Look at conditions before materials
Substrate condition, moisture barriers, flashing at windows and doors, insulation, and ventilation behind the siding matter as much as the material itself.
What a thorough scope covers
- Existing conditions and likely cause
- Preparation and protection
- Materials, compatibility, and installation details
- Permits, testing, cleanup, and restoration
- Exclusions, warranty terms, and change-order process
Cincinnati context
The first question in Cincinnati is often whether siding is the right conversation at all, because much of the older housing stock is load-bearing masonry rather than framed wall with cladding. On those buildings the exterior is the structure, and covering it can trap moisture in an assembly designed to dry outward -- so repointing and repair are frequently the appropriate work, and cladding belongs on the frame additions, rear elevations and dormers instead. Where siding does apply, closely built lots are the practical constraint: a narrow gap between houses limits access, scaffolding and how a wall can be worked, and it raises separation requirements that a detached suburban house never encounters. Ohio Valley winters then supply the mechanism that ages everything, cycling through freeze and thaw repeatedly and driving moisture into any gap in the detailing before expanding it.