I think it's impossible to make a suggestion without seeing all the sides / potential conflicts.

agree ^^^ but just from that one pic, I'd say the scale is off - should be a wider board.

IN that view, I think the placement is fine and now the problem is the lack of a window left of the front door. (sorry - know that is not what you wanted!)

Ha - the tree! I like it. It's a perfect area for a feature tree or even a trellis / yard light, etc.

Again - it might be just my untrained eye - but I don't find it that objectionable where it is FOR THE FRONT. I realize that usually (?) the band is done between floors but that would eliminate it from most of the front and drop it down in the blank area. But then the other sides of the house come into play - so we've have to see those too. And I am guessing the plainer sides the house would be the real issue - as the change in material will just look too high.

I'm still on the fence about the proportion. I don't think you can/should eliminate the board over the porch but having it there limits the width you can use to the left of the porch where it appears undersized to me. So bottom line I'd say leave it as is because otherwise you are opening other issues. As so often happens, your focus right now is on that-one-thing because it's the thing of the moment. As other things-come-together your focus will go elsewhere and hopefully when it's all done you won't focus on one thing but the whole thing. :-D I see the window/no window dilemma but do think you can address that with landscaping, maybe a trellis and create balance and interest with the blank space.

LOL - janni and I are on the same page obviously with the trellis!

Well...since you asked...IMO, there must be a "belly board" or other similar detail wherever there is a change in materials.

If you think this belly board looks strange, visualize a change in materials without any transition piece to enable a materials change to make visual sense.

Remove the belly board and you will have siding "collision" which will certainly detract from the aesthetic of the house.

My thoughts are if using a "belly band" that I would have also used a "water table" at the bottom.

I'd eliminate it and continue on with the same siding. There's too much going on there.

"...@virgil - do you think it should come down some and remove the board over the porch roof? Or leave it where it is?..."

Allison, IMO, the proper location is wherever the two siding materials change. I don't see the roof as relevant.

I also think millworkman's suggestion is a good one.

I will be the odd man out here. I don't care for the way it looks and think it makes it look off balance and accentuates the empty space where your pantry is. If it were my home I would just do shakes on the main body of the house....then you wouldn't even need the board.

I think it looks very nice where it is!

Use the same siding on the entire wall.

Allison....no, I meant to do the entire house body (excluding the garage) in shakes including the porch area. I actually think the board looks fine where it is, but I don't care for the two different materials and it draws the eye right to that blank wall.

Or.....maybe just a nice large white trellis there in that empty spot.

I'd move it down to the gable end, as originally planned -- it looks terrible resting right under the window right now, and the shakes deserve more acreage. I might skip having a transition anywhere along the porch, so if you can hit the gable just right, you can just do the single type of siding below it. I don't see a window problem, but if it hits some window perpendicularly, that seems preferable to the frame sideswipe there currently.

Sorry you have this headache. Hope you can get it fixed to your satisfaction!

I agree with acm. It's too high, looks wrong and I would have them fix it at their dollar. It was there mistake. Assuming there are plans they've seen to back you up.

IMO there was no need for a belly board at all.

Yes you need something dividing the 2 materials. I like a wider band -- this one is 12" and has a cap on top. Notice how it's a seems like a continuation of the beam over the columns.

Water table added at the bottom of the wall.

Here is a mock-up of no white board.

No white band looks the best. What did you end up doing?