We here at Gunner have a healthy respect for history but also know time marches on. We learned a little bit about both after being commissioned for a project to replace a roof and house siding in Chappaqua, and the homeowner learned a little bit about our extra-mile commitment.
Chappaqua is a hamlet in Westchester County about 30 miles north of New York City, and one of the most desirable suburban places to live in the state. It’s the home to many young professionals, families, and retirees.
It’s also home to many historic buildings and vintage houses, some dating to the 1700s. Great care and adhering to explicit local regulations are required when updating these structures. Historic home restoration is not for the reckless or fainthearted!
Because of a favorable siding referral from a previous customer (thank you!), we landed one of those challenges.
James Hardie Siding Replacement
Chappaqua, NY
Being that we were dealing with an older (but unique and beautiful) home, we didn’t expect this to be one of your typical suburban house projects, that is, a relatively straightforward home repair. We had many discussions with the homeowners about the goals and our collective high expectations. With the final plan in place, we went to work.
The most obvious visible issue was general roof and siding deterioration from weather and, well, the passage of time. But moss growth was noticeable, too.
James Hardie Siding Replacement
Chappaqua, NY
It’s possible many people don’t consider moss a serious problem, but it can be.
Areas on the exterior of the house exposed to less sunlight are prime spots for moss, which retains moisture, which along with the elements can compromise the integrity of your roof and siding materials by promoting mold, mildew, and wood rot.
Luckily, the owners had called in time, and now it was time to apply some historic home siding – as in historically the best in the industry: James Hardie siding. Lap siding for a venerable old home or brand-spanking new one, doesn’t matter. James Hardie is your best solution to all siding problems, from durability to weather concerns. It’s all we use, and our customer feedback just reinforces the decision daily.
Hardie Plank (sometimes called Hardie Board) is high-quality fiber cement siding, and for siding types and siding options, the most popular in the country. Maybe you’re considering having your siding replaced and pondering cement siding vs. vinyl siding and siding colors. If so, we highly recommend you check the James Hardie website for further info.
We also discovered another hitch, one that was not in plain sight. Electrical issues were apparent as we removed the old roof. The old house had old wiring (as in original), and we informed the customer of these concerns as a safety issue. Electricity is not to be messed with, and it made sense to address this while updating the rest of the house.
Safety is equal to customer satisfaction as our priority, and we treat each house we work on as though it were a family member’s home. We never cut corners when it comes to safety.
After the wiring repairs were taken care of professionally, we outfitted the roof with new GAF asphalt shingles. That left one last thing to tie everything together, and something we don’t normally do – at-large painting.
James Hardie Siding Replacement
Chappaqua, NY
This unique house had lots of intricate spots to touch up, and you want to make sure the color of the siding matches the house and vice versa. We were very careful with the detail work, from the window trim to door frames and more. We even did some extra painting projects at the owner’s request, and as always, happy to go above and beyond.
In the end, we brought everything up to date and made a great house even greater. In fact, we noticed that cars driving past the house would slow down to check out this refreshed beauty. Outside validation is welcomed, of course, but nothing compares to customer satisfaction and learning we exceeded their expectations.
In closing, we did want to offer a reminder to take moss seriously. Inspect your house regularly to keep a small problem from possibly becoming a big one. If you are unsure that you have an issue, please contact a professional.
City: Chappaqua
State: New York
ZIP: 10514
Category: Siding/Roofing
Materials used (manufacturer): James Hardie/GAF
Materials used (type): Fiber Cement Lap Siding/Asphalt
Materials used (color): Iron Gray/Charcoal
Project Cost: $60,000
Time to Complete: Four weeks