What Minnesota code actually requires
Several of these red flags trace back to the same source: Minnesota’s re-siding requirements. Code requires a continuous water-resistive barrier behind the cladding and corrosion-resistant flashing applied shingle-fashion, and kick-out flashing must be installed when re-siding existing buildings. Building departments inspect the WRB and flashing before new siding goes on, check sheathing repair mid-project, and sign off on the finished work. A bid that stays vague on any of these isn’t just thin — it’s quoting work that can’t pass inspection as written. (See do you need a permit to re-side in Minneapolis.) (MN DLI re-siding fact sheet)
How to make a low bid prove itself
You don’t have to reject a low number. You have to make it earn the price.
- Issue one written scope so every contractor quotes the same project.
- Require line-item pricing and reject lump-sum-only quotes.
- Confirm the code items by name — WRB product, flashing type, kick-out, inspections.
- Pin down how hidden rot is priced before signing, not after.
- Compare line by line. If the cheap bid is still cheap once the scopes match, it earned it.
When you run a low bid through these steps, one of two things happens: it holds up and you’ve found a deal, or the missing line items surface and you’ve dodged a change-order trap.
FAQ
What’s the biggest red flag in a low siding bid? A missing tear-off line. If the bid doesn’t specify removing the existing siding, it likely plans to cover over it — skipping disposal, sheathing inspection, and trapping moisture behind the wall.
Why should I be wary of a lump-sum siding quote? A single number can’t be compared against other bids item by item, and it lets a contractor omit or hide entire categories of work. Line-item pricing makes the scope and the gaps visible.
Is a low bid always a bad sign? No. A low bid can be legitimate if it covers the same scope as the others. The danger is a low bid that’s cheap because it left work out. Match the scopes before judging the price.
What does Minnesota code require that a cheap bid might skip? A continuous water-resistive barrier, corrosion-resistant shingle-fashion flashing, and kick-out flashing on re-sides — all inspected before new siding goes up. Vague language on any of these is a warning sign.
What’s a rot-repair allowance and why does its absence matter? It’s a named dollar amount or unit price set aside for sheathing and framing damage found after tear-off. Without it, any rot becomes an open-ended change order priced on the contractor’s terms.
Related reading: What a real siding bid must include · Do you need a permit to re-side in Minneapolis? · What’s behind your siding: WRB and flashing