Location
Massachusetts · MetroWest
Scope
Full exterior siding replacement
Material
Charcoal shake siding · white trim
The Problem
A Victorian-era home in Massachusetts had developed extensive rot beneath aging clapboard siding. Years of New England freeze-thaw cycles had loosened nails, cracked siding boards, and let moisture penetrate the wall sheathing. The homeowner had received three bids from other contractors — all with vague scopes and no permit pull-through.
The Approach
Alfa Construction pulled the local Massachusetts building permit, scaffolded the entire exterior, and stripped the original siding in one day. Sheathing was inspected board-by-board — approximately 18% required replacement. New DuPont Tyvek HouseWrap was applied as the weather-resistant barrier with Z-flashing at every penetration. Charcoal cedar shake siding (Class A fire rated) was hand-installed on properly fastened furring strips.
The Result
The transformation is documented in the before/after slider on this page. The final invoice came in at the original quoted price — every line item (permits, disposal, sheathing repair, wrap, flashing, siding, trim, paint, cleanup) listed before work began, no change orders. The home now carries Alfa's standard 1-year workmanship warranty alongside the 30-year manufacturer warranty on the shake siding.
Why This Matters For Massachusetts Homeowners
Roughly 3 out of 4 Massachusetts homes built before 1990 show some level of sheathing rot when older siding is stripped. A bid that doesn't price sheathing repair, permits, or proper ENERGY STAR-grade flashing is a bid that's going to invoice those items later as "change orders." Alfa Construction's Massachusetts HIC license ##192348 requires every line item to be itemized before work begins — and we audit our bids accordingly.
