Siding Contractor in Port Coquitlam, BC
Mi Casa Exteriors is a trusted siding contractor in Surrey, offering installation, repair, and replacement.
Port Coquitlam sits low, between the Coquitlam River and the Pitt River. Two rivers, flat ground, and a high water table. Homes here deal with damp from below as well as rain from above.
That combination shows up at the bottom of walls first.
Port Coquitlam's Permit Rule is Different from Its Neighbors
Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam sit side by side and handle this differently.
In Port Coquitlam, plan on needing a building permit.
The city states that building permits are required before you build, demolish, repair or alter most buildings and structures. A re-clad is a repair or alteration to a building. That’s broader language than the city next door uses, and it’s the reason the same job can need a permit here and not in Coquitlam.
Small isolated repairs are worth a phone call, since those can go either way.
While you’re checking, look up your property on PoCoMAP, the city’s online mapping tool. It shows zoning and flood construction levels. On this much low ground, that second one matters. It also tells you early whether your lot sits within 50 metres of a watercourse, which brings its own requirements.
None of that stops a re-side. It just changes how long the paperwork takes, and it’s better known at the estimate than three weeks in.
On the design side, the city notes that a Development Permit may not be required for exterior alterations to existing buildings that don’t significantly change the appearance of the building and don’t exceed $100,000.
Here’s the part almost nobody mentions on a siding page: a contractor must hold a valid Port Coquitlam business licence before a building permit can be issued. If your contractor isn’t licensed with the city, your permit stalls.
Current requirements are on the City of Port Coquitlam building permits page.
Tell Us About Your Project
Sharing a few details about your home or project helps us better understand your needs before we connect.
What Low Ground Does to Siding
Ground moisture is the local factor. Port Coquitlam’s flat, river-fed soil keeps the base of walls damp longer than a hillside lot would.
What we find here:
- Rot starting at the bottom course and working up
- Siding installed too close to grade, with no clearance for splash-back
- Soft rim joist areas behind cladding on 1970s and 1980s homes
- Fascia and trim failing at the low corners of the house first
The fix starts with clearance and drainage, not just new material. Cladding needs a gap above grade and a drainage path behind it. Homes built before December 15, 2006 usually have neither, because that’s when the BC Building Code began requiring a 10 mm drainage gap on coastal builds.
Our rain screen siding systems page explains what that assembly looks like.
Neighborhood by Neighborhood
Mary Hill and Birchland Manor hold a lot of the older stock. Original wood siding, early vinyl, and stucco that’s cracked at the corners.
Citadel Heights sits higher with more wind exposure on the upper streets.
Riverwood and the newer builds near the Traboulay PoCo Trail are post-2000 and mostly have rainscreens already. Their problems are detail failures, not whole-wall failures.
Downtown Port Coquitlam around Shaughnessy Street has a mix of both.
The Work
A single damaged elevation is siding repair. A whole home is siding replacement. We also do fascia, trim, soffit, and wood rot repair as part of the same job rather than as separate trades.
For a damp low-lying site, fiber cement siding is usually the safest choice near grade because it doesn’t feed rot. Vinyl siding works well on upper storeys and sheltered walls where budget matters.
Why Hire Us
- In-house crews. We don't subcontract your project
- WorkSafeBC registered, clearance number C136733062
- $2,000,000 general liability insurance
- 25-year workmanship warranty, signed by our company and by your installer
- Zero deposit. Nothing before work starts, nothing final until you're satisfied
- BBB Accredited
Pricing
Size, storeys, cladding choice, and rot drive the cost. On Port Coquitlam homes, rot at the base of walls is common enough that we plan for it in the estimate rather than discovering it as a change order.
You get a written quote. If we open a wall and it’s worse than expected, we show you and price it before continuing.
Check the Business License Before You Sign
This is specific to Port Coquitlam, and it’s worth two minutes of your time.
The city won’t issue a building permit unless the contractor holds a valid Port Coquitlam business licence. If your contractor isn’t licensed here, your permit waits.
So ask early. Ask before you sign anything. A contractor who works in the city regularly will answer without hesitating.
It’s also a decent filter. Contractors who skip city licensing tend to skip other things too.
Signs It's Time to Call
- Trim that gives under your thumb. That's rot.
- Staining that comes back after washing.
- Siding sitting too close to the ground with no clearance.
- Cupped, split, or brittle panels.
- Paint failing on one wall only.
- A musty smell in an exterior wall.
In Port Coquitlam, start at the bottom. Ground moisture and splash-back do more damage here than anywhere else in our service area. If the lowest course of siding is soft, the sheathing behind it usually is too.
Homes in Mary Hill and Birchland Manor built before 2006 are the most likely to show it.
What We Check on the First Visit
We walk all four elevations. We start at the bottom, because in Port Coquitlam that’s usually where the trouble is.
We look at clearance between the siding and the ground. Too little clearance means splash-back, and splash-back means rot.
We press on trim near grade. Soft trim is a clear signal.
We check every window head and sill. We check deck ledgers and railing bolts.
If we suspect rot, we open a small test area and close it back up.
Then we write the quote.
Questions Worth Asking any Port Coquitlam Contractor
- Do you hold a current Port Coquitlam business licence?
- Does my job need a building permit, and who applies?
- Are you registered with WorkSafeBC? What's the clearance number?
- How much liability insurance do you carry?
- Are the crews yours or subcontracted?
- What deposit do you want up front?
- Who signs the warranty?
Our answers: WorkSafeBC clearance C136733062. $2,000,000 liability. In-house crews. Zero deposit. A 25-year workmanship warranty signed by our company and by your installer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to replace siding in Port Coquitlam?
Plan on yes. The city requires a building permit before you repair or alter most buildings, and a re-clad is an alteration. Confirm your specific job with the Building Division before work starts. A separate Development Permit may not be needed if the appearance doesn’t change significantly and the value stays under $100,000.
Does my contractor need a Port Coquitlam business license?
Yes. The city requires a builder or contractor to hold a valid Port Coquitlam business licence before it will issue a building permit. Ask any contractor you’re considering.
Do you serve Mary Hill and Citadel Heights?
Yes. Both, along with Birchland Manor, Lincoln Park, Riverwood, and downtown Port Coquitlam.
Why does the bottom of my siding rot first?
Low ground, splash-back from hard surfaces, and not enough clearance above grade. Port Coquitlam’s flat river ground makes this more common than it is on a slope. We correct the clearance when we re-clad.