u/AmbitiousMuffin6230

My house is fairly large - 2 story with a walkout basement (total of 3 floors), sqft of the whole house including the unfinished basement is about ~6100 sqft. My last 2 houses didn't have typical siding - my first house was an 1925 tudor home with brick and stucco, and my last house was a log cabin in the mountains - so I haven't had to deal with siding choices before.

We knew the house will need some exterior work with its all cedar siding. I hate the color and it is definitely rotted in a lot of places. The house is on a farmland, so we have to have traps out for mice (they are inevitable) but want a more sealed house so rodents can't get in. Genuine question, sorry if it's stupid, but how should I make the determination if I should replace the siding with a James Hardie type siding with low maintenance, or if I should repair and repaint the cedar? I feel like repainting the house will be ~$25K to do; I know the hardie will cost WAY more but other than that, what are the cons?

Context: the bathroom is in the basement, and only bathroom, so it'll be a bathroom for both overnight guests as well as everyone else that hangs out in the basement. It's in a central spot and we don't plan to have a powder room in the basement. I've marked the concrete foundation walls, the drywalled walls can be temporary (the room is unfinished, except for the drywall and frame the previous owners put up with no paint on them). I just feel like it's just too spacious and the room will be cold in both layouts. I also don't love that the shower and tub can't seem be in the same spot and has to be far apart from each other. I'm also not sold on a freestanding tub, especially if we have guests that stay with us who have kids and can splash everywhere.

Suggestions welcomed!!