Siding in Big Falls, Leander, TX

Why did this Big Falls home need new siding?

The old cladding had reached the end of its life. Central Texas is hard on exterior wood, and this home showed the wear you'd expect after years of 100-degree summers and spring hail.

• Two full layers of old siding had to come off
• The double-layer tear off added weight and disposal work up front
• Stone areas needed mortar repair before finish work

What did the crew find during tear off?

Peeling back two layers told the real story of this house. The double-layer tear off is common on 2000s-era Leander homes where someone added a second skin instead of fixing the first. That trapped moisture and hid soft spots underneath. We hauled off both layers, checked the sheathing, and repaired failing stone mortar before a single new board went up. A homeowner who skips that step just seals the problem inside the wall, where limestone-soil movement and summer heat make it worse fast.

What materials did we use, and why?

We chose James Hardie HardiePlank Select Cedar Mill at 8.25 inches wide. Fiber cement is the right call here because it won't rot, warp, or feed the pests that chew through wood siding.

• HardiePlank Select Cedar Mill gives a natural wood-grain look without wood's weakness
• Primed boards took exterior paint cleanly
• Sherwin Williams Super Paint sealed siding, fascia, and soffit up to 24 inches
• Two shutters and the doors were painted to match

Fiber cement also shrugs off hail far better than vinyl or older wood. That matters in a region where one spring storm can dent an entire elevation.

How did the window replacement go?

We replaced only a selection of this home's windows, not all of them. The NT Window units were ordered on September 25 and arrived October 20. Installation ran over several days once the units were on site.

• One opening measured over 120 united inches and needed an oversized window
• Old windows were removed and hauled off before the new ones went in
• The garage door jamb was wrapped, including a split double done as two singles
• Siding work started shortly after the windows were set

Newer, tighter windows help block the summer heat gain that drives up cooling bills in Leander. They also seal out the cedar pollen that coats everything each winter.

What else did we handle on this job?

This was a full exterior package, not just walls and glass. The team also refreshed the patio cover and swapped a door.

• Removed and disposed of the existing patio cover, then replaced its roof
• Installed a standard 32" x 80" right-hand entry door with a blind
• Wrapped the garage door jamb for a clean, sealed finish
• Ran two rounds of yard clean and punch-out to close every open item

What were the results?

The home went from tired and weathered to a sealed, durable exterior built for Central Texas. Fiber cement walls, fresh paint, a new door, and upgraded windows all work together.

• A cohesive painted finish across siding, trim, shutters, and doors
• Better heat control from the new window units
• A patio cover with a fresh roof instead of a failing one