Record the details up front
Note location, timing, and any prior work. Photos and measurements improve the first conversation.
Read the local context
Durham combines nineteenth-century tobacco and textile districts, early streetcar neighborhoods, postwar ranches, and fast-growing suburban edges. Piedmont clay, mature tree cover, humid summers, and rolling watersheds make drainage and existing assemblies part of nearly every exterior or structural project.
Ask what gets hidden at the end
Sill condition against Durham's rolling watersheds, flashing detail, and how the new frame meets older brick or clapboard shape the result more than the glass package does. The scope should explain what's checked before it's sealed behind trim.
Compare full scopes, not just price
Protection, materials, permits, testing, and change-order rules should all be spelled out.
What official local sources add
Durham maintains official floodplain guidance and separate procedures for historic district, landmark, and sign designations. Parcel-level flood status and local historic designation should be checked before structural, exterior, or drainage work is scoped.
Sources were reviewed June 20, 2026. Confirm parcel-specific flood zones, historic-district status, permits, and current requirements with the relevant authority before authorizing work.