Recent project · Harford County, MD · Mid-Atlantic Remodeling Co. Exteriors
Roof, siding, trim and gutters
A complete exterior on a two-story colonial in Harford County: architectural shingles, new vinyl siding, soffit, fascia, shutters and seamless gutters, all under one contract and one project coordinator.
Project at a glance
| Location | Harford County, Maryland |
|---|---|
| Scope | Full roof replacement, siding, trim, soffit, fascia, shutters, seamless gutters |
| Roof | Architectural fiberglass shingles, Granite Black, synthetic underlayment, ice-and-water shield |
| Siding | Foam-backed vinyl, insulated trim, new soffit and fascia |
| Gutters | 6-inch seamless aluminum, oversized downspouts |
| Crew time | Nine working days, one crew |
| Warranty | 50-year transferable limited roofing warranty; manufacturer warranty on siding |
Services on this job: Residential roofing · Siding · Gutters · Windows & doors
The situation
The owners of this colonial had lived with the same exterior for almost thirty years. The roof was on its second layer of three-tab shingles and had started losing granules into the gutters every storm. The aluminum siding had chalked to a dull gray-blue, the wood soffit was soft in three places where squirrels had been getting into the attic, and the original 5-inch gutters overflowed at the front corner every time a Harford County thunderstorm came through, washing out the mulch bed and staining the foundation.
They had three separate quotes from three separate companies: a roofer, a siding contractor and a gutter installer. Each one wanted to schedule around the others, nobody wanted to be responsible for the flashing where the roof met the siding, and the total was higher than they expected because every contractor was pricing their own setup, dumpster and cleanup. They called Mid-Atlantic Remodeling Co. for a fourth opinion on the roof and ended up with one contract for the whole house.
What we did
- Free inspection of roof, siding, trim and gutters with photos and a written itemized quote
- Tear-off of two layers of old shingles; decking inspected, three sheets replaced
- Architectural fiberglass shingles in Granite Black with synthetic underlayment and ice-and-water shield at eaves, valleys and around the chimney
- Old aluminum siding and rotted wood soffit removed, sheathing repaired where the squirrels had gotten in
- House wrap, new flashing at every window and door, foam-backed vinyl siding
- New aluminum-wrapped fascia, vented vinyl soffit, insulated trim and corner posts
- 6-inch seamless aluminum gutters formed on site, oversized 3x4 downspouts, extensions away from the foundation
- New shutters in black to match the roof; light fixtures and house numbers reinstalled
- Magnetic nail sweep, dumpster removed, final walkthrough with the owners
How the job went
We sequenced the job the way an exterior should be done: roof first, then siding, then gutters, so nothing new gets damaged by the work that follows it. The roofing crew stripped both layers of old shingles in a day. With the deck exposed, our inspector walked every sheet and found three that had delaminated around the old chimney flashing, which explained the attic stain the owners had assumed was condensation. Those sheets were replaced before anything went back on. Synthetic underlayment covered the whole deck, ice-and-water shield went down at every eave, valley and penetration, and the chimney got new step flashing and a counterflashing cut into the mortar joint rather than the caulk-and-pray approach the previous roofer had used.
With the roof watertight, the siding crew pulled the aluminum and found the soft soffit was worse than it looked from the ground; the squirrels had been in for years. We cut out and replaced the damaged sheathing, closed the entry points, wrapped the house and flashed every opening before the first piece of vinyl went up. The new soffit is vented, which also solved the attic ventilation problem that had been shortening the life of the old roof.
The gutters went on last, formed on site from a single coil so there are no seams to fail, with downspouts sized for a roof this large and extensions that carry the water well past the foundation.
Materials and methods
The roof is an architectural fiberglass shingle rated for 130 mph winds with a Class A fire rating, installed on synthetic underlayment rather than felt. Synthetic underlayment does not wrinkle when it gets wet during installation, which keeps the shingles lying flat, and it stays stable on the deck for decades. Ice-and-water shield is a self-adhering membrane that seals around every nail; Maryland winters do produce ice dams, and this is the layer that keeps meltwater from backing up under the shingles at the eaves.
The siding is a premium vinyl with a foam backer. The foam does two things: it keeps the panels dead straight so the wall does not show waves on a hot afternoon, and it adds a measurable amount of insulation to a 1990s wall that did not have much. The trim is insulated as well, and the soffit is vented vinyl that will never need paint. Fascia boards were wrapped in color-matched aluminum.
The gutters are 6-inch seamless aluminum in .032 gauge, hung on hidden hangers every 24 inches with a consistent pitch to the downspouts. We used 3×4 downspouts instead of the standard 2×3 because they move nearly twice the water and do not clog with the oak leaves this street drops every fall.
Why it matters for Harford County homeowners
Harford County homes take a specific kind of weather beating. Summer thunderstorms come up the Chesapeake with straight-line winds that lift three-tab shingles, winters swing between freeze and thaw a dozen times, and the humidity in between feeds moss and algae on north-facing slopes. A roof installed with the right underlayment, proper ventilation and wind-rated shingles handles all of it; one installed over a second layer with no ice shield does not, which is why so many Bel Air, Forest Hill and Fallston roofs fail in year eighteen instead of year thirty.
Siding matters here for the same reasons. Vinyl that is not foam-backed and properly flashed lets wind-driven rain behind the panels, and in a county with this much tree cover, soffit that is not sealed is an open invitation to squirrels and raccoons. Doing the whole exterior at once lets one crew flash every transition properly and leaves no gaps between trades for water to find.
Cost, insurance and what the owners paid
A full exterior like this one is a significant investment, and the owners were right to get multiple quotes. What surprised them was that one contractor doing everything came in below the sum of three separate contractors, because there was one dumpster, one setup, one project coordinator and no overlap in labor. Every line of the quote was itemized so they could see exactly what the roof, the siding and the gutters each cost, and what they would save by doing them together.
None of this work was storm related, so it was not an insurance claim. If it had been, our process is the same one we use on every claim: inspect, document, meet the adjuster, bill the carrier, and the homeowner pays the deductible. Financing was available and the owners used it for part of the siding.
What to expect if you hire us for a job like this
Every exterior job at Mid-Atlantic Remodeling Co. starts with a free inspection and samples brought to the house, because siding, trim and shutter colors have to be chosen next to your roof and in your light. The quote is itemized by trade so you can see what the siding, trim, soffit, gutters or windows each cost and what doing them together saves. We sequence the work the right way, roof before siding before gutters, so nothing new is damaged by the work that follows. Our own crews do the installation; the sheathing is inspected and repaired, the house is wrapped and every opening flashed before a single panel goes up. Fixtures go back on mounting blocks, the yard is swept, and we walk the house with you at the end. Storm-damaged siding, gutters or windows go through the same insurance process as a roof: inspect, document, meet the adjuster, bill the carrier.
Questions about this kind of project
How long does a full exterior take?
This house took nine working days: two for the roof, five for siding and trim, one for gutters and one for punch list and cleanup. A smaller home with vinyl siding only can be done in four or five.
Why do the roof first?
Because the siding and gutters tuck under the roof edge and the new drip edge and flashing have to be in place before the trim goes on. Doing it the other way around means cutting into new siding to fix the roof.
Can I pick a different siding color than the roof?
Yes. We bring samples to the house so you can see the shingle, siding, trim and shutter colors together in your own light. Granite Black shingles with a light gray or white siding and black shutters is the most popular combination in Harford County right now.
Is the 50-year warranty transferable if we sell?
Yes. Our limited roofing warranty transfers to the next owner with no fee and no re-inspection, which is a selling point most manufacturer warranties do not offer.
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From Baltimore and Harford County to the Eastern Shore and Western Maryland, our crews work across Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Somerset, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico and Worcester counties. Based at 1012 Saddle View Way, Forest Hill, MD 21050.
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Tell us about the job and someone from Mid-Atlantic Remodeling will call you within one business day. Storm or water emergency? Call (410) 780-9100 now; we answer 24/7.