IdentityWhy Your Siding Installer Must To Be A Nerd

December 16, 2022
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3 Questions To Ask A Central MA Siding Contractor To Verify Their “Nerd” Credentials

If Your Siding Installer Doesn’t Have The Proper “Brains,” Your Results AND Experience Will Suffer.

BY JEFF BROOKS, OWNER

When researching Central MA contractors to replace your home’s siding, you need to be in a… solid state of mind. (Yep, I went there.)

Because I’ll be honest with you: Choosing the wrong siding contractor is like taking a flamethrower to thousands of your hard-earned dollars. Maybe worse!

At least your money will keep you nice and toasty if you torch it. But if you spend it on a bad siding installer? Well, you open up your home to a host of potential problems (leaks, defects, etc.).

That’s why you need to choose the nerdiest, bookworm-iest, most obsessive siding installation company you can find in Central MA. Because when it comes to installing siding—especially James Hardie fiber cement siding—a “nerdy” contractor versus a “just-enough-to-get-by” contractor can make all the difference.

A “just enough to get by” siding contractor will go through the motions and look for the easiest way to do the bare minimum. These types typically lack a proper process, use inferior materials, and have never met a corner they haven’t tried to cut.

But a nerdy siding contractor? They LOVE everything about installing siding. They have a process that they’ve spent years perfecting. They obsess over every installation technique during rigorous training sessions. And they don’t rest until every single detail is absolutely 100% RIGHT.

So, how do you know if a siding contractor is a true nerd? How they answer the following three questions will tell you…

1) How Does Your Company’s History Influence What You Do Today?

When first getting to know a Central MA siding installer, you must determine if their company’s story indicates passion or “picking.”

What exactly do we mean by “picking?”

You’re determining whether or not they simply “picked” this industry, thinking only of dollar signs. Or if they fell in love with the industry—indicating a lifelong pursuit of excellence in every facet of siding installation. Their answer makes all the difference because it’s the foundation for everything a company does for the long haul. And to be a long-haul siding company, you need to go above and beyond just “wanting a buck.”

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The “passion vs. picking” distinction will also give you insight into how and if a contractor learns from past mistakes. I make it no secret that Solid State Construction lacked some proper processes and protocols when we first opened. We didn’t always perform projects with what I call “ant colony” efficiency.

But you know what? Because of our passion for the craft, we were willing to learn—and IMPROVE—from our mistakes. We took our ego out of the equation and said, “Okay, what we’re doing isn’t working… how can we fix things?”

So we went back to the drawing board, pouring countless hours into overhauling our processes. And the result is what you see today: the biggest James Hardie siding installer not just in Central MA… but all of New England!

That is what I mean when I say a company’s history can (and does!) influence the results and experience you’ll have today.

2) How Do You Make Your Process As Stress-Free As Possible?

This question investigates whether the siding contractor in question has systems in place to make for an efficient, streamlined installation process that produces outstanding results. And more so, how they handle the inevitable hiccups that may arise once demolition begins.

Unfortunately, and like a high school quarterback harkening back to the Good Ol’ Glory Days, many siding companies fall back on the same process from decades ago. This means that instead of fine-tuning their process year after year to meet the demands of a constantly changing world, they’ve sat back and “done just enough to get by.”

On the contrary, an example of an excellent streamlined process would look something like this:

  1. The Initial Call – A knowledgeable sales consultant takes your call, listening intently, to determine which Project Consultant will be the best fit for an at-home consultation. The initial call should be no-pressure and focused on informing you, not upselling you.
  2. Design Phase – The selected Project Consultant arrives at your home in a professional uniform and with a professional attitude. They may do things like take precise measurements and even show off a 3D rendering of your dream exterior with sophisticated software.
  3. Production & Planning – At this point, a Project Manager should enter the scene. They would likely be responsible for double and triple-checking your contract, obtaining the necessary permits, and putting together an all-star crew curated specifically for your Central, MA home’s needs.
  4. The Installation Phase – The crew should arrive 100% ready to go during this all-important phase (which they will be if they’ve got an installation guru like Rudi Silva training them!). A Site Supervisor should also make an appearance to assist the Project Manager. These multiple levels of oversight are essential given the scope and size of most exterior remodeling projects.
  5. Walkthrough & Post Project – The Project Manager should perform a thorough walk-through with you ensuring 100% satisfaction. Heck, it might even turn into an extended conversation over a cup of joe on your couch. So long as the Project Manager is deeply invested in your complete satisfaction.

All in all, their process should be similar to the one laid out above and, most of all, show deep consideration for you and your home. Otherwise… in my humble, nerdy opinion, they can take a hike.

3) What Are Your Areas Of Expertise?

If you were to prepare a Thanksgiving meal with a Swiss Army knife, the going would get a little tough. Technically, it has all the tools you need (knife, scissors, corkscrew, etc.). But unless you want to spend four hours cutting up the turkey, you’re going to need a real carving knife.

The sort of the same with siding installation. All too often, and in an effort to “get the sale,” contractors will overpromise on what they can do with true expertise. Because to them, it comes down to the same age-old sleazy trope—money over honesty. This “overpromise but underdeliver” mentality will inevitably end up clashing with the actual installation, which demands specific, niche-driven expertise.

In other words… you get a Swiss Army knife instead of a carving knife.

This is precisely why we hire the top 1% of talent in the remodeling world. Instead of getting a “jack of all trades and master of none,” you have the pleasure of collaborating with our dedicated team of true professionals who are focused on evolving their craft. Guaranteed.

We’re Ready To Answer Any Question You Have For Us

We love to educate. Not sell. That’s why we’re primed and ready to offer the best answer and advice whenever an eager Central MA homeowner comes to us with any question regarding their home’s exterior.

If you’re ready to wake up your home’s old and weary exterior and want it done by a contractor who will “nerd out” about it, contact Solid State Construction for a virtual or in-home consultation today!