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Siding Replacement Cost Calculator

Siding is quoted per square foot, and the number that matters is what is behind it.

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Estimated siding replacement cost: $14,400, ranging from $11,600 to $19,100.

Estimated siding replacement cost

low confidence
$14,400Supplied and installed, before contingency
$11,600 lowhigh $19,100

What makes up the typical figure

  • Vinyl — material$4,650
  • Installation labor$4,150
  • Remove existing siding$1,800
  • Corner and frieze trim$1,300
  • Everything else$2,560
  • United States average
  • +15% contingency advised
  • Assumptions 2026.07.1

Why low: no state was resolved, so national averages were used; the modeled range spans about 52% of the typical value.

Key figures

Wall area
1,512 sq ftPerimeter of a 1,600 sq ft footprint times 9 ft per storey.
Installed cost per square foot
$9.55($7.65 – $12.65)
Siding squares
15.1 squaresSiding, like roofing, is ordered in 100 sq ft squares.
Estimated labor
56 hours
Cost per year of expected life
$481($386 – $638)Based on a modelled 30-year service life.

Cost breakdown

Estimated cost of each component, with low, typical, and high values.
ComponentLowTypicalHigh
Vinyl — materialMaterials1,663 sq ft ordered, including a 10% waste allowance.$2,650$4,650$7,700
Installation laborLabor56 carpenter-hours at $74/hr billed.$2,500$4,150$7,000
Remove existing sidingRemoval$910$1,800$3,350
DisposalRemoval$380$760$1,450
House wrap and flashingMaterialsThe weather-resistive barrier behind the siding. Skipping it is a false economy that shows up as rot.$380$680$1,200
Window and door trim (14 openings)MaterialsWrapping and flashing each opening. Openings are where water gets in, so this is detail work.$390$770$1,400
Corner and frieze trimMaterials$700$1,300$2,250
PermitPermit$120$350$850
Estimated siding replacement cost$11,600$14,400$19,100
Recommended contingency (15%)Siding contingency is entirely about what is behind it. Rotten sheathing, failed flashing at openings, and pest damage are all invisible until the wall is stripped.$1,750$2,150$2,850
Total to budget$13,350$16,550$21,950

The low and high columns above will not add up to the headline range. Each line has its own uncertainty, and every line landing at its worst case at the same time is unlikely, so the total combines them as partially independent rather than summing the extremes.

What moved your estimate

  • Vinyl is the value option — decreases the estimate

    The cheapest common siding and the fastest to install. It does not hold paint well and can crack in hard freezes, but the installed cost is hard to beat.

How this number was produced
  1. Wall areaperimeter × 9 ft × 1 storeys1,512 sq ft
  2. Material orderedarea × (1 + 10% waste)1,663 sq ft
  3. Labor hours1,512 sq ft ÷ 32 sq ft/hr × 1.18 difficulty56 hours
  4. Totalmaterial + labor + removal + barrier + trim$14,441

Adjustments applied

  • Regional labor — national×1.00

    National 47-2031 Carpenters mean wage of $31.55/hr (BLS OEWS May 2025), times the contractor burden multiplier.

  • Height and complexity×1.18

    Moderate — gables and dormers, 1 storey.

  • Regional material index×1.00

    National material pricing; no state resolved.

Notes and sources3 notes, 2 sources

Worth knowing

  • Re-siding exposes the wall, which makes it the cheapest moment to add exterior insulation, correct flashing, or replace windows. Doing any of those later means paying for access twice.
  • Siding over existing siding is possible with some materials and saves the removal line, but it hides the sheathing, adds thickness at every opening, and can trap moisture.
  • Pre-1978 homes may have asbestos-cement siding, which carries specific removal requirements and cost that this calculator does not model. Test before demolition.

Sources

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), State cross-industry estimatesprimaryMay 2025retrieved 2026-07-31
  • PlainTotal editorial baseline for exterior work, reviewed against publicly advertised supplier pricing, manufacturer specifications, and published trade guidanceassumption2026 national baselineretrieved 2026-07-31

Sheathing condition is invisible until the old siding comes off, and it is both the most common change order and a signal that water has been getting in for a while.

Methodology

How this calculator works

Working out the wall area

From a footprint and storey count we estimate perimeter as 4.2 times the square root of the footprint and multiply by nine feet of wall per storey. Gables add area that this misses on a steeply pitched house, so enter a measured figure if you have one.

Material is ordered with a 10% waste allowance. Siding waste is higher than it looks because every course has to start and finish at a corner or an opening.

Why sheathing is a separate line

The sheathing behind siding is what holds the fasteners and keeps the wall rigid. When it is rotten it must be replaced, and no amount of new siding compensates for it.

It is also invisible when the quote is written. We price it per 4x8 sheet at a share of the wall that you estimate, and set the contingency high enough that finding more is a budget event rather than a crisis. If a quote does not mention sheathing at all, ask what happens when they find it.

The opportunity cost of not doing more

Re-siding is the only time the wall assembly is open. Adding exterior insulation, correcting flashing, or replacing windows costs a fraction now of what it will cost later, because the expensive part — access — is already paid for.

Location and data

Where the numbers come from

Location is optional, and we only ask for a ZIP code or a state — never a street address. A ZIP code is matched to its state using published postal prefix ranges, and that state is used to look up labor and price rows in the tables below. If you leave it blank, or your ZIP cannot be matched, the estimate falls back to a national average and says so on the result.

Nothing you enter is transmitted or stored. The calculation runs entirely in your browser, and the only place your inputs appear is in the page URL, so you can bookmark or share a result if you choose to.

  • primaryMay 2025v2025.05

    U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), State cross-industry estimates

    Hourly mean wage (H_MEAN) for each trade. These are employee wages, not billed contractor rates. Billed rates are derived in the engine by applying a documented burden-and-overhead multiplier; see docs/calculator-methodology.md.

  • assumption2026 national baselinev2026.07.1

    PlainTotal editorial baseline for exterior work, reviewed against publicly advertised supplier pricing, manufacturer specifications, and published trade guidance

    These are NOT published statistics. As with the interior material baselines, no public agency publishes exterior material prices at this granularity and proprietary construction cost databases cannot be reproduced. Every figure is material only, delivered to a metropolitan supply yard, before regional adjustment and before sales tax. Labor rates are crew-hours or per-unit production rates for a competent crew in normal conditions. See docs/data-sources.md for the full limitation statement.

Full detail on every dataset is on the data sources page. Spotted something wrong? Report incorrect data.

Calibration

The judgements behind this estimate

These are the figures we chose rather than measured. For each one we record the range of values found across references, what we selected, and why — because an estimate you cannot interrogate is not much better than a guess. The 2 marked high risk are the ones most likely to be wrong and most consequential when they are.

  • Siding material per square foothigh riskmedium confidence
    Observed range
    1.4 — 20 (typical 5.2)USD per square foot
    Why this value
    Sampled pricing spans $1.40/sq ft for builder-grade vinyl to $20 for brick veneer. Selected mid-band values per material. The eightfold material spread is compounded by labour, since the expensive materials are also the slow ones.
    Applies to
    United States. Stucco is materially cheaper in the Southwest where the trade is common; not modelled.
    Known limits
    Brick veneer and stucco are as much labour trades as material ones, and pricing them per square foot of material understates how much of their cost is skill availability.
    Sources
    Publicly advertised big-box and trade supplier pricing, sampled across several metropolitan markets
    Last verified
    2026-07-31 · reviewed annual
  • Sheathing replacement per sheethigh riskmedium confidence
    Observed range
    40 — 120 (typical 68)USD per 4x8 sheet installed
    Why this value
    CDX sheathing installed, covering 32 sq ft per sheet. Applied at a user-estimated damage share of 0%, 15%, or 40%. The most common change order on a siding job and invisible until the wall is stripped.
    Applies to
    United States.
    Known limits
    The damage share is guessed by the homeowner before anyone has looked behind the siding. Widespread damage usually indicates a long-standing water entry problem that should be diagnosed rather than covered, and the calculator cannot say that from a percentage.
    Sources
    Publicly advertised big-box and trade supplier pricing, sampled across several metropolitan markets; Published trade production-rate guidance and contractor estimating handbooks
    Last verified
    2026-07-31 · reviewed annual
  • Architectural complexity multiplierlow confidence
    Observed range
    1 — 1.6 (typical 1.18)multiplier on labour
    Why this value
    Gables, dormers, bays, and changes of plane each mean starting and stopping courses. A boxy two-storey is the 1.0 case. Capped at 1.4 because beyond that the job is usually a custom-trim exercise rather than a siding one.
    Applies to
    United States.
    Known limits
    Self-assessed. Overlaps conceptually with the opening count, so a complex house with many windows may be double-counted slightly.
    Sources
    Published trade production-rate guidance and contractor estimating handbooks
    Last verified
    2026-07-31 · reviewed biennial
  • Window and door opening trim eachmedium confidence
    Observed range
    18 — 140 (typical 55)USD each
    Why this value
    Wrapping and flashing per opening. Openings are where water gets in, so this is detail work rather than production work. A house with many small windows costs noticeably more to side than one with few large ones of the same glazed area.
    Applies to
    United States.
    Known limits
    Does not vary with opening size. A patio slider and a bathroom window are priced identically, which understates large openings.
    Sources
    Published trade production-rate guidance and contractor estimating handbooks
    Last verified
    2026-07-31 · reviewed biennial
  • Existing siding removal and disposalmedium confidence
    Observed range
    0.4 — 3.5 (typical 1.5)USD per square foot
    Why this value
    Removal $0.60-$2.20/sq ft and disposal $0.25-$0.95/sq ft, modelled as separate lines because disposal cost tracks material weight while removal tracks fastener density. Vinyl comes off fast and weighs little; stucco is the opposite on both counts.
    Applies to
    United States. Tipping fees vary by county.
    Known limits
    Does not vary with the material being removed, only with area. Removing stucco is several times the cost of removing vinyl and the model prices them identically.
    Sources
    Published trade production-rate guidance and contractor estimating handbooks
    Last verified
    2026-07-31 · reviewed biennial
  • Multi-storey labour multipliermedium confidence
    Observed range
    1 — 1.6 (typical 1.18)multiplier on labour
    Why this value
    Staging rather than ladders above one storey, and material lifted rather than carried. Selected values are conservative against the observed range because siding crews stage the whole elevation once rather than repositioning constantly.
    Applies to
    United States.
    Known limits
    Gable ends add height and area beyond the storey count, and the area model does not capture them on steeply pitched houses.
    Sources
    Published trade production-rate guidance and contractor estimating handbooks
    Last verified
    2026-07-31 · reviewed biennial
  • Site access multiplierlow confidence
    Observed range
    1 — 1.4 (typical 1.1)multiplier on labour
    Why this value
    Not currently exposed as a siding input, unlike exterior painting, because siding crews stage rather than working from ladders and are less sensitive to ground conditions. Recorded here so the omission is deliberate and visible rather than an oversight.
    Applies to
    United States.
    Known limits
    Tight urban lots with no staging room are a real constraint that this calculator does not ask about at all.
    Sources
    Published trade production-rate guidance and contractor estimating handbooks
    Last verified
    2026-07-31 · reviewed biennial
  • House wrap and flashing per square foothigh confidence
    Observed range
    0.15 — 1 (typical 0.45)USD per square foot
    Why this value
    Weather-resistive barrier, seam tape, and window flashing. The high case reflects a fully adhered membrane rather than a mechanically fastened wrap. Cheap relative to the siding and the single most consequential layer for wall longevity.
    Applies to
    United States.
    Known limits
    Flashing detail quality varies enormously and is not capturable as a per-square-foot cost. Poor flashing at openings is the usual cause of the sheathing damage this calculator prices separately.
    Sources
    Publicly advertised big-box and trade supplier pricing, sampled across several metropolitan markets; Manufacturer published specifications and coverage figures
    Last verified
    2026-07-31 · reviewed biennial
  • Exterior insulation per square footmedium confidence
    Observed range
    0.6 — 4 (typical 1.8)USD per square foot
    Why this value
    Rigid foam board $0.90-$2.80/sq ft; insulated siding backer $1.30-$3.60. Re-siding is the cheapest opportunity to add exterior insulation because the wall is already open — adding it later means paying for access twice.
    Applies to
    United States. Value is climate-dependent and highest in the coldest zones.
    Known limits
    The energy saving is not quantified here, so the user sees a cost with no payback. Linking this to the climate dataset and the insulation calculator would make it a real decision rather than a line item.
    Sources
    Publicly advertised big-box and trade supplier pricing, sampled across several metropolitan markets; Manufacturer published specifications and coverage figures
    Last verified
    2026-07-31 · reviewed biennial
  • Corner and frieze trim per linear footmedium confidence
    Observed range
    1.5 — 9 (typical 4)USD per linear foot
    Why this value
    Corner boards, frieze, and rake trim. PVC and composite trim sit at the top of the band, wood at the bottom. Trim length is a separate input because it varies far more with architectural style than with wall area.
    Applies to
    United States.
    Known limits
    User-entered and routinely underestimated. People count corners and forget rake trim and frieze.
    Sources
    Publicly advertised big-box and trade supplier pricing, sampled across several metropolitan markets
    Last verified
    2026-07-31 · reviewed biennial
  • Siding waste allowancemedium confidence
    Observed range
    0.06 — 0.2 (typical 0.1)share of ordered material
    Why this value
    Higher than paint because every course starts and finishes at a corner or an opening. 10% suits a simple elevation; complex houses with many openings reach 20%. We ship 10% and let the complexity multiplier carry the labour side.
    Applies to
    Not regionally variable.
    Known limits
    Fixed rather than varying with the complexity input, so a complex house under-orders material even though its labour is correctly increased.
    Sources
    Published trade production-rate guidance and contractor estimating handbooks
    Last verified
    2026-07-31 · reviewed biennial

Cost factors

What changes the price most

Material
An eightfold spread from vinyl to brick veneer, and the slower materials cost more in labour too.
Sheathing condition
Priced per sheet, invisible until demolition, and the most common change order.
Storeys and complexity
Staging on every elevation above two storeys; gables and dormers slow every course.
Openings
Each window and door needs wrapping and flashing. Many small windows cost more than a few large ones.
Insulation
Optional, but far cheaper now than as a separate job later.
Asbestos
Not modelled. Pre-1978 cement siding may require specialist removal at significant additional cost.

Questions

Frequently asked

How much does it cost to replace siding?

For a typical 2,200 square foot wall area, vinyl commonly lands in the low five figures installed, fibre cement roughly 50% to 80% higher, and brick veneer several times that. Removal, sheathing repair, and trim all add on top. Enter your own details above for a state-adjusted figure.

Is fibre cement worth more than vinyl?

It costs roughly twice as much installed and buys a 45-year service life against 30, far better fire and impact resistance, and the ability to be repainted. In hail or wildfire regions the case is strong; in a mild climate on a house you plan to sell soon, vinyl is hard to argue against.

Can you put new siding over old?

With some materials, yes, and it saves the removal and disposal lines. The costs are that nobody inspects the sheathing, the wall gets thicker so every opening needs extending, and any moisture already trapped stays trapped. Most contractors will recommend full removal.

How long does siding replacement take?

One to two weeks for a typical single-family home, longer for fibre cement or brick, and longer again if sheathing turns out to need replacing. Weather governs more than crew size, since the wall cannot be left open through a storm.

Should I replace windows at the same time?

If the windows are near end of life, almost certainly. The flashing and trim work overlaps substantially, and doing them together avoids paying twice for the same detail. Our window replacement calculator prices that side.