Should You Replace Windows and Siding at the Same Time?

Why the two are connected

A window sits in a rough opening in the wall. Around it are flashing tape and pans, the water-resistive barrier, and the trim that the siding butts into. When siding is replaced, the installer works around the windows; when windows are replaced, the installer works around the siding. Each job affects the other's weather seal.

Benefits of doing both together

• Better flashing. With the siding off, new windows can be flashed directly into the water-resistive barrier, the most watertight way to install them.
• Full-frame or new-construction windows become practical. With siding removed, the installer can use windows with nailing flanges instead of inserts, which can preserve glass area and replace rotted frames.
• Trim that matches. Window trim, sills and siding can be detailed as one design.
• No damage to new siding later. Replacing windows a few years after new siding can mean removing and reinstalling siding around each window.
• One disruption, one cleanup. One project instead of two.
• One permit conversation. In many cases, both are on one set of plans.

Reasons to do them separately

• Only one is worn out. Replacing sound windows to match the siding is not necessary. Newer vinyl windows can stay; the siding installer just trims and flashes around them.
• Budget. Doing both at once is a bigger outlay. Planning the sequence lets you spread costs.
• Insurance only covers one. A hail claim might cover siding and window screens or wraps, but not the windows themselves.
• Lead times. Custom windows can take weeks to arrive; siding may be needed sooner after storm damage.

If you must do one first

Windows first, siding later: install the windows so the future siding can tie in. Ask about flashing that will integrate with a new water-resistive barrier, and trim depth that will suit the new siding's thickness.

Siding first, windows later: ask the siding contractor to leave room for future window replacement, using trim that can be removed and reinstalled, and replace any rotted sills or failed flashing now. Insert (pocket) windows can be installed later without disturbing the siding, at some cost in glass area.

Hail and windows in Wichita

Hail damages more than siding. Window screens, aluminum wraps on window trim, vinyl window frames and sometimes glass can be damaged. After a storm, document all of it for your claim. If the windows are damaged too, coordinate the siding and window work so they are not redone twice. See hail damage siding and how to file a hail damage claim.

Permits in the Wichita area

The Wichita-Sedgwick County building code exempts replacing windows of the same size when the opening and structure are not changed, and exempts siding work of 400 square feet or less in 12 months. A whole-house re-side needs a siding permit, and enlarging or adding window openings needs a building permit. Other cities set their own rules. See does siding need a permit in Wichita?

Lead paint on older homes

Window replacement on pre-1978 homes nearly always disturbs painted surfaces. The EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule requires certified firms and lead-safe work practices for that work. Ask both your window and siding contractors about it.

Who does what

Some siding companies install windows; many work with a window installer; some homeowners hire separately. If two companies are involved, make sure someone is responsible for the flashing where the window meets the wall. A gap in responsibility is where leaks come from.

Cost and value

Doing both together can save some labor on trim and setup, but the total is still two large projects. The 2025 Cost vs. Value report tracked vinyl window replacement and siding replacement separately, both with meaningful resale recoup nationally. Published siding ranges are in the cost guide.

Questions to ask

• Will windows be full-frame or insert, and why?
• How will window flashing tie into the new water-resistive barrier?
• Who is responsible for leaks at windows?
• Will trim be wrapped, replaced or new?
• What is the sequence and how long between steps?
• If doing one now, how will you prepare for the other?

Signs your windows are due too

• Fogging between panes, which means a failed seal.
• Soft or rotted wood sills and frames.
• Drafts, rattling sashes or windows that will not stay open.
• Water stains on interior walls or sills below windows.
• Hail-cracked frames, broken glass or damaged aluminum wraps.

If you see several of these, it is worth pricing windows with the siding.

Bottom line

Both near the end of their life? Do them together if budget allows. Only one due? Replace it with the other in mind. See siding and windows to request free quotes.

Related services

• Siding & Window Projects: Coordinate new siding with new windows so flashing, trim and insulation are done in one pass.
• Siding Replacement: Tear off worn or damaged siding and re-side the house in vinyl, fiber cement, engineered wood or steel.
• Hail Damage Siding Repair: Check, document and repair hail-cracked vinyl, dented steel and chipped fiber cement after a storm.

Sources: Wichita-Sedgwick County Unified Building and Trade Code (permit exemptions); Zonda / JLC, 2025 Cost vs. Value report; EPA, Renovation, Repair and Painting (lead-safe) program.

Good to know: Requesting a quote is free and there is no obligation. Ask for a written quote that lists the material, the scope, permits and the warranty terms.