The Tom Ritz Project
Armadas Exterior evaluated siding damage on Tom Ritz’s 1910 Gladstone home. Another contractor had removed the damaged vinyl siding. They began preparing that section for new siding. Tom grew concerned with the work quality. He decided to stop the project immediately.
What appeared to be a simple siding repair quickly grew in scope. We evaluated the entire exterior together. Tom decided to replace the aging vinyl siding across the whole house. This created one cohesive exterior.
We could not see the hidden complications yet. The exterior of this 116-year-old home held many surprises beneath the old vinyl.
Project Snapshot
Client: Tom Ritz
Location: Gladstone, Oregon
Project Start: February 2026
Original Scope: Siding and gutter replacement on one damaged elevation
Final Scope: Full-house James Hardie siding, exterior substrate preparation, window removal and reintegration, trim and gutter replacement
Home: 1910 residence
Key Challenge:
Multiple generations of siding and exterior materials were concealed beneath the existing vinyl. Once exposed, the uneven surfaces had to be properly prepared and flattened before the new James Hardie siding could be installed.
It Started With Fire Damage Next Door
A fire does not need to start inside your home to cause major exterior damage. A neighboring house caught fire, and intense heat melted the vinyl siding along one side of Tom’s home. Fortunately, the house was saved. However, the heat damage left one full elevation requiring replacement.
Tom’s insurance agreed to cover the fire-damaged siding with new vinyl. Unfortunately, the existing vinyl siding was discontinued, so matching materials could not be found.
The initial plan called for James Hardie siding on the damaged side while leaving old vinyl on the other three sides. Tom hired a contractor to start the work. The crew removed the damaged vinyl and began installing house wrap.
As work progressed, Tom worried about how the weather-resistant barrier was installed. He stopped the work to find a new contractor rather than cover up questionable preparation. That is when he called Armadas Exterior.
We evaluated the home, measured the exterior, and discussed options with Tom. The conversation shifted quickly. We looked at replacing siding across the whole home instead of mixing James Hardie with aging vinyl. Tom decided to move forward with a full-house James Hardie siding replacement.
We removed the remaining vinyl siding. That is when we discovered this 1910 home was hiding more than expected.
What We Found Behind the Vinyl
We removed the remaining vinyl siding and inspected the structure beneath it. The exterior was far more complicated than our original estimate suggested.
From the outside, we felt parts of the wall through the vinyl. We initially believed plywood sheathed most of the home.
Once everything was exposed, we found something very different.
Over the life of this 1910 home, several different exterior materials had been installed beneath the vinyl. Different sections contained T1-11 siding, 3-inch beveled cedar lap siding, cedar plank siding and cedar shake siding.
Each material had its own distinct profile and thickness.
The surface underneath the vinyl was not one consistent plane. Some sections projected farther out than others. This created multiple uneven levels across the house.
This variation presented a major technical problem.
James Hardie lap siding requires a properly prepared, consistent substrate. Installing new siding over these irregular surfaces would transfer those uneven lines directly onto the finished exterior.
Before installing the new siding, we had to fix the hidden structural conditions underneath.
Building a Proper Surface for the New Siding
Discovering the different materials underneath the vinyl changed an important part of the project.
Before installing the new James Hardie siding, we needed to create a flat and consistent surface across the entire home. That meant accounting for the different thicknesses and profiles left behind by decades of previous exterior work.
This wasn’t cosmetic preparation. The quality of a siding installation depends heavily on the surface underneath it. Installing new siding without correcting those irregularities would have compromised the finished appearance and forced us to build over conditions we already knew weren’t right.
Creating that consistent plane required approximately $5,000 in additional materials that could not reasonably have been identified during the original estimate because the conditions were concealed behind the existing vinyl.
Unexpected discoveries like this can be one of the most difficult parts of remodeling an older home.
Tom and his family had already made a significant investment in replacing the siding, so we worked with them to reduce the financial impact wherever we reasonably could while still completing the preparation the new siding required.
Once the exterior had been properly prepared, we finally had what we needed: a sound, consistent surface for the new James Hardie siding.
Integrating the Windows With the New Exterior
Preparing the walls wasn’t the only detail that needed attention before the new siding could be installed.
Several of the home’s windows also needed to be removed so we could properly integrate them with the new exterior system.
Rather than simply trimming the new siding around the existing conditions, we removed the affected windows, corrected the surrounding weather-resistant barrier and properly wrapped the openings before reinstalling the windows.
This gave us an opportunity to address the areas around the openings while they were accessible and ensure the windows, flashing, trim and new siding could work together as part of the same exterior system.
These details are especially important in the Pacific Northwest. A finished siding installation may look great from the street, but long-term performance depends heavily on how water is managed around penetrations such as windows and doors.
Once the windows were properly reintegrated and the exterior preparation was complete, the house was finally ready for its new James Hardie siding.
Giving a 1910 Home a New Exterior
With the preparation complete and the window openings properly integrated, we could finally begin installing the exterior Tom and his family had envisioned.
New pre-primed James Hardie lap siding was installed across the home, replacing the mixture of vinyl and older siding materials that had accumulated over decades.
But Tom didn’t want to erase the character of his 1910 home. He also wanted to be personally involved in creating the finished look.
One of his ideas was a custom sunburst detail in the front gable. Tom wanted to build that feature himself, so our crew intentionally left the area ready for him and supplied the materials he needed to complete the design.
Tom also wanted to paint the house himself.
Rather than requiring the painting and remaining exterior work to follow our schedule, we coordinated the project around his plans. Once the James Hardie installation was complete, our crew stepped away and gave Tom the time he needed to paint the entire exterior.
He chose a blue exterior with terracotta-colored trim and copper-toned accents, creating a finished appearance that reflected his own vision for the home.
Once Tom finished painting, Armadas returned to complete the final portion of our work.
Completing the Project on Tom’s Timeline
Tom had already invested significantly in the project, especially after we discovered the unexpected preparation required beneath the original vinyl siding. Wherever possible, we wanted to give him flexibility to control costs without compromising the work Armadas was responsible for.
Allowing Tom to handle the exterior painting himself was part of that approach.
It also meant coordinating our schedule differently.
The new gutters couldn’t be installed until the siding was complete and Tom had finished painting the house. Instead of rushing the final stages of the project, we paused our work and gave him the time he needed. Once the painting was finished, our crew returned to complete the gutter installation.
The home had received a new roof and solar installation the previous year, and leaving the old, worn gutters alongside the newly transformed exterior wouldn’t have made much sense. We were able to bundle the gutter replacement into the larger siding project at essentially no additional cost to Tom and his family.
For the new gutters, Tom selected a copper-colored finish that complemented the colors he had chosen for the trim and exterior accents.
It wasn’t the fastest way to complete the project, but speed wasn’t the priority.
The goal was to work with Tom’s budget, his timeline and his vision while still delivering an exterior we were comfortable standing behind.
The Finished Transformation
By the time the project was complete, Tom’s home looked dramatically different from the house Armadas had first visited.
What began with fire-damaged vinyl siding on one side had grown into a full-house siding transformation. Beneath the finished exterior was considerably more work than anyone could have anticipated at the beginning.
Multiple generations of old siding had been uncovered. Uneven exterior surfaces had been brought into a consistent plane. Windows had been removed and properly reintegrated with the new weather-resistant barrier. New James Hardie siding had been installed throughout the home.
Then Tom added his part of the transformation.
He completed the custom sunburst detail, painted the home in the colors he had envisioned, and gave us the call when he was ready for Armadas to return and install the new copper-colored gutters.
The result was more than a change in siding.
A unique 1910 home that had accumulated different exterior materials over generations now had one cohesive exterior, while still retaining the character and personal details that mattered to its owner.
In Tom’s Words
★★★★★“Armadas were excellent to work with. They listened to our dreams and concerns. They provided professional workmanship and showed flexibility working with our unique 1910 home. Delivered clear communication and upright business practice throughout the process. We are very happy with our decision to hire Armadas Exterior for our full house siding project.”
— Tom Ritz
Google Review · August 14 2026
Read More Customer Reviews →
An Older Home Required a Flexible Approach
Tom’s project is a good example of why remodeling an older home doesn’t always follow a predictable path.
Some conditions simply cannot be seen until the existing materials come off.
What matters is what happens next.
When we discovered multiple siding systems and uneven surfaces beneath the vinyl, we changed our approach and properly prepared the home before installing the new siding. When Tom wanted to complete portions of the project himself, we coordinated our work around his timeline. And when unexpected preparation added to the project’s cost, we looked for other areas where we could help reduce the financial impact.
The project started because a fire next door damaged one side of Tom’s house.
It finished with a completely transformed exterior that Tom and his family helped make uniquely their own.
Planning a Siding or Exterior Project?
Whether you’re replacing aging siding, dealing with damage, or updating several parts of your home’s exterior, Armadas Exterior can help you understand the existing conditions and determine the right path forward.