Siding and trim
Siding and trim that end the painting for good
New siding is the biggest change you can make to how a house looks, and aluminum-wrapped trim is the biggest change you can make to how much time you spend on a ladder. Josh does both, on houses from 1890s brick twins to 1990s colonials.
In short
Most siding calls in Lancaster County are for one of three things: aluminum or early vinyl siding from the 1970s that has faded, chalked and gone brittle; wood siding and trim that have been painted every six years for decades and are starting to rot; or a few panels damaged by wind, a mower or a ladder that need matching.
Fox Gables installs vinyl siding and fiber cement siding, repairs existing siding, and wraps wood trim, window frames, fascia and porch posts in bent aluminum coil stock. The trim wrap is the job a neighbor in Ephrata recommended Josh for on Nextdoor, and it is the most cost-effective exterior upgrade there is: the wood stays, the painting stops.
Vinyl siding
Vinyl is the standard siding in the county for good reasons: it is the least expensive, it comes in every color and several profiles, it never needs paint, and modern vinyl is far thicker and more fade-resistant than the 1980s product people remember. Josh installs .044-inch and thicker panels from CertainTeed, Mastic and Royal, with insulated vinyl as an option that adds rigidity and some R-value.
What makes a vinyl job last is behind the panels: a house wrap over the sheathing, flashing at every window and door, J-channel and corner posts set so water drains, and panels hung loose enough to expand in summer. Vinyl that is nailed tight buckles the first hot July. Josh hangs it the way the manufacturer specifies.
Fiber cement siding
Fiber cement (James Hardie and similar) is a cement and cellulose board that looks like painted wood lap siding, does not burn, does not rot, and holds paint for fifteen years or more. It costs more than vinyl, roughly double installed, and it is heavy, which means more labor. It is the right choice on a house where the look of real lap siding matters and on historic homes in Lititz, Ephrata or Lancaster where vinyl would look wrong.
Fiber cement has to be cut with the right blades, flashed with the right tapes and painted or pre-finished. Josh installs it per Hardie's spec so the warranty holds.
Aluminum trim wrap (capping)
Aluminum capping is the job most homeowners have never heard of until a neighbor has it done. Josh takes flat aluminum coil stock in a color that matches the trim, bends it on a brake to the exact profile of the window frames, door casings, fascia boards, rake boards, porch beams and posts, and installs it over the existing wood with hidden fasteners and sealed seams.
The wood stays in place and does its structural job. The aluminum takes the weather. The trim never needs paint again, the rot stops, and from the street the house looks freshly painted. It is usually done with new windows, because the window frames are wrapped at the same time, and it pairs with new gutters and soffit since the fascia is part of the same wrap.
| Option | Installed cost | Life | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding, standard | $7 to $10 per sq ft | 30 to 40 years | Hose off |
| Vinyl siding, insulated | $9 to $13 per sq ft | 30 to 40 years | Hose off |
| Fiber cement lap siding | $14 to $22 per sq ft | 50 years | Repaint every 15 years |
| Aluminum trim wrap | $12 to $22 per linear foot | 40 years and more | None |
| Siding repair, matched panels | $350 to $1,500 per area |
Siding repair
Not every job is a whole house. A section of siding damaged by wind or a fallen limb, a panel cracked by a mower, rot behind a leaking gutter: Josh repairs these and matches the existing siding as closely as current products allow. On twins and rows where the neighbor's half is staying, he flashes the shared wall so neither side gets water.
When the existing siding is so faded that a repair will show no matter what, Josh will say so and show the options, which are usually to re-side one elevation or the whole house.
Price guide
What this usually costs
Typical ranges for Lancaster and Lebanon county houses, 2026. Exact numbers after Josh measures.
- Vinyl siding, ranch or Cape Cod, 1,400 to 1,800 sq ft of wall
- $12,000 to $19,000
- Vinyl siding, two-story colonial, 2,000 to 2,800 sq ft of wall
- $17,000 to $29,000
- Fiber cement, same houses
- $24,000 to $55,000
- Aluminum trim wrap, whole house windows and trim
- $2,500 to $7,500
- Fascia and soffit wrap or replacement
- $8 to $18 per linear foot
- Siding repair, one area
- $350 to $1,500
Removing old siding, repairing sheathing, house wrap, flashing, trim and cleanup are included. Houses with a lot of trim detail, many windows or stone to work around take longer.
Signs the siding or trim is done
- Vinyl that cracks when pressed or has gone chalky white
- Aluminum siding dented, faded or oxidized
- Wood trim with paint peeling in sheets or soft spots at the bottom corners
- Water stains inside at window corners
- Panels loose or rattling in wind
- You have painted the trim more than twice and it is due again
On the job
New windows, soffit and gutters on a Womelsdorf storefront 
Lap siding and wrapped trim: nothing to paint
How a job goes
From the first call to the walkthrough
- 1
Call or send the form
Josh calls back the same day, usually within a couple of hours. Tell him what is going on and he will ask a few questions.
- 2
Josh comes out and looks
On the roof, in the attic, under the deck. He measures, takes photos, and brings samples in the truck. No sales presentation.
- 3
You get a written estimate
Materials named by brand, the scope spelled out, a price that does not expire at midnight. Over $500 it is a written contract, as Pennsylvania requires.
- 4
The work gets done
Materials delivered, the job done by Josh with help as the job needs, the site cleaned every day, permits and inspections handled.
- 5
Walkthrough, then you pay
Josh walks the finished job with you. Anything on the list gets done. Final payment when you are satisfied.
Related projects
This work, on real houses
Womelsdorf · Berks County
New front porch, soffit, gutters and windows for a laundromat
A commercial storefront in Womelsdorf got a new covered porch, soffit, gutters and two new windows.
Ephrata area · Lancaster County
Entry doors, a patio door and a bulkhead door
Decorative glass entry doors with sidelights, a sliding patio door in a brick wall, and a steel bulkhead cellar door.
Questions people ask
Can you wrap the trim without replacing the siding?
Yes. Trim wrap is often done on its own, especially on brick houses where the only wood is the windows, doors, fascia and porch.
Will wrapped trim trap moisture and rot the wood faster?
Not when it is done right. The aluminum is bent to shed water, seams are sealed at the top and open at the bottom, and the wood underneath is dry before it is covered.
Vinyl or fiber cement?
Vinyl for cost and zero maintenance. Fiber cement for the look of real wood and fire resistance. Josh will bring samples of both.
Does new siding include insulation?
Insulated vinyl adds a foam backer with about R-2 to R-3. For more, rigid foam board under the siding is an option Josh can price.
Can you match my neighbor's siding on our twin?
Josh will get as close as current colors and profiles allow and flash the shared wall properly. An exact match to 25-year-old siding is not possible with any product.
Do you paint?
Josh is not a painting contractor. The point of vinyl siding and aluminum wrap is that nothing needs paint.
Free estimate
Get a number, not a pitch.
Tell Josh what the house needs. He will call back, come out, measure, and give you a written estimate with the materials named.
(717) 598-7728Calls and texts answered seven days a week. Estimates by appointment, Monday to Saturday.
PA HIC #PA125031 · Insured