Hi folks. We're a year on from my original post on this topic (see thread here) and I'm feeling stuck on siding options. The home currently has 11"-wide lap siding made of asbestos which is cracking and falling off in places. It also has faux-stone on the front which is not my cup of tea. Apologies for the old Google StreetView pic.

I will be having the siding removed by a professional asbestos abatement company, and then having insulation and replacement siding installed. My hope is to retain its "mid-century modest" aesthetic, with similarly wide lap siding but in grey. I've been getting discouraging info from the contractors I've spoken with and could use this community's input on my options:

Wood, though classic and beautiful, was never really a consideration due to its high price tag and maintenance needs.

I was initially leaning toward fibre cement board because of the claims of durability; however, I'm being told it's not well-suited to our climate here in Atlantic Canada (humid summers, wet winters), as well as being 5x more expensive than vinyl.

So vinyl seems to be the sensible choice. Unfortunately the wide style I want is hard to come by since it's no longer in fashion. For reference, this is the product line that the contractor is steering me to.

• There is an 8" option, but it's available only in white. Is having it painted with Sherwin-Williams' VinylSafe paint (perhaps Moon Walk or Heaven Sake) viable? It's an added cost and I worry it could lead to damage.
• The contractor keeps mentioning the double-4" or double-4.5" options as an alternative (in Sterling or Harvard Slate), but to me this would still look like two narrow boards rather than one wide one. Am I missing something?

This contractor also told me he called around and "no one" carries the wider style in grey. The other contractor I spoke with still hasn't provided me with a quote from his Sept. 4 assessment. I'm feeling the time crunch as I want this completed by end of year and my head is starting to spin! This is my first home and first major renovation project, so any and all advice would be appreciated.