Fixing an Early 2000s Siding Installation

They don’t build them like they used to.

Usually, this old saying applies to something that no longer gets built as well as the “good old days”. But when it comes to home construction in Alberta, updates to the building code mean that today’s new homes are built much better than they were 15 to 20 years ago. This project is a perfect example.

Our customers on this project own a home built in the mid-2000s, and asked us to provide a quote on a few items around the exterior of the home, as well as anything else we felt should be updated. We noticed that none of the windows on the home met the current building code for flashing, and given that the existing envelope is vinyl siding over tar paper, we recommended that the moisture detailing be upgraded.

We ended up working on a number of areas on this exterior, but the most visually appealing part of the project was replacing the tired aluminum cladding with new HardieTrim painted Deep Ocean to match the existing soffit and fascia on the home. The original front windows were accented with 2x4 wood wrapped in blue aluminum, which was constantly getting wet: the wood was beginning to rot, and the nails holding it all together where quite rusted. In 5 to 10 more years, these would have been a wet, sagging mess.  

We pulled these down and installed the new HardieTrim with colour matched drip cap flashing that meets today’s building code. Not only do these windows now drain water properly, they look fantastic too!

If you want to read more about how we seal windows when we work on a full exterior renovation, check out this article for the details!