In Richmond’s historic neighborhoods, exterior work isn’t as simple as pulling old siding and nailing up new. The Fan and Church Hill fall under the city’s CAR review process, which means material choices, profiles, and paint colors all get scrutinized — and we know how to spec work that sails through rather than stalls. Where historic review doesn’t apply, like Forest Hill and Westover Hills, we lean on James Hardie fiber cement siding for its dimensional stability in Richmond’s humid summers and cold snaps. Roofing on these early-1900s homes often needs careful deck inspection before any shingles go down, and we don’t skip that step.
Housing Era and Local Exterior Conditions
Richmond’s housing stock is genuinely old by Virginia standards. The Fan and Museum District are full of row houses and detached homes built between the 1880s and the 1930s, and wood clapboard or wood shingle siding is still common on many of them. That original wood is often structurally sound at the framing level but compromised at the surface — paint film broken down, end grain exposed, moisture working in at window sills and corner boards. Church Hill has a similar story, with additional storm exposure from sitting on one of Richmond’s higher ridgelines. Forest Hill and Westover Hills, developed somewhat later, have more homes with 1950s-era aluminum or early hardboard siding that has run its course. Richmond’s climate — humid summers, freeze-thaw cycles from November through March — is hard on any exterior material that isn’t properly maintained, and the gap between “needs paint” and “needs replacement” closes faster here than in drier climates.
Permits and the CAR Process in the City of Richmond
Richmond City requires building permits for siding replacement and roofing work, and for properties in Old and Historic Districts — which covers large portions of The Fan, Church Hill, and the Museum District — the Commission of Architectural Review must approve exterior changes before a permit is issued. RCBC is a Virginia Class A licensed contractor and handles the permit application and inspection scheduling as a standard part of every project. For CAR-applicable properties, we prepare the documentation the review process requires: material specs, color samples, and profile drawings. We’ve found that getting CAR materials right the first time is far faster than a resubmission, so we don’t guess at what the board expects. Outside the historic districts, permit and inspection logistics are straightforward and add no meaningful delay to the project schedule.
Common Questions
Do I need CAR approval even if I’m matching the existing siding exactly? Generally yes, if your home is in a Richmond Old and Historic District. Matching existing material and profile is usually the fastest path through the review, but the approval step itself is still required. We handle that submission as part of the project.
Can James Hardie be approved for homes in The Fan or Church Hill? Fiber cement in a profile that closely replicates the original wood clapboard has been approved on Richmond historic properties — the key is matching the exposure width, shadow line, and surface texture. We spec this carefully and submit samples when the board requests them.
What happens if we find soft or rotted roof decking once shingles come off? We stop, document the condition, and review it with you before proceeding. Deck repair is done in the same mobilization, and we won’t put new shingles over compromised sheathing. The final inspection covers the completed assembly, not just the surface.