Lake Orion, Michigan
Project Overview
The Wood family knew their siding was the last big exterior project left on the house. They had already put work into other parts of the property, including newer gutters, but the original siding from the mid-1990s was showing its age and starting to pull away from the home in several areas.
They came to us looking for a real upgrade, not just a patch job. Their goal was to move to fiber cement siding, improve the overall look of the house, and take care of related issues like fascia, trim, ventilation, and painting while the home was already opened up.
This turned into a full exterior renovation built around James Hardie siding, updated trim details, added soffit ventilation, paint work, and several hidden-condition repairs that only showed themselves once the old siding came off.
Aging original siding pulling away from the house, worn exterior trim and fascia, older venting details, and multiple areas ready for a full siding and exterior refresh.
What We Found
Once the project moved from planning into execution, it became clear this was more than a simple re-side.
A few of the bigger issues included:
- Original siding and trim had reached the end of their life and were no longer holding tight to the home.
- Some fascia and wood areas needed replacement rather than paint-over treatment.
- Ventilation improvements were needed at the soffits.
- Bathroom exhausts were still venting through the walls and needed to be corrected through the roof.
- Rot and sheathing damage were uncovered at the chimney once the siding was removed.
- Several areas around decks, windows, transitions, and lower wall sections needed upgraded flashing and prep to make the new system perform the right way.
This was the kind of project where the finished look matters, but the hidden work behind it matters even more.
Scope of Work (During Renovation)
Old siding removed, walls re-prepped and wrapped, damaged chimney sheathing replaced, flashing and trim details installed, soffit ventilation added, bathroom exhausts rerouted through the roof, and new James Hardie siding installed across the home in phases.
The Wood family’s renovation included a full exterior system upgrade, not just a cosmetic change.
We removed the old vinyl siding and prepared the home for new fiber cement installation. From there, the project included:
- Full installation prep across the home, including reworking walls, trim areas, transitions, and flashing details
- James Hardie HardieWrap and fan-fold insulation installation for a cleaner, more stable wall system
- Installation of James Hardie lap siding in Monterey Taupe
- New Hardie trim details in Arctic White and Monterey Taupe, including corners, transitions, and window surrounds
- Rear overhang and chimney underside updates using matching panel materials
- Porch post wrapping and upgraded trim detailing
- Painting of soffit, fascia, garage door, front porch trim, and front door frame
- Additional fascia replacement where hidden deterioration was found
- Installation of new soffit vents to improve airflow
- Correction of three bathroom fan exhausts so they vented properly through the roof
- Chimney sheathing replacement where rot was uncovered during tear-off
- Addition of a new chimney cap
- Final cleanup, touch-ups, sealing, and downspout reinstallation
One important part of this job was how much careful prep went into areas the homeowner would never really “see” once the project was complete. Deck flashing, apron details, chimney repairs, sealing, ventilation, and wall prep all helped turn this from a nice-looking project into a durable one.
The Result
Completed James Hardie siding and trim installation, updated painted soffit and fascia, finished chimney details and cap, reinstalled downspouts, sealed trim transitions, and a fully refreshed exterior with clean final lines.
By the end of the project, the Wood family had a completely transformed exterior with much stronger performance behind the finish.
The home now has a clean James Hardie siding system with updated trim layout, improved ventilation, corrected bath vent exhausts, refreshed painted surfaces, and repaired structural areas where deterioration had been hiding behind the old siding. The Monterey Taupe and Arctic White combination gave the home a sharp, finished look without feeling overdone.
Just as important, the project addressed the stuff that usually gets ignored on lesser jobs: chimney rot, weak transitions, flashing details, fascia issues, vent routing, and long-term weather protection.
The final result was not just “new siding.” It was a full exterior reset done the right way.
