When you hear the term “wetlands,” you may think of Florida or a swamp. However, wetlands are so much more than that. They are a crucial part of our ecosystem as well as nature’s water-treatment facilities.
Throughout the world, an estimated 300 to 400 million people live near wetlands. And that includes our client in today’s blog post. He works in the industry, was impressed with our work, and called us for a full siding replacement project and gutter replacement.
The location of the house is in Bethel, Connecticut. This small New England town in Fairfield County was settled in about 1700 and was incorporated as Bethel in the mid-1850s. And an interesting note: Bethel was also the birthplace of famous showman P.T. Barnum!
So on to the Bethel project itself. One thing our clients really appreciate is that when we start a job, we are very efficient and finish quickly. This can be challenging, depending on external factors such as weather, home location, time constraints, etc.
As mentioned previously, this homeowner lived on wetlands, which made getting the proper equipment out there challenging. Throughout this project, we were also faced with difficult weather. For the first week of this project, there was rain four out of the seven days. And not just a light rain – it poured rain all day. Talk about wetlands!
This made our job incredibly difficult. Not only do we need to keep our workspace dry (with all the extra “wetlands” around, thanks to the rain), but the homeowner also had box windows. Box windows are windows that extend out from an exterior wall, rather than those with a location that typically are flush with the wall. It’s such a cool feature on this house (see the accompanying pictures), so we needed to be extra cautious not to allow the water from the rain to seep into the interior through them.
The homeowner had an extremely specific timeline that needed to be followed and a deadline that needed to be hit. He really wanted all of the work completed by a specific day. After dealing with this adverse weather, we knew it was a real possibility that we could fall behind and not make the deadline.
James Hardie Siding Replacement
Bethel, CT
Not wanting to disappoint our client, our project manager decided that no matter what, we would make it work. We monitored the weather closely. When we knew the skies would be clear, we worked fast. In order to maximize efficiency, we doubled our team size and increased our hours to make up for the lost time.
Armed with the proper equipment, siding materials, and gutters, we were able to get the entire front of the house done in one day. During this project, as with all Gunner projects, we took the utmost care in ensuring that the yard of the homeowner remained free of debris, and everything was hauled away with us.
Now for some technical details about the Bethel home. For the siding replacement, we used James Hardie fiber cement lap in the color Evening Blue. The Evening Blue siding was an excellent choice that really works with any architectural style. It gives a crisp yet classic feel, and overall, it really suited the house. James Hardie fiber cement lap is a well-known and respected brand for siding materials throughout the industry, and we know our client made the right choice for his home. James Hardie fiber cement lap siding is practically indestructible, and James Hardie offers an outstanding warranty, so the investment up front is money well-spent.
In fact, remodeling industry research suggests that having a siding replacement (like the James Hardie fiber cement lap siding in this case) returns more value than any other substantial home exterior project you could do.
The new gutters also helped to give the house a fresh look. Between the James Hardie siding replacement and the gutters, this house will look great, offer easy maintenance, and be protected for years to come.
Even with the weather challenges, we were able to finish everything in essentially two weeks, from the James Hardie siding (taking care with the box windows!) to the gutters. This was one of those projects where the whole team came together, and we couldn’t be prouder. Our client was pleased and relieved to have everything done before his deadline.
James Hardie Siding Replacement
Bethel, CT
As we close out the blog post, I will leave you with a couple of signs that it might be time for a siding replacement or gutter replacement.
Siding
- It’s old. This is a given. Nothing lasts forever, and if you’ve had the same siding for decades, it’s probably time to upgrade. New siding replacement, not siding repair.
- It’s showing signs of wear and tear. If there are obvious issues, your home is probably not as protected as it should be.
- There’s water damage. Water damage needs to be addressed immediately to prevent issues with mold or other interior damage.
- There are critters or insects. Creatures sometimes take up residence on the exterior of homes. This can lead to a multitude of issues. (By the way, James Hardie fiber cement lap siding is essentially insect-proof.)
Gutters
- The gutters are cracked and splitting.
- The gutters are lifting away from the house.
- There is water pooling under the gutters near the foundation.
The things I have listed are just a few of the signs, but if your home is displaying any of these, give us a call about siding replacement or new gutters. We would be more than happy to set up a free siding consultation or siding quote (as well as for gutters) and help you figure out exactly what you need.
James Hardie Siding Replacement
Bethel, CT
And just a friendly reminder concerning maintenance – periodically check on the exterior of your home. You may be able to catch a small problem before it turns into something bigger, protecting not only the exterior of your home but the interior too. Vigilance and maintenance are your friends!
City: Bethel
State: CT
ZIP: 06801
Category: Siding
Materials used (manufacturer): James Hardie
Materials used (type): Fiber Cement Lap
Materials used (color): Evening Blue
Project Cost: $45,000
Time to Complete: Two weeks