Make Your Home Investment Pay Off

Siding Replacement
Vinyl siding job cost: $7,239
Vinyl average resale value $6,914
Percentage of cost recovered: 95.5%
Best return: 140% in Orlando, Fla.
Worst return: 44.3% in Philadelphia

Fiber-cement siding job cost: $10,393
Fiber-cement average resale value: $10,771
Percentage of cost recovered: 103.6%
Best return: 166.6% in Birmingham, Ala.
Worst return: 42.6% Philadelphia

Buying new siding for your home is like buying a new outfit for yourself. The right choice will help you both fit in and look great. "Exteriors are often neglected," says Vince Butler, Chairman NAHB Remodelors™ Council and president of Butler Brothers Corporation, Clifton, Va. "If you do a gourmet kitchen but the rest of the house doesn’t wear that same coat, that takes away value."

Fiber-cement siding can resemble stucco, wood siding or cedar shingles. It resists fire and some brands offer 50-year guarantees. However, it’s trickier to put up than vinyl siding (you’ll need diamond blades for your saw and a respirator for yourself), is more expensive and can have freeze/thaw issues if not properly installed.