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# Siding installation and repair

Straight Arrow Roofing & Siding installs and repairs vinyl, aluminum, fibre cement and engineered wood siding in Brantford, Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Cambridge and Paris. Replacing siding with the same material needs no building permit in Burlington, Oakville or Cambridge. Switching to a different material is treated differently: Hamilton and Oakville both require a permit for it.

Updated 16 October 2026 by Straight Arrow Roofing & Siding

## Which siding material is right for your house?

| Material | Strengths | Watch for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vinyl | Lowest cost, many colours, never needs paint | Can crack in a hard frost impact; moves with temperature, so it has to be hung loosely |
| Aluminum | Will not crack in the cold, does not burn | Dents from hail and balls; finish can chalk with age |
| Fibre cement | Heavy, solid look, does not burn, holds paint well | Higher cost and heavier install; cut edges must be sealed |
| Engineered wood | Real wood look, lighter than fibre cement | Must be kept painted and sealed at cuts and edges |

## Do you need a permit to replace siding?

It depends on whether the material changes.

- **Burlington** needs no permit for "Replacing exterior wall cladding, such as siding, with the same material and if there is no increase in thickness".[1]

- **Oakville** needs no permit for "Re-cladding a building with the same material" but lists "Re-cladding a building with new material" as needing one.[2]

- **Cambridge** lists "Replacement of siding" among common projects with no permit.[3]

- **Hamilton** requires a permit for "replacing roofing or exterior cladding with a different material".[4]

## Is it worth doing siding and the roof together?

Often. The two meet at the walls and dormers, where the flashing behind the siding laps under the shingles. Doing them together means that joint is done once, by one crew, and nobody has to cut into new work. The same goes for [soffit and fascia](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/services/eavestroughs/), which sit between the two.

## Where do we do siding?

Across our whole area: [Brantford](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/areas/brantford/), [Paris and the County of Brant](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/areas/paris/), [Hamilton, Ancaster, Dundas and Waterdown](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/areas/hamilton/), [Burlington](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/areas/burlington/), [Oakville](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/areas/oakville/), [Milton](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/areas/milton/), [Cambridge](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/areas/cambridge/).

## What else do we do?

- [Roof replacement](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/services/roof-replacement/) Full tear-off to the deck and a complete new roof system, often in a single day.
- [Roof repair](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/services/roof-repair/) Leaks, lifted or missing shingles, flashing, vents and storm damage.
- [Roof inspections and maintenance](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/services/roof-inspections/) A proper look at the roof and the attic before anyone quotes a price.
- [Flat roofing](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/services/flat-roofing/) Membrane roofs for garages, additions, porches and commercial buildings.
- [Metal roofing](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/services/metal-roofing/) Long-life metal roofs and cosmetic metal capping.
- [Skylights](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/services/skylights/) New skylights, replacements in the same opening, and leak repairs.
- [Eavestroughs, soffit and fascia](https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/services/eavestroughs/) Eavestroughs and downpipes, cleaning and repairs, soffit and fascia.

## Sources

1. [Do I need a building permit?](https://www.burlington.ca/en/building-and-renovating/do-i-need-a-building-permit.aspx), City of Burlington, read 16 October 2026.
2. [Building permit application process](https://www.oakville.ca/town-hall/online-services/planning-construction/building-permit-application-process/), Town of Oakville, read 16 October 2026.
3. [Building permits](https://www.cambridge.ca/business-building-development/building-planning/building-permits/), City of Cambridge, read 16 October 2026.
4. [Building permit for residential renovations](https://www.hamilton.ca/build-invest-grow/construction-renovation/residential-building-renovation/building-permit), City of Hamilton, read 16 October 2026.

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Source: https://straightarrow-dev.pages.dev/services/siding/