Out from Under the Stucco
Before & After
The Work in Progress
About This Project
From the curb, this Bellingham home looked like it needed nothing. Its synthetic stucco — EIFS, the foam-backed variety — read as clean and solid, the arched windows gave the front real presence, and nothing about it said "water problem."
Michael's estimate visit said otherwise. He ran a thermal camera across the walls and found a small number of areas holding moisture — the scan is published below, cold zones glowing purple — and the written proposal called one out plainly: water had gotten in behind the stucco near the front door, and we would make it right at no cost. That's the trouble with EIFS as a system — when water finds a way behind it, it has nowhere to go. The fix isn't a patch. It's a different wall.
What the Stucco Was Hiding
The tear-off proved the camera right. Behind the foam at the big arched window, the sheathing carried long black moisture tracks and sections soft enough to give — damage that had been working quietly for years behind a wall that never looked wet. The compromised panels came out and were replaced, part of the rot repair included in every re-side, and the progress photos below show exactly what "fine from the curb" can look like underneath.
Then the wall was rebuilt the way we build every one: fresh Tyvek HomeWrap across bare sheathing, flashing tape sealing every window and door opening, metal Z-flashing above each unit, and custom Hardie blocks — each one flashed — behind every light fixture.
Cobble Stone, and Arches Without Seams
The new exterior is HardiePlank in Cobble Stone from the Statement Collection — Cedarmill texture, seven-inch reveal, factory-baked ColorPlus finish — with Arctic White HardieTrim at the windows, doors, and corners, a bearskin joint flashing behind every plank seam, OSI Quad MAX where caulk belongs, and none where it doesn't: plank seams stay uncaulked, per James Hardie's own instructions.
The arched windows got the treatment this house deserved. Instead of faceted trim pieces stacked around the curves, we heat-formed flexible trim into single continuous arches — a slow, specialized process most contractors skip, included here at no extra cost. The entry alcove's EIFS soffit came down too, replaced with HardieSoffit for the price of the material alone, and a matched pre-hung door went in on the garage side while the crew was at it.
The Finished Look
Cobble Stone turned out to be the right instinct: soft enough to sit calmly under the firs, crisp enough to make the white arches and trim lines stand out. The owner cared deeply about the mature plantings hugging the foundation, and the crew worked around them — drop cloths and care over shortcuts — so the landscaping that frames the house in these photos is the same one that was there the day we arrived.
Her review tells the rest better than we can, and it's below in full — including the part every crew wants read aloud: they showed up in positive spirits every day, and left the same way.
★★★★★Google review · Bellingham, WA"Siding Vault recently resided our home, and the experience was exceptional from start to finish! Owner Michael Ageyev and his crew exceeded our expectations. Communication was excellent, work was done at (and sometimes above) the high standards of Hardie siding specifications, and the site was left clean and organized every day. The crew did an excellent job of removing the EIFS stucco that was on the front of our house. Knowing we cared about the mature plants growing close to our home, they were careful to protect them. They arrived in positive spirits every day and left many hours later the same way. The onsite manager, Oscar, was simply wonderful. We could not have asked for a better project lead. Michael, the owner, was knowledgeable, honest and considerate throughout. He went above and beyond to give us his time and expertise, which resulted in a clear and detailed bid, a very good price, and no surprises along the way. We highly recommend the professionals at Siding Vault."
