How HOVER Renderings Can Help Contractors Sell ASCEND Upgrades

One of the hardest parts of selling a premium exterior upgrade is asking a homeowner to imagine something they cannot yet see.

You can show samples.

You can show brochures.

You can describe Board & Batten, darker colors, wider plank profiles and premium trim.

But the sales conversation changes when the homeowner can see those choices applied to their actual house.

That is where HOVER can become a powerful tool for contractors selling ASCEND® Composite Cladding.

ASCEND is currently integrated with HOVER, allowing contractors to use measurement, design, selling and takeoff tools around the product. At Suburban Wholesale & Supply, we see visualization as a way to move the homeowner conversation from "What would that look like?" to "Which version do you like best?"

Homeowners Often Need to See the Upgrade

Premium siding upgrades can be difficult to explain with words alone.

Imagine telling a homeowner:

"We could use ASCEND 7-inch Plank on the main walls, Board & Batten in the front gables, change the trim color and make the entry darker."

A contractor may immediately understand that design.

The homeowner may not.

A HOVER model can turn that description into a visual concept that homeowners can react to immediately.

HOVER Can Put the Product on the Customer's Own House

HOVER creates interactive 3D models from property imagery and allows contractors to customize exterior materials and colors.

Instead of showing a homeowner a manufacturer photograph of someone else's house, you can build design concepts around the home they already own.

That distinction matters.

The homeowner is no longer trying to imagine whether an ASCEND design would work on their architecture. They can begin evaluating the concept directly on their own property.

Start With the Existing House

A strong visual sales presentation should have a starting point.

Show the homeowner the current exterior first.

Then begin introducing changes.

This allows the customer to appreciate the transformation instead of seeing only the final rendering.

Before-and-after comparisons can make exterior upgrades easier to understand because the homeowner can see exactly what has changed.

Build a Good-Better-Best Design in HOVER

HOVER becomes especially useful when contractors build more than one design.

Instead of presenting a single concept, create several exterior levels.

HOVER also promotes good-better-best pricing and visual proposals as part of its estimating workflow, which makes the design approach useful beyond the rendering itself.

Show ASCEND 7" Plank on the Entire Home

One HOVER concept might show ASCEND 7" Plank across the entire house.

This gives the homeowner an opportunity to evaluate:

• The wider horizontal profile
• Overall scale
• Color
• Trim combinations
• How the siding relates to the roof
• How it coordinates with windows, brick or stone

A small sample may help explain the product, but the 3D model can help explain the house.

Then Add ASCEND Board & Batten

The next rendering can introduce ASCEND 12" Board & Batten.

Try it in:

• Front-facing gables
• Entry sections
• Garage projections
• Second-story features
• Dormers

Now ask the homeowner:

"Which version of the front of your house do you like better?"

That is much more powerful than asking whether they want to pay extra for Board & Batten before they have seen what the upgrade does.

Use HOVER to Sell ASCEND Accents

Not every homeowner will choose ASCEND across the entire exterior.

Visualization can help identify smaller areas where the product creates meaningful impact.

Create versions showing:

1. No ASCEND accent.
2. ASCEND Board & Batten in one gable.
3. ASCEND in multiple gables.
4. ASCEND around the front entry.
5. ASCEND across a garage section.
6. A more complete ASCEND exterior.

The homeowner can see how much—or how little—ASCEND is required to create the appearance they prefer.

Let the Customer Compare Colors Quickly

Color discussions can consume a lot of time when every option has to be imagined.

HOVER's design tools allow contractors to change exterior products and colors on the model.

Instead of asking:

"Do you think you would like the darker color?"

Show it.

Then compare it with the lighter version.

Visual comparison can help homeowners narrow decisions faster and with greater confidence.

Change One Thing at a Time

Contractors should avoid creating five dramatically different renderings with no logical progression.

That can overwhelm the homeowner.

Instead, build the design in steps:

1. Change the primary siding.
2. Compare colors.
3. Add Board & Batten.
4. Adjust trim.
5. Introduce a different entry-door color.
6. Fine-tune the final concept.

The homeowner can now understand which individual upgrade created the visual improvement they liked.

Use HOVER During Discovery, Not Just at the End

HOVER does not need to be reserved for the final design.

Use the model to learn what the homeowner likes.

Ask:

• Do you prefer horizontal or vertical accents?
• Do you like lighter or darker siding?
• Would you rather keep the exterior simple or add more architectural contrast?
• Do you like Board & Batten on this gable?
• Would you use the same color or create contrast?

Every answer gives you more information about the homeowner's priorities.

Ask the Most Important Visual Question

Once you have several HOVER concepts, ask:

"If these designs were all the same price, which version of your house would you choose?"

That question temporarily removes price from the decision.

The homeowner's answer tells you what they actually want.

Then you can discuss the investment required to achieve that design.

HOVER Can Help Sell the Upgrade Difference

Imagine a homeowner likes the ASCEND rendering much more than the standard siding concept.

Now you can frame the pricing discussion around the visual difference they already selected.

"This is the exterior you told me you prefer. Let's look at what the additional investment is to move from the base design into this ASCEND package."

The additional cost is now attached to a visible result instead of an abstract product upgrade.

Use Renderings to Sell More Than Siding

Exterior design is interconnected.

Once homeowners begin seeing changes on their actual home, additional questions often arise.

They may ask:

• What if we changed the soffit and fascia?
• What would black windows look like?
• Could we change the trim?
• Would stone look better here?
• What if we changed the front door color?
• Should we do Board & Batten on both gables?

HOVER itself promotes the 3D model as both an upselling and cross-selling tool because homeowners can see how additional exterior products affect the overall appearance.

Renderings Can Reduce Design Uncertainty

A premium exterior project can involve a large investment.

One reason homeowners hesitate is fear of choosing the wrong combination.

What if the dark siding is too dark?

What if Board & Batten looks too busy?

What if the trim color does not work?

Visualization does not eliminate every design risk, but it can help homeowners make more informed decisions before materials are ordered and installed.

Better Design Decisions Can Help Production Too

Visualization is not only a sales tool.

ASCEND's own visualization resources highlight the potential for clear visual plans to reduce mid-project changes and improve pre-planning.

When the homeowner has already approved:

• Primary siding profile
• Board & Batten locations
• Colors
• Trim selections
• Accent areas

The salesperson, estimator, material supplier and installation crew can work from a much clearer design direction.

HOVER Can Connect Design and Measurements

One major advantage of HOVER is that visualization is connected to a measured 3D property model.

Contractors can obtain detailed exterior measurements and use those measurements as part of the estimating and material-planning process.

ASCEND specifically promotes its HOVER integration for measurement, design, selling tools and takeoffs.

That means the visual concept can become part of a larger workflow rather than remaining only a pretty picture.

HOVER Can Help Build Material Lists and Estimates

HOVER's current platform allows contractors to use measurement data to generate estimates and material information.

Its newer 3D design workflow can also carry selected materials from a saved design into an estimate, although availability can vary as HOVER continues rolling out features.

For contractors, that creates an opportunity to connect the exterior the customer approved with the quantities and scope needed to sell and eventually produce the project.

Don't Trust the Rendering More Than the Actual Sample

This is an important limitation.

A digital rendering is a design tool—not a substitute for viewing actual product samples.

Screens, lighting conditions and digital representations can affect perceived color.

Use HOVER to narrow the design.

Then use actual ASCEND samples to confirm final product and color selections whenever possible.

Contractors can visit the Suburban Wholesale & Supply showroom in Davenport to compare siding samples, profiles and colors in person.

Build a Repeatable HOVER Sales Process

Technology works best when the salesperson has a process.

A simple ASCEND workflow might be:

1. Measure: Capture the property and build the HOVER model.
2. Discover: Ask the homeowner what they want to change.
3. Design: Build a base exterior concept.
4. Upgrade: Create an ASCEND design.
5. Compare: Show profile, color and accent alternatives.
6. Confirm: Ask which exterior the homeowner prefers.
7. Price: Present the investment for each design.
8. Finalize: Confirm selections with actual samples and current product information.
9. Plan: Use measurements and selected products to help develop the material and production scope.

Now HOVER is part of your sales system instead of something you occasionally open when a homeowner asks for a rendering.

Create the Rendering Before You Need It

Contractors should also think about timing.

If visualization is going to be part of your premium presentation, prepare it early enough to influence the decision.

Do not wait until after the homeowner has already selected the lowest-priced siding package to show them what ASCEND could have looked like.

Premium options need to be visible while the homeowner is still comparing choices.

Build Your HOVER Presentation Around Three Designs

Contractors do not need twenty renderings.

Three strong concepts may be enough:

1. Base Exterior: The quality standard siding solution.
2. Architectural Exterior: Upgraded design with selected profile or color changes.
3. ASCEND Exterior: Premium composite cladding with carefully designed plank, Board & Batten and trim combinations.

The homeowner can quickly understand what additional investment changes visually.

Don't Use HOVER as a Gimmick

Technology alone does not create a strong sales presentation.

The contractor still needs to understand:

• Exterior design
• ASCEND profiles
• Color coordination
• Installation details
• Trim and transitions
• Product specifications
• Accurate estimating

A beautiful rendering of a poorly designed or incorrectly scoped project is still a poor project.

Use HOVER to strengthen good product knowledge and good salesmanship—not replace them.

Turn "What Would It Look Like?" Into "Which One Do You Want?"

That is the biggest opportunity visualization creates.

Without a rendering, the homeowner may ask:

"What would ASCEND Board & Batten look like up there?"

With a rendering, the conversation can become:

"Do you prefer this version with Board & Batten or the all-horizontal version?"

That is a much stronger buying conversation.

Use HOVER and ASCEND With Suburban Wholesale & Supply

Contractors sell premium exterior products more effectively when they combine strong product knowledge with strong visualization.

Suburban Wholesale & Supply supports professional siding contractors throughout Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, Rock Island, the Quad Cities, Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois with ASCEND Composite Cladding, siding samples, product literature, contractor education, material ordering assistance and jobsite delivery.

Learn more about ASCEND Composite Cladding, explore additional siding and exterior products available through Suburban Wholesale & Supply, or visit our Davenport showroom to compare actual siding profiles, colors and contractor presentation materials.

The lesson is simple: premium upgrades become easier to understand when homeowners can see them. Use HOVER to show the possibilities, use actual ASCEND samples to confirm the selections, and let the homeowner decide which version of their home creates enough additional value to justify the upgrade.

Sources & Additional Resources

• ASCEND Composite Cladding — official Visualization & Measurement Tools resources covering ASCEND Visualizer and HOVER integration.
• ASCEND Composite Cladding — official ASCEND Visualizer resources for before-and-after exterior design concepts.
• HOVER — official contractor resources for siding measurements, interactive 3D models, design, estimating and proposals.
• HOVER Help Center — official guidance on using interactive 3D models to sell and upsell exterior projects.
• HOVER Help Center — official guidance on creating estimates from saved 3D designs and measurement data.
• ASCEND Composite Cladding — Homeowner and Professional Resources covering profiles, colors, installation and product literature.
• Suburban Wholesale & Supply — ASCEND products, samples, contractor education and distribution support throughout the Quad Cities, Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.