Siding in Falcon Heights, MN.
Falcon Heights is about as small a city as we work in, and every quote here reflects it: narrow lots squeezed between Larpenteur, Snelling, and the Como Avenue corridor, big overhead canopy, and neighbors close enough that figuring out where to stage the crew takes more thought than the actual install.
Below is real per-square pricing sized for a town that was largely finished being built before 1970, along with how each of our four core materials handles a small, shaded wall, and how a job gets planned when the driveway, the boulevard, and the fence line next door are all within arm's reach of the ladder.
- Typical build era
- 1940s–1960s, with Cape Cods, ramblers, and story-and-a-halfs common
- Typical wall area
- 10–18 squares on most detached homes — smaller than newer-suburb lots
- Most common existing siding
- Original wood or cedar lap, or masonite hidden under a later vinyl re-side
- Permit
- A siding replacement permit from the city is needed for this work, and we take care of pulling it
- Access
- Narrow lots and mature trees usually limit staging — we plan it before quoting
- Worst-first exposure
- North-facing walls under heavy tree canopy, where moisture and algae build up
- Property mix
- Owner-occupied homes alongside rental and duplex property near the U of M and fairgrounds
- Job size
- Anything from one damaged wall to a complete tear-off — there's no minimum job size
What makes a Falcon Heights siding job different?
Most of this inner-ring suburb went up by the 1960s, which is why you see so many Cape Cods, ramblers, and story-and-a-halfs on lots sized for an older, smaller car and garage than what newer construction gets today. That's actually good news for a re-side — a typical wall here runs 10 to 18 squares rather than the 25-plus squares common on a newer executive home, so a full replacement tends to come in under whatever number a neighbor in a newer development quoted first.
Size isn't the challenge — access is. Tight side yards, a handful of shared driveways on the older parcels, and decades-old trees usually rule out staging a trailer and dumpster the way we could on a half-acre newer-development lot. That's exactly why we walk every site before quoting: figuring out where the material sits, where cuts happen, and how the neighbor's landscaping stays untouched is half the job on these properties.
With the University of Minnesota's St Paul campus and the State Fairgrounds bordering the city, a meaningful share of Falcon Heights housing is rental or duplex property rather than owner-occupied. We price both groups on identical terms — same materials, same warranty coverage — though a landlord is often more focused on a low-maintenance, durable wall than on nailing a historically exact profile, and we're happy to steer the recommendation that way when asked.
Falcon Heights siding costs, by the numbers (2026)
Every price below is per square, meaning 100 square feet of wall, and includes full tear-off, install, and haul-away of the old material. Because so much of the local housing stock is a modest one-and-a-half or two-story on a compact footprint, most Falcon Heights homes stay well under the 20-plus squares a newer suburban two-story usually needs.
These are Midwest Building Exteriors' own current 2026 installed prices, confirmed directly by owner Christian Musta: vinyl $900–$950 per square; LP SmartSide and fiber cement $1,200–$1,300 per square depending on finish; and steel $1,300–$1,500 per square (about $13–$15 per sq. ft.), dependent on various factors. One siding square equals 100 square feet of wall.
| Wall area | Vinyl ($900–$950/sq) | LP SmartSide ($1,200–$1,300/sq) | Fiber cement ($1,200–$1,300/sq) | Steel ($1,300–$1,500/sq) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10–14 squaresA smaller rambler or a single-story detached home | $9,000 – $13,300 | $12,000 – $18,200 | $12,000 – $18,200 | $13,000 – $21,000 |
| 14–18 squaresA typical Falcon Heights Cape Cod or story-and-a-half | $12,600 – $17,100 | $16,800 – $23,400 | $16,800 – $23,400 | $18,200 – $27,000 |
| 18–22 squaresA larger two-story, or a duplex with two street-facing elevations | $16,200 – $20,900 | $21,600 – $28,600 | $21,600 – $28,600 | $23,400 – $33,000 |
| 22–28 squaresThe larger end of Falcon Heights' housing stock, or a small multi-unit property | $19,800 – $26,600 | $26,400 – $36,400 | $26,400 – $36,400 | $28,600 – $42,000 |
- Vinyl ($900–$950/sq)
- A .44-mil Exterior Portfolio Market Square panel, or something comparable from Royal Building Products or CertainTeed, gives a rambler or a rental unit a wall that won't need repainting without pushing the budget.
- LP SmartSide ($1,200–$1,300/sq)
- This is what we point most Falcon Heights homeowners toward. The engineered-wood panel holds nails securely and comes in a deeper profile that pairs naturally with the older, narrower lap siding typical of a 1950s home here.
- Fiber cement ($1,200–$1,300/sq)
- We install this regularly, particularly for owners of the more architecturally traditional Cape Cods who want that period look kept intact. It shares LP's per-square range, but installation accuracy matters here more than with any other product on the list.
- Steel ($1,300–$1,500/sq)
- Steel is currently $1,300–$1,500 per installed square, about $13–$15 per square foot, under Christian's confirmed pricing; various factors affect the precise total. Its resistance to rot and ability to hold shape can suit a rental or damp, shaded wall.
Line items that move a Falcon Heights number
- Insulated siding, added on request+$150 – $300 per square
- Rotted OSB or sheathing swapped out+$85 – $160 per sheet
- Fixing roof-to-wall kickout and step flashing+$350 – $900 per location
- New drip cap or trim wrap over window and door heads+$45 – $120 per opening
- Fresh house wrap over exposed sheathing+$60 – $110 per square
- Removing and resetting soffit, fascia, and guttersquoted per elevation
- Extra staging and protection for tight lotsquoted per site
- Repairing a single elevation or a partial sectionquoted per job — no minimum
Ranges are installed totals in 2026 dollars — removal and disposal of the existing siding, house wrap, flashing and kickout details, trim, fasteners, permit, and cleanup included. They are planning numbers, not a quote. Wall area, number of stories, trim and gable complexity, window count, sheathing repair, and color availability all move the final figure. Repairs and partial-wall work are quoted on their own; there is no job-size minimum.
Which siding material is right for a Falcon Heights home?
Our team installs four main siding varieties—vinyl, engineered wood (LP SmartSide), fiber cement, and steel—without favoring any single brand or pushing a specialty line regardless of fit. Here's how each holds up on the small, tree-covered lots this city is full of.
| Material | Life in MN | Installed / square | Install time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding — Exterior Portfolio Market Square, .44 milA common upgrade over the masonite hiding under many Falcon Heights homes' original siding. It bends instead of snapping, never needs paint, and keeps a smaller-footprint home's total bill reasonable. | 20–40 years | $900 – $950 | 3–5 days |
| LP SmartSide engineered woodChristian's most frequent recommendation for this city. It handles Minnesota's freeze-thaw swings and the sustained moisture a shaded north wall carries better than a cement-based board typically does, and it can go on either pre-finished or field-painted. | 30–50 years | $1,200 – $1,300 | 3–5 days |
| Fiber cementA dense, heavy board that keeps its color for the long haul, which suits owners chasing a period-correct Cape Cod appearance. It also asks for the tightest installation clearances and flashing work of anything on this list — one reason LP stays our default. More detail follows below. | 40–50+ years | $1,200 – $1,300 | 3–5 days |
| SteelRot has no effect on it and woodpeckers ignore it, both useful traits on this city's heavily wooded lots. Just know it isn't immune to hail — metal dents like metal — so a dent still means a call to your insurance adjuster. | 40–50+ years | $1,300 – $1,500 | 4–5 days |
Why we default to LP SmartSide — and what the research actually says
Here's a category-wide fact about fiber cement, true of every brand: it's a porous cement-matrix product, and peer-reviewed testing shows that repeated freeze-thaw cycling reshapes the internal structure of a fiber-cement board over time, changing how it eventually fails (Gorzelańczyk & Schabowicz, Materials journal, 2019, retrieved 2026-09-16). Falcon Heights walls run through dozens of these freeze-thaw swings each winter, and the shade covering many local lots only stretches out the drying time in between.
Full-assembly moisture research reaches a similar conclusion. At its Vancouver Field Exposure Facility, Building Science Corporation subjected fiber-cement-clad test walls to years of continuous exterior wetting and found the assembly's drainage and drying design mattered more to the outcome than the cladding material itself (BSC Research Report RR-1306, retrieved 2026-09-16). Field reports of failed caulk joints and gapped butt seams on installed fiber-cement lap siding confirm it — those are usually the first spots where problems show up (InspectAPedia field reports, retrieved 2026-09-16).
None of that rules fiber cement out, or singles out any one manufacturer — it simply explains why engineered wood tends to be the safer bet under the dense tree cover found across Falcon Heights, where a wall dries more slowly than one out in open sun. If a homeowner or rental owner still wants fiber cement, we follow the maker's clearance, fastening, flashing, and caulking specs exactly, because following these precise installation steps is necessary to maintain the manufacturer's warranty coverage for this product.
Is steel siding storm-proof?
Steel gets marketed as storm-proof more often than it should be. Yes, it's rigid, won't burn, and shrugs off rot under tree cover — yet hail impact can leave dents; that's the primary reason an adjuster reviewing storm damage checks dented gutters, downspouts, and fascia as evidence. Pick steel for its long life and low upkeep, not as an end-run around a hail claim.
Does a Falcon Heights association or landlord need to approve the siding color?
There's far less association-governed property here than in the newer developing suburbs, but it still comes up two ways: a small townhome association near the city's edges, and rental or duplex property where a property manager or an out-of-town owner has to sign off before anything starts. Either way, we treat it like HOA approval — nothing gets ordered until whoever makes the call has reviewed it.
We bring physical product samples to the site, capture daylight images of the current exterior, and draft a detailed proposal covering color and trim that remote owners or boards can approve easily.
If you manage several Falcon Heights addresses, we'll walk each one and either quote it on its own or roll everything into a single package under one point of contact — see how we structure multi-property work at multifamily and association siding services and commercial-scale projects.
- Physical samples of color and profile, compared on-site against daylight photos of your actual walls
- A written proposal covering product, color, and trim, built for board or remote-manager sign-off
- A comparable current product identified whenever an approved palette calls for something no longer made
- Pricing quoted per property or bundled across several rental or duplex addresses
- A single point of contact handling the owner, the manager, and any tenant scheduling needed
Siding work from our crews
Do you repair siding in Falcon Heights, or only replace it?
Both are on the table, and job size never rules anything out. A panel cracked by a falling branch, algae staining on one shaded elevation, or a section opened to fix flashing — each of those gets quoted for what it is, not turned into a pitch for a full re-side you never asked for.
The real constraint on any repair is matching the existing color. Vinyl and factory-painted panels fade over 15 to 25 years, and because a shaded north wall in Falcon Heights fades at a different rate than a sun-hit south wall, a patch can end up looking more obvious than expected. We'll tell you straight whether a patch will blend or whether the whole elevation needs re-cladding instead.
You can add insulated siding to any repair or full replacement — it's priced as a standalone line so the cost of that upgrade is never buried in the rest of the estimate.
Who else does siding work in Falcon Heights?
Because Falcon Heights is such a small city, homeowners here often end up comparing bids from companies headquartered in St Paul, Roseville, or elsewhere in Ramsey County rather than from a business actually based in town. That makes it tough to judge anyone beyond a truck and a yard sign, so we pulled the licensing records ourselves.
This isn't written to run down the competition. Every contractor mentioned here possesses a valid license for residential building work, which represents the minimum qualification you should look for. We're simply passing along what the state record shows, highlighting any missing verifications so you can reach your own conclusion.
| Company | MN license | Status | Expires | Licensed address | BBB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craftsman's ChoiceCraftsmans Choice Inc | BC384780 | IssuedEnforcement flag on state record | 2027-03-31 | 5680 Quam Ave NE, Ste A, St Michael, MN 55376 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
| Super SidersWinslow Companies (DBA Super Siders) | BC632296 | Issued | 2028-03-31 | 10533 Karston Ave NE, Albertville, MN 55301 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
| Minnesota Exteriors IncMinnesota Exteriors Inc | BC002877 | Issued | 2028-03-31 | 8600 Jefferson Hwy, Maple Grove, MN 55369 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
| Twin Cities Siding & RoofingTwin Cities Siding Professionals Operating Company LLC (DBA Twin Cities Siding and Roofing) | BC752041 | Issued | 2027-03-31 | 6500 Carlson Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55346 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
| TWS RemodelingThe Window Store Inc (DBA TWS Remodeling) | BC773859 | Issued | 2028-03-31 | 9000 Science Center Dr, New Hope, MN 55428 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
| Garrett ConstructionGarrett Construction Limited Liability Company | BC785223 | Issued | 2027-03-31 | 2321 Rockwood Ave, St Paul, MN 55116 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
| Anchor Roofing & ExteriorsHudson Enterprises Inc (DBA Anchor Roofing and Exteriors) | BC689351 | Issued | 2028-03-31 | 101 Bridgepoint Way, Ste 140, South St Paul, MN 55075 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
- Craftsman's Choice — License BC384780 was listed as Issued through March 31, 2027, at 5680 Quam Ave NE, Ste A, St Michael, MN 55376 in the Minnesota DLI residential contractor export retrieved September 16, 2026. The export's enforcement-action field is marked, but the export provides no action type, date, outcome, case number, or order text; we therefore make no claim about what occurred. DLI's enforcement materials state, ‘A Consent Order is not a finding of fact or admission of guilt.’ The export does not establish whether this flag relates to a Consent Order. Verify the current license and any enforcement information directly at dli.mn.gov.
- Super Siders — Licensed and active with no enforcement flag on the export. Long-standing license, originally issued 2008. Their own marketing claims about years in business and families served are self-reported and we have not verified them.
- Minnesota Exteriors Inc — Licensed and active with no enforcement flag, and one of the oldest license records in the export — originally issued January 1992. A separate entity, Minnesota Exteriors Commercial LLC (BC741401), holds its own active license for commercial work.
- Twin Cities Siding & Roofing — Licensed and active with no enforcement flag. Note the operating entity name differs from the trade name — worth checking that the contract you are handed names the licensed entity.
- TWS Remodeling — Licensed and active with no enforcement flag. An earlier, similarly named license (BC283598, Window Store LLC The) shows as voluntarily terminated — the current active record is the one above.
- Garrett Construction — Licensed and active with no enforcement flag; the license number published on their own site matches the state record. The license was originally issued in August 2021, which is worth weighing against marketing that cites a longer operating history.
- Anchor Roofing & Exteriors — Licensed and active with no enforcement flag. As with several on this list, the licensed entity name differs from the trade name you see on the truck.
License numbers, status, expiry, and addresses below are taken from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry residential contractor license export, retrieved 2026-09-16. License status and enforcement flags change — confirm current status yourself at dli.mn.gov before you sign anything with anyone, including us. BBB accreditation and rating are shown as unverified because we could not retrieve BBB's own published listings at the time of writing; we would rather label that gap than repeat a number we have not read at the source.
Falcon Heights siding questions
- How much does siding cost in Falcon Heights, MN?
- Vinyl installation usually costs $900 to $950 per square (one hundred square feet), while LP SmartSide or fiber cement generally runs $1,200 to $1,300 per square. Because many local houses are between 14 and 18 squares, totals often range from $12,600–$17,100 for vinyl to $16,800–$23,400 for engineered wood or cement board. Christian confirms that steel installation runs $1,300–$1,500 per square—approximately $13–$15 per square foot—depending on various job factors.
- Why is siding cheaper in Falcon Heights than in a newer suburb?
- The per-square rate is the same — what's different is the wall itself. Homes here date mostly to 1940–1960s ramblers, Cape Cods, and story-and-a-halfs on compact lots, commonly 10 to 18 squares compared to the 20-plus squares needed for a contemporary two-story that includes a three-stall garage. Less surface area to cover means a smaller total, even though the pricing per square doesn't change.
- Can you fit equipment and a dumpster on a narrow Falcon Heights lot?
- Nearly always, but it takes some upfront thinking. Before quoting, we walk the property to work out where materials and the dumpster will sit, how close the crew will be to a fence or a neighbor's driveway, and what needs to be protected. On the tighter lots, that plan drives the schedule just as much as the material choice does.
- What's usually under the vinyl siding on an older Falcon Heights home?
- It's often original wood or cedar lap, sometimes with a layer of masonite added years after the home was built. We open small test sections before quoting a full tear-off so you know exactly what's coming off and whether the sheathing beneath it needs attention.
- Why does the north side of my house have algae and staining under the trees?
- Heavy tree canopy blocks sun and airflow, so a north-facing wall dries out much more slowly after rain or snowmelt than a south or west wall does. That extended moisture is what feeds algae growth and can accelerate wear on wood-based siding. It's often the first elevation we recommend addressing on a shaded lot, even if the rest of the house looks fine.
- Which siding product fits Minnesota's freeze-thaw swings best?
- For most homeowners here, LP SmartSide engineered wood is the pick. Repeated freeze-thaw exposure tends to be gentler on it than on a cement-based board, and it forgives normal installation variance while holding fasteners tight — an edge that matters more on a lot that stays damp under shade. Vinyl, fiber cement, and steel remain options too, depending on budget or personal preference.
- Is steel siding hail-proof?
- No — it's rigid, doesn't rot, and woodpeckers won't touch it, but hail can still leave a dent. Dented gutters and fascia are exactly the kind of evidence an insurance adjuster looks for after a storm. Steel is a strong, low-maintenance choice, but it's not a way to avoid a storm-damage claim altogether.
- Do you side rental properties and duplexes in Falcon Heights?
- Regularly — there's a lot of rental and duplex housing packed in near the U of M's St Paul campus and the fairgrounds. We give landlords and managers the identical materials and Lifetime Craftsmanship Warranty that owner-occupants get, and multiple addresses can be bundled together under one point of contact.
- Do you do siding repairs, or only full replacement, in Falcon Heights?
- Both. Job size never rules it out. A single damaged panel, algae staining on a shaded wall, or a section opened up for flashing repair are all things we price on their own. The main thing that can push a job toward full replacement instead of a patch is uneven fading between a shaded wall and a sun-exposed one; if a patch would stand out, we'll tell you and price the elevation instead.
- Do you offer insulated siding in Falcon Heights?
- Yes, as an upgrade you request rather than something bundled by default. That upgrade shows up as its own line, roughly $150 to $300 per square on top of the standard material rate; that way the cost of the extra R-value is never hidden — a useful distinction whether you're insulating an older home or improving a rental's efficiency.
- Does a warranty back up the siding work you do?
- It does. Labor on any siding job falls under our Lifetime Craftsmanship Warranty, matching the coverage we give roofing work, and that runs alongside whichever manufacturer's material warranty applies to your chosen product. You'll find the exact terms written into your contract and warranty paperwork.
Christian Musta
Owner, Midwest Building Exteriors
Christian Musta owns Midwest Building Exteriors, a family-led exterior restoration company with offices in Richfield, Eagan, and St. Croix Falls. He has spent 10 years in the insurance restoration industry and holds a Minnesota Public Adjuster license — a credential that reflects his command of policy language, coverage, and claim ethics. Midwest Building Exteriors does not act as a public adjuster on jobs it repairs; Christian applies that insurance knowledge to how our crews document damage and communicate with the homeowner's own insurance adjuster during a project. Every city guide on this site is written and reviewed by him, using measurements, adjuster scopes, and tear-off findings from jobs his own crews completed.
- 10 years of experience in the insurance restoration industry
- Licensed Minnesota Public Adjuster — held as a credential of competency, ethics, and policy-language knowledge, not an adjusting service we provide
- Minnesota-licensed residential building contractor
- Manufacturer-certified roofing installer (Owens Corning, TAMKO, CertainTeed)
- Installs vinyl, LP SmartSide, fiber cement, and steel siding systems
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