Vinyl costs the least of the common sidings to put on a house, and after that it asks for a wash now and then, not a paint crew. NAHB's lifespan study expects it to last as long as the house does.
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Vinyl panels are made to ASTM D3679, a specification that tests things like impact strength, heat shrinkage, weathering and resistance to wind load. The Vinyl Siding Institute certifies products against it through independent certification bodies, and certified products appear in listings kept by Intertek, ICC-ES and IAPMO, so a certification claim can be checked.
Installing has a standard as well, ASTM D4756. The institute's Certified Installer program is built on it and asks installers to recertify every three years.
In Grand Rapids, 76 percent of homes were built before 1980, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 survey. Whether the old siding comes off or the new goes over it is the first question to settle, and on any house built before 1978, work that disturbs painted surfaces falls under the EPA's lead renovation rule and has to be done by a certified firm.
Vinyl grows and shrinks with the temperature. Panels hung so they can slide on their nails ride that out; panels nailed tight can buckle. You will not see it on the quote, which is why the installer's training is worth asking about.
Heavier boards from James Hardie and others, painted, and priced above vinyl.
LP SmartSide and similar boards: the look of wood for less than fiber cement.
Vinyl with foam bonded behind it, or foam board under the siding, for a warmer, quieter wall.
Describe the house and what you want done, and a licensed siding contractor who works in Grand Rapids will call to set up a visit. Siding is priced from measurements taken on site, so the number comes after that visit.