Paint...please!

It pains me to see exterior woodwork repairs done improperly. Exposed bare pine left for weeks in the elements with no protection. All exterior woodwork must be primed and first coated to have any chance of standing up to the weather in the long term, and ideally separated from concrete and soil by an air gap. If you can use one of the synthetic substitutes even better, but good old wood can do the job if it's given a fighting chance. 

This repair was carried out by the "no name on our truck" gang - perhaps they are clever enough to have formulated a business plan around doing work that will have to be replaced in a few years?

Rory McDonnell is a General Contractor, Licensed Carpenter and Architectural Designer with Build, a construction firm in Stratford, Ontario, specializing in new custom homes and renovations.