Modern Home Future Proofing

In the past, tar paper, lumber that was not pressure treated, asbestos, lead, and other hazardous and outdated materials were used in the home construction industries. Thankfully these relics of the past are no longer permitted to be used.

Today’s homes are much more energy-efficient and built to last. The wood framing is often replaced with galvanized steel to avoid dry rot and water damage. The sealers and paints are long-lasting, nonvolatile, and eco-safe. In place of tar paper building envelopes, they are now right out of the space age and designed to wick away moisture and resist the wind from pushing moisture into your home. Roof shingles are made of more durable materials and last much longer. We use GAF roofing where possible as it has the longest lasting reputation and warranty to back it. Windows and doors are much more durable and have superior fitment to prevent leaks when properly installed. They are also longer-lasting and much more energy efficient. James Hardie boards are actually a fiber cement and not made of wood at all. They come in various styles and shapes, and some only need washed once a year and may not need paint for many years.

These are just a few of the building updates. The technology has changed, and so has the zoning and coding for how homes are built, not just with their built-in. Oregon’s updated building codes may require the use of specific types of building materials and techniques depending on the type of project and where the home or building is located. For many years urban sprawl and its impact on plants and animals have been mitigated around Portland through natural areas, which are set aside undeveloped for the native plants and animals that called that area of Earth home first. This practice, along with improvements to techniques for building written right into the code, has all helped in combination to make homes last longer, make use of more eco safe materials and practices.

That’s where we come in. At SFW Construction, our crew’s background for general contractor work is carpentry. This means we know wood and how to build them the home from the inside out. This background gives us an edge when it comes to troubleshooting, inspecting, and finding the cause of your home’s leak and a wet spot. When it comes to a scientific approach to re-mediating Dry Rot, our area of time tested and proven expertise.

If like most of us in the Pacific Northwest, love your old wood-framed and wood sided home and want to preserve and protect it, you have come to the right place! Our teams of carpenters go through intensive training for all phases of construction to ensure that we can quickly and effectively cut into a home’s exterior siding, whether it be cedar, vinyl, or aluminum (yuck- definitely not modern), and repair and or replace the water damaged wood underneath.

Sounds scary like surgery, but the fact is when the job is done, you won’t even know we were there, except when your neighbors ask you, who did your hire to fix your busted siding?

These are general guidelines to follow to help protect you the consumer from picking the wrong contractor who does not know the intricacies of finding and correcting water damage.

How is their communication? Do they pick up the phone or respond to their emails in a timely manner? If the communication quality is poor that might be a hint that the work will follow suit.

Do they have a team of project managers that can work in unison while many jobs in multiple locations?

Do they have satellite offices with equipment ready to deploy across the state or multiple states? Don’t get suckered into a quote only to be slapped with the fine print later that your were paying excessive fees for Joe handyman to drive to your location!