Boosting Curb Appeal & Home Value with New Siding
New siding is one of the few home improvements that pays you back at sale time. Here's what we've seen across hundreds of NJ homes.
Most home improvements are something you do for yourself. New siding is one of the few that you do partly for yourself and partly for the eventual buyer.
According to industry surveys, new siding consistently ranks among the top 5 home improvements for return on investment. Homeowners typically recover 70–80% of the cost at sale, plus enjoy the benefits while they live there.
Here’s what we’ve seen across hundreds of New Jersey siding projects.
The “before” effect
A house with old, faded, mismatched, or damaged siding looks tired from the street. Buyers driving by skip it. Real estate listings get fewer clicks. Open houses get fewer visitors.
A house with fresh, well-coordinated siding looks cared-for. It signals to buyers that the seller has maintained the home — which makes them more confident about everything else they can’t see.
This is the curb appeal effect. It’s real, and it’s measurable in offers.
Materials that hold up in NJ
Vinyl siding
- Cost: $7–$12 per sq ft installed
- Lifespan: 30–40 years
- Maintenance: Almost none — power-wash once a year
- Best for: Most NJ homes. The default choice.
Vinyl has come a long way. Modern vinyl looks much better than the cheap stuff from the 80s and 90s. It comes in deeper colors, more profiles, and some products mimic wood or stone convincingly.
Fiber cement (James Hardie and similar)
- Cost: $11–$20 per sq ft installed
- Lifespan: 50+ years
- Maintenance: Repaint every 10–15 years
- Best for: Higher-end homes, fire-prone areas, homeowners staying long term.
Fiber cement is the premium choice. It looks essentially indistinguishable from real wood, won’t rot, won’t warp, and stands up to fire better than any other common siding. The downside is cost — typically 50–80% more than vinyl.
Engineered wood (LP SmartSide)
- Cost: $9–$15 per sq ft installed
- Lifespan: 30–50 years
- Maintenance: Repaint every 10–15 years
- Best for: Homeowners who want a real-wood look without natural wood’s downsides.
Engineered wood is treated to resist rot, insects, and weather. It’s lighter than fiber cement and easier to install, with similar durability.
Cedar (real wood)
- Cost: $14–$30 per sq ft installed
- Lifespan: 20–40 years (with maintenance)
- Maintenance: Stain or seal every 3–5 years
- Best for: Historic homes, character-driven aesthetics, owners willing to maintain.
Real cedar still has unmatched character. The tradeoff is maintenance: ignore it and it’ll fail in a decade. Maintain it and it’ll outlast most other options.
Color choices that age well
We’ve seen trends come and go. The colors that hold up well over time tend to be:
- Whites and warm whites — never go out of style; brighten the home
- Deep blues and navy — look fresh and modern; pair well with white trim
- Sage greens and earth tones — natural feel; blend with landscaping
- Charcoal grays — modern but not overly trendy
Colors that date faster:
- Trendy “of the moment” hues (pale aqua, salmon, etc.)
- Very saturated brights (lime green, royal blue)
- Cream/beige variations that read as “1990s”
Things to do at the same time
Siding is invasive — we have to remove the old siding, sometimes inspect the sheathing underneath, and rebuild from there. While we’re doing all that, it’s the right time to also handle:
- Add insulation board behind new siding for energy savings
- Replace any rotten sheathing that’s been hidden for years
- Update window and door trim to match the new look
- Repair fascia and soffit while access is open
- Add or update house wrap for weather barrier
Doing these things separately later costs significantly more because you have to remove and replace siding twice.
What you’ll see in your bills
Most homeowners with old, uninsulated siding see noticeable energy savings after a new siding + insulation upgrade. We’ve heard everything from “small reduction” to “30% lower in winter.”
It depends on what you started with. If your home had no insulation in the walls, the difference can be dramatic.
Will it raise your home’s value?
Yes — most studies put the ROI at 70–80% on cost, with the curb appeal effect adding intangible value beyond that. A house with new siding sells faster and gets stronger offers than the comparable house with worn siding next door.
That doesn’t mean siding pays for itself in pure dollars. But combined with energy savings, lower maintenance, and the satisfaction of living in a home that looks great, it’s one of the best home improvements you can make.