New exterior finish for a Cape Cod style house

5 months ago

Context: The project is a full remodel including extensive interior alterations and all new exterior finishes. The subject house is in a prime neighborhood of Columbus Ohio, and the price per square foot is among the highest in the city.
Major parts of the subdivision are in the historic district. Though the house is not historic, the historic character and materials are prevalent in the neighborhood. The subject property is a true cape code style house - it has a steep roof with dormer windows, slate roof, and a large central chimney.
Please keep in mind that our intentions are to preserve the character of a cape cod style house, fit in with the neighborhood, and sell the house for a profit (budget is important to us).

Advice needed:

The interior layout would be super practical if we remove the chimney. We will build a new fireplace in the rear but it will not be visible to the front. Given the context, I would have loved to preserve all of the characteristics of a cape cod. However, from an exterior point of view, do you think it has any impact on the property’s value to remove the large central chimney (main characteristic of a cape cod)?
We intend to save money but meet the standard in the neighborhood and create a beautiful high end product. It’s pretty common to see asphalt (premium) shingle and metal roofs in the area. But the house currently has a slate roof that needs to be replaced. Again, given the context, what materials would you use in the replacement of the roof?
Lastly, what suggestions do you have to replace the current siding? Stucco, stone, brick, fiber cement, wood siding are all appropriate for the neighborhood.
We’d love to achieve our goal without using too much stone, brick, or stucco if possible.

Thanks in advance!

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Comments (8)

houssaon
5 months ago
last modified: 5 months ago
Does the slate roof need to be replaced? In my neighborhood, houses built almost a hundred years ago still have their original slate roofs. Of course, they have been replaired over the years.

I would keep the clapboard siding.

Why the low window on the left? It looks odd.

Why don't you add a layout of the current house and what you envision for feedback? I think that would be helpful.
Sigrid
5 months ago
Keep it a Cape with clapboard. Find a roofer who does slate. They are specialists. There are a few in most areas where slate roofs are not uncommon. Repairing a slate roof is probably cheaper than replacing it. If a few slates are chipped, they can be replaced pretty easily. If the nails are all corroded the slates would all have to be taken down and renailed. if they used iron nails and never replaced them, they might be corroded. On the other hand, I know all the nails on my slate roof were replaced 20 - 30 years ago, thanks to my neighbors who told us.
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Hmm... interesting. I have a traditional white cape, too (two dormers, no roof overhang as shown in that photo, and dark grey asphalt shingle roof... black shutters, red front door.) I love my white, and the whole color scheme, but have wondered whether I might change it whenever we re-side. My top two choices for my own house are cedar shakes which will weather to a grey (although they'll weather to more of a black here in central NH than they would if I were right on the coast) or grey clapboard. There is a grey cape in my area which I really like. Having lived in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, I have to say that I prefer very traditional siding colors. White is about the most traditional (with cedar shakes being popular actually ON Cape Cod and the Islands) but grey is a good runner-up. If you're straying from white, I'd go with Grey, white trim (but what color shutters?)
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PRO
HALLETT & Co.
5 months ago
The chimney has no bearing on the curb appeal, it’s a nice 50’s cape not an authentic center hall reproduction. Siding should be lap siding or shingle to stay true to type. No stucco stone etc. Save that for terraces and walkways.
3onthetree
5 months ago
The proportions of roof to wall, the close-to-eave dormers, maybe even that haphazard front window, all remind me of a french farmhouse. I don't want to call it French Country because there are some elements of that which are done in a hodgepodge way in today's interpretation, but it is certainly a very popular and marketable style in premium locations. So stucco and call it what you want.
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Sigrid
5 months ago
I'm not convinced they put slate roofs on 1950 cape cods
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PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
5 months ago
I'd never do stucco or stone on a Cape. Clapboards only. You're limited in colors if the roof stays as is. If it does stay, a warm white would do the trick, with a light sage green or taupe trim for the shutters and doors.
rwiegand
5 months ago
I'd certainly repair or re-nail the slate roof as necessary, hard to imagine the slates are worn out yet. Copper nails should last 100 years, the slates much longer. Wood clapboards or shingles for the siding-- to be authentinc, clapboards on the front and shingles on the sides and back. (used to be that clapboards were more expensive, so only used on the "show" side of the house)
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3onthetree
5 months ago
A lot of people hear the word "Cape" and think strictly Northeast U.S. and define exterior cladding solely based on that. A 1/2 story roof does not singularly make it a Cape. Here you have some existing characteristics, some as I already mentioned, but mostly the massing change with the emphasis on the verticality. All it means is that you have other design options that will not clash with the style that some perceive as rigid.

New exterior finish for a Cape Cod style house

Comments (8)

houssaon

Sigrid

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