Siding guides for Boston homeowners

Every guide is written for Boston's housing: triple-deckers, Victorians, rowhouses and mid-century colonials facing freeze-thaw winters and coastal storms. Facts about permits, lead paint and codes link to their public sources. We never publish figures for what jobs run, and we never claim jobs we did not see. Images are illustrative and labelled as such, and every guide ends with a list of what to tell the contractor.

If a guide matches what you see, note the location, the material and how long it has been happening. Take photos from the ground. Note whether anyone in the house has noticed drafts, damp smells or stains inside on that wall, since those details help a contractor judge how far the problem goes behind the siding. Then call and describe it. If more than one guide seems to fit, mention both. The contractor can tell you on the call whether it sounds like a repair, a storm claim or a bigger project.