A turned porch column has split at its base, the spindles under the rail wobble, and the paint on the clapboards lifts in long curls. Close to one city house in three was standing before 1940. We rebuild the rotted parts in the shapes they had, set them on sound framing, and seal them so the next decades go easier.
Greensburg Repairs
About 77% of Greensburg houses went up before 1980, with renters in 45%. Between tall porches, shared buildings and a code office that inspects rentals and sales, these are the repairs people call about.
A Victorian or Craftsman house on the hill often has a porch with turned columns, brackets and a beadboard ceiling a lumberyard won't sell. Owners want the rot out without the porch losing the look that drew them to the house.
We document each profile before removal, then have columns, brackets and spindles copied or built up to match. The deck framing underneath is rebuilt where it's failing, and every new piece is primed on all sides before it goes up.
Porch and stair structureInside the Downtown District, the city treats siding and other outside changes as something City Council signs off on. Owners of a storefront with rooms above, or a house near the courthouse, ask how that changes a repair.
We photograph the facade, write up materials that match what's there, and send the request through the planning commission before ordering anything. Work begins once the certificate is issued, so nothing has to come back off.
Downtown GreensburgAny building that isn't fully lived in by its owners gets a city inspection before a transfer, and an open violation can stall the closing or the next lease. Sellers call when the report lists a loose rail or a soft porch floor.
We go down the report item by item: railings and guards fastened into framing, porch and stair members replaced where they've gone soft, bare wood primed and painted. Then we send you photos you can pass to the inspector.
Greensburg rentals and salesThe sewage authority bars storm water from its pipes, and before a sale it dye-tests the house to prove it. Downspouts that vanish into the ground, gutters that overflow and fascia rotted behind them all tend to surface that month.
We replace soft fascia and rafter ends, rehang the gutters, and run downspouts out to daylight away from the foundation. Do that early, and the test is scheduled with the roof water already going where it belongs.
Gutters, fascia and waterOn DEP's map, old workings lie below most of Greensburg, packed tightest on the courthouse's north side. In an old house, a tilting floor or a door that won't latch has several possible causes, and the first job is ruling them out.
We go to the cellar first, check the main beam, posts and joists, and measure how much the floor has moved. Framing fixes run from sistered joists to new posts on footings; signs of ground movement get photographed for your insurer.
Sagging floors and joistsSeptember 2026 brought storms bad enough for the city to declare an emergency, and low lots near Jacks Run have flooded before. Afterward, owners find swollen sills, stained siding near the ground and porch posts sitting in wet soil.
We open the wet areas, dry what can be saved, and replace rotted sills, sheathing and post bases with treated lumber set off the ground. If insurance is involved, our notes and photos go with your claim.
Water and storm damageHomes: Census ACS 2020–2024, City of Greensburg. Inspections and districts: Greensburg City Code Chapters 205 and 265. Storm water: GGSA Resolution 2005-1.
The rest of the job
How it runs, what it costs and who builds it are on our main exterior restoration & structural repairs page.
Repairs in Greensburg
Three Greensburg bodies can touch an exterior repair: City Council for the downtown district, the planning director when the structure changes, and the sewage authority wherever roof water goes.
CouncilSigns off on downtown exterior work
Downtown, outside work, siding included, waits on a certificate from the city. The planning commission reviews it and City Council decides. Being on the National Register, as Academy Hill is, brings no city review by itself. The city hub page has more.
Greensburg districts12 ftDeepest open porch into a yard
Like-for-like boards and siding are ordinary repair. Rebuilding framing means the planning director issues a zoning permit first. A single-story open porch may extend 12 feet into a yard if it keeps 3 feet clear of the lot line. Our Greensburg additions page has the rest.
Greensburg setbacks2005-1GGSA rule against storm water
GGSA's Resolution 2005-1 keeps storm water out of its sanitary system, and a dye test confirms it before any sale. Request the test 30 days ahead. Gutters, downspouts and grading decide where your roof water goes, so we check them first.
GGSA dye testing (opens in a new tab)Repair Questions
These come from Greensburg owners and landlords while we tap along porch columns. For the whole job, inspection through cleanup, see our repair service page.
Ask a QuestionThat's set after the damaged wood is open and its limits are clear. A run of fascia or a few clapboards is modest; a full porch with copied columns and new framing, or a cellar beam, is the large end. The price is in writing before demolition.
Repair price rangesGreensburg's adopted maintenance code bars selling, leasing or mortgaging while a compliance order stays open. That's why sellers call us right after the pre-transfer report. Most porch, rail and paint items can be cleared quickly once the scope is set.
Greensburg rentals and salesNational Register listing doesn't restrict a private owner spending private money, and we know of no city review for the hill. Downtown is different, since outside work there needs Council's approval. We match original details on the hill anyway, because that's the value.
Greensburg districtsState code exempts siding from a building permit, so outside downtown, a straight replacement usually needs none. Inside the Downtown District, Council's certificate comes first. If rotted sheathing or framing turns up underneath, we tell you before going on.
Siding repairA standard homeowners policy normally excludes subsidence. Pennsylvania offers its own mine subsidence insurance, which has to be bought before anything happens. Storm and flood damage follow different rules, so call your agent with our photos in hand.
Coal under GreensburgOther Services
Our Greensburg pages also cover kitchens, bathrooms, attics, basements, additions and windows. Each one is linked below.
Kitchen RemodelingNew layouts, new cabinets, new counters: framed, built, and installed by the same crew.View Service
Bathroom RemodelingFull gut renovations with proper waterproofing, new framing, and tile set by hand.View Service
Attic FinishingUnused attics framed into bedrooms and offices: subfloor, insulation, drywall, and a proper stair.View Service
Basement FinishingUnfinished basements turned into real rooms: framed, insulated, drywalled, and finished by our crew.View Service
Additions & ADUsAdditions and accessory dwelling units (ADUs), framed from the ground up and tied in clean.View Service
Windows & Exterior DoorsWindows and exterior doors set, flashed, and trimmed so water stays out of the wall.View Service
Decks & Covered PatiosDecks, covered patios and three-season rooms, flashed to the house and built for Westmoreland winters.View ServiceVerified Google Reviews
5.0 out of 5 · 17 reviews
Written by the homeowners we've worked for across Westmoreland County. Every one verified on Google, every one pulled from the real feed.
Get in Touch
Tell us about the project in the form or give us a call. Either way, estimates are free and the number is the number — priced to the actual work, written down before anyone swings a hammer.
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Trafford, PA 15085
