The most common question we get on a siding walkthrough is some version of "what should I actually put on my house?" The honest answer depends on the home, the budget, and how long you plan to stay. Here's a plain comparison of the three materials most Bellingham homeowners weigh, with no cheerleading for any one brand, and each one tied to the wet marine climate we actually live in.
The short version: fiber cement (James Hardie) is the all-around workhorse, cedar is the best look for character homes, and vinyl or engineered wood is the budget and low-maintenance pick. All three can work here if they're installed right and put on a rainscreen.
The quick comparison.
| Fiber cement (Hardie) | Cedar | Vinyl / engineered | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-house cost | $14,000 to $38,000 | $18,000 to $45,000 | $9,000 to $24,000 |
| Rot and mold | Won't rot | Rots if it can't dry | Won't rot (vinyl); engineered resists |
| Fire | Resists fire | Combustible | Melts / burns |
| Maintenance | Low, refresh finish in time | Highest | Lowest |
| Look | Clean, crisp | Best on character homes | Good, more uniform |
| Lifespan here | 40-plus years | Long on a rainscreen | 20 to 30 years |
Fiber cement (James Hardie).
Fiber cement is cement, sand, and cellulose fiber, and it's the material we install most in Bellingham. It won't rot or feed mold, it resists fire, and it holds a finish far longer than wood. That combination is exactly what our 35-inch-of-rain climate rewards. It reads as a crisp, high-quality exterior and it helps at resale. The trade-off is cost (more than vinyl) and the fact that it's only as good as the install. Get the full pricing picture in the James Hardie cost guide for Bellingham. For most homeowners who plan to stay, it's the safe pick.
Cedar and real wood.
There are houses where cedar is simply right, the historic homes in Fairhaven, the bigger places in Edgemoor, the older stock in the Lettered Streets and Columbia. Real cedar shingle, shake, and bevel siding has a warmth and a character that no manufactured product fully copies, and on the right home it's worth the premium. The honest catch is maintenance and moisture. Cedar is the most upkeep of the three, and in our climate it only lasts if it can dry, which means a rainscreen is essentially required and corrosion-resistant fasteners are a must near the bay. If the look matters more than the maintenance, cedar wins.
Vinyl and engineered wood.
Vinyl and engineered wood are the budget and low-maintenance picks, and that's not a knock. Insulated vinyl seals out the weather, costs the least, and asks almost nothing of you afterward, which makes it a smart call for rentals and straightforward homes. Engineered wood like LP SmartSide gives you a real wood-lap look and a more solid panel, and it handles our moisture far better than the old hardboard it usually replaces. Neither will burn-resist or read as upscale the way Hardie does, but for the money they protect the house well.
There's no single right material. There's a right material for your house, your budget, and how long you plan to stay. We'll give you all three numbers.
What we'd tell a neighbor.
If you're staying in the home and resale matters, fiber cement is the default. If you own a character home where the look is half the value, cedar on a rainscreen is worth it. If you're re-siding a rental or watching the budget hard, engineered wood or insulated vinyl protects the house for less and there's no shame in it. The one thing that's true for all three: in Bellingham, put it on a rainscreen, because none of them last if the wall can't dry. Our guide on whether you need a rainscreen explains why.
For a free walkthrough and honest numbers on all three, Bellingham Siding Co. installs fiber cement, cedar and wood, and vinyl and engineered wood siding across Bellingham and Whatcom County.