenue, Whitehall, and Delaware Avenue, you'll find two-family homes from the 1920s through the 1950s with aluminum siding that went on decades ago. It dents easily, the finish chalks off, and once a piece is damaged it's tough to match. The ranches and capes near Buckingham Pond and in Westland Hills usually have vinyl, and after enough winters it gets brittle and cracks in the cold.

Albany winters don't help. Ice dams at the edge of the roof push water up behind the top rows of siding, freeze-thaw cycles open up seams and corners, and a good windstorm will find every panel that wasn't nailed right. Most of this damage doesn't show up until the snow melts in March or April.

Should You Repair or Replace Your Siding?

If the damage is limited to one wall or a few spots, the rest of the siding is in decent shape, and the wall behind it is dry, a repair is the way to go. If panels are cracking all around the house, you can't get a match anymore, or the same spots keep failing no matter how many times they're fixed, it's usually time to replace. After we look at it, we'll tell you which one makes sense for your house, even when that's the cheaper option. If you do end up replacing, our siding contractors in Albany, NY page walks through your options.

Matching Your Existing Siding

Getting new siding to match the old is usually the hardest part of the job. Vinyl fades over 15 to 20 years, and many of the colors and styles from the '90s aren't made anymore. When we can't find a match, we'll often take original panels off a wall nobody looks at, like the back of the house or the garage, use them to fix the front, and put the new siding where it won't stand out. You can see what's available today on our vinyl siding contractors in the Capital Region page.

Aluminum is harder, since hardly anyone makes it anymore. We'll either patch it with salvaged panels or re-side that one wall in something else. Wood clapboard is easier because we can match the original board width, then prime and paint it on site. Fiber cement gets replaced one board at a time and painted to match, and our fiber cement siding contractors in Albany, NY page has more on how it holds up.

Historic Homes and Older Siding Materials

A big part of central Albany sits in a local historic district. If your house is in one, any siding or trim work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the city before you can get a permit. Small repairs that don't change how the house looks can usually be signed off by city planning staff, and bigger changes go to the Historic Resources Commission. We'll help with the paperwork and pick materials that fit the district. There's more on this on our historic home siding and exterior renovation in Albany page.

If your house was built before 1978, there's a good chance the wood siding and trim have lead paint on them, so any repair that disturbs painted surfaces has to follow EPA lead-safe practices. Some Albany homes from the 1940s through the 1960s also have cement shingle siding that can contain asbestos. That material shouldn't be cut, sanded, or broken, and if it needs to come off, New York requires a licensed asbestos abatement contractor to remove it.

How a Siding Repair Works

1. We come out, look at the damage and the walls around it, check for soft spots and water stains, and figure out what caused it.
2. You get a written estimate that breaks out the siding work, any sheathing or trim repairs, and gutters if they need it, so you know exactly what you're paying for.
3. We track down matching siding or plan a panel swap, and get historic district approval first if your house needs it.
4. We take off the damaged siding, fix what's underneath, put on new house wrap and flashing, and finish with siding that matches. Smaller jobs are usually done in a day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Siding Repair in Albany, NY

How much does siding repair cost in Albany?

Swapping out a few vinyl panels or a broken corner post usually runs a few hundred dollars. Storm damage that means opening up the wall and fixing sheathing on more than one side can get into the low thousands. It mostly comes down to the material, how much of the wall we have to open, whether we can find a match, and whether we need to work up on a second or third story. We'll give you a written number once we've seen it.

Can you replace just one piece of vinyl siding?

Yes. Vinyl panels lock together, so we can pop out a damaged one with a zip tool and put a new one in without touching the rest of the wall. The tricky part is color, because old vinyl fades. If a new panel won't match, we'll borrow one from a wall you don't see.

Will my homeowners insurance pay for storm damage to my siding?

Often, yes, for wind and hail. Damage from age, wear, or a slow leak usually isn't covered. We can give you photos and a written scope to send with your claim, but your insurance company makes the call, so check your policy and deductible before we start.

Do I need a permit to repair siding in Albany?

For small like-for-like repairs, usually not. If we're replacing sheathing or doing structural work, you might. If your house is in a historic district, you'll need a Certificate of Appropriateness before any siding or trim work. We'll check what applies to your address before we schedule anything.

Can you fix aluminum siding?

Yes, but matching it is harder because almost nobody makes it anymore. Small dents and holes can sometimes be patched, and we can replace damaged pieces with salvaged aluminum. If neither one will look right, re-siding that wall in vinyl or fiber cement is usually the cleaner fix.

How do I know if there's water damage behind my siding?

Press on it. If it feels soft or spongy, that's a bad sign. Other clues are bubbling or peeling paint on wood siding, stains or mildew on the inside of the wall, and panels that bulge or won't sit flat. Gaps around windows and doors are a common way in. We check those spots during the inspection and open them up if something's wrong.

Do you work on two-family homes and rowhouses?

Yes. Plenty of Albany houses are two-family flats or attached homes where the side wall is a few feet from the neighbor's house and the back faces a narrow alley. We plan ladders and staging around tight lot lines and talk to your neighbors if we need to work from their side.

How do I get an estimate?

Fill out the form at the top of the page or call (518) 817-1787. We'll set up a time to come look at the damage and send you a written estimate after the visit.