Siding Installation and Repair in Des Moines, Iowa
Hail dents, cracked boards and soft bottom courses all let water into the wall. Flow Right installs and repairs LP SmartSide and vinyl siding on Des Moines homes, with soffit, fascia and gutters in the same project if needed.
New siding, siding repair and the trim that goes with it
Siding usually fails from the bottom up and from the storm side in. Check the lowest three courses, the joints and the trim around windows and doors. Soft spots, warped or buckled laps, cracked panels and paint peeling off wood trim all mean water may be getting behind the wall. On Des Moines houses, hail and freeze-thaw tend to find those weak spots first.
We install LP SmartSide lap and trim, Alside vinyl siding, aluminum and vinyl soffit, fascia and cultured stone. On a full re-side the crew strips the old siding, checks the sheathing underneath, covers the walls in house wrap and seals every window and door opening with flashing tape. Then the J-channel and new laps go on straight and level. See our siding installation and repair page for more.
For repairs, Luke can often replace the damaged pieces instead of re-siding the whole house. The catch is matching. Older vinyl profiles and colors get discontinued, so he will tell you honestly whether a patch will blend in or stand out. If you are weighing other materials, ask Luke, and he will tell you straight what we can and cannot do.
What we do on Des Moines siding projects
- LP SmartSide lap siding and trim
- Alside vinyl siding installs and repairs
- House wrap and flashing tape at openings
- Soffit, fascia and cultured stone accents
- Damaged panels replaced and blended in
- New gutters coordinated with the siding
Siding facts every Des Moines homeowner should know
Hail is the big one in Polk County
NOAA storm records show 171 hail events in Polk County from 2015 through 2025, the most of any county in Iowa. Spotter reports logged 1.5-inch hail in Des Moines on April 17, 2026. Hail cracks vinyl, chips trim paint and dents aluminum soffit. We can inspect the damage and write an estimate you can hand to your insurance company. Iowa Code 103A.71 bars contractors from handling a homeowner's claim or rebating a deductible, so we stick to the estimate and the work.
What the city says about permits
The City of Des Moines Minor Repair Permit Exemption Policy, dated July 2023, lists residing as exempt when the wall does not need a fire rating from the outside and the job does not touch sheathing or framing. Work that is exempt from a permit still has to meet current code. Rules can change and every house is different, so check with the Des Moines Permit and Development Center before work starts. Sherman Hill, Owl's Head and River Bend have extra historic district review.
Cold-weather installs done right
Vinyl grows and shrinks with temperature. The industry installation manual calls for a 1/4-inch gap at corner posts and channels, widened to 3/8 inch when installing below 40 degrees. That gap is the difference between siding that lies flat in July and siding that buckles. With Polk County's first fall freeze landing around October 10 on average, we set gaps for the day's temperature, not the calendar.
Siding, Up Close
Real photos from Flow Right jobs. See more of our work or read about our full siding service.
Des Moines Siding Questions
Not seeing yours? Call or text (515) 901-3646 and ask Luke.
Luke, Jaxx & Larry
A family business, third generation. Luke runs every estimate himself and Jaxx works the jobs with him. Larry, the shop dog, mostly supervises.
Is LP SmartSide or vinyl siding the better pick for a Des Moines house?
Both work well here. LP SmartSide is an engineered wood lap with a deep grain look and needs paint over time. Vinyl costs less up front and never needs paint, but it can crack from hard hail or impacts in deep cold. Our LP SmartSide vs vinyl guide compares them side by side.
Does the City of Des Moines require a permit to replace siding?
The city's 2023 exemption policy lists residing as exempt in some cases, such as walls that need no exterior fire rating and jobs that leave sheathing and framing alone. That does not cover every house. Call the Des Moines Permit and Development Center to confirm for your address, and Luke will help you sort out what applies.
Can you fix hail-damaged siding on a Des Moines home?
Yes. We replace cracked or holed vinyl panels and damaged trim, and we tell you if a patch will not match because the profile or color has been discontinued. We give you a written estimate to use with your insurer. See our Iowa hail damage guide for what to do in the first days after a storm.
What does new siding cost in Des Moines?
Siding cost depends on wall area, the material, how much trim and soffit is involved and what is under the old siding. We do not post prices. Our Des Moines siding cost guide shows published market ranges, and Luke measures your house and gives you an exact number in a free estimate.
Des Moines & Polk County
We cover Des Moines and the communities around it, including:
Seamless Gutters in Des Moines
Seamless 5 and 6 inch gutters formed on site, hung on hidden hangers, in any color.
See the Des Moines pageGutter Guards in Des Moines
Micro-mesh, LeafFX and Gutter Topper leaf protection fitted to the trees over your house.
See the Des Moines pageGutter Cleaning in Des Moines
Gutters and downspouts cleared by hand, flushed and checked by a crew that installs gutters.
See the Des Moines pageGutter Repair in Des Moines
Leaks, sagging runs, loose downspouts and storm damage fixed, with honest repair or replace advice.
See the Des Moines pageAll Services in Des Moines
Everything we do in Des Moines and Polk County.
Des Moines overviewPolk County
Gutters, siding and windows across Polk County.
County overviewSiding Installation & Repair
LP SmartSide and vinyl siding installed or repaired, with soffit, fascia and trim to match.
The full serviceSiding in other towns
Need Siding in Des Moines?
Call or text Luke, or send a few details. Estimates are free.