Ideal Siding®: Bringing New Standards to the Siding Design and Installation Solutions for Homeowners

Ideal Siding®: Bringing New Standards to the Siding Design and Installation Solutions for HomeownersSiding companies play a vital role in protecting and improving homes, enhancing durability, energy efficiency, and curb appeal. The demand for trustworthy services has increased as more homeowners seek reliable and experienced professionals to handle their siding needs. Over time, the industry has adapted to tackle common issues like high prices, unreliable contractors, and limited warranties, providing more transparent and cost-effective solutions. By embracing modern technology and streamlined processes, today’s siding companies can improve the homeowner experience and offer exceptional value.

Ideal Siding® is North America’s fastest-growing siding company, focused on providing homeowners with upfront pricing for high-quality services while ensuring fair pay for installers. The company was founded to lower siding replacement costs by 30% and increase installer wages by over 50%, inspired by the founder’s friend’s experience during the 2007 housing crisis. Ideal Siding® is committed to operational efficiency, fair labor practices, and building strong relationships with top manufacturers.

The company has grown rapidly, expanding its successful franchise system across North America. By integrating advanced technology, Ideal Siding® ensures smooth service and scalability, and it is set to launch a Siding Academy to provide high-quality training for installers. With a resilient business model, low overhead costs, and strong franchise support, Ideal Siding® has thrived even in challenging times, setting new standards for the industry. Under the leadership of CEO Alex Filipuk, the company continues to innovate and push the boundaries of what’s possible in the siding industry.

The Birth of Ideal Siding®

Ideal Siding® was founded to transform the siding industry by making it more efficient and fair for homeowners and installers. Alex was inspired by a close friend, a siding installer, who faced severe wage cuts after the 2007 housing crisis, making it harder for him to support his family. This prompted Alex to explore the industry’s pricing and payment structures, discovering that homeowners were paying high prices while installers received a small fraction.

With a track record of excellence, Alex was ranked among the top five percent in his Master’s in Finance program and received corporate recognition for top performance at PayPal, further shaping his entrepreneurial drive.

Determined to create a better model, Alex applied financial modeling, technology, and process optimization to reshape the siding process. The result was a business model that lowered costs for homeowners while ensuring fair compensation for installers, making siding projects more inexpensive and providing installers with better earnings to support their families. This approach has helped Ideal Siding® establish a more balanced and sustainable framework for the industry.

Expanding Access to Quality Siding with Unlimited Design Options

Alex saw the opportunity to address the common challenges homeowners face in cities like Calgary, Toronto, Minneapolis, and Seattle—unreliable contractors, incomplete projects, and inflated pricing. This led to the creation of Ideal Siding®’s franchise model, offering a solution that combines quality and affordability across North America. The company’s approach is built on clear, transparent pricing, design consultations and mock-ups, durable materials, and professional service, addressing gaps in the market and enhancing customer satisfaction.

• Industry Leading Workmanship Warranty and High-Quality Materials: Ideal Siding® ensures customers get value for money, offering clear pricing and materials that last 20–30 years, backed by a 25-year labor warranty.
• Professional Crews and Reliability: By utilizing professional crews and building a trusted network, the company aims to eliminate common issues such as contractors disappearing mid-job.
• Commitment to Customer Peace of Mind: Ideal Siding® has gained a reputation for reliability and quality, providing homeowners with long-term support through its industry-leading warranty.
• Design Studio: In-house exterior designers will help you find the best design solutions for you. 

Initial Challenges

Like most franchise systems, Ideal Siding® faced the common challenge of proving its concept in the early stages. Many potential franchisees were hesitant to be the first to take the risk. However, Ideal Siding® was fortunate to have many entrepreneurial individuals who were willing to take that leap and build their businesses from the ground up. These early adopters helped to establish the company’s credibility and secured some of the best territories within the franchise system.

The Journey to Franchising

Ideal Siding® began franchising in Canada in 2020 and expanded into the United States in 2022. Preparing for franchising took over a year, as the company worked through the necessary paperwork and ensured its support systems were ready for the expansion. The company dedicated several years to refining these systems, ensuring it was fully prepared before launching the franchise model.

Key to Long-Standing Success

Ideal Siding® attributes its ongoing success to its commitment to underpromising and over-delivering. The company’s unique franchise system is supported by a strong in-house marketing team with over 15 years of experience in the siding industry. Additionally, Ideal Siding® has successfully attracted top talent to join as its franchisees. The company believes that its success isn’t just about a great team but also about the exceptional franchisees who, together with dedicated support, help set Ideal Siding® apart from its competitors in the industry.

Exclusive Products and Services

Offering a range of exclusive products and services through national accounts with all major suppliers, Ideal Siding® leverages its strong relationships with large and small manufacturers. While the products are not exclusive, these connections provide access to opportunities that many other companies may not be aware of. This unique advantage allows Ideal Siding® to tackle projects that others may not have the capability to handle, ensuring a competitive edge in the industry.

Integration of Technology

Ideal Siding® incorporates advanced technology into its operations, benefiting from the founder’s background in computer science. The company has developed a comprehensive tech infrastructure that streamlines various aspects of the business, including marketing, call center operations, accounting, project management and customer relationship management (CRM. This ensures smooth and efficient operations across all departments, enhancing the customer experience and internal processes.

Future Growth and Innovation

In its continued pursuit of excellence, Ideal Siding® is set to launch Siding Academy, a dedicated training platform for installers. As one of the largest companies in terms of installer numbers, the company recognizes the importance of high-quality training to maintain its high standards of service. With this new initiative, Ideal Siding® ensures that as it grows, its team of installers will continue to deliver top-notch quality and expertise, positioning the company for long-term success and industry leadership.

Evolving Leadership in the Franchise Sector

Alex highlighted a shift in franchise leadership, noting a transition from small business owners to professionals who carefully test and refine concepts across multiple markets before expanding. He also observed the growing importance of specialized franchise development teams, which help launch franchisors and support brands by collaborating with small business owners. According to Alex, it will be fascinating to see which approach proves most successful in the long run. He cited leading brands like “CertaPro Painters” as examples, attributing their success to the strong business management skills of their founders and management team rather than focusing solely on franchising as an end goal.

Alex’s Key Responsibilities

Alex’s role at Ideal Siding® has evolved from managing all aspects of the business to overseeing the company’s strategic direction and ensuring its continued growth. While initially handling everything from calls to operations, Alex now leads a team that supports the business’s development and addresses challenges as they arise.

• Growth and Team Building: From solo operations to leading a team of more than 20, Alex has grown Ideal Siding® by building a strong support network to manage operations and drive success.
• Strategic Leadership: Alex now focuses on overseeing the company’s results, maintaining its vision, and ensuring that the business stays on course, stepping in to resolve issues when necessary.
• Largest Franchisee: Alex has shares in 5 Ideal Siding locations, which makes him one of the largest franchisees in the system. 

Attracting Top Talent

The company has adopted a system popular in Europe, where employees work four hours on Fridays but are paid for eight hours. In addition to this, they offer excellent benefits. They prioritize attracting top talent and supporting their professional growth. Expanding from Canada to the US, a rare achievement for Canadian companies in franchising, adds to their unique appeal.

Avoid Rushing

In the franchise sector, there are two critical components for success: financial capital and intellectual capital. Achieving success in franchising requires both, as it’s essential to maintain constant momentum, which cannot be achieved through small, incremental steps. To launch a franchise business, an influx of capital—typically close to a million dollars—is necessary. Additionally, having someone with prior experience in the field is crucial.

Without such expertise, the likelihood of success is relatively low. While the exact statistics are unclear, it is known that only 16% of franchise businesses reach the milestone of 100 open locations. The advice for aspiring franchise owners is to avoid rushing into the venture and instead focus on being thoroughly prepared to maximize their chances of success.

Criteria for Selecting Franchise Partners

Most of Ideal Siding®’s successful franchisees have prior business experience, making this not their first venture. The company has found that serial entrepreneurs often achieve exceptional success. Individuals with backgrounds in sales or management also tend to perform very well. When selecting franchise partners, Ideal Siding® focuses on previous success and on finding strong, reliable partners. The company looks for candidates with at least a bachelor’s degree, with many of their team members holding MBAs or master’s degrees. Cultural fit is also an important factor in the selection process. Ideal Siding accepts less than 2% of all applications to buy a franchise. 

Unlocking Franchise Potential

Ideal Siding® offers compelling reasons for entrepreneurs to franchise, including low initial investment, in-house lead generation, and unique offerings like the warranty design studio.

• Low All-In Investment: With one of the lowest all-in investments in the industry, Ideal Siding® offers a high return on investment thanks to low overhead costs and strong revenue potential.
• In-House Lead Generation and Crews: By handling lead generation and crews internally, Ideal Siding® ensures better service quality and supports franchisees more effectively than companies that outsource these functions.
• Unique Value Propositions: The company’s unique features, such as the warranty design studio, differentiate it in the market, attracting more customers and building a strong brand identity.
• High Ticket Item: Average project in Ideal Siding is over $20,000, which is significantly higher than average in the franchise industry. 

Thriving During Crisis Situations

In times of crisis, such as an epidemic or recession, Ideal Siding®’s business model proves to be highly effective. During the lockdowns, the company thrived due to its low overhead—without employees, leases, or equipment. This approach minimizes costs, focusing primarily on the franchisee’s expenses, which can be crucial for maintaining business stability. One of the company’s key objectives was to create a flexible model that could scale down quickly during downturns and scale up just as rapidly during periods of market growth. The average first-year revenue for franchisees exceeds $900,000, and in times of crisis, they can significantly reduce their overhead, allowing the business to adapt and survive even in challenging circumstances.

Diversification and Scale

Alex anticipates that in the coming years, more companies will adopt a strategy of managing portfolios with five to ten brands, aiming to achieve sufficient scale to offer more services to the clients. This shift reflects a move away from focusing solely on building a single strong brand to creating a diverse range of brands, which provides greater market resilience and growth opportunities. By embracing this model, companies gain cross-brand synergies, attract top talent and have better access to capital.

Transform Your Home with Ideal Siding® Today!

Get high-quality siding with transparent pricing and expert installers. Save 30% on replacement costs.

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5 Powerful Business Mantra’s from Ideal Siding®

• Efficiency and Fairness: Offer pocket-friendly services while ensuring fair compensation for workers.
• Adaptability in Crisis: Build a flexible model that scales with market changes for stability.
• Transparency Builds Trust: Prioritize clear pricing and reliable service to eliminate industry issues.
• Invest in Technology: Use technology to streamline operations and enhance the customer experience.
• Franchise with Purpose: Partner with experienced, reliable franchisees for mutual success.
  

Company’s Name:	Ideal Siding®
Headquarters:	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
URL:	https://idealsiding.com/
Person Name:	Alex Filipuk
Designation:	CEO