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Albany winters are hard on a house. Freeze-thaw cycles, wind-driven snow, and humid summers find every weak spot in old siding, and by the time you notice warped panels or peeling paint, there's often water damage behind them. We've been replacing siding across the Capital Region for years, and we know which materials hold up here and which ones don't.
This page walks you through it in the order most homeowners ask: what each material costs and how long it lasts, what a full siding job includes, whether you need a repair or a replacement, and how a project runs from estimate to final walkthrough.
Every project starts with a free estimate at your house. We measure, check the condition of the walls where we can, and give you a written price for each material you're considering, so you can compare real numbers instead of guesses.
Get Prequalified NowHere's how the three materials Albany homeowners choose most often stack up. Prices are typical installed costs per square foot of wall area in the Capital Region, and your estimate will reflect your home's size, condition, and trim.
| Material | Installed cost per sq. ft. | Typical lifespan | Upkeep | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl | $4–$8 | 20 to 40 years | Wash once a year, never paint | Tight budgets, ranches, and rentals |
| Insulated vinyl | $7–$12 | 25 to 40 years | Wash once a year, never paint | Drafty older homes and noisy streets |
| Fiber cement | $10–$16 | 30 to 50 years | Repaint every 10 to 15 years | Historic homes and long-term owners |
We also install composite, LP SmartSide, and board and batten. Those vary more from house to house, so we price them for your home at the estimate rather than guess here.
Vinyl is the most affordable way to re-side a house, and today's thicker panels hold up well to Capital Region winters. It never needs paint, and a garden hose with mild soap is about all the upkeep it asks for.
Vinyl SidingInsulated vinyl siding is standard vinyl siding with a layer of rigid foam insulation bonded to the back of each panel. The foam is shaped to fit the panel exactly, so it sits flush against your wall with no gaps.
Insulated Vinyl SidingFiber cement is the workhorse of Capital Region exteriors. Made from cement, sand, and cellulose fibers, it shrugs off the moisture, ice, and temperature swings that destroy wood siding in Upstate New York. It will not rot, warp, or feed insects, and it holds paint far longer than natural wood. Most of our fiber cement installations use James Hardie products, the category leader, backed by warranties that transfer with the home.
Fiber Cement Siding in Albany, NYStone veneer gives you the weight and texture of real stone without the cost or structural load of a full masonry wall. We use it on foundations, entryways, chimneys, and accent walls, and it pairs well with fiber cement or vinyl on the rest of the house.
Stone Veneer SidingBoard and batten runs in tall vertical lines, which suits farmhouses, additions, and gables on older Albany homes. We install it in vinyl, LP SmartSide, and James Hardie, so you can pick the price and finish that fit your house.
Board and Batten SidingShake siding has been part of Upstate New York homes for generations. Our composite shake products give you that cedar look without the rot, splitting, and fading real cedar runs into in our climate.
Cedar Shakes SidingMost of the fiber cement we install is James Hardie. It won't rot, crack in a cold snap, or peel the way painted wood does, and its warranties stay with the house if you sell.
James Hardie SidingEverlast is a solid composite plank that looks like painted cedar but won't swell, rot, or draw insects. The color runs all the way through, so a scratch from a branch doesn't leave a white mark, and it keeps its look for decades with almost no upkeep.
Everlast SidingLP SmartSide is engineered wood treated to resist moisture, rot, and termites, with a real wood grain texture. It's lighter than fiber cement, comes prefinished in a wide range of colors, and works well on homes with a lot of trim detail.
LP SmartSide SidingDiamond Kote is LP SmartSide engineered wood with the color baked on at the factory instead of painted on site. That finish resists peeling, chipping, and fading, so a bold color stays bold through years of Albany sun and snow.
Diamond Kote SidingMost full siding replacements in the Albany area fall between $10,000 and $30,000+, depending on the size of your home, the material you choose, and the condition of the existing exterior. Vinyl sits at the lower end of that range, while fiber cement and composite command a premium in exchange for longer lifespans and stronger performance through Capital Region freeze-thaw cycles.
A few things move the price more than anything else: how many stories the house has, whether the old siding has to come off, how much sheathing needs replacing once it does, and how much trim, soffit, and window wrap work the house needs. A simple one-story ranch sits near the bottom of that range, and a two-and-a-half-story Victorian with lots of trim sits near the top.
Want a number for your home before you talk to anyone? Use our free Siding Cost Estimator for an instant ballpark, or take the Siding Type Quiz to find the material that fits your budget and style. When you are ready, we will confirm everything with a free in-person estimate. Every project qualifies for 0% interest financing through GreenSky.
Get My Free Siding EstimateA full siding replacement covers a lot more than the panels you see from the street. We tear the old siding off down to the sheathing, replace any soft or rotted boards we find, and wrap the house in a new weather-resistant barrier before anything goes back on. If you want a warmer house, that's also the point where we can add rigid foam board under the new siding.
Then we finish the details that make an exterior look right and keep water out: new trim at the corners and doors, soffit and fascia along the roofline, and aluminum or PVC wraps around the windows.
Not every siding problem means a new exterior. A few cracked or loose panels after a storm, a dented corner, or one section that took a hit from a tree limb can usually be fixed for a fraction of the cost of replacing everything. If that sounds like your house, start with our Siding Repair in Albany, NY page.
Replacement makes more sense when the problems are spread across the house: panels warping or buckling on more than one wall, soft or rotted sheathing underneath, paint that won't stay on wood siding, water stains or mold showing up inside, or siding so old that no one makes a matching panel anymore. We'll tell you honestly which side of that line you're on when we come out for the estimate.
We come out for a free estimate, measure the house, check the condition of the walls where we can, and walk you through materials and colors. You get a written price for each option you're considering.
Once you pick a material and color, we order it and put you on the schedule with a start date and a realistic estimate of how long your job will take.
Our crew tears off the old siding, fixes what's underneath, and installs the new siding and trim. Most homes take one to two weeks, and we clean up at the end of every day.
We walk the finished house with you, fix anything you're not happy with, and haul away the old siding and debris.
Herman Exterior Homes is a licensed and insured contractor based at 45 S Fagan Ave in Schenectady, so our crews are never far from your job and we're easy to reach after it's done. Homeowners on Angi rate us 4.91 out of 5 across 11 reviews. Here's what one customer had to say.
We're based in Schenectady and install siding all over the Capital Region. Towns we work in regularly include Schenectady, Niskayuna, Colonie, Latham, Rotterdam, Guilderland, Bethlehem, Voorheesville, East Greenbush, Troy, Brunswick, Schodack, Clifton Park, Scotia, Ballston Spa, Malta, and Saratoga Springs.
Herman Exterior Homes also installs siding in Rensselaer, NY, across the Hudson from Albany.
Fiber cement, mostly James Hardie, is our most popular choice for Capital Region winters. It looks like painted wood but won't rot or attract insects. Insulated vinyl is the other favorite, especially for homeowners who want a warmer, quieter house for less money. We install both across Upstate New York and Western Massachusetts.
Most projects land between $10,000 and $30,000+, depending on the size of the house, the material, and what we find under the old siding. The cost section above explains what moves the price, and every in-person estimate is free with no obligation.
Cracks usually come from hail, a tree limb, a stray ball or ladder, or panels that were nailed too tight to move with the seasons. If it's a few panels, a repair is usually enough. If cracks keep showing up on several walls, it's worth having us check whether the siding is near the end of its life before water gets behind it.
Most single-family homes in the Albany area take 1–2 weeks from tear-off to final walkthrough. Larger homes, complex trim work, or hidden repairs behind the old siding can extend that. We give you a firm timeline before work begins and keep the site clean throughout.
Yes! We understand this is a significant investment in your home. Please view our Siding Financing Page for more details on our payment plans.
Yes, we currently serve Windham and Hunter Mountain Regions.
Tell us a little about your home and we'll set up a free estimate at a time that works for you. You'll get a written price for every material you're considering, with no pressure to decide on the spot.
Get My Free Siding EstimateWe provide comprehensive exterior renovations—including roofing, siding, and gutters—throughout the Northeast. Our service area spans the Capital District, from Lake George down to Catskill, as well as parts of Southern Vermont and Western Massachusetts.
Unsure if we cover your neighborhood? Contact us! We are likely working on a home near you.