When Iowa homeowners want siding that holds up through hail seasons, hard winters, and summer heat without demanding constant attention, fiber cement is usually where the conversation ends up. Handeland Construct has been installing it across Central Iowa for over a decade. If you want it done right, this is what we do.
Iowa puts siding through everything. Freeze-thaw cycles, severe spring storms, and intense summer heat all stress an exterior system in different ways. Fiber cement handles all of it.
It does not warp, rot, or swell with moisture. It resists fire, pests, and impact in ways that vinyl and wood cannot match. It holds paint longer than wood and maintains its appearance for decades with minimal upkeep. For homeowners who want an exterior that still looks good twenty years from now, fiber cement is a sound investment.
Storm damage, moisture intrusion, and impact can compromise individual panels without affecting the full system. Handeland Construct identifies the source of the damage, replaces the affected panels correctly, and makes sure the repair integrates cleanly with the surrounding siding so the finished result is watertight and seamless.
When siding has reached the end of its service life, has widespread damage, or was installed incorrectly to begin with, full replacement is the better investment. Handeland Construct handles everything from removing the old siding and inspecting the sheathing underneath to installing new fiber cement to manufacturer specifications and walking you through the finished result.
Fiber cement is only as good as the installation behind it. Jason sees the consequences of poor installation regularly, and the problems are almost never about the material. They are about contractors who install fiber cement without understanding how the full system works.The panels are just one part. The house wrap, the clearances, the flashing details around every penetration, all of it has to be right for the system to perform the way it was designed to.
Handeland Construct is a James Hardie Alliance Select Contractor, meaning James Hardie has trained and certified our team to install their products to the standard the manufacturer requires. That certification is not automatic. It requires demonstrated installation knowledge and a track record the manufacturer trusts.
For homeowners, it matters because the James Hardie product warranty is tied to proper installation by a certified contractor. A non-certified installer putting down the same panels cannot offer the same coverage. When Handeland installs your siding, both the product and the installation behind it meet the standard that warranty requires.
Once the old siding is removed, we inspect the sheathing underneath for moisture damage or rot before anything new goes down. One of the most common problems Jason finds on re-do jobs is house wrap that was installed incorrectly the first time, overlapped in the wrong direction or cut carelessly around windows and penetrations. When that layer fails, water gets behind the panels and through the one barrier that is supposed to protect the wall. We make sure it is right before a single panel goes up.
From there, panels are installed with correct clearances from grade, roof lines, and any horizontal surface where water can collect. Every joint, corner, and penetration is sealed properly. Trim is finished cleanly and the job site is cleared before Jason walks you through the finished result.
Every project Handeland Construct completes is backed by a 5-year workmanship warranty on the installation. James Hardie products carry a separate manufacturer warranty on the materials themselves.
That manufacturer warranty is only fully activated when the product is installed by a certified contractor following their specifications. Both layers working together give homeowners real protection backed by the installer and the manufacturer.
Vinyl is affordable, low maintenance, and a solid choice for many Iowa homes. But fiber cement outperforms it in several areas that matter over time.
Fiber cement is significantly more impact resistant, which matters in a state that sees regular hail. It holds paint longer and does not fade the way vinyl can after years of UV exposure. It does not crack or become brittle in cold temperatures. And it carries a fire resistance rating that vinyl does not.
The tradeoff is upfront cost. For homeowners who plan to stay long term, that difference tends to pay for itself.
Fiber cement is built to last 50 years or more with proper installation and basic maintenance. James Hardie products are engineered specifically for climates like Iowa’s where temperature swings, moisture, and storm activity put real stress on exterior materials.
It depends on which option you choose at the start. James Hardie offers two finishes.
The first is ColorPlus Technology, which comes factory painted in your chosen color. It is ready to install as-is and carries a 15-year warranty on the paint finish itself. For most homeowners this is the simpler route since the color decision is made upfront and you will not be thinking about repainting for a long time.
The second option is pre-primed. The panels come from the factory with a base primer coat and no final color. This is the right choice if you want a custom color. Once the siding is hung, we paint it on site using any color from Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, or your preferred brand. You get complete flexibility on the finished look.
Either way, fiber cement holds paint significantly longer than wood, so whichever route you choose you are not looking at frequent repainting cycles.
We do not recommend it. Installing over existing siding skips the inspection of the sheathing and house wrap underneath. If the wrap was not installed correctly the first time, layering new siding over it buries the problem rather than fixing it.
Better than most materials. Fiber cement is significantly more impact resistant than vinyl and holds up well against the hail storms common across Central Iowa. It will not crack or dent under the kind of impact that compromises vinyl.
Wood offers natural character that fiber cement cannot fully replicate, but it requires considerably more maintenance. Fiber cement gives homeowners a similar aesthetic in many profiles without the ongoing painting, sealing, and pest monitoring that wood demands.
If the damage is isolated and the rest of the siding is in sound condition, repair is usually the right call. If the siding is aging, shows widespread damage, or was not installed correctly to begin with, replacement is the better investment. Handeland will come out, look at the full picture, and give you an honest answer.
The best next step is a free in-home consultation. Jason will come out, assess your existing exterior, walk you through your options, and provide a detailed estimate with no hidden costs and no pressure.
Call Jason directly at 515-231-6739 or fill out the form below.
