When re-siding a house, where should I start?
Have you thought about using hardy board siding?  You can get the same look and feel of wood without the risk of mold or termites.  The price would not be much different than a good quality wood siding.  It is not that difficult to install either, so labor cost should be no different.  It is also easy to remove and replace incase there are any future problems with the house(ie electric or plumbing) that would require you to have to remove your siding.