What We Install
EZY Exteriors installs James Hardie fiber cement siding, including HardiePlank lap siding, HardieShingle, and HardiePanel for board-and-batten accents. Fiber cement holds paint longer than wood or vinyl, resists termites and woodpeckers, and doesn't warp in our humid summers the way older hardboard products did. It's become the standard replacement for the builder-grade Masonite siding found on thousands of homes built across metro Atlanta in the 1990s and 2000s.
If your home still has original hardboard siding from that era, there's a good chance it's already delaminating at the seams even if it looks fine from the street.
Signs Your Siding Needs Replacing
- Soft, spongy panels you can press in with a thumb
- Peeling paint that won't hold no matter how many times it's repainted
- Visible swelling or delamination at seams and bottom edges
- Cracks that let moisture behind the siding
- Warping or buckling panels, especially on sun-exposed walls
- Rising energy bills from poor insulation behind old siding
Builder-grade hardboard and Masonite siding from the 90s and early 2000s was notorious for failing within 15-20 years in Georgia's climate. Fiber cement doesn't have that problem.
Materials and Options
James Hardie fiber cement comes in smooth or cedar-shake textures, several plank widths, and either primed-for-paint or factory ColorPlus finishes that carry their own fade warranty. We also install HardieTrim around windows and corners for a finished look that holds up to sun and moisture better than wood trim.
What Affects the Price
Cost depends on square footage, how much of the old siding and sheathing needs replacing, the profile you choose, and whether you go with factory-finished color or job-site painting. Homes with a lot of dormers, gables, or architectural detail take more labor than a simple ranch-style elevation. We put every line item in writing so there are no surprises, and financing is available for larger projects.
Why Homeowners Choose EZY Exteriors
Fiber cement depends on correct installation to perform, so we only put experienced Hardie installers on it and we inspect the work ourselves. EZY Exteriors holds a 5.0 rating across 93 Google reviews, and every siding job comes with a workmanship warranty in writing. Browse our recent projects or the gallery to see completed siding jobs around the area, and pair a siding replacement with new seamless gutters for a complete exterior refresh.
Where We Work
We install fiber cement siding throughout Lawrenceville, Alpharetta, Marietta, and Cumming. If your siding is showing its age, contact us for a free estimate.
Why Fiber Cement Siding Holds Up in Georgia
Fiber cement siding is engineered for exactly the conditions North Georgia throws at a house: heavy summer humidity, sudden downpours, wide temperature swings, and pests that treat wood trim like a food source. Because the boards are made from cement, sand, and cellulose fiber, they do not rot, they do not feed termites or carpenter bees, and they will not warp off the wall the way older wood or hardboard siding does. That durability is why James Hardie products dominate the replacement siding market on homes in Lawrenceville, Suwanee, and Sugar Hill.
The tradeoff is that fiber cement is unforgiving of poor installation. The boards are heavy, must be cut with the right blade and dust control, and require correct fastener placement, clearance at grade and roof lines, flashing at every horizontal joint, and proper joint treatment. When fiber cement fails, it is almost always an installation problem, not a product problem, which is why we install to manufacturer specification and document it.
Hardie Plank, Shingle, and Panel Options
Lap siding (Hardie Plank) is the most common choice and is what most Georgia homes wear well. Shingle-style panels work beautifully on gables, dormers, and craftsman-style accents. Vertical panel with batten strips gives newer builds and farmhouse-style exteriors that clean modern line. We frequently combine them: lap on the main body, shingle in the gables, and panel on an entry feature wall. Trim boards, corner boards, frieze, and window surrounds come in matching material so the whole envelope ages at the same rate.
Color: Factory Finish or Field Paint
Factory-finished color comes with a long finish warranty and a very consistent look, and it is the lowest-maintenance path. Primed board with a professionally applied field-painted finish gives you unlimited color flexibility and makes future color changes simple, which matters if you plan to repaint the exterior in a decade anyway. Because we also run an exterior painting crew, we can quote both paths honestly instead of steering you toward whichever one is easier for us.
Our Process, Step by Step
- 1.Measure and inspect. We check the existing wall for rot, moisture staining, and framing issues, and note every penetration and flashing detail.
- 2.Tear-off. Old siding comes off so we can see and repair the sheathing rather than hiding problems behind new boards.
- 3.Water management. House wrap, flashing at windows and doors, kick-out flashing where the roof meets a wall, and correct clearances at grade.
- 4.Install. On every lap siding run we slip flashing behind each butt joint before the next course covers it, so water cannot track sideways into the wall. We also follow the correct fastener pattern, factory-recommended gapping, and clearance at trim and roof lines.
- 5.Trim, caulk, and paint. Sealant only where the manufacturer calls for it, and paint applied to spec.
- 6.Cleanup and walkthrough. Full debris haul-off and a punch walk with you before we close the job.
What Drives the Cost of a Siding Job
Square footage is only part of it. Two-story elevations, steep grades, multiple gables, existing rot, tear-off of two layers, and the amount of trim detail all move the number. So does whether you choose factory-finished board or primed-and-painted. We price the whole envelope in writing — siding, trim, flashing, and paint — so there are no surprise line items after the crew is on site, and financing is available if you would rather spread the cost.
Fiber Cement vs. Vinyl Siding
Fiber cement costs more up front and delivers a heavier, more premium look with excellent impact and fire resistance. Vinyl siding costs less, installs faster, and never needs paint. Neither answer is universally right. If you plan to stay in the home fifteen-plus years or you are fixing rot damage, fiber cement usually wins. If budget or speed drives the decision, quality insulated vinyl is a legitimate choice, and we install both. See finished examples in our projects gallery, then request a free siding estimate.
We are a local Gwinnett County contractor, not a call center, so the person who quotes your fiber cement siding is the person accountable for the finished wall. Ask us for addresses of completed Hardie siding jobs near you — we are happy to point you at real houses in your neighborhood rather than stock photos of someone else's work.
