Exterior Remodeling in Harvard, MA

Exterior work on Harvard houses: what the job involves

Most houses in Harvard are wood-framed colonials, capes and ranches from the second half of the 20th century, with a few older farmhouses mixed in. Winters bring snow, ice dams and freeze-thaw cycles that punish roofing and siding. Nor’easters drive wind-blown rain against walls and window openings, and the tree cover that gives the town its character also keeps sections of a house shaded and damp for parts of the year.

When we walk a Harvard property, we check the south and west exposures first. Those sides take the most sun and weather, so paint blisters sooner, cedar siding cups and asphalt shingle granules wash into the gutters before the rest of the roof shows wear. We also look at window sills and door thresholds on the windward walls, where rot and air leaks tend to start. We catch the one or two areas that need attention now before they force a bigger job later.

How we plan and run an exterior project in Harvard

A project manager visits your house, measures it and writes a proposal that lists the exact products, colors and scope before any work starts. We handle the building permit with the town of Harvard, so you do not handle the paperwork or the inspection yourself.

• We measure your house at a free visit and discuss the work you want.
• You get a written proposal that names the products, styles and colors.
• We file the permit with the town and schedule the work for the season that suits you.
• Our own crew installs the products, not subcontractors.
• Old material, nails and packaging are hauled off, and the site is tidied every day.
• You walk the finished job with us before we consider it complete.

Choosing siding, roofing, windows and doors for a Harvard home

Harvard’s mix of antique colonials, capes and newer wood-framed houses sits on wooded lots where wind and drifting snow are the real test. Siding needs to resist freeze-thaw cycles without buckling. Roofing has to shed ice without backing up under the shingles. Windows and doors must stay square and operable through wide seasonal swings.

• Siding that stands up to New England winters includes fiber cement, which does not warp when snow banks sit against it, and thick-gauge vinyl with a full insulation backer that quiets wind noise.
• An asphalt shingle roof in Harvard holds up better with a full ice and water barrier along the eaves and in the valleys, not just a strip at the edge, because the tree canopy keeps roof decks cold and slows melt-off.
• For Harvard houses we usually specify replacement windows with low-E glass and argon fill, which matters most in north-facing rooms.
• An entry door on the weather side needs a fiberglass slab with a rot-proof frame and a continuous sill pan flashed to the housewrap, so drifting snow never finds a seam.
• Patio doors that open onto a deck should have a multi-point lock and an integrated sill ramp. A sliding door that freezes in its track is a winter headache you do not want to repeat.

What we have installed on Harvard houses

Recent projects in Harvard include Harvey and Marvin replacement windows and a Therma-Tru entry door. One window order paired a White interior with a Dark Bronze exterior, and another used a Black exterior finish. Both brands offer Energy Star certified units for this climate zone.