Riverview: A Full Exterior Remodel in Dexter Township, Michigan

This lake house and its detached garage got a complete new exterior. We took the siding, stone, and roofing off down to the sheathing and rebuilt the outside of both buildings: new James Hardie siding, natural stone, metal and shingle roofs, a new front porch, new doors and windows on the lake side, skylights, and cedar brackets and trusses we built in our shop.

Below is what we built, and what a full exterior remodel involves from start to finish.

Project at a Glance

• Location: Dexter Township, near Pinckney, Michigan
• Scope: Full exterior remodel of the main house and detached garage: siding, stone, roofing, front porch, doors, windows, skylights, gutters, and paint
• Construction: About 12 months, fall 2025 to fall 2026
• Design: The owners came to us with an early design. We refined it and drew the full construction set in house.

What the Homeowners Wanted

The owners wanted a new look for the outside of both the house and the detached garage, so the two buildings would match. They came to us with an early design. We worked through the details with them, like the porch, the brackets, the stone, and the paint colors, and drew the full set of plans for permits and construction.

What We Built

Siding, Stone, and Trim

• Siding: James Hardie vertical board and batten on the walls, and Hardie shingles in the gables
• Trim: Boral trim around the windows, doors, and corners
• Stone: Natural stone along the base of the house with a stone sill, carried onto the porch walls and column bases
• Paint: Painted on site in Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore, with trim, soffits, and brackets matched to the off-white of the new Andersen doors

Roofing, Skylights, and Gutters

• Roofing: New asphalt shingle roofs on the house and garage, and standing seam metal on the lower roofs and eyebrows
• Skylights: New skylights over the kitchen and the music room, with the drywall and lighting reworked around them inside
• Gutters: 6 inch K-style gutters with gutter guards

Front Porch

We took the old porch apart and rebuilt it with new posts wrapped in trim, stone column bases, a new front door, and paver steps and landing. We also framed new eyebrow roofs over the windows next to the porch and reverse gables above the second floor windows.

Doors and Windows

On the lake side we replaced the great room doors and the angled windows above them, and put a new window over the kitchen sink. The detached garage got a new entry door.

Cedar Brackets and Trusses

The brackets under the gables and eyebrows, and the cedar trusses on the garage gables, were built by our carpenters in the Dexter Builders shop. We put up a couple of test brackets first so the owners could see them on the house before we built the rest.

Insulation and Interior Work

While the walls were open we added insulation in the kitchen ceiling and the attached garage, then hung and finished drywall in the garage. Inside the house we patched and painted around the new doors, windows, and skylights.

Remodeling the Outside of a House

What does a full exterior remodel involve?

More than new siding. Once the old siding and stone come off, everything behind them gets looked at: the sheathing, the house wrap, the flashing around every window and door, and every place a pipe, wire, or vent goes through the wall. That is where water gets in, so that is where the time goes.

A project like this also touches a lot of trades at once. On this house that included:

• Carpentry: Porch framing, eyebrows, gables, trim, and the cedar brackets and trusses
• Roofing: Asphalt shingles and standing seam metal
• Masonry: Natural stone, the porch column bases, and paver steps
• Electrical: Soffit lights, new exterior lights, outdoor speakers, and a car charger
• Mechanical: Moving the gas line and air conditioning units that sat against the old walls
• Painting and gutters: Last on, once everything else is done

How long does an exterior remodel take?

This one took about a year, and Michigan weather was a big part of that. Here is generally how it went:

• Fall: Zoning approval, then tear-off and new siding started. The asphalt roofs were done before the snow came.
• Winter: Window and door installs, skylights, and inside work. The metal roofs went on as the weather allowed.
• Spring: Siding and trim wrapped up, then the porch, stone, and cedar brackets.
• Summer: Paint once it was warm enough, then gutters, lights, and the punch list.

Paint is usually what sets the end date. Exterior paint needs warm, dry days, so a project that starts in the fall will often wait until early summer for its final coat.

About Dexter Builders

Dexter Builders has been remodeling homes in the Ann Arbor area since 2000. We are a full-service residential remodeling company based in Chelsea, Michigan, and an active member of BRAG, the Builders and Remodelers of Greater Ann Arbor. We design projects in house, and work across Washtenaw County and the surrounding communities.

Talk to Us About Your Project

Call 734-426-3852 or fill out the form at dexterbuilders.com/contact-us. We usually respond within one business day.

If you are thinking about new siding, a new roof, or a whole new look for the outside of your house, send the form anyway. We are glad to come out and walk around it with you.