e.g. 50
e.g. 30
e.g. 9
~15 sq ft each subtracted
~20 sq ft each subtracted
Siding Estimate
Accessories
Cost Breakdown
Estimated Total (Materials + Labor)
$3,840 – $11,520
1,280.00 sq ft of vinyl siding
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Siding Cost & Material Guide
Per-square-foot pricing, material lifespans, and installation requirements for siding.
How Much Does New Siding Cost in 2026?
New siding costs about $3–$15 per square foot installed for vinyl, fiber cement, and wood. This Old House puts a full replacement at $8,000–$30,000 for most homes, materials and installation.
- Vinyl siding: $3–$9/sq ft installed (most affordable, low maintenance)
- Fiber cement (HardiePlank): $6–$15/sq ft installed (durable, paintable)
- Wood (cedar clapboard): $5–$15/sq ft installed
- Engineered wood (LP SmartSide): $7–$16/sq ft installed
- Aluminum: $3–$9/sq ft installed
- Stone veneer: $23–$45/sq ft installed
Key Takeaways
- Vinyl: $3–$9/sq ft (most affordable)
- Fiber cement: $6–$15/sq ft (durable, paintable)
- Full replacement: $8,000–$30,000 for most homes (This Old House)
Siding Material Comparison: Lifespan & Maintenance
Fiber cement siding can last 50 years with proper installation and resists moisture, rot, pests, and fire. These are typical manufacturer warranty and industry estimates; actual lifespan depends on climate, installation quality, and maintenance.
- Vinyl: 20–40 years, no painting, can crack in extreme cold
- Fiber cement: up to 50 years, fire-resistant, needs periodic repainting
- Wood: 20–40 years, cedar clapboards may need repainting every 7–10 years (highest maintenance)
- Metal: does not rust (aluminum), but can corrode and dent
Key Takeaways
- Fiber cement: up to 50 years, fire-resistant
- Vinyl: 20–40 years, no painting
- Wood: highest maintenance (repaint every 7–10 years)
Siding Installation & What to Watch For
Proper installation includes housewrap, flashing, and the manufacturer's specified gaps at trim joints to prevent moisture infiltration behind the siding.
- Housewrap/WRB: a water-resistive barrier behind siding is required by most residential codes. Check your local code and the siding manufacturer's instructions.
- Window/door flashing: critical water management detail - a common failure point
- Nail pattern and trim gaps: follow the siding manufacturer's installation instructions for fastener spacing and clearances; they differ between vinyl and fiber cement
- Old siding removal: $0.75–$3/sq ft for tear-off and disposal
Inspect sheathing and housewrap during tear-off. Replacing rotted sheathing adds cost you cannot see until tear-off - carry an allowance or a per-sheet unit price in the contract.
Key Takeaways
- Housewrap (WRB) required by most residential codes; check local amendments
- Window flashing = a common moisture failure point
- Old siding removal: $0.75–$3/sq ft
Last updated: 2026-09-24
Quick Answer: How Much Siding Do You Need?
Multiply your home's perimeter by wall height per story, subtract door and window openings, then divide by 100. That gives you squares - the unit siding is sold in. A two-story home with a 150-foot perimeter and 8-foot walls per story has about 2,400 sq ft of gross wall. After 8-12 windows and 2 doors, that is roughly 22 squares of siding. Order 10% extra on simple homes and 15% if you have gable ends, dormers, or a lot of angles. Fiber cement runs $6-$15 per sq ft installed. Vinyl is $3-$9.
Siding Cost and Material Comparison
Installed cost covers materials and labor for a standard single-story home. Prices vary by region and job complexity.
| Siding Type | Installed Cost / sq ft | Lifespan | Maintenance | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl | $3-$9 | 20-40 yrs | Low | Budget-friendly, low maintenance |
| Fiber Cement (Hardie) | $6-$15 | Up to 50 yrs | Low-Medium | Durability, paintable finish |
| Wood (Cedar/Pine) | $5-$15 | 20-40 yrs | High | Curb appeal, historic homes |
| Aluminum | $3-$9 | Varies | Low | Fire resistance, low maintenance |
| Stone Veneer | $23-$45 | 50+ yrs | Very Low | Accents, premium curb appeal |
Inputs You Will Need
- House perimeter or dimensions - Total linear feet around the exterior, or length and width (the calculator multiplies them for you)
- Wall height - Enter the height of one story (standard walls run 8-9 feet); the calculator multiplies this by your number of stories
- Door and window count - Typical homes have 2-3 exterior doors and 8-12 windows; each door deducts about 20 sq ft and each window about 15 sq ft from your gross area
- Siding material type - Vinyl, fiber cement, wood, metal, or stone veneer; affects the cost per square foot estimate
- Stories - Multi-story homes add staging costs and extend the effective wall area
Quick Reference: House Size to Siding Squares
Approximate squares for a single-story rectangular home with 8-foot walls, 2 exterior doors, and 8 windows. Add 10-15% for waste on your material order.
| Home Size (sq ft) | Approx. Perimeter | Net Squares | Order Qty (with 10% waste) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | ~126 ft | 7-9 squares | 8-10 squares |
| 1,500 sq ft | ~156 ft | 10-12 squares | 11-13 squares |
| 2,000 sq ft | ~180 ft | 12-15 squares | 13-17 squares |
| 2,500 sq ft | ~200 ft | 14-17 squares | 15-19 squares |
| 3,000 sq ft | ~220 ft | 16-20 squares | 18-22 squares |
Cost to Side a House by Size (2026)
Total installed cost - materials and labor - for a single-story home, based on net wall area (perimeter x 8-ft walls, minus 2 doors and 8 windows). Wood costs more than vinyl or aluminum; see the comparison table above for the full range by material. Excludes tear-off ($0.75-$3/sq ft) and housewrap ($0.40-$1.50/sq ft). A larger or multi-story home, or a full job that also includes tear-off, housewrap, and trim, runs higher - up to the $8,000-$30,000 whole-home range cited above. Prices vary by region and job complexity, so get local quotes before you commit.
| Home Size (sq ft) | Vinyl (Installed) | Fiber Cement / Hardie (Installed) |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $2,500-$7,600 | $5,100-$12,700 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $3,300-$9,800 | $6,500-$16,300 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $3,800-$11,500 | $7,700-$19,200 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $4,300-$13,000 | $8,600-$21,600 |
Worked Example: 1,500 Sq Ft Single-Story Home
A 40x38-foot house with 8-foot walls, 10 windows, and 2 exterior doors:
- Perimeter: (40 + 38) x 2 = 156 linear feet
- Gross wall area: 156 x 8 = 1,248 sq ft
- Window deductions: 10 x 15 = 150 sq ft
- Door deductions: 2 x 20 = 40 sq ft
- Net area: 1,248 - 190 = 1,058 sq ft (10.6 squares)
- With 10% waste: order 11.6 squares - round to 12
At fiber cement rates of $6-$15 per sq ft installed, this job runs $6,348 to $15,870. Vinyl at $3-$9 is $3,174 to $9,522. Accessories for this house: 156 linear ft of starter strip, 164 linear ft of J-channel (10 x 13 + 2 x 17), and 4 outside corner posts. Price them from your supplier and add them as separate line items.
Common Siding Estimating Mistakes
- Quoting gross area instead of net. Every door and window is a deduction. A typical home has 8-12 windows and 2-3 exterior doors. That's 160-240 sq ft of gross area you should not be buying siding for. Contractors who quote gross end up over-ordering material and losing that margin to leftover panels sitting in the garage.
- Forgetting accessories in the material list. Starter strip, J-channel, corner posts, and inside corner trim add up on a full reside. For a home with 12 windows and 2 doors, this calculator's formula gives about 190 linear feet of J-channel, before soffit and roofline runs. These are real line items that need to be in the estimate before you quote the job.
- Skipping the housewrap inspection on re-sides. You are removing old siding and exposing whatever is behind it. If the housewrap is torn, missing, or wrong, you have to replace it before new siding goes on. Housewrap runs about $0.40-$1.50 per sq ft installed, roughly $600-$2,200 on the 1,440 sq ft of wall on a 2,000 sq ft single-story home. If it is not in your estimate and it needs replacing, you eat that cost.
- Not accounting for gable ends and dormers. These areas require more cuts, more waste, and more labor time per square than a straight wall. Add 15% for waste to areas with a lot of angles, not just 10%. On a home with dormers, underestimating gable waste is how contractors short-order material and make a second delivery run at full freight cost.
- Leaving old siding removal out of scope. Tear-off and disposal is real work and real cost. Tear-off and disposal runs about $0.75-$3 per sq ft, roughly $800-$3,300 on the 1,088 sq ft of net wall on a 1,500 sq ft home. Clarify scope with the client before demo starts - not after. Put it in writing in a scope of work document if using subs for tear-off so there is no dispute about who pays for what.
Related Calculators
- Hardie Board Calculator - Panel count and cost for fiber cement siding by house size and wall area.
- Vinyl Siding Cost Estimator - Vinyl-specific cost breakdown with siding grade, removal, housewrap, and trim options.
- Siding Estimate Template - Turn tear-off, housewrap, siding, and trim quantities into a bid document to send the client.
- Paint Calculator - Gallons and coats for painting siding or any exterior wall surface.
- Square Footage Calculator - Measure wall area and room dimensions for any exterior or interior project.
- Contractor Estimate Template - Turn your siding quantities into a professional line-item estimate for the client.
- Contractor Markup Calculator - Set the right markup on materials and labor to protect your margin on every job.
Sources
- This Old House, "Siding Replacement Cost" - installed cost per sq ft by material.
- This Old House, "Fiber Cement Siding Cost" - fire resistance, 50-year lifespan, 30-year warranty.
- 2021 International Residential Code, Section R703.2 - water-resistive barrier requirement behind exterior siding. Local codes may amend this; check your jurisdiction.
Per-sq-ft price ranges on this page also draw on EstimationPro's internal pricing reference, which cross-checks Angi, HomeGuide, Modernize, and Homewyse 2026 cost guides.
If you are bidding siding work, try EstimationPro free (3 estimates, no card). Describe the job with photos, voice, or notes and it builds a line-item estimate with labor and materials adjusted for your region. When you send the estimate from EstimationPro, it reminds the client automatically: at 24 hours if they have not opened it, 48 hours after they open it with no response, and a final reminder at 7 days.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter house dimensions or perimeter
Input the length and width of your house, or enter the total perimeter directly. Set the wall height and number of stories for accurate area calculations.
Add doors and windows
Enter the number of exterior doors and windows. The calculator subtracts 20 sq ft per door and 15 sq ft per window to give you the net siding area.
Select your siding type
Choose from vinyl, fiber cement, wood, metal, or stone veneer. Each material has different cost ranges for both materials and installation labor.
Review area, accessories, and cost
See the net siding area in squares, required starter strip, J-channel, and corner posts, plus a full materials and labor cost breakdown.
Siding Calculation Formulas
Gross Wall Area = Perimeter x Wall Height (per story) x Stories
Net Area = Gross Area - (Doors x 20 sq ft) - (Windows x 15 sq ft)
Squares = Net Area / 100
Starter Strip = Perimeter (linear ft)
J-Channel = (Windows x 13) + (Doors x 17) linear ftWhere:
- Perimeter
- = Total length around the house exterior in feet
- Square
- = 100 square feet of siding material
- J-Channel
- = Trim that frames siding edges around openings
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many squares of siding do I need?
How much does it cost to side a house?
What is the cheapest siding option?
How long does siding last?
What is J-channel and how much do I need?
Should I add waste factor for siding?
How do contractors price siding for a client?
Siding labor typically runs $2-$8 per sq ft ($200-$800 per square) depending on material, with vinyl at the low end and fiber cement higher. On an 11-square fiber cement job (about 1,100 sq ft net), installed pricing of $6-$15 per sq ft works out to roughly $6,600-$16,500 before tear-off and housewrap, then set your materials markup with the contractor markup calculator. Use a contractor estimate template to line-item materials, labor, and markup before you send the proposal.
How long does it take to install siding on a typical house?
Crew time depends on material, stories, and trim detail. Fiber cement takes longer than vinyl because the panels are heavier and need more cutting. Build your schedule from your own crew's squares-per-day on past jobs, and add time for tear-off, housewrap, and flashing. Complex rooflines, multiple stories, and detailed trim work all extend the timeline. Always confirm what is in scope before demo starts - rotted sheathing behind old siding can add days and material cost you cannot predict until the old siding comes off.
What should a siding estimate include?
A complete siding estimate covers siding panels by square, starter strip, J-channel, corner posts, housewrap, flashing at windows and doors, nails and fasteners, old siding removal and disposal, and labor. Missing any of these - especially housewrap or disposal - is how contractors underbid and eat margin on delivery day. The contractor estimate template has line items for all of these. Do not quote siding from a single square footage number without running the accessories first.
How much siding do I need for a 1,500 sq ft house?
A 1,500 sq ft single-story home typically has a perimeter of 160-170 feet and 8-foot walls. Gross wall area runs about 1,280-1,360 sq ft. After subtracting 8 windows (120 sq ft) and 2 doors (40 sq ft), net area is roughly 1,120-1,200 sq ft - that is 11-12 squares. Order 12-14 squares to cover 10-15% waste. Complex rooflines and gable ends push the waste factor toward 15%.
How much does it cost to side a 2,000 sq ft house?
A 2,000 sq ft single-story home has about 1,280 sq ft of net wall. Installed: vinyl $3,800-$11,500, fiber cement $7,700-$19,200, wood $6,400-$19,200, aluminum $3,800-$11,500. Add $0.75-$3 per sq ft (about $1,000-$3,800) for tear-off and disposal. Rotted sheathing found during tear-off, multi-story staging, and complex trim details all add cost that does not show up in a per-square-foot number.
Hardie board vs vinyl siding: what is the cost difference?
Vinyl siding installs for $3-$9 per sq ft versus $6-$15 per sq ft for Hardie board (fiber cement). On a 12-square house, that is a $3,600-$7,200 price gap in materials and labor alone. Hardie can last 50 years with proper installation versus 20-40 for vinyl, and it resists moisture, warping, rot, pests, and fire. Vinyl can crack in extreme cold and fades over time. Use the Hardie board calculator to run a fiber cement-specific estimate before you quote the job.
How much does aluminum siding cost?
Aluminum siding installs for $3-$9 per sq ft, materials and labor. On a 1,500 sq ft single-story home (about 1,088 sq ft of net wall) that is roughly $3,300 to $9,800. Aluminum is fire-resistant and will not rot, but it dents easily and can corrode. Run your wall area through the calculator above, then price it against vinyl and fiber cement before you quote the job.
How much does cedar siding cost?
Cedar and other wood siding runs $5-$15 per sq ft installed, about $5,400 to $16,300 on a 1,500 sq ft single-story home (about 1,088 sq ft of net wall). Cedar looks great and suits historic and craftsman homes, but cedar clapboards may need repainting every 7-10 years, sooner in wet climates. Budget for that maintenance when you talk cost with the client. Drop your square footage into the contractor estimate template to line-item the wood, trim, and finish coats.
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