Old Seminole Heights is one of Tampa's older residential pockets, full of 1920s bungalows, craftsman cottages, and mid-century infill sitting under a mature tree canopy along Florida Avenue, Central Avenue, and the side streets that run toward the Hillsborough River. Houses here weren't built yesterday, and a lot of the original wood siding, old aluminum, or a past owner's vinyl job is starting to show its age — cupping boards, soft spots at the bottom courses, panels that have faded and warped under decades of Tampa sun and humidity. Alpine Exteriors is a licensed Florida siding company (RB29003900) that works on exactly this kind of housing stock: older homes in established, tree-shaded neighborhoods that need siding done right, not siding done fast.
We install one product line: James Hardie fiber cement siding. That's not a marketing angle — it's a decision we made because of what Tampa Bay's climate does to exterior materials over time, and because it's the product we're comfortable standing behind with a real workmanship warranty.
Old Seminole Heights sits inland from the bay but still gets the full package of a Central Florida summer: high humidity, near-daily afternoon storms in wet season, and direct sun exposure on homes that don't always have deep eaves or heavy landscaping to buffer them. That combination is hard on siding that isn't built for moisture cycling.
Fiber cement is cement, sand, and cellulose fiber pressed and cured into a plank. It doesn't absorb water the way wood-based products can, it doesn't soften in heat, and it holds paint far longer than wood — which matters in a neighborhood where a lot of homes still lean on their original color palette or a historic-district-appropriate scheme. That's the whole reason we don't offer the other options: we'd rather install one product correctly than offer three and let a homeowner gamble on the wrong one for this climate.
We start at the house, not on the phone. For an older Seminole Heights home, that usually means checking for soft spots at the base of walls, moisture staining under windows, gaps at trim, and whether the sheathing underneath is sound. If a previous re-siding job was done over rotted wood, we tell you — that's a conversation you want before a contract, not after.
You get a proposal that spells out square footage, trim and accessory work (corner boards, window and door trim, soffit and fascia where it's part of the job), the specific Hardie product and profile, and the color. No vague "siding replacement" line item.
Old siding comes off, sheathing gets inspected and repaired where needed, and a proper weather-resistant barrier goes on before a single new plank is hung. This step is where a lot of shortcuts happen on cheaper jobs — it's also the step that determines whether your walls stay dry for the next 30 years.
James Hardie has specific fastening, clearance, and caulking requirements, and following them is what keeps the product's own warranty valid. We install to that spec — correct nail placement, proper gapping at butt joints, flashing where siding meets roof lines, windows, and other penetrations.
We walk the finished job with you, point out anything worth knowing about maintenance, and make sure the color and finish match what was agreed to before we call it done.
One thing homeowners here ask about a lot: does switching to fiber cement mean losing the look of an older home? No. James Hardie's lap siding, shingle-style panels, and trim boards are made to replicate traditional wood profiles — narrow lap reveals, shake textures, smooth or cedar-grain finishes — so a craftsman bungalow or a 1920s cottage keeps its architectural character. We pay attention to matching board width and reveal to what's typical for the era and style of home in this part of Tampa, especially on streets where neighbors have kept their houses close to original.
If your home falls inside a designated historic overlay or is subject to any local design guidelines, that's worth mentioning during the walkthrough — we can talk through profile and color choices that fit both the requirements and the look of the house.
Old Seminole Heights isn't beachfront, but it's still Tampa Bay — wind-driven rain during tropical storms and hurricane season (June through November) tests siding just as hard as direct coastal exposure does, maybe harder on older homes where trim and flashing details have degraded over the years. Fiber cement is rated to hold up under high wind exposure and doesn't absorb wind-driven moisture the way wood can. Correct installation — proper flashing, fastening, and sealed joints — is what actually keeps water out during a storm, which is why we don't treat installation as a step to rush.
Every home is different, but here's what tends to move the number for a project in this neighborhood:
| Cost Factor | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Square footage of exterior wall area | The primary driver of material and labor cost |
| Amount of tear-off and sheathing repair | Older homes with hidden rot or water damage add labor before new siding goes up |
| Siding profile (lap, shingle-style, panel) | Shingle-style and detailed profiles take more labor time than standard lap |
| Trim, corner boards, and accent work | Craftsman-style homes often have more trim detail than a simple ranch |
| Paint/finish choice | Factory-primed vs. Hardie's ColorPlus prefinished options affect price and long-term maintenance |
| Access and site conditions | Mature landscaping, tight lot lines, and older driveways common in this neighborhood can affect setup and staging |
We don't publish a flat per-square-foot number because it genuinely varies based on what we find once tear-off starts — but we'll walk you through real numbers before any work begins, not after.
Alpine Exteriors serves Old Seminole Heights and the surrounding Tampa neighborhoods, including Seminole Heights proper, Riverside Heights, and nearby areas along the Hillsborough River corridor. We're a licensed Florida general contractor and work within the requirements of local Tampa and Hillsborough County permitting.
James Hardie backs its siding products with a manufacturer's product warranty against manufacturing defects. Separately, Alpine Exteriors stands behind our installation with our own workmanship warranty — because a great product installed with the wrong fastener spacing or missing flashing detail will still fail early. We'll go over both warranties in plain terms as part of your proposal, including what's covered, what's excluded, and how a claim would work if it were ever needed.
If your Old Seminole Heights home is due for new siding — or you're just not sure whether repair or replacement makes more sense — we're happy to take a look and give you a straight answer. Fill out the form below for a free, no-pressure estimate.
Siding installation has its own set of skills around moisture barriers, flashing at penetrations, and manufacturer-specific fastening rules that differ from roofing work. We focus specifically on exterior siding and trim so that expertise doesn't get diluted across unrelated trades.
Ask for their Florida license number, proof of insurance, whether they're a certified James Hardie installer, and for a written scope that lists exact materials and profiles — not just "siding replacement." A contractor who won't put specifics in writing is a red flag.
James Hardie engineers its products specifically for regional climate conditions, including a HardiePlank line formulated for humid, high-moisture Southern climates like Florida's. We install Hardie specifically because of that regional engineering and their track record backing the product.
HardiePlank lap siding gives a traditional horizontal board look common on bungalows and craftsman homes, while Hardie shingle-style panels replicate a cedar shake appearance often used as an accent on gables or dormers. Many Seminole Heights homes use lap siding as the primary field with shingle-style accents at architectural details.
Most siding replacement in the City of Tampa requires a building permit, and if your property falls within a designated historic district, there may be additional design review. We handle standard permitting as part of the project and will flag it upfront if your home needs historic district review.