The Problem. Cleo and Bill were having the exterior of their Oconomowoc home painted when the painter brought to their attention damaged wood spots near the chimney. A repair was needed to continue painting the exterior; the painter removed the damaged boards only to find the wood behind the siding was noticeably waterlogged and rotting in an area far larger than he was comfortable repairing. They needed a contractor.

Due to the expeditious nature of this issue, the couple were concerned they would become victims of price gouging from contractors. Unsurprisingly, their search turned into a series of high-pressure sales meetings from multiple contractors who each wanted to replace all of the siding on that side of the home. Having heard the same sales pitch repeatedly, none of the contractors took the time to thoroughly walk through what exactly was happening, why, and how to fix it. Ultimately, Cleo and Bill didn’t feel like their best interest was the goal of the contractors.

The Solution. Enter Guardian Exteriors! Cleo and Bill explained, “right from the very start, the experience with Guardian was completely different than anyone else we had met with” and that the “representative from Guardian was 100% focused on our wants and needs.” This was vital for them to select a contractor.

After performing a thorough inspection of the chimney, roof, and siding, the experts from Guardian honed in on what exactly was the issue and walked through what was needed to fix it. To Cleo and Bill’s relief, that did NOT include replacing the siding on that entire side of the house. Happy with their interactions, they entrusted Guardian with their home’s needs.

Due to pandemic-related material shortages, the availability for some materials was delayed, but Guardian’s installer visited to fix the leak to prevent additional water damage, for which Cleo and Bill were grateful.

Challenges arose as the project moved forward. After opening up the siding, they found the rot and water damage to be much worse than they had expected and a nest of chipmunks were living in the wall. With additional damage being uncovered, Cleo and Bill had more on their plate to handle. Guardian provided options for them to best fit their financial needs while still fixing the leak and damage.

Guardian replaced the chimney chase siding with new LP composite siding, along with two walls that tied into the chimney. While doing so, additional substrate and structural rot was addressed, and the chimney cap and flashing were replaced to eliminate the source of the leak and rot.

The Result. Cleo and Bill explained that they are 100% sure all of their problems have been completely resolved due to Guardian’s work, and they will never have to worry about it again. A huge relief!

In the end, the couple expressed how much they appreciated the communication and customer service Guardian provided. Because of their trust and confidence in Guardian’s workmanship, they have already signed up for a second project and hope for a third later in the year.