The cladding comes off and the bottom timber is soft. It is an unwelcome discovery, but it has arrived at a useful moment: the area is still accessible.
Establish how far the damage goes
Ask the contractor and designer to identify the affected framing, connections, sheathing, and support conditions. Photos should show the location and extent, not just the worst close-up. Avoid probing or removing structural material yourself.
NRCan's wall-renovation guidance treats renovation as an opportunity to coordinate insulation and the wall assembly. Repair planning should likewise consider the layers around the damaged timber, not only the replacement piece.
Find the source before choosing the cover-up
Look at roof-to-wall junctions, door thresholds, penetrations, grade, and the history of leakage. The relevant professional should connect the observed damage to a plausible source and specify the correction.
Agree a documented change in scope
- Extent of removal and investigation.
- Temporary support and permanent structural repair where required.
- Correction of the water-entry route.
- Inspection or field review before concealment.
- Reinstatement of insulation, air control, cladding, and finishes.
Keep a record of the repaired area before it disappears. We would reduce decorative scope before reducing the investigation. New cladding can make a wall look settled long before the underlying question has been answered.