Siding is the part of a house people notice from the street and the part that quietly decides whether water gets into the walls. Both matter, and they are not the same job.
What we install
Three materials cover almost every house in the Midlands, and the right one depends on the house, the budget and how long you plan to stay:
- Vinyl. The workhorse. Modern vinyl holds color far better than the stuff that faded on 1990s houses, needs no painting, and goes up fast. Best value for most homes.
- Fiber cement. Heavier, thicker, and it takes paint. Holds an edge and a shadow line the way wood does, without the rot. Costs more and takes longer to hang.
- James Hardie. Fiber cement's best-known name, made in profiles and factory finishes specified for our climate.
We also handle the trim that goes with it — fascia, soffit, corner posts and window wraps. That work is where siding jobs are won or lost, because it is where water finds its way in.
What we find behind the old siding
Siding is a cover. Whatever has been happening underneath it has been happening unseen, sometimes for years.
Common finds once the old material comes off: rotted sheathing under a leaking window, soft framing below a failed gutter, missing or torn house wrap, and insulation that has been wet long enough to stop insulating.
Nothing gets covered back up without you seeing it first. If we find rot, we stop, photograph it, and show you exactly what is there and what it will take before we go further. Covering a problem with new siding is the cheapest thing a contractor can do and the most expensive thing that can happen to you.
What drives the price
- Square footage of wall — measured, not estimated from the floor plan.
- Material. Vinyl and fiber cement are different jobs, not just different products. Fiber cement is heavier, cuts slower and needs more hands.
- Number of openings. Every window and door is trim work, and trim is where the labor is.
- Stories and access. Two-story walls and tight side yards mean staging.
- What is underneath — unknown until it is open.
Vinyl siding in Columbia, SC
Vinyl is the best value for most Midlands homes: modern vinyl holds its color far better than the stuff that faded on 1990s houses, needs no painting, and goes up fast. We install it as a full wrap — every elevation — or on a single wall where storm damage or rot is confined to one side of the house. The trim goes on with it: fascia, soffit, corner posts and window wraps, because that is where water gets in when a siding job is done badly. The Summerville full wrap and the North Augusta addition are both vinyl.
Fiber cement and James Hardie siding
Fiber cement costs more, and this is what you get for it. It is heavier and thicker than vinyl, holds an edge and a shadow line the way wood does without the rot, and it takes paint. James Hardie is the best-known name in it, made in profiles and factory finishes specified for our climate. It costs more and takes longer to hang — it is a different job, not just a different product, and we price it that way. Which one makes sense depends on the house, the budget and how long you plan to stay, and we will tell you straight which one fits yours.
How a siding estimate works here
We measure the walls and count the openings rather than guessing from a floor plan, note the stories and the access, and put a written figure in your hand. The one thing nobody can price from the driveway is what is behind the old siding, so that stays a separate conversation: if we find rot once the material comes off, we stop, photograph it and show you before anything gets covered back up. Serving Columbia, Lexington, Irmo, West Columbia, Cayce, Forest Acres, Blythewood, Chapin, Elgin and the surrounding Midlands.
Our warranty
A written warranty on every project
Every job we do comes with its own written warranty, set by the scope of the work and the materials that go into it, and you see it before any work starts — not after. It says what is covered, for how long, and what to do if something is wrong.
That is on top of whatever the manufacturer warrants on the product itself. Ask the next contractor you talk to for theirs in writing.
We live here
Precision Palmetto is based in Columbia. Our license is South Carolina, our number is an 803 number, and when you call it in three years somebody will answer. If we get something wrong, we are still here to put it right — which is a stronger guarantee than anything we could print on this page.
Our siding work in the Midlands
See work from all six trades →
Common questions
Is your work warrantied?
Yes. Every project comes with a written warranty based on its scope and materials, and you get it before work starts. Manufacturer warranties on the products themselves are separate and passed on to you.
How much does siding cost in Columbia?
It depends most on wall area and material — vinyl and fiber cement are genuinely different jobs, not just different price tags. We measure the walls and openings and give you a written figure rather than a rate per square foot that moves once we start.
How long does a siding job take?
Most single-family homes run several days to a couple of weeks depending on size, material and how much repair turns up underneath. Fiber cement takes longer than vinyl to hang.
Can you side just one wall or one section?
Yes. Storm damage and rot are often confined to one elevation. Matching existing siding is not always possible on an older house, and we will tell you honestly whether a patch will look like a patch.
Do you replace fascia and soffit too?
Yes, and it usually needs doing at the same time. Fascia and soffit are where water gets behind everything else, so replacing siding while leaving rotted trim in place is work you will pay for twice.
Are you licensed for siding work in South Carolina?
Yes — South Carolina Residential Specialty Contractor Registration RBS 67429 covers vinyl and aluminum siding. That number is public and you can verify it on the SC Labor, Licensing and Regulation site.
Recent siding projects
- Full-Wrap Vinyl Siding Replacement — Summerville, SC
- Siding, Fascia and Soffit on a Rebuilt Addition — North Augusta, SC
- Fascia Blown Off in Hurricane Helene, Repaired — Lexington, SC
Want a straight number?
We will come out, look at the job properly, and put a price in writing — including if the answer is that it does not need doing yet.
Call (803) 258-0842Or leave your details and we will call you:
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Also from us: Roofing · Gutters · Concrete · Fencing · Masonry
Serving Columbia, Lexington, Irmo, West Columbia, Cayce, Forest Acres, Blythewood, Chapin, Elgin and the surrounding Midlands. We take work elsewhere in South Carolina by arrangement — call and ask.