If you own one of the side-gabled ranchers, 1940s split-level colonials, or older bungalows that fill out 66202, 66203, and 66204, your original cedar, wood lap, or hardboard siding was never built for what this town throws at it. We replace it with James Hardie siding, the only major exterior product that does not absorb water at all.
We are the siding contractors Merriam, KS homeowners hire when they’re done patching and ready to be done with it for good.
Jenny Brouillette
January 2026
Matt Ungashick
November 2025
Every Hardie installer in Kansas City talks about hail. Fewer know how to talk about humidity, which is why a lot of Merriam jobs fail within ten years of install. The wrong material, the wrong flashing details, the wrong house wrap, and you have a siding job that mildews, swells, and stains.
What we see on Merriam homes again and again:
Fiber cement solves this because it does not absorb moisture. Period. The HardieZone 5 formulation is engineered specifically for Midwest humidity and freeze-thaw cycles. It is what we install on every Merriam home.
Merriam’s housing stock is more varied than most of its neighbors, and that matters. A 1955 split-level colonial off Slater needs a completely different approach than a 1960 brick rancher in Milburn West or a modern farmhouse rebuild in the newer subdivisions south of 67th Street.
Brick base, siding above. We replace the upper field with HardiePlank in a 6.25-inch exposure to match the original profile, then we rebuild the brick-to-siding transition flashing. That transition is where 90% of water gets into these homes.
Multiple elevations, multiple roof intersections, multiple transition points. We rebuild the kickout flashing at every roof-to-wall intersection and step flash properly behind the trim. Done right, these become some of the best-looking houses on the block.
Hardie board siding shingle panels for the upper gables, lap for the field. Keeps the period character. Kills the every-three-year repaint cycle.
HardiePanel with HardieTrim battens, often paired with smooth HardiePlank accents and dark Statement Collection colors like Iron Gray or Rich Espresso.
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1. Walkthrough.
Scott, our owner, comes to your house personally. He looks at the brick-to-siding transitions, checks for rot behind suspect areas, asks how the basement smells after a heavy rain (a real tell in Merriam), and listens to what you want the house to look like.
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2. Detailed Quote + Rendering.
Within a week, you have a line-item proposal and a digital rendering of your home in the colors you’re considering. No vague pricing.
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3. Permit + Material Order.
We file the residential permit through the City of Merriam’s online portal, schedule the inspections, and order materials directly from James Hardie.
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4. Install + Daily Video Updates.
We pull the failing siding, repair any wet sheathing, rebuild trim, and install your new Hardie. Your project manager sends a short video every day so you can see exactly what was done, even if you were at work in Overland Park or downtown KC.
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5. Walkthrough and Sign-Off.
Metal-detector sweep of the yard, full punch list with you on-site, and we do not collect final payment until you sign off.
You can call any contractor in the metro, and they will tell you they install Hardie. Here’s what’s actually different about working with us:
We are not the cheapest siding contractor in Merriam. We do not try to be. We are the ones your neighbors will ask about when they see the finished result.
We will walk your home, identify what’s failing and why, give you a real line-item quote within a week, and show you a digital rendering of your house in the colors you’re considering. There is no pressure to book and no high-pressure follow-up.
Yes. Wood and hardboard siding fail noticeably faster in high-moisture environments. We see 15 to 20 years of failure on hardboard in Lower Merriam, sometimes sooner on shaded north walls. Fiber cement is the only common siding product that doesn’t have this problem.
Merriam falls in HardieZone 5 (HZ5), the formulation James Hardie engineers specifically for Midwest weather. Make sure your contractor is quoting the HZ5 product, not the HZ10 version intended for warm coastal climates. The wrong zone product will not perform the same way through Kansas winters.
Yes. We do this regularly in Milburn and across central Merriam. The transition flashing between brick and siding is where most failures start, so we always rebuild that detail when we re-side the upper level.
A full re-side runs roughly $35,000 to $75,000, depending on home size, trim complexity, and any rot repair needed. Most Merriam homes fall in the $45,000 to $60,000 range. Full breakdown on our Hardie pricing page.
Yes. We have scoped and documented siding damage for adjusters on homes throughout Johnson County. We can meet your adjuster on-site and provide the photos and scope they need.
Winter and early spring give the most scheduling flexibility. Summer fills up fast. We typically start projects 4 to 8 weeks after contract signing.
Iron Gray, Aged Pewter, and Boothbay Blue for the field, usually paired with Arctic White trim. For darker statement looks, Rich Espresso and Khaki Brown. We bring physical sample boards to your home before you commit.
