The Curtis McDonald Project
What began as an estimate to replace the gutters on this Ridgefield home quickly grew into one of the most comprehensive exterior projects Armadas had taken on at the time.
After learning that Armadas also provides roof replacement in Ridgefield and throughout Southwest Washington, Curtis asked us to include the roof as well.
As the roofing and gutter work progressed, Curtis began talking with us about another major part of the home: the siding.
By the time the project was complete, Armadas had replaced virtually the entire exterior. The work included the roof, gutters and siding, followed by a complete exterior paint job.
Along the way, opening the siding revealed significant concealed deterioration around a chimney chase. We rebuilt the damaged area before completing the new exterior.
Project Snapshot
Client: Curtis McDonald
Location: Ridgefield, Washington
Project Timeline: May–June 2022
Original Scope: Fascia-profile gutter replacement with 6K profile
Final Scope: Roof replacement, gutters, James Hardie siding and exterior painting
Siding: James Hardie, 7-inch reveal, pre-primed
Additional Work: Reconstruction of deteriorated chimney-chase framing and fabrication of a custom chimney cap
Property Setting: Five-acre property with vineyard and Mount St. Helens views
It Started With Gutters
When Curtis first contacted Armadas Exterior in May 2022, he was looking for an estimate to replace the existing fascia-profile gutters on his Ridgefield home.
During our conversation, the condition of the roof came up. Curtis hadn’t realized that Armadas could handle the roofing as well as the gutters—or that our work extended beyond those individual services to larger exterior remodeling projects.
That changed the conversation.
Instead of coordinating separate contractors for the roof and gutter systems, Curtis asked Armadas to provide an estimate for both.
We did, he approved the work, and the project moved forward.
But that still wasn’t where the project ended.
From Gutters to a Complete Exterior
As the roofing and gutter work progressed, Curtis began talking with us about another major part of the home: the siding.
By that point, he had already trusted Armadas with two of the home’s primary exterior systems. He had also been able to see our crews and our work firsthand.
He asked us to prepare another estimate, this time to replace the siding.
Curtis approved that proposal as well.
We installed pre-primed James Hardie siding with a 7-inch reveal. Once the siding was complete, we followed it with a full exterior paint job to bring the different components of the renovation together.
In a matter of weeks, a gutter estimate had become a coordinated exterior renovation. The project now included the roof, gutters, siding and exterior paint.
For Curtis, that meant one company was responsible for bringing the major pieces of his exterior together.
Field Note
“When several exterior systems are being replaced at the same time, coordination matters.”
A roof, siding and gutters aren’t independent pieces of a house. They intersect with one another, and the details where those systems meet are often where water-management problems develop.
Having one team responsible for the larger exterior gave us the ability to think about those transitions as part of one project rather than a collection of unrelated jobs.
— Lloyd Anderson, Founder, Armadas Exterior
What We Found Behind the Siding
As we began removing the existing siding, we uncovered significant rot around the home’s large chimney chase.
The damage wasn’t the result of a single failed component. Several exterior details had been directing water toward the same vulnerable area for years.
The roughly six-foot-wide chimney chase intersected a large section of the roof. However, there was no cricket behind it to properly divert water around the structure.
Instead, rainwater flowing down the roof was forced around the sides of the chase.
The existing gutter installation created another problem. The gutters appeared to have been installed before the siding and terminated too tightly against the chimney chase.
There was also no properly integrated kickout flashing to direct water away from the wall and into the gutter. This allowed runoff to travel behind the exterior materials and into the chimney-chase assembly.
Over time, repeated moisture exposure caused extensive deterioration behind the siding.
By the time we discovered the damage, installing new siding over the area was no longer an option.
Correcting the Problem, Not Just Covering It
Because Armadas was already replacing the roofing, siding and gutters, we could address each point where water had been entering the assembly.
During the roof replacement, we constructed a cricket behind the chimney chase. The cricket redirects runoff around the structure and toward the drainage system instead of allowing water to collect behind the chase.
Our crew opened the damaged portions of the chimney chase and removed the deteriorated materials. We then rebuilt the affected structure before installing the new exterior.
We also corrected the roof-to-wall and gutter transitions. These changes direct water away from the siding and into the gutter system instead of allowing it to travel behind the exterior materials.
Only after repairing the underlying damage and correcting the water-management problems did we continue with the new siding.
To finish the rebuilt chase, Lloyd fabricated a custom metal chimney cap for the completed structure. He bent and formed the metal in the field to fit the dimensions of the rebuilt chase.
Most of this work would eventually disappear behind roofing, siding and finished metal.
That’s exactly the point.
The parts of an exterior that homeowners may never see again often determine how well the finished system performs for years to come.
Bringing the Entire Exterior Together
Once we repaired the hidden damage around the chimney chase, we could continue with the transformation Curtis had originally asked us to complete.
We replaced the existing siding with pre-primed James Hardie siding installed with a 7-inch reveal.
The new roof and gutter replacement were already part of the project. That allowed our team to coordinate the different exterior systems rather than treating each one as a separate job.
After completing the siding installation, we followed with a full exterior paint job. This brought the new materials and architectural details together.
By the middle of June, the project had grown far beyond the gutter estimate Curtis requested in early May. Armadas had replaced the roof, gutters and siding, completed the exterior paint, and reconstructed the damaged chimney chase.
The scope had changed dramatically in a matter of weeks. But the advantage for Curtis remained simple: one company was responsible for bringing the major exterior systems together.
A Project Built on Growing Trust
Curtis didn’t hire Armadas to remodel the exterior of his home.
He hired us to replace his gutters.
The roof came next. Then the siding. Then the paint.
Each new phase was a decision Curtis made after getting to know our company and seeing our work on his property.
When an unexpected problem appeared behind the siding, the scope expanded again. We couldn’t responsibly install a new exterior over extensive hidden deterioration.
In roughly six weeks, a gutter estimate became one of the most comprehensive exterior transformations Armadas had completed at the time.
For us, that’s what makes this project memorable.
The finished home is beautiful. But the greater compliment was the amount of trust Curtis placed in our team as the project continued to grow.
In Curtis’s Words
★★★★★“We recently used Armadas for a full exterior overhaul- new roof, siding, paint and gutters. From our very first meeting they were a pleasure to work with. The work crews were friendly and professional. The owner and foremen Were extremely responsive and detail oriented. Our house looks fantastic!”
— Curtis McDonald
Google Review · September 2022
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Planning an Exterior Project?
Armadas Exterior helps homeowners coordinate multiple exterior systems as part of one project. We understand how roofing, siding, flashing and water management need to work together to protect the home.
If you’re considering an exterior project in Ridgefield or elsewhere in Southwest Washington, we’d be happy to take a look at your property. We can discuss what you’re trying to accomplish and help determine the right approach.