Dan Coalt is passionate about doing his homework before sitting down with leads interested in home exterior repair and remodeling. So, it’s only natural this salesman and project manager for Lance Roofing and Siding hit it off with homeowners who’d already spent two years researching siding materials online and interviewing countless contractors.
The homeowners had moved into a modified ranch-style house with an aging, rotting cedar exterior in a community near Dayton, Ohio. At closing, the couple had wisely negotiated an allowance to improve the exterior. Their home featured cedar siding installed in a unique chevron design, with the boards meeting at a 45-degree angle. Contractors were sought for advice: Repair the badly worn cedar boards and keep the chevron pattern or replace all cedar boards with a low-maintenance siding material without devaluing the property. None of the contractors came fully prepared with credible options for the detail-oriented homeowners.
Before: Ultimately, the homeowners decided that replacing the worn cedar with new cedar siding was inviting more of the same trouble and expenses down the road.
Then, along came Dan Coalt. Rather than rush through a sales pitch, Coalt walked them through every siding material option, covering different scenarios based on years of planned occupancy. Once the couple committed to stay long-term, he made it clear that James Hardie® fiber cement siding would provide the best return on investment over time.
Coalt explained how James Hardie siding gives homes the attractive look of Grade A cedar without the constant maintenance of cedar, which in Coalt’s words, “goes downhill fast in this climate. By the time the cedar needs repainting, the cost differential should be negated.” The couple was sold when Coalt shared artistic renderings of their home with HardiePlank® lap siding in a variety of color combinations. Previewing their home with its new horizontal definition helped the owners overcome the mental barrier of losing the chevron design that made the home so distinctive.
As the project manager, Coalt brought the artistic vision to life using 7.25-inch wide wood grain lap siding, complemented by wood grain HardieTrim® boards. The fiber cement products were enhanced with ColorPlus® Technology, a factory-applied finish that is baked onto the board for years of exceptional color performance. “The couple decided they would live in the home for many years,” noted Coalt, “and chose the Evening Blue siding with Arctic White trim because they liked that combination, instead of going with more neutral colors for resale.” The ColorPlus Technology siding was easily installed in the winter when the cold or damp would have delayed painting.
This area of Ohio features thousands of cedar homes and over the past decade many owners have switched to James Hardie siding. “I always try to sell the James Hardie siding with ColorPlus Technology and the James Hardie trim package,” said Coalt, “because the homeowners like the look and the peace of mind that comes with getting a virtually maintenance free exterior.”
The modified ranch owners couldn’t be happier with their home’s fresh, new look. They’ve fallen in love with the lap siding so quickly, they wonder what took them so long to kiss the chevron stripes goodbye.
Project Manager: Dan Coalt
Firm: Lance Roofing and Siding
For more information about the James Hardie, visit www.JamesHardie.com.
The new homeowners struggled between sticking with the high-maintenance cedar siding or going for a more durable siding material that wouldn’t lower the resale value.