San Anselmo Siding & Windows Replacement

San Anselmo sits in an enclosed, tree-shaded valley where wet winters, creek-side dampness, and a lot of pre-1940 housing put steady pressure on exterior walls. Bay Area Siding Company is a Larkspur-based siding and window contractor working throughout Marin, and full siding replacement is core to what we do: pulling the old cladding, checking what the walls are actually made of, correcting the water-management layers, and re-siding to a spec that suits the home.

Want to get the project moving? Request an estimate or call (415) 619-5167 and we'll talk it through.

When re-siding beats one more repair

The Ross Valley's shade and humidity are hard on siding, and older San Anselmo homes tend to show it. These are the symptoms that usually mean the wall system — not just the paint — has reached the end of the road:

• Boards that cup, split, or feel spongy, especially on the shaded north and creek-facing elevations
• Fresh paint that blisters or peels within a season or two
• Mildew streaking, a musty smell inside exterior walls, or dark staining low on the wall
• Trim, sills, or the bottom courses near grade that give when you press them
• Aging T1-11, hardboard, or brittle old cladding that keeps needing patches

One or two of these can sometimes be repaired. Several together, particularly on a home from the 1910s–1930s, usually point to replacement.

Why a real tear-off, not a cover-over

Nailing new siding over tired material buries the exact things worth inspecting: the sheathing and whether a water-resistive barrier and flashing were ever installed correctly. On a century-old Craftsman or Tudor cottage here, that history matters — many were built before modern drainage detailing was standard. Covering over also adds weight and can seal moisture inside a wall that already struggles to dry in this climate. Taking the old cladding off costs more at the outset and leaves you with a wall that's sound from the sheathing outward.

Picking a material for a Ross Valley home

We install several systems and will walk the trade-offs with you at the house. A quick map of the options:

• James Hardie fiber cement — dimensionally stable and noncombustible; a common pick in damp, tree-shaded valleys (see our San Anselmo James Hardie page for the detail)
• Fiber cement — the wider category across manufacturers
• LP SmartSide — engineered wood, treated for moisture and pests
• Vinyl siding — a lower-maintenance choice where it suits the home

We also work in CertainTeed, wood, and aluminum. Two San Anselmo realities shape the conversation more than in most towns: moisture near the creek flats, and fire exposure up the wooded hillsides — both covered below.

What to expect: our process

1. Consultation — we walk the exterior with you, look at the current walls, and get clear on goals and budget.
2. Measure and spec — exact field measurements and a written scope of work.
3. Permit — the Town of San Anselmo's Building Division handles construction permits, and exterior re-siding typically requires one; we confirm the scope and pull it.
4. Tear-off and substrate inspection — the old cladding comes off and we assess sheathing, framing, and any concealed rot before new material goes up.
5. Water-resistive barrier and flashing — WRB and flashing detailed at windows, doors, penetrations, and transitions to keep the wall dry.
6. Install to spec — siding installed per the manufacturer's published instructions and clearances.
7. Finish and walkthrough — trim, caulk, cleanup, and a final review together.

San Anselmo-specific things to know

Permits and the Building Division. Construction permitting runs through the Town of San Anselmo's Building & Safety / Building Division. A re-side is an exterior alteration that generally calls for a permit; the exact submittal depends on your scope, so we verify with the Town rather than assume.

The creek and the flats. San Anselmo Creek runs straight through the heart of town, and downtown and the lower flats have a long flood history — the December 31, 2005 storm sent more than four feet of water down San Anselmo Avenue and damaged hundreds of homes and businesses. The Marin County Flood Control District's San Anselmo Flood Risk Reduction (SAFRR) work, including the Sunnyside detention basin and downtown creek improvements, is aimed at that risk. If your home is on the flats near the creek, the lower wall is the vulnerable zone: we pay close attention to bottom-course clearances above grade and splash, drainage behind the cladding, and how the base of the wall sheds water. Properties inside a FEMA special flood hazard area can also carry floodplain rules on materials and improvements below the flood elevation — that's something to confirm with the Town for your parcel before finalizing scope.

The wooded hillsides. Neighborhoods like Seminary Hill, the Bald Hill slopes, and adjacent Sleepy Hollow (unincorporated Marin) sit in wooded terrain with real wildfire exposure, and Cal Fire has been rolling out updated Fire Hazard Severity Zones for local-responsibility areas across the Ross Valley. Whether ignition-resistant exterior requirements apply to a given re-side depends on the parcel's designation and the scope of work — Ross Valley Fire and the Town make that call — so if you're on or near a hillside, tell us early and we'll help confirm it. It can steer the material choice.

The housing stock. Much of San Anselmo predates 1940 — Craftsman bungalows, Tudor and English cottages, Spanish revival, early shingle homes in Yolanda and Winship Park, and cottages around downtown. On homes like these, matching profile and reveal to the original character is part of doing the job well, not an afterthought.

Doing windows in the same project? See San Anselmo window replacement, and browse finished work in our project gallery. You can also explore our wider Marin service area.

What affects the cost

We don't post prices, because no two of these jobs are alike. The honest drivers are the size and number of stories of the home, the material and finish you choose, how much concealed rot turns up at tear-off, whether creek-flat or hillside detailing is in play, access and staging on tighter lots, and permitting. We price it after we've measured and seen the walls.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to replace siding in San Anselmo? Generally yes. The Town of San Anselmo's Building Division permits exterior construction, and a full re-side is normally permitted work. We confirm the requirement for your scope and handle the paperwork.

My house is on the flats near the creek — does that change anything? It can. Near San Anselmo Creek the base of the wall does the hardest work, so we focus on clearances, drainage, and how the lower courses shed water. If your parcel is in a FEMA flood hazard area, there may be rules on materials and improvements below the flood elevation, which we confirm with the Town before we finalize the plan.

Should I re-side over the existing material instead of tearing off? On older San Anselmo homes we almost always recommend a full tear-off. It's the only way to see and correct the sheathing, framing, weather barrier, and flashing — and in this damp climate, covering over risks trapping moisture in the wall.

Can new siding keep the look of my period home? Yes. Profile, board width, and reveal can be chosen to respect a Craftsman, Tudor, or cottage exterior. We'll match the character of the street where it matters.

Get started

Let's look at your walls, talk materials, and lay out a realistic plan. Request an estimate or call Bay Area Siding Company at (415) 619-5167.