New white cedar shingle siding on the gable end of a Coast Carpentry remodel in Hyannis
Siding contractor on Cape Cod

Siding Installed for Salt Air and Nor'easters

White cedar shingles, fiber cement and vinyl, installed by Osterville carpenters who repair the rot behind the old siding instead of covering it up.

MA licensed & fully insured20+ years on the Cape1,000+ projects completedOwn crews, based in OstervilleAll 15 Cape Cod towns
The short answer

Who installs siding on Cape Cod?

Coast Carpentry Home Group is a Cape Cod siding contractor based at 14 Parker Rd in Osterville. We replace and repair siding on homes in all fifteen Barnstable County towns: white cedar shingles, fiber cement, vinyl and the trim, flashing and house wrap that go under them. Our own crews do the installation, we repair sheathing and framing rot as we find it, and we handle the Old King's Highway review on Route 6A homes.

What we install

Three materials, one standard for the work underneath.

The siding you see is the last layer. The flashing, wrap and rot repair under it decide whether the job lasts.

White cedar shingle siding

The Cape's native cladding. We install the grade that lays flat, nail it with stainless fasteners, and flash every corner and window so it weathers to silver evenly instead of streaking.

Fiber cement siding

Holds paint, shrugs off salt and woodpeckers, and takes a nor'easter without lifting. A good fit for exposed south and west elevations and for owners who do not want to re-stain.

Vinyl siding

Modern vinyl with proper locking and expansion gaps is a sound low-maintenance choice on many Cape houses. We install it tight to the house wrap, not loose over old clapboard.

Rot and sheathing repair

Sills, corner boards, window casings and the sheathing behind them rot first on the Cape. We cut out the damage, fix the leak that caused it and build it back before new siding goes on.

Storm damage siding repair

Wind-driven rain and flying debris take sections off houses every winter. We match existing shingles, clapboard or vinyl and tie the repair into the water management of the wall.

Trim, soffit and gutters

Rake boards, fascia, frieze and soffit vents, plus new aluminum gutters pitched correctly. The exterior gets done once, by one crew.

Same crew, related work on Cape Cod: Gutters →Exterior painting →Doors and windows →Roofing →

Built for the Cape

Why siding fails faster here, and what we do about it.

Salt comes in off Nantucket Sound and Cape Cod Bay and settles on everything. Humidity sits in every seam from June to September. Nor'easters push rain sideways in winter and the summer sun bleaches whatever the storms left alone. Siding on a Cape house takes all of it, and south and west elevations take it hardest. We see houses where the north wall is fine and the south wall has rotted through at every window.

That is why we do not reside over problems. Every job starts with the water: where it gets in, where it has been getting in, and what it has done to the sheathing and framing. We open suspect areas, repair rot, run a proper house wrap and flash windows and doors so water that gets behind the siding has a path back out. Then the new siding goes on with fasteners that will not rust and gaps that let the wall dry.

On the north side of the Cape, from Sandwich to Orleans, the Old King's Highway Regional Historic District reviews exterior changes visible from Route 6A, including siding material and trim. We have been through that process many times and will prepare what the district committee needs to see.

Cedar shingle siding weathering on a Cape Cod coastal home near Barnstable
Where we work

Siding work in every town from the canal to Provincetown.

What we recommend changes with exposure and with the town's rules.

Upper Cape

Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth and Mashpee. Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound exposure in Falmouth and Bourne means the harshest southwest weather on the Cape. Sandwich's Route 6A homes fall under historic district review.

Mid-Cape

Barnstable (Hyannis, Osterville, Centerville, Cotuit, Marstons Mills, West Barnstable, Barnstable Village), Yarmouth and Dennis. Our home turf and the bulk of our siding work, from Sound-side shingle houses to bay-side antiques.

Siding contractor in Barnstable →

Lower Cape

Harwich, Brewster, Chatham and Orleans. Chatham and Harwich waterfront homes get hit from the south and east. Brewster and Orleans carry the 6A review along the bay.

Outer Cape

Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown. Salt from both shores, open wind and a lot of cedar. We schedule around summer traffic and the fall storm season.

Serving Cape Cod only. We do not work on Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard or off-Cape. Shop and office: 14 Parker Rd, Osterville, MA 02655.

How it goes

How a siding job goes.

1

Inspection

We walk every elevation, probe trim and sills, check the attic side of the walls for staining and tell you what is cosmetic and what is structural.

Week 1
2

Material and quote

Cedar, fiber cement or vinyl, with trim and color choices and a written scope. If the house is on 6A we outline the historic district step.

Week 1 to 2
3

Permits and review

Building permit and, where it applies, Old King's Highway approval. Materials are ordered once the scope is signed.

2 to 6 weeks
4

Strip, repair, wrap, side

Old siding off, rot repaired, house wrap and flashing installed, new siding and trim on. Most homes run about a week on site.

1 to 2 weeks on site
5

Clean-up and walk-through

Nails swept with magnets, landscaping protected and restored, and a final look at every elevation with you.

Last day
20+years building on Cape Cod
1,000+projects completed
15Cape Cod towns served from Osterville
1crew and one number to call, start to finish
Questions we get on the first call

Siding questions Cape homeowners ask us first.

What is the best siding for a Cape Cod house?+
White cedar shingles are the traditional answer and still the right one on many houses, especially in the 6A historic district. Fiber cement is the most durable low-maintenance option for exposed elevations. Quality vinyl suits owners who want the lowest upkeep. We will tell you which fits your house, your exposure and how much maintenance you are willing to do.
How do I know my siding needs to be replaced?+
Cupped or split shingles, soft spots at corner boards and window sills, paint that fails within a year of being redone, moisture or staining on interior walls, and daylight at the seams. On the Cape, siding usually needs attention sooner than the material's rated life because of salt and wind.
Do you repair siding or only replace it?+
Both. Storm damage and isolated rot can be repaired and blended in. When several elevations are failing, replacement is usually the better value and the only way to fix the water problems underneath.
How long does siding installation take?+
About a week on site for most homes, longer for large houses or when we uncover extensive sheathing rot. Historic district review on Route 6A homes adds time before we start.
Does new siding make the house more energy efficient?+
Yes, when it is done right. Replacing siding is the moment to add house wrap and, where it fits, rigid insulation board under the new cladding. That tightens the wall and cuts drafts in nor'easter season.
Do you need Old King's Highway approval to change siding?+
If your house is in the district and the change is visible from a public way, yes. The committee reviews material, exposure and trim. We prepare the application and attend the hearing.
Which towns do you side houses in?+
All fifteen towns in Barnstable County, from Bourne and Falmouth to Provincetown, based out of Osterville.
Start the conversation

Send a photo of the worst wall. We will tell you what is behind it.

A free inspection from our Osterville crew, an honest repair-or-replace answer, and a written scope with the rot repair spelled out.

What helps on a first visit

Nothing is required, but any of these help:

  • Photos of each side of the house
  • When the siding was last painted or stained
  • Any interior staining or drafts you have noticed
  • Whether the house is on or near Route 6A