03 Sep January 2017
Willis Sinclair Homes
“The Lowcountry’s Premier Custom Home Builder”
All of us here at
Willis Sinclair Homes
hope you had a
Merry Christmas
and a
Happy New Year!
We are looking forward to seeing you in 2017!
24 Gabriel Road
Lodge, South Carolina 29082
843 846 2500
January 2017
From the desk
of Bill …
Alice
Alice, our granddaughter with leukemia is doing well. She is currently being treated at the Springfield branch of St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
If she continues to respond to the treatment and has no recurrence by October this coming year, she will be officially in remission. She will need annual checks, but no more treatments unless things change.
Thank you all very much for your support, your prayers and your gifts. They were and continue to be a blessing.
A Trip West with 4 of our Grandsons
This is the crew in front of Chimney Rock in Nebraska. It is the most frequently mentioned landmark by Oregon Trail travelers. (left to right): Mandy, Henry, Jerry, Jon, Jack, Kandy, me and Jessy.
In June of this past year, Kandy and I took two of our daughters and four of our grandsons (Willis’ boys: Henry and Jerry and Bill’s sons: Jack and Jon) on a three week tour of some western sites. We watched Old Faithful erupt. We saw both of the Yellowstone Falls. We saw glaciers. We saw petrified trees. We saw bison, elk and other animals.
We visited Mesa Verde, Grand Canyon (both the North and South Rims), Yellowstone, Glacier and Theodore Roosevelt National Parks and many points in between. We took a train ride and a stage coach ride. We rode horses in Glacier National Park. We explored an extinct volcano and walked in the lava field. It was a lot of fun.
George Robert Ponds
George Robert Ponds, Willis’ 7th child and Bill’s 32nd grandchild.
Born July 19, 2016.
George joined us this past summer! He already has an Indian Motorcycle outfit. What can I say … obviously he has discerning taste.
Siding materials … what are the choices?
Siding is the material that covers your home. While it may seem superficial and decorative, it is much more than that. The siding protects your home from the elements and that is very important.
Brick veneer is probably the most desirable siding. If you are concerned about low maintenance, brick may be what you want. It never rots. It never needs paint. It does not crack, split or warp.
Brick makes a beautiful siding material.
If brick veneer is all of those good things, why is it not used exclusively? There are two main reasons. The first is cost. Handmade brick and mortar work out to about $1.40 per brick. Add about $1.60 to lay it and each brick costs about $3. When you multiply that by 20,000 or more bricks in a house, you get a rather large number.
The second reason why brick veneer homes are not more popular today is, there are several more economical alternatives. In the past, stucco was about the only economical and long lasting alternative. If you wanted a southwestern look, that was fine.
Cement board shakes mimic cedar shakes. Obviously, they have to be painted and not stained.
Cement board siding installed horizontally and vertically.
Today, fiber cement board, commonly referred to as Hardie (a trade name) board is one of the lower maintenance alternatives. It is made of cement and wood fibers. It won’t rot. It won’t burn, It does not split or warp. It does have to be painted however, but paint adheres very well.
Most cement board is about ¼ of an inch thick, so it is obvious to some that the material is not wood siding. Cement board is also available in ⅝ inch thick boards. This looks much more like wood siding, but it is more expensive to purchase and more expensive to install.
Cement board can be installed horizontally (like traditional siding) or vertically (like board and batten). It is also available to mimic shakes.
Cedar shakes can be stained or painted. These will turn a silvery gray when they age.
Wood boards are is another choice for siding. It looks authentic because it is authentic. Wood does crack and warp. Sometimes paint does not adhere perfectly. Wood also rots. Even cypress will rot. It is rot resistant, not rot proof.
Cedar shakes are another siding choice. They are more expensive than lap siding and more expensive to install. Cedar is another rot resistant (not rot proof) natural material.
There are a number of other sidings, but these seem to be the most popular in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
You may have noticed in some of the photos that siding types are mixed on a structure to add interest. Siding is usually installed horizontally, but can also be installed vertically with a board and batten pattern. The wood can be stained or painted. Wood again is not extremely stable like bricks or cement board.
Wood board and batten is another choice of natural material that can be used for siding.
If you would like to see different types of siding, call us. We’ll be happy to show you how they look and give you a feel for the price range.
Willis Sinclair Homes
We will never knowingly disappoint you!
Call Us
843 846 2500
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