:

By Mike Plummer

Many contributing factors lead to carpentry repairs during an exterior project in Zionsville Indiana. Typically factors such as weathering, constant exposure to moisture, and age contribute to the degradation of wood leading to either dry or wet rot. 

The painter down the street may be fine with painting over bad wood; however, Heritage says that paint is only as good as the surface it’s painted on! So what is the process when it comes to carpentry repairs for my exterior project?

The Initial Walkthrough: The first step of the process is identifying any problem areas that may require exterior carpentry repairs. As a Project Consultant, I will walk the property with the homeowner to address any concerns and identify any additional problem areas that the homeowner may not have noticed. Critical indicators of rotten wood include visible degradation of the wood and soft spots that give with a simple push of the finger. This initial walkthrough will provide direction for the number of exterior carpentry repairs required; however, it is not until the next step, Preparing the Exterior Surfaces, that will further confirm the amount of work needed.

Preparing the Exterior Surfaces: Before we paint any exterior surfaces, Heritage will prepare the exterior surfaces through a combination of power washing, sanding, and scraping. Not only does this ensure that the paint will properly adhere, but it will also uncover any rotten wood that may be hiding beneath the surface. Once our crew identifies the full scope of the required repairs, the next step is to communicate the problem & solution to the homeowner.

Let’s Talk About It: So we know the extent of the damage, now it’s time to determine the estimated cost of materials, required time to deconstruct, gather new materials, and install. Once these factors are determined, a Project Manager will walk the property with the homeowner and communicate the full scope of the project. We charge the cost of materials plus a per-hour charge for each carpenter working on the exterior carpentry repairs. Usually, this is one to two people but can be more for larger repair projects.  Once the homeowner is fully aware of the necessary work and approves the repairs, it is time to jump into action.

Tear It Down: Now it’s time to start the exterior carpentry repairs. This step of this process involves the removal or demolition of the previously damaged wood. Typically, this is a straightforward process; however, additional obstacles can add extra time to this portion of the process. Examples of potential obstacles include removing parts of the exterior, such as soffits and fascia, to remove siding or trim. Additionally, we avoid performing partial repairs on wood, which is deemed anything under 4ft. If the rotten wood is less than 4ft of the entire board, we will often replace the whole board. 

To The Lumberyard: An often overlooked part of the process is the trip to the lumberyard. The time it takes the carpenter to acquire the new carpentry materials needed for the repair is also added to the cost. Depending on the location of the job and the total amount of repairs required, one can typically add 2-4 hours of labor hours to their project. Once the replacement lumber has is delivered to the job site, it’s now time to install and complete the carpentry repairs.

Good News: The last part of the process is to ensure the proper installation of new carpentry. Our objective during this step is to make the new repair blend naturally with the existing framework. Once this process has is complete, Heritage Custom Painting will prime and paint – Good as new!

To learn more about us, check out the six C’s of Heritage Custom Painting.