Exterior Remodeling
Plan the outside of the house as one project.
Siding, trim, and the roof edge work together to keep water out of the walls. We plan them together and build them in order, so one part does not undo another.
What we look at
The outside of a house is one system.
Each part sheds water onto the next. A problem at one usually shows up at another, so we look at them together.
- The roof edge
- Drip edge and flashing should turn water into the gutter. When they do not, it runs behind the fascia and down the wall.
- Fascia and soffit
- Soft or dark boards, peeling paint, and gaps where birds and insects get in usually mean water has been getting behind them.
- Trim and corners
- Open joints and split trim let water behind the siding at the edges, where it is hardest to see.
- Siding
- Warped, cracked, or loose panels, and stains that come back soon after a wash.
- Around windows and doors
- Flashing and trim at the openings carry water out and away. A stain inside below a window can start outside.
- Where the wall meets the ground
- Siding should stop short of the soil and mulch. Where it does not, it wicks up moisture and rots from the bottom.
The order of work
Work from the top down.
Water runs downhill, and so does the work. Each layer laps over the one below it, and finished work is not disturbed by the next step.
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Roofline
The roof and roof edge
Roof work comes first, with the drip edge and flashing that go with it. A tear-off after new siding is up puts that siding at risk.
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Eaves
Fascia and soffit
Rotted boards are replaced and wrapped or painted before anything hangs from them.
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Walls
Siding and trim
The siding goes over sound sheathing, with trim and flashing at every corner and opening.
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Ground
Gutters and downspouts
They go up last, on finished fascia, and carry the water to the ground away from the house.
Not every project needs every step. If the roof has years left, the plan starts at the eaves. We lay out what applies to your house at the walk-through.
The rest of the house
Exterior work rarely stops at the siding.
The roof above it and the gutters on it belong in the same plan.
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Roof near the end of its life?
Replace it first, or with the siding, so the roof edge and the wall below it are finished together.
Roofing -
Gutters coming down anyway?
New fascia means the gutters come off. It is the natural time to replace them or rehang them properly.
Gutters -
Siding damaged in a storm?
Hail and wind mark siding as well as roofs. Start with an inspection. Your insurer decides what is covered.
Storm Restoration
Exterior questions
What homeowners ask about exterior projects.
Should the roof or the siding come first?
The roof, if it needs work soon. Roof-edge work reaches the fascia and the top of the wall, and a tear-off above new siding puts it at risk. If the roof has years left, the siding can go first, and we plan the roof edge so the two meet cleanly later.
Can you match my existing siding for a repair?
Sometimes. It depends on whether the profile and color are still made, and weathered siding rarely matches new panels exactly. We will tell you at the walk-through whether a repair will blend in or whether a full wall makes more sense.
What happens if you find rot behind the siding?
We stop and show you. Then we explain the repair and what it changes, and agree on it with you before the work goes ahead.
Can the work be done in phases?
Yes, as long as the order holds. We plan the whole exterior first, then build it in stages that suit your budget and schedule, starting from the top.
Will insurance pay for new siding?
Only your insurer decides. Policies generally cover sudden damage, like hail or wind, and not wear or age. If a storm may have caused the damage, start with an inspection and see the Storm Restoration page for what to do first.
Start with a conversation
Tell us what you want to change outside.
Tell us what you want to change on the outside of the house and what you have noticed, and we will follow up to talk through the options.
Rather talk it through now? 717-368-2102
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Discuss your project
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