Siding Replacement Cost: Per Square Foot, by Material, Whole House
Siding is one of the few projects where the material choice can quadruple the bill, so it is worth knowing the spread before you get quotes.
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A 2,000 sq ft single-storey home usually needs 1,800 to 2,000 sq ft of siding. Labour is assumed at 30%; removal and permits are not included.
The number you need is wall area
Siding is priced by the square foot of wall, not of floor. For a single-storey 2,000 sq ft home that works out to roughly 1,800 to 2,000 sq ft of siding, because the perimeter times the wall height lands close to the floor area.
That relationship breaks in two-storey houses, where the same floor area has half the perimeter and therefore less siding. It also breaks on houses with complex footprints.
Measure the walls, not the plan. This is the single most common estimating error homeowners make on this project.
Eleven materials, one table
| Material | Per sq ft | 1,900 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Engineered wood | $2.00 – $10.00 | $3,800 – $19,000 |
| Wood | $2.00 – $15.00 | $3,800 – $28,500 |
| Aluminium | $3.00 – $10.00 | $5,700 – $19,000 |
| Vinyl | $3.00 – $12.00 | $5,700 – $22,800 |
| Brick veneer | $3.00 – $13.00 | $5,700 – $24,700 |
| Steel | $4.00 – $16.00 | $7,600 – $30,400 |
| Stone veneer | $5.00 – $11.00 | $9,500 – $20,900 |
| Fiber cement | $5.00 – $14.00 | $9,500 – $26,600 |
| Stucco | $7.00 – $17.00 | $13,300 – $32,300 |
| Brick | $8.00 – $21.00 | $15,200 – $39,900 |
| Stone | $20.00 – $45.00 | $38,000 – $85,500 |
The spread is $2 to $45 a square foot, which is more than twenty to one. On a 2,000 sq ft home that is the difference between a $4,000 job and a $90,000 one.
Vinyl is the most common choice in the country because it sits low in the range and needs almost no maintenance. Fiber cement costs more and holds paint longer.
By size
| House | Siding needed | Cost range |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | 1,200 – 1,300 | $3,600 – $19,500 |
| 1,200 sq ft | 1,400 – 1,600 | $4,200 – $24,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | 1,600 – 1,800 | $4,800 – $27,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 1,800 – 2,000 | $5,400 – $30,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | 2,000 – 2,200 | $6,000 – $33,000 |
| 3,000 sq ft | 2,300 – 2,500 | $6,900 – $37,500 |
The published size table measures homes by floor area, so treat it as a rough guide rather than a measurement. Ours uses siding area directly.
What else lands on the bill
Removal of the old siding: $1,000 to $2,500. Almost never included in a headline price.
Permits: $150 to $1,500. Most municipalities require one for a full re-side.
Trim and soffit: $0.50 to $30 per linear foot, depending on material. On a house with a lot of corners and openings this line is not small.
Structural repair. Old siding hides rot. Nobody can price what they cannot see, so budget a contingency and ask what happens if they find it.
The return
Siding is one of the strongest exterior investments. Published cost-versus-value figures put fiber cement replacement at 114% of cost returned at resale, which is unusual — most projects return less than they cost.
That number is a national average and it assumes the job is done properly. A cheap vinyl job that fails in eight years returns nothing.
What it costs in six states
Material does not change at the state line. Labour does. These are the same 1,800 sq ft job priced with six different wage markets.
| State | Labour factor | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | ×0.79 | $5,452 | $25,658 |
| Kentucky | ×0.84 | $5,547 | $26,136 |
| West Virginia | ×0.92 | $5,670 | $26,752 |
| New Hampshire | ×1.08 | $5,923 | $28,016 |
| New Jersey | ×1.38 | $6,411 | $30,454 |
| Illinois | ×1.40 | $6,450 | $30,648 |
Only the labour line moves. That is a stated limitation of this model, not an oversight.
Frequently asked
Is vinyl or fiber cement better value?
Vinyl is cheaper up front and needs no painting. Fiber cement costs more, holds paint far longer and takes impact better. It also returns more at resale.
Do I have to remove the old siding?
Not always. Some jobs can be layered over existing siding, which saves the removal charge but hides problems and can trap moisture. Ask which the quote assumes.
How long does it take?
One to three weeks for an average house, weather permitting. Two-storey work takes longer because of staging.
Updated October 2026