Our blog post today takes us to Old Greenwich, Connecticut, a coastal neighborhood of Greenwich in Fairfield County. In fact, Old Greenwich is only about 3.5 square miles, with about 1.5 of it being water.
Our client there called us about a siding replacement project. This wasn’t your average residential siding home project. The client wanted a very specific look and siding installation, not siding repair. And for this job, they wanted a very specific siding contractor (the Gunner team of experts!).
They loved their house so much that they wanted the new siding to match the design they already had. There were different trims around the house, as well as other aspects that not only gave it a unique design, but also a one-of-a-kind charm. As soon as our team pulled up for the initial consultation, it was easy to see why the owner wanted to keep its current look.
During our review, our client discussed the new siding installation but also mentioned something else. For a long time, they had wanted an addition to their house. They had a sizable area of flat roofing that they just knew would be the perfect spot for a deck.
The homeowners had pondered this for years but just never got around to making it happen. Now they figured that since we were already here for the siding replacement, maybe we could also transform that area into a deck. We agreed this was an awesome idea, so we began mapping out the siding replacement as well as that deck addition. (After all, we’re experts in many areas, not just some basic siding contractor.)
Once we started removing the old siding, we discovered that there was a lot of foam insulation underneath. This would make applying the new siding challenging.
To apply the new siding, we needed to add furring strips. Though you might have never heard of it, furring is a process started in England during the 16th century. It was originally used to fortify ships that were built too narrow. Since then, it has been adopted as a common quality building practice for structure reinforcement.
What are furring strips? Furring strips are long, thin pieces of wood or metal. Their purpose is to make a backing surface for new siding to attach to. Furring strips allow the siding to air out and stay dry, which will make it last longer and prevent mold or decay. As we’ve said, decay is bad, mold is worse. If you have an unchecked moisture problem, mold will likely follow. Fast.
Another challenge we ran into while removing the siding: The window frames had rotted out. After consulting with the homeowners about the rotted frames, they decided to take this opportunity to replace their old windows, and they ordered new ones.
While we waited for the windows to come in, we took a brief pause on the siding project. Once everything was ready to go, we maximized our team size to make up for lost time and get the work done as quickly as possible.
Naturally, the siding we recommended and used was James Hardie lap siding. James Hardie lap siding is the most popular quality siding in the country. The James Hardie fiber cement composition makes it a durable and a smart choice for siding material. Gunner, by the way, is a Hardie siding elite preferred contractor.
As for the cement fiber lap siding itself, we want to take a moment to talk about the beautiful color the client picked: Light Mist. This light-gray tone with a hint of blue gives the home a cool, natural, and cozy feel (check out the pictures). It really paired nicely with the rest of the house and the surrounding property.
Overall, this was a really big project. There were many details to be meticulously handled in order to give the client everything that they wanted. When the project was complete, the homeowners were absolutely thrilled. The deck that we added to the flat area of the roof gives them some quality extra outdoor living space that will be quite enjoyable come summertime.
One thing the homeowners really wanted was to keep the natural charm of their home while just freshening it up. They were hesitant about having this work done and possibly losing what made the exterior of their home feel special to them.
We’re happy to say that we were able to deliver. No charm was lost despite new windows, the light mist siding, and a new deck. Most of the exterior was replaced, and in addition to the aesthetic benefit, another inherent upgrade was lower utility bills.
Due to the prior aging siding and rotted-out windows, the foam insulation in the house was inefficient, allowing unwanted air in and out. The clients didn’t realize it at the time, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep their home at a comfortable temperature.
Once the cement fiber siding project and the rest were complete, the clients were delighted at how much more comfortable their home felt. We know our clients were uncertain going in, but we were happy to be able to make them feel the way they did when they first purchased their home. Maybe even better.
If you have a siding project and need siding contractor experts, we’re here for you. In fact, we can help with any home project beyond siding replacement, like siding repair, roofing or, yes, a roofing deck!
City: Old Greenwich
State: Connecticut
ZIP: 06870
Category: Siding
Materials used (manufacturer): James Hardie
Materials used (type): Lap Siding
Materials used (color): Light Mist
Project Cost: $55,000
Time to Complete: One month