A retired homeowner in Prior Lake wanted her siding fixed without paying for a full teardown of siding that was still in good condition. She also did not want the added expense of hiring a painter to cover an entire house when only part of the exterior actually needed new material.
Sharp Exteriors took on the partial siding replacement in Prior Lake, Minnesota, for a retired woman whose beige, mixed-condition home had sections of aging siding that had started to decay while other elevations remained sound. The homeowner wanted to protect her budget without ending up with a mismatched exterior, and she was willing to handle some of the finish work herself to make that happen. The project became a practical example of balancing cost, appearance, and long-term protection on an older Prior Lake home.
Key Takeaways
- THE CHALLENGESections of siding had decayed while other elevations were still sound, and a full replacement plus a whole-house paint job would have cost more than the homeowner wanted to spend.
- THE MATERIALSCrews installed LP SmartSide siding on the damaged elevations and matched the existing butt joint strap flashing so the new sections would blend with the untouched siding.
- THE RESULTThe homeowner saved money by painting the finished exterior herself, completing a roughly $14,000 project that now reads as one seamless siding job.
A full siding replacement was on the table, but the homeowner's own painting estimate for covering the whole house would have cost more than replacing every piece of siding outright. Rather than push for a bigger scope than the home actually needed, Sharp Exteriors matched a Siding Replacement to the elevations that were genuinely damaged, then coordinated the finish work so the homeowner could paint the completed exterior herself and keep the project inside her budget.
Project Summary
| Client Profile: |
Retired homeowner, Prior Lake, MN |
| Project Location: |
Prior Lake, Minnesota |
| Primary Objective: |
Replace only the damaged siding elevations rather than fund a full Siding Replacement |
| Material Selection: |
Crews installed LP SmartSide Siding Installation, matched to the home's existing butt joint strap flashing |
| Key Outcome: |
A roughly $14,000 partial replacement that blends seamlessly with the original siding once painted |
Assessing a Mixed-Condition Exterior
When Sharp Exteriors evaluated the beige Prior Lake home, the siding was not uniformly bad. The full front section of the right elevation and the entire rear elevation, including the back of the garage, had begun to decay, while the remaining siding was still holding up well. That split condition meant a full teardown would have removed material that did not need to go, so the scope was narrowed to the two problem areas.
Behind portions of the older siding, crews found a brown fiber board known as buffalo board or masonite board, a substrate common in homes built from the 1970s through the 1990s. That material does not hold a nail well on its own, so any new siding fastened into it needs to land directly on the framing members underneath, or it risks working loose within a few years.
Matching New Siding to Old Walls
Crews replaced the full front part of the right elevation and the entire rear elevation siding with LP SmartSide, taking care to nail into the framing members rather than relying on the old fiber board sheathing. At the butt joints, they installed the same white flashing straps already used on the rest of the house, a technique that returns up underneath the siding and lets water shed over the top instead of behind it, so the new sections would match the home's existing flashing details rather than introduce a different system. Where the siding met the roof at a step flashing area, the crew held the siding back and added a small, color-matched trim board along with a custom metal flashing piece cut to match the siding color, closing off a detail that is easy to overlook on a partial job.
"She did a great job painting the house after we put up the new siding. It looked really nice." - (Josh, Sharp Exteriors)
Once the siding portion of the job was finished, the homeowner took over the painting herself rather than hiring it out, which was the piece that made the budget work in the first place. Prior Lake homeowners weighing similar cost tradeoffs on an aging exterior can review Flexible Financing Options or ask about a Siding Replacement scoped to only the elevations that need it. Sharp Exteriors also works throughout the broader Twin Cities Service Area for homeowners facing the same kind of mixed-condition siding.
New LP SmartSide siding and matching butt joint strap flashing were installed to blend with the home's original walls.
A Seamless Look After Painting
With the new LP SmartSide siding matched to the existing lap siding and flashing details, the transition between old and new material disappeared once the homeowner painted the entire exterior. Photos taken from the back corner of the house show where the replacement stopped partway up the second level on the right side, a line that is not visible once the paint is applied evenly across both old and new siding.
The remaining original siding, left in place because it was still in solid shape, continues to protect the home alongside the newly installed sections. The homeowner, a retired do-it-yourselfer, completed the painting labor herself and impressed neighbors in the process, closing out a roughly $14,000 project that met her budget without compromising the finished look of the house.
Need Siding Work in Prior Lake?
We work on siding projects throughout Prior Lake and the South Metro, from full elevation replacements to targeted repairs that protect a homeowner's budget. Our crews match materials and flashing details to what is already on the house whenever that approach makes sense.
Do you have sections of siding in Prior Lake that need attention without a full replacement? Reach out and we can talk through what fits your home and your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a partial siding replacement cost in Prior Lake, MN?
This particular project, covering the front section of one elevation and the entire rear elevation, totaled roughly $14,000. Cost varies based on the square footage involved, the siding material chosen, and the condition of the substrate underneath.
Can new siding be matched to an existing exterior in Prior Lake?
Yes. On this home, crews installed LP SmartSide siding using the same butt joint strap flashing already on the house, so the new sections blend in once the exterior is painted. Matching existing flashing and joint details, rather than introducing a different system, is what makes a partial replacement look seamless.
What should Prior Lake homeowners know about older fiber board siding substrates?
Homes built from the 1970s through the 1990s often have a brown fiber board, sometimes called buffalo board or masonite board, beneath the siding. That material does not hold a nail well on its own, so new siding needs to be fastened directly into the framing members to stay secure over time.