Siding has multiple benefits that serve to make them indispensable exterior parts of your home. For one, there is its obvious wonderful, visually appealing look. Another is that it provides excellent insulation for your house as well. Since it's fulfilling such fundamental roles, it's highly important for you to not overlook this specific part of your home when you're planning its general layout. All the more so if you intend to replace or repair your current siding.

What are the costs of siding repair or replacement? Well, as in any other essential part of your house, experts say that knowing the material of the siding plays a big role in determining repair and replacement costs. Another factor that you should be mindful of is the siding's extent of the damage. If there has been significant rotting in materials like wood, then you would have to opt to replace them instead. Also, if you intend to hire a contractor to do the job for you, know that their estimated amount may not include the service charges yet.

If the material of the siding would be the only one that, here is an overview of how much it would cost to repair or replace the sidings of your home.

· Wood Siding – Wood has a lot of obvious disadvantages as said above. However, this doesn't excise the fact that they are very low-cost as well. Also, most wood siding repairs are based on sections, unlike its other counterparts that are based on tiles or square foot. Repair or replacements of sections of wood siding can cost a minimum of $100 but most that go over $150 are already considerably expensive. Of course, this doesn't take into consideration the materials that you would need to get the job done.

· Steel Siding – Siding made of steel may give the ready impression of being sturdy and tough, but know that they are prone to denting and melting, even. You also have to keep in mind that most contractors are reluctant to do isolated repairs of steel sidings. Most would suggest that they do the entire house instead.

However, not all contractors are closed to the prospect of repairing specific issues that your steel siding may have. For minor dents, for instance, some may agree to do the job for you for as low as $75/hr. If you intend to have a steel siding installed as a replacement, know that most cost around $5 to $8 per square foot. Steel siding require less maintenance than vinyl or wooden ones.

· Fiber Cement Siding – These kinds of siding are all the buzz in the world of home improvement because of their standout benefits. One unique strength of fiber cement sidings is that they don't have the common downside of wood, which is its tendency to rot. Another is the fact that they do not require a lot of maintenance as well, so you don't have to worry about repair costs. Not to mention the fact their colors have greater longevity and fade-resistant as well. If you're interested in going for these innovative sidings, know that the cost of having fiber cement sidings installed range from $5 to $11 per square foot, depending on the quality of the material.

· Vinyl Siding – Vinyl has the distinct advantage of being the more (if not most) economical siding choice. If you intend to repair vinyl sidings, you can expect to spend less than $40 per tile, which is practically the same price as wooden sidings. Even so, you may have to be prepared to spend additional money on tools like nails, snips, and measurement tools to ensure proper repair.

Since Minnesota is prone to hail storms, though, you have to take heed of such weather conditions as these have been proven to cause great damage to vinyl siding. This fact may completely overshadow the other advantages of this type of material, like needing lesser maintenance or its cheaper cost.

With that said, the future costs of replacing or repairing the siding of your home greatly hinges on the type of material that you choose to go for. This is why you have to make it a point to consider the factors said above before making any decision. It's best to go for the ones that can stand heat and cold, as well as requiring not too much regular maintenance, especially in a state like Minnesota where the weather plays a big role in the decision of most homeowners when it comes to planning and designing their residences.