In Palo Alto, siding replacement is as much an architecture decision as a construction one. Between the city's dense stock of mid-century Eichlers and its very high home values, the wrong material or profile can undercut both the look and the value of the house. Bay Area Siding Company is a Marin-based siding and window contractor that replaces exterior cladding across the Peninsula — matched to the home's design and installed to code.

Get a siding replacement estimate — call (415) 619-5167 or request a consultation.

Signs it's time to replace, not repair

The tell-tale signs are the same across housing types: swelling or cupping at panel edges and seams, delamination, chronic paint failure, soft spots, or interior water staining. On original mid-century homes, aging wood-based cladding — Eichlers were commonly clad in vertical tongue-and-groove redwood board or scored redwood plywood — eventually reaches the end of its service life. When repairs stop holding, replacement is the durable move.

Why "covering over" old siding is risky

Layering new siding over failing material traps existing moisture and rot and conceals the weather barrier that likely caused the problem. On architecturally significant homes, it also flattens the very details that define the style. A proper replacement means tear-off, so the substrate can be inspected and corrected — and the original character can be reproduced honestly.

Match the material to the home

Replacement is your opportunity to choose a cladding that fits both the architecture and your maintenance tolerance:

• Fiber cement — stable and noncombustible; available in profiles that read cleanly on modern homes.
• James Hardie — the leading fiber cement brand; see our Palo Alto James Hardie siding page.
• LP SmartSide — engineered wood with a genuine wood-grain feel.
• Vinyl — lowest-maintenance and lowest-cost.

We also install CertainTeed, wood, and aluminum. Compare options on our Bay Area siding replacement hub. For a mid-century home, the goal is often reproducing the original vertical-board or panel rhythm in a longer-lasting material.

Our replacement process

1. Consultation — we review the home, its architecture, and material options.
2. Measure & spec — dimensions, profiles, and assembly documented.
3. Permit (and design review where applicable) — Palo Alto requires a building permit to replace exterior siding; some neighborhoods carry additional design considerations (see below).
4. Tear-off & substrate inspection — old cladding removed, sheathing and framing assessed.
5. Weather-resistive barrier & flashing — WRB and flashings installed or corrected.
6. Install to spec — new siding, trim, and detailing to manufacturer requirements.
7. Finish & walkthrough — cleanup and a final review with you.

Palo Alto homes and the replacement decision

Palo Alto has one of the region's largest concentrations of Eichler and mid-century modern homes, and the city treats them accordingly. The Palo Alto Eichler Neighborhood Design Guidelines are advisory (voluntary) unless the City Council adopts zoning to require them; they encourage retaining original character features such as the fenestration pattern, exposed rafters under extended eaves, wide fascia boards, and the original cladding materials. Separately, several neighborhoods carry Single-Story Overlay (S) combining district zoning, which caps building height at 17 feet and limits homes to one habitable floor to preserve the low-slung character. The overlay governs height and stories rather than siding directly, but it signals how seriously these streetscapes are protected — reinforcing why replacement cladding should be chosen to match, not override, the architecture.

Because requirements vary by parcel and neighborhood, we confirm permit and any applicable design-review specifics before we finalize a spec. If your parcel sits in a designated Wildland-Urban Interface or Fire Hazard Severity Zone (relevant nearer the western foothills), Chapter 7A of the California Building Code adds ignition-resistant exterior-wall standards; whether it applies depends on your parcel, and noncombustible fiber cement is one commonly used compliant option.

Why Bay Area Siding Company

We're based in Larkspur, in Marin, and install siding and replacement windows throughout the Bay Area, including the Peninsula. See recent work in our project gallery and explore nearby services on our Peninsula service area page. Re-siding is also the right time to upgrade windows — we carry Anlin, Andersen, Milgard, Marvin, and Pella (see Palo Alto window replacement).

What drives siding replacement cost

Costs are project-specific. The main qualitative drivers: total wall area, number of stories and site access, the material and trim/detailing package, how much substrate repair surfaces at tear-off, and the permit (and any design-review) scope. On character homes, faithful detailing can add labor. We provide specifics after seeing the home.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to replace siding in Palo Alto? Yes. Re-siding is not on the city's list of permit-exempt work, so a building permit is required. Depending on the neighborhood and home, additional design considerations may apply.

Will the Eichler guidelines or single-story overlay stop me from re-siding? The Eichler Design Guidelines are voluntary unless the city adopts them into zoning, and they focus on preserving character. The Single-Story Overlay limits height and stories, not siding specifically. We help you replace cladding in a way that respects both.

Can you reproduce my Eichler's original look in a longer-lasting material? Often, yes. Products like fiber cement come in profiles that can echo original vertical-board or panel rhythms while reducing maintenance.

Do you replace windows too? Yes — we install replacement windows from Anlin, Andersen, Milgard, Marvin, and Pella, which pairs well with a re-siding project.

Ready to replace your siding?

Talk to a Marin-based siding contractor who works across the Peninsula. Call (415) 619-5167 or request your consultation.