The installation of new windows or siding can quickly revamp your home’s exterior look and feel. Over the years, your siding or windows may have become damaged, faded, or worn. Or, perhaps you’re simply looking for a new and fresh look to enhance your home’s curb appeal. At Evergreen Home Exteriors, our windows & siding installation service in Woodway is amongst the best in Washington State. Our crew works diligently to keep homeowners up-to-date throughout every step of the siding or window installation process.
We use only the best siding materials to prevent moisture and mold build-up. High-quality siding will not only make your home look great, but it will also extend its lifespan. When you choose our professional siding installation service, we start by carefully taking down your existing siding. Then, we thoroughly clean and prep the area for new siding installation. The next step is to create a weather barrier to help prevent excess moisture, known as a hydro gap. Lastly, we carefully place your new siding for a complete job! We always do a final inspection, paying close attention to detail to ensure you’re 100% satisfied with your final siding installation.
We use a proven 10-step process for professional window installation that starts with current measurements of your existing windows. We help you replace your windows professionally each step of the way, from start to finish. Our home window installation experts will leave your home looking new and refreshed with perfectly installed windows. Call us today at (253) 320-5383 to learn more about our professional windows & siding installation service in Woodway. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have or provide you with a free estimate!
Taking on a home improvement project is a major step, and that journey often begins with finding a trusted home improvement contractor. But how can you find a trusted home contractor? Look for guarantees of quality, accountability, and communication like daily project updates and a direct line to your lead installer. We have assembled a guide that will take you step-by-step through the process.
Determine What You Need and Find a Specialist
HomeAdvisor suggests that the national average cost of home renovation falls somewhere between $15,000 and $45,000. That is a lot of money to invest in updating your home, so understanding the areas of your home for remodeling is essential. That may be exteriors like roofing and siding or interiors like kitchens and bathrooms.
Start by determining the scope of your project, then find a specialist who can handle them. The most trusted home improvement contractors will detail their areas of expertise on their website, and often have photos to show examples of their work.
Start Your Search
Begin by determining the qualities that are most important to you in a trusted home contractor before you even start looking. Consider transparency, accountability, or communication, and what those qualities will look like.
Listen to their experiences and recommendations in your search by reading reviews. Family and friends can be good sources, but you should also find and compare their reviews online. Angieslist.com covers well over a million professionals and provides user-written reviews for them. HomeAdvisor.com tracks 116,000 contractors nationally.
At this stage, look for contractors that will provide an onsite consultation with no obligation, as well as a free quote. It’s important that their quote be guaranteed for 30-60 days so that the price doesn’t go up while you make your final decision on the renovation.
Schedule an Onsite Consultation
Your contractor should send a representative to meet you at your home to learn about your goals for the renovation, take measurements, set a plan, and provide a cost quote. You know you’re working with a trusted home improvement contractor when you get this level of commitment from an expert in the renovation. Don’t talk to a salesperson or their sales department, and don’t settle for talking to anyone less than a professional that knows the work your project will take inside and out.
You may need to replace your windows after a break or damage to the frame, but renovating your windows can provide a fresh look to your home and improve insulation to save up to 15% on your energy bill.
So how should you replace home windows? You can do it yourself, but it’s far better to work with a professional home window replacement company. See this guide for preparing for the replacement, finding your new windows, and getting them installed, or work with an expert window contractor like Evergreen Home Exteriors in the Washington State area.
Preparation for the Replacement
There is a lot of preparation involved in replacing windows. Learning more about the windows you have and the new windows you need is the first step in how to replace home windows. That is not all, you also need the right tools, measurements for the windows, and get the windows, a source for the new glass, and the expertise to carefully replace them.
Vinyl windows, standard and inexpensive as they are, may range from $100 to $900 alone. With costs like that per window and factoring in tools, it may be best to work with a home window replacement company.
Remove the Old Window
You have a lot to factor in when it comes to how to replace a home window. That includes the trim and window stops for one. For aesthetic reasons, understanding window trim sizes is significant because it helps your windows appear balanced. On average, most window trim uses about 2 ¼ inches in width. You’ll also need to remove any sashes, pulleys, and weights used on the original windows.
Be sure to keep everything you remove if you need to order different windows in the next step. You shouldn’t throw anything out unless you are sure you’ve replaced the window. Again, a contractor will be uniquely suited to helping here. They may even haul away the old window material.
Adjust your Frame
Once you have your replacement window handy and remove the old windows, the process of fitting the new window into place comes next. That will include shimming the old windows first in a dry fit. A dry fit ensures your windows are the appropriate size. Then you can begin the installation to replace your home windows.
Shims are helpful, small pieces of wood and plastic that allow for incremental adjustments. You can find shims for projects that are as flat as .001 inches. A home window replacement company is sure to have plenty of those to get the right fit.
Installing Your New Window
The installation is far less work when you have planned appropriately. You can save yourself some time and frustration with your best measuring of windows and frames as well as buying the right tools early on – tools such as a proper drill, caulking gun, and oscillating tool and blades.
Like any home improvement task, however, there can be complications. When it comes to replacing a home window, you’ll probably need to make several adjustments as you work. This step is composed of several smaller steps, however. In truth, you may be going back and forth between several steps until you’re truly ready to move on.
The Installation Process
Caulk the sill and then place the window in the opening. Be sure to use a square to ensure your window is oriented correctly. If your shimming isn’t giving your window a snug fit, you may need a larger window.
Use your mounting screws to hold the window in place, but beware of over-tightening them too soon. You’ll still need to make adjustments. Tighten them enough to ensure you won’t have too much space between the window and the frame. Be ready to adjust.
Ensure gaps are closed off between the frame and the header. You need to make sure you have spaced everything correctly using the shims. Now will be the time to trim them flush to the window.
Test the window sash and ensure it operates smoothly. If not, you’ll need to adjust your shims.
You may have to remove the window and repeat steps as needed to ensure a proper fit.
Once you’ve finished the window and ensured it is operating correctly, you’ll need to seal the window into the frame with caulk and then install your trim. Making sure to seal your windows properly is crucial in how to replace a home window. As the U.S. Department of Energy writes, “Heat gain and heat loss through windows are responsible for 25%–30% of residential heating and cooling energy use.”
Bring in Professional Help
As you can see, as relatively straightforward as a home window replacement may seem, it helps to bring in a talented contractor. So many steps in the process require a level of fine-tuning that a contractor with years of experience might best handle. A good contractor, such as Evergreen Home Exteriors & Remodeling, will provide a free estimate for any window replacements.
If you are considering a window replacement and possibly dreading the extra work, contact a home window replacement company like Evergreen Home Exteriors & Remodeling.
Contact us through our website or by phone or text at (253) 313-7943.
As a homeowner in the Pacific Northwest, you can expect your house to take about 7 feet of precipitation every year. That means plenty of rain, but also snow, sleet, and hail. The best shingles for homes in the Pacific Northwest are able to withstand the precipitation and deliver high lifetime value in comparison with their cost.
The three most popular and most effective shingle materials for such a rainy climate are asphalt, metal, and slate. While all three materials can do the job, they all offer different advantages and budget considerations when it comes time to renovate your roof.
Compare the three best shingles for the Pacific Northwest with insights here by Evergreen Home Exteriors.
Asphalt Shingles
Widely available and commonly used, asphalt shingles are some of the most cost-effective and popular roofing options. Asphalt shingles can come in a variety of colors and shapes. For example, standard strip shingles are your most basic asphalt shingle. They tend to look very flat and weigh and cost less among other shingle choices. Dimensional shingles add some character by layering shingles so that the material overlaps, emulating traditional wood shingle styling.
When selecting the best shingles for a home in the Pacific Northwest, asphalt shingles are the budget option, but can still look quite lovely. Considering that 80% of roofing projects in the United States use asphalt shingles, they will almost certainly work for your home.
Metal Shingles
When it comes to durability, metal shingles are top of the line. These shingles can take on two different forms, standing seam and stamped metal. Standing seam roofing uses long slat-like metal strips that lock together, providing a modern and clean look. However, stamped metal shingles provide the durability of metal but with shingles that look like other popular shingle types and shapes, such as asphalt, wood, and slate.
Metal shingles are a good choice, and among the best shingles for the Pacific Northwest. They are growing more common as well. They were initially used chiefly for accents and porches, but are now more commonly used for an entire roof. As a result, metal roofing is a growing percentage of roofing in the United States. Some models predict slate roofing will grow to encompass 4.7% of roofing projects between 2021 and 2026.
Slate Shingles
Slate shingles may be the most visually attractive roofing choice between the three materials and also the oldest. Slate roofing is 100% natural stone and more common to Great Britain than the US. Slate roofing is extremely versatile because of the natural properties of the stone. Slate is easily cleaved because of its sedimentary layers. As a result, installers can shape slate to the precise needs of your roofing project. However, slate shingles are the heaviest of the three materials, and are not suited to all roofs.
Slate is among the best shingles for the Pacific Northwest because slate shingles could last anywhere from 50 to 200 years. So they are an excellent long-term investment.
To speak with an expert about the options for your roofing project, please consider requesting a free estimate from a professional roofing contractor. If you live anywhere in western Washington State or Portland, Oregon, see our service areas at Evergreen Home Exteriors. If we serve your area, call or text (253) 313-7943 to schedule your free estimate.
Home renovations are big projects that take plenty of consideration and planning. Most people don’t think of them as easy. But modern tools and technologies used by some contractors that help make the entire process nearly stress-free.
In addition to the new technologies available, there are steps you can take as a homeowner to help make your home improvement easy here in Washington State.
BuilderTrend
One of the biggest headaches of many home improvement projects is in keeping up with the schedule of work, and what is actually getting done. Working with contractors on small details and having people come in and out of your home can be downright stressful.
BuilderTrend is an online construction management system that allows the homeowner and contractors to connect on all the important details over one shared platform. It was designed to map out project schedules, management concerns, and the daily happenings onsite. As a homeowner, you will never be ‘out of the loop’ again when using BuilderTrend. You can access updated pictures, and see an overview of exactly where the project is on any given day.
You can also reach out to your team at any time, with any questions or concerns. BuilderTrend makes home improvements easy because you can find everything in one place. Even if you’ve been busy with your own life all week, you can easily check the status of progress in a couple of minutes.
One Click Contractor
Another major stressor during home improvement projects is keeping finances and paperwork straight. Knowing where you stand financially during a project and with a contracting company is crucial to continuing work. Stressing about invoices and costs can be overwhelming, to say the least.
That’s where One Click Contractor comes in. It’s an online platform designed to make one of the biggest stressors of home renovation easier, on both the contractors and the homeowners. One Click Contractor was designed to gather all of the important documents into one, easily accessible place. There, you can find digital estimates, invoices, and all other paperwork for easy reference.
Not only is it good to always know what’s going on, being able to pull up important paperwork like this at a moment’s notice is incredibly convenient. If you’re looking to start an easy home improvement project in Washington State, look for contractors who utilize both of these time-saving and convenient websites.
Other Ways To Make Home Renovations Easy
Using BuilderTrend and One Click Contractor can eliminate many of the stressors that come from home improvement projects. However, there are a lot more ways you can make renovations simpler for yourself and your family.
Store Project Materials Offsite
Consider is storing your furniture or valuables offsite. Covering furniture with tarp or plastic can minimize potential damage, but accidents are inevitable. The best way to guarantee that your belongings stay in perfect condition during a renovation is by moving them elsewhere. You should especially consider this if you’re taking on a larger project like a full kitchen remodel. If it’s a smaller project, you could consider moving things to another room or basement during construction time. Having an unobstructed workspace is a clear way to enjoy an easier home improvement experience.
Get Out Of The House
When construction is taking place, your house can look unrecognizably messy. It can stress most people out, so the best solution is often to just leave and let the professionals do their jobs. What looks like a mess to you, is something that contracting teams deal with on a daily basis. Instead of becoming overwhelmed by the sight of it all, getting out of the house will bring you some much-needed peace of mind during a big life change.
Stay Flexible
There are many ways to make home renovations easy, but there are still aspects of it that may overwhelm you. Home improvement projects often involve time-consuming planning and tough decisions, and you may second guess yourself often. The most important thing to do is take deep breaths and plan things out well. Make sure you have solid plans and decisions in place before beginning construction. Start by consulting with an expert contractor in your area.
Of all the many ways to make home improvements easy, the best advice is to stay flexible. No matter how well you plan, unexpected things are bound to happen, and your schedule may not line up as perfectly as you hoped. As long as you trust the contractors and utilize the online platforms they offer, you’ll be a big step closer to having the home of your dreams.
