Vinyl siding is the target of criticism by competitors and those who favor alternate types of siding
. Depending on fabrication, quality varies from company to company and model to model. Contributing factors are determined by the following:
Fabrication
Thickness at or above .044"" provides a more rigid product. Thinner panels can show unevenness or ripples over time due to improper installation and extremes of heat and cold. Thicker panels also resist high winds that threaten to peel them away.
Better quality means better impact resistance. Higher quality vinyl siding protects your home from all manner of flying debris.
Vinyl siding comes in a wide variety of colors, and quality siding is manufactured to better resist fading over time.
Insulation backing included with vinyl siding helps avoid unwanted heat and radiation transfer. Higher R-Values mean better quality.
Estimated Vinyl Siding Prices by Quality Level (based on 10' x 10' squares)
Top of the line: $125 - $210. All are at least .044"" in thickness and resistant to warm impact but .050"" and above improves cold impact resistance.
Mid range: $65 - $160. Some in this group measure below .044"", have issues with cold impact, and show a greater tendency to fade.
Lowest range: $55 - $110. Most are less than .042"" with less resistance to impact and fading.
These numbers are ballpark figures. The ratings are based on Consumer Reports testing of 23 individual products, and prices overlap.. The quality levels were taken from numerical values assigned by comprehensive testing at Consumer Reports.