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When the siding on your home is doing its job, you stop thinking about it. No more noticing the faded panels every time you pull into the driveway. No more wondering if that dark stain near the corner is mold working its way in. You just have a house that looks solid and holds up — which, in Kent Acres, matters more than most people realize.
Here’s the thing about this neighborhood: the majority of homes were built between 1940 and 1969. That’s not a criticism of the area — it’s just the reality of the housing stock. Siding from that era, whether it’s original wood, aluminum, or early vinyl, has had decades of exposure to Delaware’s humidity, freeze-thaw cycles, and the kind of wet winters that come off the St. Jones watershed. When siding starts to fail in this climate, it doesn’t just look bad — it lets moisture in, and moisture in an older home with a crawl space is how you end up with a mold problem.
The upside is real too. According to the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report, fiber cement siding replacement recoups an average of 88% of project cost at resale, and vinyl comes in around 80%. For a homeowner in Kent Acres protecting a home in a market where every dollar of equity counts, that’s not a small thing. New siding is one of the few exterior improvements that pays you back while also making your home more comfortable and better protected.
We’re based in Smyrna, right up US Route 13 from Kent Acres. That’s the same road that runs along the western edge of your neighborhood, which means when you call for an estimate or a follow-up visit, you’re not waiting on a crew driving in from two counties over. We’ve been working in Kent County for over 22 years and know exactly what the climate, the housing stock, and the permitting process look like here.
The business is owned by Melissa and Richard McCain, and the work stays in-house. There’s no outsourcing to subcontractors you’ve never met. Every crew member who shows up at your Kent Acres home is trained, insured, and directly accountable to First State Roofing & Exteriors Co. That matters in a compact neighborhood where word travels fast and your neighbors are watching.
The reviews back it up — 5.0 out of 5 stars across 63 verified reviews on Google and Facebook, with consistent feedback about professionalism, clean job sites, and projects that finish on time. We’re also BBB accredited with an A+ rating, licensed, and insured per Delaware’s contractor registration requirements.
It starts with a free consultation and a detailed inspection of your existing siding. Before any old material comes off, we look at what you’re working with — the condition of the panels, the seams, the trim, and what’s likely underneath. For homes in Kent Acres built in the mid-20th century, this step matters more than most people expect. It’s not uncommon to find moisture damage, early rot, or pest-related issues once the original siding is removed. You’ll know what’s there before the project scope is finalized, not after.
From there, you’ll get a written, itemized estimate. No vague totals, no surprises mid-project. Once you’re ready to move forward, we handle all permitting with Kent County — because Kent Acres is an unincorporated CDP, there’s no town-level building department to navigate, but Kent County still requires proper permits and contractor registration for exterior siding work. That’s all handled for you.
Installation typically takes two to five days depending on the size of your home and the material you choose. Our crew works clean, clears debris at the end of every workday, and does a full site cleanup at completion. In a quiet, tree-lined neighborhood where homes sit close together and your neighbors notice everything, that matters. When the job is done, you’ll have a moisture barrier, weatherproof seams, and siding built to handle Delaware’s humidity, seasonal storms, and the freeze-thaw cycles that come every winter.
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We offer both vinyl and fiber cement siding installation, and the conversation about which one is right for your home starts at the consultation — not with a sales pitch for whichever product has the highest margin. Vinyl is Delaware’s most popular siding material for good reason: it’s moisture-resistant, won’t rot, handles wind and rain well, and delivers 20 to 40 years of low-maintenance performance. Fiber cement, particularly for older Kent Acres homes that have already dealt with moisture issues, offers up to 50 years of lifespan and is virtually immune to the mold and mildew problems that Delaware’s humidity creates.
Every siding project includes full removal of the old material, a moisture barrier installation, trim work, and weatherproof sealing at every seam. The removal step is especially important for homes near the St. Jones watershed, where ambient moisture levels are elevated and older siding systems may be hiding damage that hasn’t surfaced yet. Skipping removal to save time is how small problems become expensive ones.
If your siding was damaged in a storm — whether it was a nor’easter, a summer wind event, or hail — we also provide insurance claims assistance. We document the damage, work alongside your insurer, and handle the process so you’re not going it alone. Financing is available for homeowners who need it, because a full siding replacement is a significant project and waiting years to save up while moisture works its way in isn’t a great strategy.
Yes, in most cases you do. Kent Acres is an unincorporated census-designated place, which means it doesn’t have its own municipal government or town-level building department. Permitting for exterior siding work falls under Kent County jurisdiction, and Delaware state law requires all contractors to be registered with the Delaware Department of Labor’s Office of Contractor Registration before any work begins. Skipping this step isn’t just a technical violation — it can create real problems when you go to sell the home, since unpermitted exterior work can surface during a buyer’s inspection and complicate or delay closing.
We handle all permitting and ensure every project meets applicable Kent County and Delaware building codes. It’s included in the process — not an add-on, not something we hand off to you to manage.
There are a few things to look for, and some of them are more obvious than others. Visible cracking, warping, or fading are the easy ones. But in a neighborhood where most homes were built between 1940 and 1969, the more important signs are often subtler — paint that keeps peeling on interior walls near exterior surfaces, a musty smell in rooms that face outside, or higher-than-usual energy bills. These can all point to siding that has lost its ability to keep moisture out.
Delaware’s humidity doesn’t give old siding a break. The St. Jones watershed area, which runs near Kent Acres, keeps ambient moisture levels elevated year-round. Freeze-thaw cycles in winter expand and contract older siding materials repeatedly, which opens up gaps and cracks at seams and joints even when the panels themselves look intact from the street. The only way to know for certain what you’re dealing with is a proper inspection — which we provide at no charge before any work is proposed.
Both are solid choices for Delaware’s climate, but they perform differently and suit different situations. Vinyl siding is the most popular option in the state because it handles moisture well, doesn’t rot, and requires very little maintenance over its 20 to 40 year lifespan. It’s also generally more affordable upfront, which matters in a market like Kent Acres where homeowners are making practical, value-conscious decisions.
Fiber cement — most commonly James Hardie board — offers a longer lifespan of up to 50 years and is virtually immune to the mold and mildew growth that Delaware’s humidity encourages. For an older Kent Acres home that has already had moisture issues, or for a homeowner who plans to stay long-term and wants the most durable option available, fiber cement often makes more sense even at a higher initial cost. The 2024 Cost vs. Value Report puts fiber cement’s average resale value recoupment at 88%, compared to roughly 80% for vinyl — so the gap in upfront cost narrows considerably when you factor in what it does for your home’s value.
Most residential siding installations take two to five days from start to finish. The actual timeline depends on the size of your home, the material being installed, and what our crew finds once the old siding comes off. For homes in Kent Acres built in the mid-20th century, it’s worth building in a little mental flexibility — if there’s rot, moisture damage, or structural issues underneath the original siding, those need to be addressed before new panels go up, and that can add time to the project.
What you won’t deal with is a crew that disappears for days between work sessions or leaves your yard torn up overnight. We work clean throughout the project and do a complete site cleanup at the end. In a compact neighborhood like Kent Acres where homes are close together and neighbors notice what’s happening on your property, a crew that respects the site matters as much as one that does good work.
It can be, and more often than homeowners expect. Delaware gets hit with nor’easters, summer thunderstorms, and high-wind events that can crack panels, tear sections loose, or cause impact damage that isn’t always obvious from the ground. If your siding was damaged in a weather event, your homeowners insurance policy may cover some or all of the replacement cost — but the claims process can be frustrating to navigate on your own, especially if you’re not sure how to document the damage in a way that satisfies an adjuster.
We provide insurance claims assistance as part of our service. We inspect the damage, document it properly, and work alongside your insurer through the process. This is especially relevant for Kent Acres homeowners whose properties are near US Route 13 or the Puncheon Run Connector corridor, where wind exposure during storm events can be more pronounced. If you’ve had a recent storm and you’re not sure whether your siding damage qualifies, a free inspection is the right first step.
The Dover area, like most of Delaware, sees its share of storm-chaser contractors after significant weather events — crews that show up uninvited, push for a quick signature, ask for a large upfront deposit, and deliver substandard work or disappear entirely. Knowing the warning signs protects you. A legitimate contractor should never require more than a small deposit upfront — 10% or less is the standard. They should provide a written, itemized estimate before any work begins. And they should be able to show you proof of registration with the Delaware Department of Labor, proof of liability insurance, and workers’ compensation coverage.
Beyond the paperwork, look at how long the company has been operating locally and whether they have verifiable reviews from real customers in the area. A contractor based in Smyrna who has served Kent County for over 22 years is accountable to this community in a way that a traveling crew simply isn’t. Ask directly whether they use subcontractors — because if the answer is yes, you have no control over who actually shows up at your home. We do not outsource. The crew that does the work is our crew, and that accountability runs straight back to the owners.
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