How to Work With Exterior Siding Below Grade?

5 years ago

We want to have the 45 year old aluminum siding replaced. Pretty much update the entire exterior.

I and one contractor believe that the foundation was back filled after the siding was installed. The finished lower level is a walk out with sliding doors at the lowest point of the grading. We moved the dirt away 4" and the siding continues.

My concern is that the old siding protects the foundation from water penetration and we don't want to find out the hard way, after the work is done. His proposal is to remove the old aluminum siding to a point, overlap what's below with coil stock then add vinyl siding from that point up.

Is anyone familiar with what I described, and with how to proceed?

Featured Answer

PRO

Charles Ross Homes

5 years ago

To lend a positive note, I think Mark Bischak would say the home blends seamlessly with the site.

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Comments (12)

res2architect
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Burried siding = termite highway.
tdemonti thanked res2architect
tdemonti
Original Author
5 years ago
@res2architect why do you say that?
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PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Chances are high that you may have mold, rot and termites and/or carpenter ants in the below grade wall areas.

Whomever built the house as you described and backfilled against the siding should have known better. I suggest you inspect and remove some of the interior wall finish materials where they are below exterior grade and check the condition of your existing construction.

As said above, there should be no exterior siding below grade. Anywhere.

Good luck!
tdemonti thanked Virgil Carter Fine Art
res2architect
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago

This mud tunnel is how termites travel from the ground to the framing of a house.

Hopefully you won't see them when you remove the siding from the foundation which should happen ASAP.

I'm assuming the worst since I don't know if you are in a termite area.
tdemonti thanked res2architect
User
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
All of that comes off and then gets dug out. This is a far bigger job than you think it is. That should have been a huge call out in the initial purchase home inspection, with a large escrow to address it. Large escrow.
tdemonti thanked User
tdemonti
Original Author
5 years ago
I have little faith in home inspections. But, we did when tge house was purchased 7+ years ago, and a termite inspection 2 or 3 years later. Nada. I check the partial crawl space frequently for mold. Never saw termites. Nada.

One siding contractor is coming back today. Thank you all.
millworkman
5 years ago
Plywood sheathing is behind the siding. Vinyl siding is not waterproof. You will wick water up the sheathing and have rot. Maybe no termites but rot is unavoidable with wood below grade.................................
Seabornman
5 years ago
A lot of assuming here. Remove the siding and see. There could be foundation wall and furring underneath the siding.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
5 years ago
"His proposal is to remove the old aluminum siding to a point, overlap what's below with coil stock then add vinyl siding from that point up."

Physics thinks this is a particularly bad idea.
res2architect
5 years ago
No one can help you until you tear the buried siding off of the house.