Kentfield Siding & Windows Replacement

Kentfield sits in one of the wettest, most heavily wooded corners of the Bay Area — the eastern slopes of Mount Tamalpais, along Corte Madera Creek in the Ross Valley. That setting is hard on exterior cladding, and it is why a proper tear-off matters more here than in a drier flatland town. Bay Area Siding Company is a Larkspur-based siding and window contractor working just minutes away, and we take on the full re-side: removing the old material, opening up the wall to check what the weather has done to it, and rebuilding the envelope from the sheathing out.

Ready to talk through your project? Request an estimate or call (415) 619-5167.

When siding has reached the end, not just a bad patch

The damp canyon air, heavy winter rains, and deep tree shade around Kentfield keep walls wet longer than most homeowners realize. Old cladding that would coast along for years elsewhere tends to give out sooner here. A re-side, rather than another repair, usually makes sense once you notice things like:

• Boards or shingles that stay dark and damp days after the rain stops, or grow moss and mildew on the shaded north and creek-facing walls
• Paint or stain that lifts, blisters, or peels within a season or two of a fresh coat
• Splitting, cupping, or soft spots you can press a finger or screwdriver into
• A musty smell, staining, or bubbling drywall on interior walls that back onto the exterior
• Original wood, T1-11, or aging aluminum that has simply outlived its service life on an older home

One or two of these can sometimes be spot-fixed. Several of them together, especially on a home that has been through many wet Ross Valley winters, point to a wall that needs to come off.

Why tearing off beats siding over the top

Adding a new layer over failing siding is tempting because it looks cheaper, but on a Kentfield home it hides exactly the things you most need to see. With the old cladding gone, we can read the sheathing for the slow rot that damp shade produces, confirm there is a working water-resistive barrier (many older homes here never had one), and correct flashing at windows and wall bases where creek-valley moisture tends to find its way in. Layering also traps that moisture against the structure and piles extra weight on the wall. Tear-off costs more today and leaves you with a wall that is actually dry underneath.

Picking the right material for a wet, wooded lot

We install several siding systems and will walk the options with you on-site, weighing them against Kentfield's moisture load, tree litter, and — on the higher lots — wildfire exposure:

• James Hardie fiber cement — noncombustible and dimensionally stable in damp conditions; see our dedicated Kentfield James Hardie page for the fire-and-moisture details
• Fiber cement — the wider category, including other manufacturers
• LP SmartSide — engineered wood, treated for moisture and pests
• CertainTeed and vinyl — lower-maintenance options where the look and setting suit them

We also work in wood and aluminum. On the wooded Kent Woodlands slopes, the material conversation is not only about appearance — more on that below.

What to expect

1. Consultation — we look at your existing walls, the exposure, and your goals and budget.
2. Measure and spec — precise measurements and a written scope of work.
3. Permit — siding work in unincorporated Kentfield is permitted through Marin County, and Kent Woodlands homes may also face association design review (details below).
4. Tear-off and substrate inspection — the old siding comes off and we check sheathing and framing for rot before anything new goes up.
5. Water-resistive barrier and flashing — a proper WRB and flashing at every opening, penetration, and transition, detailed for a high-rainfall climate.
6. Install to spec — siding installed to the manufacturer's published instructions.
7. Finish and walkthrough — trim, caulk, cleanup, and a final review together.

Kentfield-specific: unincorporated Marin, damp air, and wooded slopes

Your permit runs through the County, not a city. Kentfield is an unincorporated community, so there is no city hall of its own — siding and exterior work is permitted through the Marin County Community Development Agency, Building and Safety Division at the Civic Center in San Rafael. That is a genuine difference from an incorporated town like Larkspur or San Rafael, and it is worth confirming your parcel's jurisdiction and current requirements with the County (or letting us do it) before work starts.

The rainfall is the real design driver. Kentfield records one of the highest annual rainfall totals of any community in the Bay Area — routinely far more than the shoreline towns a few miles away. Combined with creek-valley humidity and heavy tree canopy, that puts a premium on the parts of the job you can't see: the weather barrier, the flashing laps, the clearances at grade and at decks. We detail those for the climate the house actually lives in.

Kent Woodlands and the fire question. The estate lots winding up Mount Tamalpais' lower slopes sit in wooded terrain with real wildfire exposure, and Cal Fire's updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps are being reviewed and adopted at the local level across Marin. Where a fire-hazard designation applies, California Building Code Chapter 7A can influence what exterior materials are allowed. Whether and how it affects your project depends on your specific parcel and scope, so we confirm that with Marin County rather than assume it. Kent Woodlands also has its own property owners association with design review authority, which can affect approved profiles and colors — tell us early if you're inside it.

Working with us

We're based in Larkspur, a short drive from Kentfield, and work throughout the county. You can browse finished work in our project gallery and see the wider service area on our Marin siding page. Replacing windows in the same push? See Kentfield window replacement.

What affects the cost

Every Kentfield home prices differently, so we don't post numbers online. The honest drivers are the size and height of the home, hillside access on the wooded lots, how much concealed rot turns up once the wall is open, the material and finish you choose, whether trim and windows are being integrated at the same time, and any County or association review your project triggers. We can only price it accurately after we've measured and seen the walls.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to replace siding in Kentfield? Because Kentfield is unincorporated, siding work is permitted through the Marin County Community Development Agency's Building and Safety Division rather than a city office. We confirm the requirements for your parcel and handle the permitting.

Does all the rain here really change how the job should be done? Yes. Kentfield gets some of the heaviest rainfall in the Bay Area, and the shaded, creek-valley setting keeps walls damp. That makes the water-resistive barrier and flashing detailing the most important part of the job — which is one more reason a full tear-off beats siding over the old material.

My home is up in Kent Woodlands. Does that change my siding choices? It can. The wooded slopes carry wildfire exposure, and where a fire-hazard designation applies, Chapter 7A can favor noncombustible or ignition-resistant materials. Kent Woodlands also has association design review. We confirm both your parcel's fire designation with the County and any association rules before speccing.

Should I re-side or just have the worst areas repaired? On an older, frequently-wet Kentfield home, we usually recommend a full tear-off so the sheathing, barrier, and flashing can be inspected and corrected. Patching only postpones the moisture problem.

Get your Kentfield siding project moving

Call (415) 619-5167 or request an estimate. We'll look at your walls, weigh materials against the exposure, and lay out the process for you.