Homeowner’s Guide to Replacement Windows
Whether you've just bought a new home or are looking[...]
Insurance discounts with HardiePlank® siding?
When considering which exterior cladding to install on your house, you really need to consider more than the initial cost of the project. Click here for an informative video about HardiePlank® siding. Wrap your leftovers in[...]
New deck trim influenced by Blue Ridge Exteriors
Blue Ridge Exteriors has partnered with a major PVC trim board manufacturer to create a new deck trim board that has a built-in drip cap. While this company has been manufacturing a similar board for[...]
Boost the value of your home with James Hardie® Siding
The Pros Know There are many other projects you can tackle, but only residing with fiber cement gives you the best return on your investment 4 years in a row. Residing with fiber cement gives[...]
Low interest rates increase home improvement opportunities
In a recent article in the Boston Globe newspaper, Kermit Baker, who is director of Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies, said, "Lower financing costs are beginning to stabilize the downturn in existing home[...]
Buyer Beware!
It sounds simple, but how many of you actually ask for references? A lot of consumers don't for whatever reason. Maybe you don't want to "insult" the company representative. Maybe you don't want to look[...]
FAQ’s
I receive a lot of emailed questions and wanted to address some of them here for you. What I'll try to do is put a few on this blog from time to time. Maybe you'll[...]
HardiePlank® siding cost vs. Vinyl cost
According to a publication called Side By Side on the website of the Vinyl Siding Institute, "the initial purchase price <of fiber cement siding> (including labor and finish costs) is over 49% higher than vinyl[...]
Who “does” HardiePlank® siding?
I've been noticing that more companies are offering HardiePlank® siding in print ads. But what exactly does that mean? Who actually "does" HardiePlank® siding? I've been on appointments behind some companies that advertise HardiePlank® siding only[...]
What does “Factory Trained” installers mean?
How is it that all home improvement companies seem to have these amazing "factory-trained" installers? How about the companies that have "certified" installers? Is that better than "factory trained"? "Factory Trained" can mean that an[...]
HardiePlank® Siding Pricing
Whether it's at a home show or a prospective customer's house, I'm always asked, "How does the price of HardiePlank® siding compare to vinyl siding?" I wish I had a standard answer to that question,[...]
Replacement Windows
My wife has a co-worker who wants to replace her old drafty windows with new energy-efficient windows. She has gotten many quotes but has the same complaint about all of them. Grids cost extra, and[...]
Are your wood rails and columns rotting?
Replacing your rotten rails and columns is a simple and cost-effective job that can dramatically improve your home's "curb appeal". In a lot of cases, it's only the rails that need to be replaced, and[...]
Beaded siding and colonial style homes
Roughly 90% of the HardiePlank® siding we install at Blue Ridge Exteriors is beaded. That's because Central Virginia is primarily a beaded siding market because of the influence of Colonial Williamsburg architecture. Some vinyl siding-dominated[...]
“Will Match Any Written Offer For Equal Quality”
In February 2009, I counted no less than 5 vinyl siding and window companies that have this in their ad in the Richmond, VA, market. When you see this in an advertisement for a home[...]
HardiePlank® siding 5 1/2 times thicker than vinyl siding
The "thickest" vinyl siding on the market today is made by Alcoa and is .055 mls thick. Duraplank plastic siding is next at .054 mls thick. Builders grade plastic siding is typically .042-.044 mls thick. [...]
Plastic siding by any other name is still plastic
The latest "innovation" in plastic siding is to give it names that hide what it is actually made of. Plastic siding with names like Crane Board and Duraplank can be misleading to consumers who aren't familiar with[...]
Plastic and tin cans
Does vinyl siding look like real wood on the house? Maybe if you squint your eyes, cock your head and forget the skinny reveal, it will look like real wood. Before having vinyl siding installed[...]
Don’t cover up your siding problems with vinyl siding
Vinyl siding is installed over your existing siding. If you have any rotten surface wood, you would hope that it would be replaced with fresh lumber before your new siding is installed, but what about[...]
HardiePlank® siding looks like real wood
If you are looking at a siding to update the look of your home, HardiePlank® siding from James Hardie® is the best choice. It has the look and feel of wood and adds warmth and[...]
Why HardiePlank® siding is better than vinyl siding
It's well known that vinyl siding is actually a fire accelerant, but until you see entire neighborhoods consumed by fire, it doesn't really hit home. This link here has pictures and gives testimonials from people[...]
HardiePlank® siding tops in adding resale value
According to Remodeling Magazine's 2008-09 'Cost vs. Value' Report here, installing HardiePlank® fiber cement siding is the number 1 way to add value to your home. In addition to Remodeling Magazine, James Hardie® products have[...]
English 
Spanish