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Any guesses at the cost of siding this old house??

15 years ago

Here is our 1870's house near Albany, NY. We are in the process of getting three estimates for siding--both an estimate for vinyl and for Hardie-board (or a similar product...maybe CertainTeed). It's about 3100 sf. on the main two levels. Pretty tall since the ceilings are high inside.

Anyone want to take a stab at how much it would be? Here's what we're trying to reproduce and what we're getting estimates on (so staying as close to the original wood as possible--same scallops, shutters on all the windows, trim, etc.):

Here it is now with 1950's aluminum siding w/original wood underneath:

I am getting the feeling that it's going to be major sticker shock! I'd love to hear what you guys think!!

Sarah

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Comments (3)

sierraeast
15 years ago
Guess? about 30k. Best to get real world estimates from reputable outfits in your area. Get someone that has a crew that has a passion to work on a project like this to reproduce back to original. It's an awesome house, you dont want to go cheap and hire hacks that are going to butcher it up. You get what you pay for!
User
15 years ago
The look of the original can be done with Hardie products---however, the labor cost will probably be higher, due to the increased difficulty of cutting/shaping the Hardie products.

However, the longevity of the Hardie products will be much greater(when painted and cared for properly, just as wood would need) than a comparable wood product.

That information should be considered when comparing whatever bids you get.
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Not formal dining room furniture there wasn't where buffets and sideboards were concerned, or it wasn't at all typical of that era. You might find a smaller 'server' buffet but this one seems to be deeper than most I've seen listings for. That's why I'm interested in dimension. You might find daintiness in odd pieces, washstands, commodes and there I agree. That's one reason I asked what it looked like inside the doors. Yes, I'm quite aware old finishes can darken with age, and I'm not arguing that this piece hasn't been refinished. It likely has. Yes again, inside chests and drawers the wood does not darken like it does on the backs because it isn't subject to dust and pollutants so common in the days of manufactured house gas, coal and wood burning furnaces and fireplaces. I have yet to see a very light back to any piece of old furniture and I have seen plenty. They get cruddy even in the most elegant homes. This is a nice little piece but it's no Limbert or Roycroft. The inexpensive metal details sort of suggest it's more common. It's little more than stamped tin. I'd also be curious to know if a caster was ever mounted under the legs. If there wasn't, I'd suspect it was made when they started to be phased out in furniture. That being said, it's a most pleasant piece and I certainly wouldn't mind having it sitting in my house.
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Get more estimates from local contractors. And interview your potential contractors carefully. Then choose the one who has ticked all your boxes and who has a good rating with the local BBB. Any ballpark you get here will be by guess and by golly.
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sombreuil_mongrel
15 years ago
Just from the visible sides, there are 20 pairs of shutters to replace, at $225/pr.
With all of the windows, there is a lot less sq ft of actual siding, but there is all the more labor for working around all the openings. There is also a correspondingly large amount of trim.
What you don't know (until you peel off the alum.) is how much of the original trim is extant and restorable.
If it is to be stripped down to the sheathing and completely re-sided/trimmed, that would need more specifics. Like, is the trim 1" or 1 1/4" And how wide, detailed, molded, etc. Would you want poplar, cedar, redwood? No-one can give an estimate for a job like that sight-unseen.
But, that said, there is probably a great deal of good but nail-riddled material underneath. It takes a leap of faith, and a strong commitment to restoration to plunge ahead in a case like yours.
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