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(802) 555-0104
Tamarack RetrofitBurlington, Vermont
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Services

Exterior walls

When the siding is coming off anyway, the wall can become the air barrier the house never had.

A deep retrofit puts a continuous layer on the outside of the old wall: sheathing, a taped air barrier and rigid insulation, then new siding. It is the biggest change in this list. The report says whether your house is the right house for it.

What's included

  • Sheathing repair and a taped air barrier

  • Exterior insulation, sized to the wall

  • Window and door openings flashed into the new layer

  • New siding and trim

  • Roof-edge and foundation transitions

  • A final test

Book a testSee a sample report
A two-story house framed and wrapped in green sheathing on a green field under a cloudy sky

Cost

What changes the price

  • Wall area

    The number of square feet to wrap sets the material and labor.

  • The depth of insulation

    A thicker layer costs more, and the siding trim and window depths change with it.

  • Condition of the walls

    Rotted sheathing or framing is repaired first.

  • Windows

    Moving the windows out into the new layer costs more than leaving them in place.

  • Siding choice

    Clapboard, board and batten and metal differ in cost.

How it goes

This work, in order

  1. 01
    Weeks 1 to 2

    Step 1: The test and the survey

    We test, then open a few spots to see how the wall is built.

  2. 02
    Weeks 3 to 4

    Step 2: The design

    A drawing of the new wall: layers, thicknesses, window depths.

  3. 03
    On site

    Step 3: Strip and wrap

    Siding off, sheathing fixed, air barrier on, a short test to check it.

  4. 04
    On site

    Step 4: Insulate and finish

    Exterior insulation, strapping, windows set, siding and trim.

Not included

What this work leaves out

  • Interior finish work

    If walls are opened inside, that finish is a separate scope.

  • Structural repairs beyond the wall

    A sagging beam or a failed foundation is a different job. We tell you who can do it.

  • Painting a whole house

    Painted siding is priced, and any full repaint is a separate line.

Before the work

Permits and rules

Whether a town asks for a permit to rebuild the walls varies, and Vermont's residential energy rules can apply to major work. We confirm what applies with your town before the estimate is final.

In houses built before 1978, removing old siding and trim can disturb lead paint. We follow EPA's lead paint rule on these jobs. See the certificate and insurance page.

Questions about this work

Is this worth it for my house?

Sometimes. A tight, well-insulated attic and basement come first. We say in the report if the wall work is worth considering.

Will my house look different?

The walls are a few inches thicker. Window and door trims are rebuilt, and we draw them before we start.

Can this be done one side at a time?

Yes. Many owners do the north side first and the rest in later years.

What about the roof edge?

It is part of the plan. The new wall has to meet the attic insulation without a gap.

Ask whether it fits

A test and a short survey will tell you if your house is a candidate.

Book a testCall (802) 555-0104