Exterior Remodeling guides

25 guides for Pennsylvania homeowners. Every guide lists its sources.

Pennsylvania guides

How much do new siding, windows, doors or a deck cost in Pennsylvania?

National price ranges from five cost surveys for siding, windows, doors and decks, why they differ, the extras quotes leave out, and what Pennsylvania law says about deposits.

How to choose a siding, window or deck contractor in Pennsylvania

A step-by-step way to pick a siding, window, door or deck contractor: the state registration lookup, insurance, EPA lead certification for older homes, comparable bids and a contract that meets the law.

Questions to ask a siding, window or deck contractor before you sign

Twenty questions grouped by stage, each tied to a rule or official advice, with the answer that should make you comfortable and the one that should make you pause.

Signs your siding, windows or deck need work, and signs that mean less than they seem

The signs worth acting on, from failed caulk and peeling paint to loose railings and corroded deck fasteners, the ones that are more often about humidity or upkeep, and when old paint or siding needs a specialist first.

Can you replace your own windows, siding or deck boards, or should you hire a contractor?

The exterior jobs official sources treat as do-it-yourself work, the rules that still apply when you do the work yourself, and the cases where lead paint, asbestos, structure or warranties make hiring the safer choice.

How often to check siding, windows and decks, and when to schedule exterior work

No authority sets a replacement schedule for siding, windows or decks. What the sources do say about routine checks, deck season, urgent repairs, off-season pricing and the time permits take.

What happens during a window, siding or deck project, from contract to final inspection

A stage-by-stage account of a typical window, siding or deck job, with what the law and the code expect at each step and what to check before you make the final payment.

Do siding, window and deck contractors need a license in Pennsylvania?

No state license, but mandatory registration with the Attorney General, strict contract rules, a cap on deposits over $5,000 and permit rules that depend on the job and the town.

Home improvement scams in Pennsylvania: door-to-door sellers, oversized deposits and unfinished jobs

Six patterns authorities warn about, each with a case or rule: the knock at the door, the deposit with no contract, the borrowed license, the lender they know, the savings claim and the abandoned job.

Siding, window, door and deck questions and answers for Pennsylvania homeowners

Quick, sourced answers to the questions Pennsylvania homeowners ask most about siding, windows, doors, decks and porches, with links to the fuller guides.

Is your deck safe? Ledgers, footings, railings and stairs under Pennsylvania's code

The code rules that make a deck safe, in plain terms: the 30-inch permit line, ledger and flashing details, footings and frost, lateral hold-downs, guard height and gaps, and Pennsylvania's own stair limits.

Lead paint and exterior work on older homes: what the EPA's renovation rule requires

Which exterior jobs the EPA's lead rule covers, the exemptions that do and do not apply, what a certified firm must do on site, how testing works, and where to report a violation.

Old siding that may contain asbestos: leave it, cover it or have it removed?

Asbestos was used in siding shingles. The EPA's advice on testing, why undisturbed material is usually left alone, the catch with covering it, who may remove it, and Philadelphia's notice and permit rules.

Paying for siding or windows with a loan: contractor financing, home equity and your right to cancel

How contractor-arranged loans can go wrong, the FTC's three-day right to cancel a home equity loan, the Pennsylvania rules on financing a home improvement contract, and the paperwork never to sign.

Repair old windows, add storm windows, or replace them?

A window-by-window way to decide, the Park Service's test for repair versus replacement, what storm windows can and cannot do, the lead rule for either route, and what each option costs.

Replacing windows, siding or a porch on a historic house in Pennsylvania

Local historic districts and review boards, Philadelphia's list of exterior work that needs approval, how to check before you order, and what the Park Service says about siding, windows and porches.

Signed with a door-to-door window or siding salesperson? How to cancel in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's home improvement act, its Consumer Protection Law and the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule each give you three business days. How they fit together, how to cancel step by step, and the emergency-form exception.

Treated wood, composite or durable lumber for a deck, and what to do about an old CCA deck

The materials Pennsylvania's code accepts for decks, how to read treated-wood and composite labels, the EPA's advice on pre-2004 CCA-treated decks, and the published price gap between wood and composite.

Will replacement windows lower your energy bills? What ENERGY STAR and the FTC say

ENERGY STAR's own savings figure is an average of up to 13 percent when replacing single-pane windows. How to read that, how to compare windows, and what the FTC did about claims of 40 to 50 percent.

Window, siding and deck warranties: what to read before you sign

The two warranties on most exterior jobs, the FTC's questions for reading them, how installation can void a product warranty, spoken promises, service contracts, and your rights in Pennsylvania if a warranty is ignored.