Siding replacement cost: vinyl, fiber cement, wood and metal, per square foot and per house

Siding cost per square foot by material

Typical installed ranges from cost guides and contractor quotes, including labor. Removal of old siding, house wrap, trim and sheathing repairs are extra.

Whole-house totals and what adds to them

Measure the exterior wall area (perimeter times height, minus windows and doors, plus gables) and multiply by the per-foot price, then add:

• Removal and disposal of old siding, more for asbestos-containing siding on older homes.
• House wrap, flashing and trim, which should always be replaced.
• Sheathing repairs where water got behind the old siding; budget a contingency.
• Two-story or complex homes with many gables, corners and windows cost more per square foot.
• Insulation upgrades (foam board under new siding) if you want them.

Two or three quotes on the same material and scope will show you the real local range quickly.

Storm damage, insurance and matching

Hail and wind are the most common reasons for sudden siding replacement in the Plains, Midwest and Gulf states. Insurance often pays for damaged elevations, and whether it pays to replace undamaged sides so the house matches depends on your policy and your state's matching rules; discontinued vinyl colours are a frequent source of dispute. If a claim is involved, finance only the gap between the insurer's payment and the contractor's price, not the whole job. Our guide to roof financing after hail damage explains the claim process, which is the same for siding.

Siding cost per month

Illustrative monthly payments at 10.99% APR, standard amortization, no fees. Lenders set real rates after reviewing an application. Not an offer of credit.

Siding lasts decades, so a longer term is more defensible than for a fence or a water heater, but total interest still climbs: $15,000 over 60 months costs about $4,564 in interest at 10.99%, and about $12,064 over 144 months.

How to pay for siding

Siding companies lean heavily on promotional financing; ask whether the 0% offer is deferred or waived interest and whether the price is the same for cash. Unsecured personal loans cover most vinyl and engineered wood jobs and fund in days. Fiber cement or whole-house jobs in high-cost metros may justify a home equity loan or HELOC if you have equity and time. Some utilities offer rebates for insulated siding or added exterior insulation. Our siding financing page compares the options with example payments.

A worked example: the $17,600 vinyl re-side

A two-story colonial with about 2,200 square feet of wall area. Insulated vinyl siding at $6.50 per square foot installed: $14,300. Removal and disposal of the old aluminum siding: $1,400. House wrap and flashing: $700. Sheathing repair on one water-damaged corner: $600. Trim, soffit and fascia touch-ups: $400. Permit: $200. Total about $17,600. The homeowners financed it at an illustrative 10.99% over 84 months, about $301 a month, after confirming the contractor's price was the same for cash and declining a promotional plan with a dealer fee built in.

Regional differences and storm markets

Fiber cement is popular in fire-prone and hail-prone regions for its resistance; vinyl dominates where budgets and mild weather favour it; steel is common in the upper Midwest. In hail states, insulated vinyl and fiber cement both perform better than hollow vinyl, and some insurers price that into premiums. Lead times are short for vinyl and longer for fiber cement and custom colours. Spring and fall are the busy seasons; winter quotes can be lower in mild climates.

Mistakes to avoid

• Siding over rotten sheathing to save on repairs; the problem gets worse and hidden.
• Skipping house wrap and flashing because the old siding "didn't have it".
• Choosing thin vinyl that waves and fades; ask for thickness and warranty.
• Ignoring matching rules on an insurance claim and accepting a two-tone house.
• Signing a promotional plan without checking for deferred interest and whether the price differs for cash.

Questions to ask the siding contractor

1. Is removal of the old siding, house wrap, flashing and trim included?
2. How do you price sheathing repairs found during removal?
3. What thickness and warranty does the vinyl carry, or what brand and finish of fiber cement?
4. Are you certified by the manufacturer, and does that extend the warranty?
5. Who handles permits, and will soffit and fascia be replaced or wrapped?
6. What is the workmanship warranty?
7. Is the price the same for cash as for your financing plan?

Vinyl or fiber cement? Think in monthly terms

Financing changes how upgrades feel. The difference between a $16,000 siding job and a $28,000 one is $12,000 as a lump sum, but about $165 a month over 120 months at an illustrative 10.99% APR. That is why the better option often gets chosen once the monthly figure is on the table. Just make sure the upgrade pays you back in comfort, durability or running cost, and not only in looks, because you'll be paying for it long after the novelty fades.

What lenders look at when you finance a siding job

Unsecured home improvement loans are approved on the same five things whatever the project: your credit score and recent payment history, your income and how much of it already goes to debt, the amount you're asking for, how long you've had credit, and whether the application is complete. Lenders that fund siding jobs usually see requests in the $8,000 to $40,000 range, and a request near the low end of that is approved more often and at a better rate than one near the top.

Four moves improve offers everywhere: reduce the amount (rebates, a smaller scope, a down payment), pay a card balance below about 30% of its limit before the next statement, have pay stubs or bank statements ready so the application is complete, and check options with a soft-pull pre-qualification before any hard application. If your score is on the lower side, a co-applicant with stronger credit can open better terms; they share full responsibility for the loan. Home equity products add two more checks: an appraisal or valuation and a cushion of equity the lender wants left after the loan, commonly 15% to 20% of the home's value.

Questions to ask every lender

1. What is the APR including fees, and is the rate fixed?
2. Is there an origination fee, and is it deducted from the loan amount?
3. Is any promotional period deferred interest or waived interest?
4. Is there a prepayment penalty?
5. When is the contractor paid, and when does my first payment start?
6. Does checking my options use a soft or hard credit inquiry?

Choosing the contractor

The quote is only as good as the company behind it. Get two or three itemized quotes from licensed, insured siding contractors on the same scope, confirm permits are included, and check reviews that go back more than a season. Read any financing documents separately from the work contract: the loan is with the lender, not the contractor. The Federal Trade Commission's guide to hiring a contractor, linked in the sources below, lists the warning signs, including pressure to pay the whole job up front and steering you to a lender before you've seen a written price.

Frequently asked questions