Oh well, we all know romance is expensive and unpredictable.
New Roof system augmenting existing tree limbs.
Planking on the wall, covered with ancient newspaper. Jack hammer and pry bar stand at the ready.
Another archelogical find - first some sort of cardboard composite siding (seemed be the 'tin man' option of the 60's), then 'poor man shingles', which is a type of exterior covering which rolls out over the house, and then the original wood clapboard underneath. Many times homeowners covered up the wood siding with 'new' materials not because the siding was decayed, but because the expense and inconvenience of painting grew tiresome.
This pic below illustrates 3 distinct time periods of american home construction.