Anti-Vinyl, And Proud of It

One of the things that distinguishes a higher-end remodeling project from a lower-end one is the products that are used.

Typically, a less-expensive project will use cheaper products. Many times, these cheaper products will not last as a long as higher-priced ones. If you think about it, you can purchase cheaper products two or three times over within the same time frame that a more expensive product would last.

Another thing to remember is that cheaper products will typically pollute more than more expensive ones. An example of this is vinyl siding. The case against vinyl siding is illustrated nicely in this video clip from the documentary Blue Vinyl.

Vinyl siding is not recyclable. It pollutes when it’s made — and later when it’s removed and goes to the dump. No one else will tell you this. The guy selling vinyl siding door-to-door in your neighborhood is certainly not going to tell you this. He will tell you it’s a green product that insulates your home. He wants to sell vinyl siding, a lot of it.

I have vinyl siding on my house, and it’s got to go. It was installed in the 1980s to replace aluminum siding that was installed in the 1950s. While the aluminum is recyclable (I got $250 for some I already recycled), and it could have been repainted, the vinyl will go to the dump, and that ticks me off. But it has to come off because it’s driving water into the walls of my house, and there is no insulation or plywood behind it. All that stands between us inside the house and the outside wind is a sheet of cardboard and the vinyl siding. This was a cheap job poorly detailed. The previous owners of our house got what they paid for. And now my heating bills are through the roof because of this poor craftsmanship.

The saying goes, “When you buy quality you only cry once.” But when I buy quality I am really HAPPY to have purchased the best. I save up until we can do the project right. This is what most of our customers do, too.

We understand that projects need to be staged to accommodate budgets for superior products. We know how to help direct your purchase selections so that you aren’t poisoning people in areas that make vinyl siding or putting unnecessary stuff into landfills.
We can help you make great home-renovation purchases that last a long time.