The line item that surprises capital plans more than any other. Siding, cladding, coatings, sealants and the flashing details that decide whether the next ten years are quiet.

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Exteriors

What is building envelope work?

The line item that surprises capital plans more than any other. Siding, cladding, coatings, sealants and the flashing details that decide whether the next ten years are quiet.

The building envelope is everything that separates inside from outside: cladding, stucco and siding, windows, sealants, coatings and the flashings between them. Envelope work repairs or replaces those layers so water stays out. Apex self-performs exterior painting and coatings, and manages the full envelope scope on occupied multifamily and commercial buildings.

An envelope does not fail loudly. It fails through a sealant joint that gave up four summers ago, a piece of flashing that was never lapped correctly, and a stucco crack somebody painted over. By the time a resident calls about a stain on a bedroom ceiling, the sheathing behind it has usually been wet for two or three seasons and the repair is no longer cosmetic.

We scope envelope work off a walk and, where the history warrants it, moisture testing — not off a photo set. That means the number we hand you includes the substrate repair we expect to find, priced as a unit rate with an allowance, rather than arriving as a change order in month two.

8-30 wks
Typical duration, by building count

Self-perform
Coatings and sealants in-house

Manufacturer
Warranties registered at closeout

Scope

What a building envelope and waterproofing scope includes

The line items we carry on a building envelope scope, and what each one actually covers.

Siding, fiber cement and metal cladding
Full replacement or targeted repair, installed to the manufacturer detail that keeps the product warranty alive.

Elastomeric coatings and sealants
Joint and crack preparation, backer rod, and a coating system specified for the exposure rather than the price sheet.

Stucco and EIFS repair
Patch, re-lath and re-float where the system is sound; full removal where testing says the drainage plane is gone.

Window, door and flashing replacement
Head, sill and jamb flashing detailed and photographed before anything covers it.

Moisture testing and substrate repair
Infrared and probe testing to find the wet framing before the scope is priced, not after.

Warranty documentation
Manufacturer inspections scheduled during the work, with the warranty package delivered at closeout.

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The Sequence

How building envelope and waterproofing runs on an occupied property

Four stages, one contract. Nothing here is a handoff to somebody else.

Walk and test
Visual walk plus infrared and probe testing where the leak history warrants it, so the wet framing is found before the number is written.

Detail the transitions
Heads, sills, jambs and penetrations detailed first, because that is where envelopes actually fail.

Build dried-in
Nothing is left open overnight. Every opening is dried in before the crew leaves the site.

Document and register
Manufacturer inspections during the work, warranty package delivered at closeout.

On the ground

Where building envelope and waterproofing goes wrong, and how we prevent it

Details, not products
Most envelope failures are installation failures at a transition, not product failures in the field. We detail transitions first.

What is behind the finish
Priced allowances for sheathing and framing repair, so finding rot is a known unit rate rather than a negotiation.

Residents in place
Unit-side work sequenced so nobody is left with an open wall overnight, and every opening is dried in before the crew leaves.

Get this scoped on your property

Pricing

What drives building envelope and waterproofing cost

Two contractors can price the same building a long way apart and both be honest about it. These are the variables that explain the gap — worth asking every bidder, not just us.

Substrate condition
How much sheathing and framing is wet behind the finish. Priced as a unit rate with a measured allowance, never guessed.

Access
Swing stage, boom lift or ground-set scaffold. Access can be a fifth of an envelope budget on a mid-rise.

System specified
A 10-year elastomeric and a 20-year fluid-applied are not the same scope, and the difference shows up in year twelve, not year one.

Occupancy
Unit-side work around residents phases differently than a vacant building, and phasing is schedule, which is money.

Building envelope and waterproofing work by Apex Contracting Group

Self-performed where it matters, subcontracted where it does not

The trades that decide whether this scope holds up are ours. Everything else runs through trade partners we have used in that market before, on our contract and our warranty.

One project manager and one superintendent, named before award
Weekly reporting against a schedule with real float in it
One warranty at closeout, whoever swung the hammer

Projects

Recent building envelope and waterproofing projects

Three projects from the portfolio where this scope was the job, or a large part of it.

Browse the full portfolio

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FAQ

Building envelope and waterproofing: common questions

What is building envelope work?
The building envelope is everything that separates the inside of a building from the weather: roofing, exterior walls, siding and cladding, windows, sealants, coatings and the flashing that ties them together. Envelope work repairs or replaces those components to keep water and air out. Apex performs envelope work on occupied multifamily and commercial buildings, phased by elevation or building.

What are the signs of building envelope failure?
Common signs are water stains or mold near window corners, cracked or bubbling stucco, failed or missing sealant joints, soft or delaminating siding, efflorescence on masonry, and leaks that return after spot repairs. Recurring leaks usually point to a flashing or sequencing defect behind the cladding. Targeted exploratory openings confirm the cause before you commit to a full scope.

How much does building envelope repair cost?
Envelope repair cost depends mostly on what is hidden behind the cladding. Key drivers are the extent of sheathing and framing damage, the cladding or coating system chosen, building height and access equipment, phasing on an occupied property, and warranty requirements. Apex prices concealed damage with agreed unit rates and a stated allowance, so hidden conditions do not become open-ended change orders.

Will envelope repairs void our existing warranties?
Not when the work is detailed correctly. Apex installs to the manufacturer’s published details, schedules the manufacturer’s field inspections during the work rather than after, and hands you the warranty documentation at closeout. If an existing warranty covers adjacent components, share it before scoping so the tie-in details can be planned to keep it intact.

Can envelope work be phased across budget years?
Yes, and on large properties it usually should be. Apex commonly splits an envelope program by elevation or building so the worst exposure is corrected first and the remainder moves into the next budget year. Each phase is priced separately with consistent unit rates, so the capital plan stays predictable across years.

Do residents need to move out during siding or waterproofing work?
No, residents normally stay home. Apex phases siding, stucco, coatings and window work elevation by elevation, keeps openings dried in at the end of each day, and gives residents notice before work reaches their units. Balcony access, window coverings and patio items are coordinated in advance so disruption is limited to short, scheduled windows.

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