Key Takeaways
- The true cost of a material includes long-term durability, maintenance, and resale value, not just its upfront price.
- South Dakota’s freeze-thaw winters and humid summers make climate-appropriate material selection especially important for exterior finishes, siding, and roofing.
- Hjellming Construction is a family-owned Sioux Falls home builder with over 60 years of firsthand experience seeing which materials hold up in real homes over time.
Every remodel or new build comes down to hundreds of small decisions, and few matter as much long-term as the materials you choose.
It’s easy to select something because it looks great in a showroom or on social media, but the real test of a material comes years later — after the daily wear, the South Dakota winters, and the trends that have moved on to something else.
At Hjellming Construction, we’ve spent over 60 years watching which materials actually hold up in real homes, and we bring that experience into every conversation about what to put into yours.
Why Material Choice Matters More Than It Seems
A material’s upfront cost is only part of the story. The real cost of a material is what you spend on it over the life of your home: replacement, repair, refinishing, and the impact it has on resale value when the time comes to sell.
A slightly more expensive material that lasts twice as long, resists everyday wear, and never needs replacing is often the better financial decision, even if it doesn’t look that way on day one.
This is especially true in high-use areas of the home — kitchens, bathrooms, entryways, and outdoor living spaces — where materials face the most daily wear and the cost of getting it wrong shows up the fastest.
Materials Worth the Investment
Some materials consistently prove their value over time, both in day-to-day durability and in what buyers look for down the road:
- Natural and engineered stone countertops — quartz and granite resist scratching, staining, and heat far better than lower-cost alternatives, and remain one of the most requested features by future buyers
- Solid wood or high-quality engineered flooring — holds up to years of foot traffic and can often be refinished rather than replaced, unlike many budget flooring options
- Fiber cement or quality siding materials — built to withstand Midwest weather swings without warping, cracking, or fading the way lower-grade siding can
- Well-built cabinetry with solid construction — cabinets with dovetail joints and solid wood boxes hold up to decades of daily use, while particleboard alternatives tend to sag and fail years sooner
- Durable, properly installed roofing materials — one of the most important investments in a home, since roofing failures can cause costly damage well beyond the roof itself
Materials That Often Disappoint Over Time
Just as important as knowing what to invest in is knowing where lower-cost materials tend to cause problems down the road.
Laminate countertops can look reasonable initially but scratch, burn, and stain far more easily than stone alternatives. Vinyl flooring in high-traffic areas often shows wear within just a few years. Builder-grade cabinetry can start sagging or misaligning well before a home’s other systems show any age. None of these materials are wrong for every situation — budget and priorities matter — but understanding the tradeoffs upfront helps you make an informed decision rather than a surprised one five years later.
How South Dakota Weather Factors Into the Decision
Material choice in Sioux Falls comes with a consideration that doesn’t apply everywhere: our climate.
Materials need to withstand hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters, along with the freeze-thaw cycles that stress exterior materials in particular. Siding, roofing, and exterior finishes all need to be selected with this in mind, not just for appearance but for long-term structural performance.
This is one of the advantages of working with a builder who has spent decades building specifically in this region. We’ve seen firsthand which materials genuinely hold up to a South Dakota winter and which ones start showing problems after just a season or two.
*This is our new construction home in Garretson, South Dakota. View more of this stunning home here.
Balancing Resale Value With How You Actually Live
It’s worth noting that the “best” material isn’t always the one with the highest resale appeal, it’s the one that fits how you’ll actually use your home.
A family that entertains frequently might prioritize a durable, low-maintenance countertop over one that’s slightly more visually striking but requires more careful upkeep.
A homeowner planning to stay in their home for decades might weigh long-term durability more heavily than a homeowner planning to sell in a few years.
Part of our role is helping you think through that balance, not just recommending the most expensive option available.
A Family That’s Watched Materials Perform for Decades
Few things teach you which materials hold up like decades of building and remodeling homes in the same community. Since Orlie Hjellming founded the company in 1962, Hjellming Construction has had a front-row seat to how different materials perform in Sioux Falls homes over the long run — including many of the same homes we return to for future remodels.
Scott Hjellming, who took over the business from his father in 1988, leads the company today as President, alongside his sons Cory and Bryan Hjellming, who serve as Vice President and Treasurer/HR.
That three-generation perspective means our material recommendations are grounded in decades of real-world results, not just what’s trending.
Recognized for Quality Craftsmanship
Hjellming Construction has been honored with twenty Sioux Empire Home Builders Association Parade of Homes awards for our home designs, a recognition that reflects both design and the quality of materials and craftsmanship behind it.
Cory was named the 2019 Builder of the Year by the Home Builders Association of the Sioux Empire and served as the association’s president in 2025 — further proof of a standard we hold every project to.
If you’d like to see these materials in real Sioux Falls homes, browse our project portfolio for completed remodels and new builds, or visit our FAQ page for answers to common questions about materials and the building process.
Let’s Talk
Want a custom home designed to grow with you and your family?
Contact Hjellming Construction to schedule a consultation and start planning a home built for every stage of life. We’re excited to hear your vision!