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Siding Installation Cost Calculator

Vinyl vs fiber cement vs the rest — price all five siding materials on equal footing in 60 seconds.

Quick answer

Siding installation costs $3–$8 per square foot installed for vinyl and $5–$12 for fiber cement in 2026 — a typical whole-house project runs $5,400–$15,500, averaging about $10,300. Two-story homes add ~15% labor, three-story ~30%, and tear-off of old siding adds $1–$2 per square foot.

Calculator

sq ft

How it works

Wall sq ft × material rate × stories multiplier + tear-off

Installed rates (2026): vinyl $3–$8, fiber cement $5–$12, engineered wood $6–$11, metal $7–$14, brick/stone veneer $10–$25+ per sq ft. Two-story homes multiply by 1.15x, three-story by 1.3x. Tear-off adds ~$1.50/sq ft.

Measure walls, not floors

Wall area ≈ 75–100% of floor area for a typical home, minus ~15% for windows and doors. Add 10% waste for gables and cuts.

Worked example

1,500 sq ft wall, fiber cement, 2 stories, tear-off:

1,500 × $8.50 × 1.15 = $14,663

+ tear-off 1,500 × $1.50 = $2,250

Total = $16,913

Range: $10,875 – $22,950 installed.

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Siding is the suit your house wears for 25 years — and the price spread between materials is brutal: the same 1,500 sq ft wall can cost $8,000 in vinyl or $35,000 in stone veneer. Most homeowners get exactly one siding quote and accept it.

This calculator prices all five major materials with 2026 installed rates, adjusts for stories, and adds tear-off honestly — so you can compare vinyl vs fiber cement vs the rest on equal footing before the first contractor visit.

How to measure your siding wall area

  1. Measure each wall's length × height, then subtract ~15% for windows and doors — or estimate wall area at 75–100% of your home's floor area.
  2. Add 10% waste factor for gables, cuts around trim, and starter strips.
  3. Note the stories: two-story adds ~15% labor, three-story ~30% (scaffolding, insurance, slower pace).
  4. Decide tear-off vs overlay: one existing layer can usually stay, but tear-off lets you replace house wrap and find rot.

Siding installation (2026 US averages, installed $/sq ft)

MaterialInstalled $/sq ftLifespan1,500 sq ft wall
Vinyl$3–$820–40 yrs$4,500–$12,000
Fiber cement$5–$1250+ yrs$7,500–$18,000
Engineered wood$6–$1120–30 yrs$9,000–$16,500
Metal (steel/aluminum)$7–$1440–60 yrs$10,500–$21,000
Brick / stone veneer$10–$25+50–100 yrs$15,000–$37,500+
Tear-off + disposal adder+$1–$2/sq ft—+$1,500–$3,000

2026 installed ranges. Sources: homeadvisor.com, bhumicalculator.com, custom-contracting.ca.

Worked example: 1,500 sq ft wall, fiber cement, 2 stories, tear-off

1,500 sq ft of wall area, fiber cement siding, two-story home, old siding removed:

  1. Base: 1,500 × $8.50 (mid fiber cement) = $12,750.
  2. Stories: × 1.15 (two-story labor) = $14,663.
  3. Tear-off: 1,500 × $1.50 = $2,250.
  4. Total: ~$16,900 mid; range $10,875–$22,950.

~$16,900 for fiber cement on a two-story 1,500 sq ft wall with tear-off — vs ~$11,700 for vinyl on the same house.

Pro tips for siding installation

  • Get the house wrap in writing — "we'll reuse existing wrap" on a 30-year-old house is a future rot claim.
  • Ask for the per-square (100 sq ft) price too: it exposes padding faster than lump-sum quotes.
  • Fiber cement must be gapped and flashed per manufacturer spec — improper install voids the warranty.
  • Schedule for spring/fall: vinyl gets brittle to handle below freezing, and crews book out in summer.
  • Photograph sheathing once old siding is off — you'll want proof of any rot repair charges.

How to use the siding installation cost calculator

Enter your home's wall area in square feet (not floor area — measure walls minus windows and doors, or estimate 75–100% of floor area for a typical home), pick the siding material, number of stories, and whether the old siding needs tear-off. The calculator applies 2026 installed rates with a multi-story labor adjustment.

How siding installation cost is calculated

Total = wall sq ft × material rate × stories multiplier + tear-off. Material rates (installed, 2026): vinyl $3–$8, fiber cement $5–$12, engineered wood $6–$11, metal $7–$14, brick/stone veneer $10–$25+ per sq ft. Two-story homes multiply labor by ~1.15x, three-story by ~1.3x. Tear-off and disposal adds ~$1.50/sq ft.

What drives siding cost the most?

Material choice is the 4x lever — brick veneer can cost 5x vinyl per square foot. After that: stories (scaffolding + slower pace), tear-off vs overlay, and trim complexity (gables, dormers, and detailed corners eat labor hours). The quote-trap: house wrap replacement and rotted sheathing repair are often excluded from the per-square-foot price.

Siding installation cost example

1,500 sq ft of wall, fiber cement, two stories, with tear-off: 1,500 × $8.50 × 1.15 = $14,663 install + $2,250 tear-off = ~$16,900 mid, ranging $10,875–$22,950. Same house in vinyl: 1,500 × $5.50 × 1.15 = $9,488 + $2,250 = ~$11,700 mid.

Vinyl vs fiber cement: the real trade-offs

Vinyl wins on upfront cost and maintenance (never paint it), but it fades, dents, and can crack below -20°F. Fiber cement costs 40–70% more installed but lasts 50+ years, is non-combustible, and holds paint far longer — the Cost vs. Value Report ranks it among the highest-ROI exterior remodels. In hail or wildfire zones, the upgrade usually pays for itself in durability alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does siding installation cost in 2026?+
Siding installation costs $3–$8 per square foot installed for vinyl and $5–$12 for fiber cement in 2026. A typical whole-house project runs $5,400–$15,500, averaging about $10,300. Brick or stone veneer jumps to $10–$25+ per square foot.
What is the cheapest siding to install?+
Vinyl is the cheapest installed siding at $3–$8 per square foot — roughly half the cost of fiber cement. It lasts 20–40 years, needs almost no maintenance, and comes in dozens of colors. The trade-off: it can crack in extreme cold and dents more easily than fiber cement or metal.
Is fiber cement siding worth the extra cost over vinyl?+
Fiber cement (James Hardie) costs $5–$12 per square foot installed — about 40–70% more than vinyl — but lasts 50+ years, resists fire, rot, and insects, and holds paint 2–3x longer. The Cost vs. Value Report consistently ranks fiber cement siding replacement among the highest-ROI exterior projects.
How much siding do I need for a 2,000 sq ft house?+
A 2,000 sq ft house typically has 1,500–2,000 sq ft of wall area after subtracting windows and doors — but order by wall square footage, not floor square footage. Add 10% waste for gables, cuts, and trim. Two-story homes cost $2–$4 more per square foot for scaffolding and slower install pace.
Does siding installation include tear-off of old siding?+
Sometimes — always ask. Tear-off and disposal typically adds $1–$2 per square foot. Installing over one existing layer is allowed in many jurisdictions and saves money, but it hides rot and prevents upgrading the house wrap underneath. For homes over 30 years old, tear-off is usually worth it.
How long does siding installation take?+
A professional crew typically sides a 1,500–2,000 sq ft home in 5–10 working days, including tear-off. Fiber cement takes longer than vinyl (heavier, needs specialty saws and two-person handling). Weather delays and trim complexity are the usual schedule-killers.

Related Guides

2026 Home Improvement Cost StatisticsHow Much Paint for a 12x12 Room?How Many Shingles for 1,000 Sq Ft?

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