Vinyl Siding Costs

When you begin to think about all the vinyl siding costs associated with installing new siding on your home, you must consider the additional costs associated with the installation of the siding.

• Actual amount of vinyl siding you must buy, (vinyl siding is sold by squares)
• Additional work the contractor must do to your house to get it ready for new siding,
• The quality of the vinyl siding, ie, economy, builder grade, or premium grades.
• Whether you choose insulated or non-insulated vinyl siding.
• Time of year. How busy is the contractor?
• Trim packages that cover all doors, windows, facia, and soffit.
• Any rotted or insect infestation wood that must be removed or replaced.
• Do you need harsh weather and hurricane resistant siding?

Real vinyl siding costs are made up of many distinct parts, some parts the homeowner will have to decide on such as picking out the vinyl siding that they like, and the grade of siding to use. 

Homeowners must decide whether to cover the window and door molding with a no paint material, whether to cover facia and soffit with no paint material, and whether to add additional insulation to exterior walls.

The contactor will decide how to prepare the exterior of the house for the new siding. Repair or replace all water damaged or insect damaged wood. And what kind of framing to be installed on the exterior walls to hang new siding. 

The contractor's work will generally be more money than the actual vinyl siding. So just knowing how much the actual siding cost is only a part of the overall project.

Vinyl Siding Cost is Made up of these items

When you ask 'what does vinyl siding cost' you must consider these other items.

Vinyl siding costs include much more than just the price of the vinyl siding to be installed on your house. 

The actual cost of installing vinyl siding is made up of these items:

• How big is your house?  The bigger the house the more siding you will need.
• Is your house a one story or two + story house?  Mutiple story houses cost way more to do. 
• How many corners do you have? Both inside corners and outside corners, corners are expensive.
• How many windows and doors do you have? Windows and doors are more expensive to go around.
• Do you want insulated or non-insulated siding? 
• What particular style or type are you interested in? Some styles and types are more expensive to install.
• Good news, colors and textures do not influence cost very much.

Then there are the Other Costs Associated with the Project

• What is the exterior of your house now, wood, brick, stone, vinyl, aluminum, or concrete block? Each one will have a different installation method and each one costs different.
• Does the existing siding need to be removed and hauled away?
• Do the existing walls need some type of framing to attach the new siding to?
• Is there water damage to the existing facia and or soffit?
• Is there insect damage to any of the wooden window/door trim?
• Do you intend to add additional insulation to the exterior walls before installing the new siding?
• Do you want to cover all door and window molding with aluminum coil stock or vinyl, so you never have to paint it again?
• Are you interested in Trim Package to cover everything to prevent painting?

Remember that vinyl siding is only one part of a construction process that includes many different components.  

Each house is different, and each house will need different things done to it to make it ready to have the new siding installed.

If you are thinking about a new vinyl siding for your house, then your house is probably old enough to need some repair work on the outside before actually installing the new siding. This repair and replacement work is part of the overall vinyl siding costs you will incur and is more labor that will be needed to do by the contractor.

If you are building a new home, the builder can design the house ready made for vinyl siding.

 There is a world of difference between a 30-year-old house and a brand-new house in the cost of installing vinyl siding. 

How to figure vinyl siding costs so you can get a ballpark idea of what you are going to pay for the new siding. This is the first step in the process of buying vinyl siding, what will it cost me. The second step is 'can I afford it'? The third step is to pick the right siding that fits your budget and your house. Fourth step is to pick the right contractor to help you and install the siding that you have picked out.

Where to Start

Create your own project workbook.

Take several sheets of paper and staple them together, now you have a project workbook. 

Before you call anyone or go shopping, make yourself a workbook and make notes about your house and what you want to do to it.

If you want to buy vinyl siding for your house, the first question is always how much siding will you need to buy?  So, go outside and measure your house. Figure the square footage of your house's exterior walls. Siding is sold by the square foot, so you need to know your house's exterior square footage.

On page one of your workbook, write down the number of sq ft needed. Turn the notebook page and start imagining what kind of siding you want on your house. Make notes. Cut out pictures of houses you see in magazines that you like and tape them to a page. Do the same with assorted colors, styles, and textures you like. Everything. Put it all in your workbook.

This workbook is your 'go to' source for information you will need later.

Don't buy anything yet, it is not time for that!! 

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How to Start the Project

Here is how to start the project. Just do each of the items below in order and be sure to write everything down in your "project workbook'. Do this before you call any contractors!

Figuring real vinyl siding costs on any house requires that the job be broken down into different components.

• Measure your house and find total sq footage.  Chick here for more information
• Pick a Vinyl Siding Type and Style that you think will look good on your house.
•    Click here to see more information;  Click Here Vinyl Siding Types

Now you know approximately how much vinyl siding you will need to buy, and you have picked out at least one or two styles or types of siding that you think will look good on your house.

• Go to Home Depot or your local home and garden store and check the prices of their siding. Be sure to write everything down in your project book.
• Look through our all about siding web site and compare the different types of siding and the different vinyl siding styles available, always making notes.  Compare what you saw at the home and garden store. You may want to change your mind or at least consider other options.
• Investigate whether you may want insulated vinyl siding or non-insulated vinyl siding. There is a big cost difference.    Click here for more info on insulated siding.
• Review our Trim Page to see if you may be interested in buying Trim Packages for your windows and doors, soffit, and facia.    Click here for more info on Trim.
• Walk around your house with pen and paper and make notes on any water damaged wood along the existing trim. If it is damaged the contractor will have to repair or replace it. It is helpful if you already know the problem areas before calling any contractor just to make sure he doesn't miss anything.  
• Take plenty of pictures on your phone to review with the contractor.

Each component must be completed before the next one can be started.

There is a separate cost for each item. When you add up each of the items, that will be the actual cost of installing vinyl siding on your house.

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Vinyl Siding Prices

Vinyl siding prices generally start between $3 to $4 per sq ft for the economy grades to over $8 to $10+ per sq ft for premium grades.

The actual vinyl siding prices for just the siding are pretty simple to figure out. Once you measure your house and come up with the total sq footage of siding and visit the local Home & Garden Store you will have a fairly good idea of your vinyl siding costs.

If you have a 1,500 sq ft home, you will need about 15 sq's of siding.

Quality of the siding will determine the Price.

Like any product, vinyl siding comes in several different grades.  The higher the grade the more expensive it is. Grade or quality of the vinyl siding is generally referred to as how thick the siding is.  Siding comes in several different thicknesses.

The thicker the siding the better.

• Economy
• Standard
• Premium
• Super Premium

Sometimes these grades are referred to as.

Builders' Grade, Thin Residential Grade, Standard Residential Grade and Thick Residential Grade(premium)

Be sure to use the same term with each contractor so you both have the same product in mind. If you are thinking of one grade but don't discuss it with the contractor, he may use a different grade.

Also, you can get insulated or non-insulated vinyl siding. Of course, insulated siding costs more.

Vinyl siding prices: 

The quality of the vinyl siding is generally dependent upon how thick the siding is. The thicker the siding the more expensive it is. The most common thickness of siding run from .040 up to 1.00 mm.

Basic grades or qualities of vinyl siding are:

• Economy grade or builder's grade    .040 mm
• Thin residential grade                        .042 mm
• Standard residential grade                .044 mm
• Premium grades                                 .046 - 1.00 mm

One of the reasons to make a general budget is so that you can always buy the very highest quality of siding that fits your budget.

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Types of Siding

There are numerous types of siding and styles. Most people use the word 'Types of Siding' and Styles of Vinyl Siding as one word meaning the same thing. But there is a difference. Types of Siding can mean do you want wood siding, vinyl siding, or concrete board siding, fiber cement siding, aluminum siding, or even the faux stone sidings. Vinyl Siding Styles generally means what does the 'Profile' of the individual siding panels look like. Clapboard, Cedar Shake, or Board and Batten siding.  Your contractor will know what you mean, so don't worry about that now.

Step One: Review different types of vinyl siding. Pick out what you think will best fit your house. 

Drive around the neighborhood and look at some nice houses, take some pictures. Print out the pictures and keep them in your workbook.

Pick out some styles that you like and are interested in. Remember most people mix and match several different types of vinyl siding to create the look they are interested in. 

You can change your mind at any time, you have not called any contractors yet, you are just shopping.

Always take your camera or cell phone to take pictures of the houses that you like and save them!

Here the homeowner has used CertainTeed Board and Batten siding on the garage gable and Cedar shake vinyl siding on the main house gable. Different types, styles and colors are all used together. Genuinely nice look.

Don't forget to make notes in your workbook when you see houses that you like. Take pictures with your phone and email them to yourself, then print them out and tape or paste into your workbook so you can review them over and over again as you see other houses that you like. Compare each one with the ones you like best.

Keep in mind that there are only three or four different styles of vinyl siding.  

Vinyl siding costs have more to do with the amount of siding you will need and the quality of that siding, not the type of siding you pick out.  Colors and textures will have very little to do with overall costs.

The Basic Vinyl Siding Styles

Below are links to the basic vinyl siding styles. Most of the siding you will look at will fall into one of these choices. Review all of them and make notes. Pick out two or three and then go back to the Home & Garden Store to see actual samples. 

And remember that you can use several different styles together to create your own special look on your house.

Generally, the style of vinyl siding you choose will not affect the total vinyl siding costs associated with your project. Style of siding has very little impact on the total cost of the project,

• Clapboard 
• Dutch Lap
• Beaded 
• Board and Batten
• Cedar Shake

Small 'shingles' or 'shakes' that look like Cedar are attached.

Pick out the styles that you like or combination of styles. You can change them at any time. 

Insulated vinyl siding will cost you more than non-insulated siding. Insulated vinyl siding costs more up front but can reduce energy costs and save you money over the long run. 

Insulated Vinyl Siding

Using insulated vinyl siding will increase your vinyl siding costs but will lower your monthly energy costs for decades to come.

Consider buying insulated vinyl siding to lower your energy costs.  Vinyl siding by itself has very little 'R' value. 

Insulated siding is substantially more expensive but could save you a lot of money in the long run by lowering your winter heating bills.

Adding additional insulation to exterior walls is generally a very good thing and will save you money for many years to come, both in the winter by holding in the heat and in the summer by keeping summer heat out. 

Click here to see more information on how insulated vinyl siding can save you a lot of money over the years by cutting your energy costs.   Click Here  Insulated Vinyl Siding

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Step Two:  It's time to go shopping and compare the different sidings.

Now you have the number of square feet of vinyl siding you will need on your house written down in your workbook and you have determined that you can afford a good grade or quality of vinyl siding in the $6 to $8 sq ft range.

And you would like to combine Board & Batten with Clapboard vinyl siding for your house.  This is a lot of valuable information at your fingertips.  Now you are ready to do a little shopping.

Go to the local home improvement stores like Home Depot and look at the assorted brands that they carry.  Compare warranties, colors, textures and of course prices. 

Take home all the brochures they have and cut out pictures you like and tape them in your workbook. 

Contractors want you to have this basic information written down before they come out to your house in order to save time for you and for them.  Once you have this information written down in your workbook, it is almost time to start calling contractors to get some prices. 

WAIT, there are several more things you should do first before calling any contractors. 

The contractor will need to fix any problems he finds on your house before he can install the new siding.

When he comes out to review your house, he will not want to spend all day with you because he is busy.  So, it is important that you have a written list (your workbook or project book with all your notes) of the items that you think he should look at. 

That way you will not forget anything important.

Walk around your house and look for problems

Walk around your house with your project worksheet in hand and take notes of any problem areas.  Take your camera! Take plenty of pictures. 

• Look at the window frames.  Is there rot, termite damage or broken pieces of wood?
• Look at your door frames, what shape are they in?
• Look up at your over-hang or soffit.  What condition is it in?
• Are the gutters all rusted and ugly?  The board behind the gutters is called the facia.  Most older homes will need some work on these.
• Write all this down in your project workbook. 
• Go over each item with each contractor. 

If your house is old enough to need new vinyl siding it most likely needs other work to make it ready to install the siding. 

Prep Work and Repairs Will Add to Vinyl Siding Cost.

Remove old siding, fix all rot, insect damage, water damage. Attach material to exterior walls to hang siding on.  

If your house is a two-story home or more, contractors may have to erect scaffolding to reach the second floor.

The price a contractor quotes you is the price to install the vinyl siding once the house is 'ready' for the new siding to be installed!

Don't forget about vinyl siding accessories or add-ons.

What in the world is an 'add-on'

Vinyl siding accessories or add-ons are generally referred to as the vinyl siding trim, which may include window and door trim, corners, over-hangs or soffit and facia, and insulated or non-insulated vinyl siding. 

Trim is a particularly important part of total vinyl siding costs you will incur. Always try and get the best trim you can afford. Better trim looks better and makes your house look better.

Adding corners and wrapping window and door trim will add considerably to the vinyl siding costs associated with your job.

Note how all the window moldings are covered, and soffit, facia.  Look at the overhangs, and the porch ceiling.  It is the small details that really make the difference on the vinyl siding installation job.

  (shown here is CertainTeed Vinyl Trim)

Vinyl siding contractors can apply color coordinating vinyl or aluminum wrapping around old window and door frames.  Also, around facia and soffit. And don't forget about the gutters!  Need new ones?  

This has to be included in your vinyl siding costs. But it really makes a big difference in the way your house will look after the project. 

The way the over-hang on your house looks is especially important.  People notice old ugly overhang.  

They can see it from the street.

New or repaired soffit and facia is critical to the overall look of your new siding job.  

Like buying a car, the extras make a significant difference in the price you will end up paying. They must be added to your overall vinyl siding costs.

Check out the trim packages very carefully. Talk to your contractor about the trim he uses and why he uses it.  A great trim job will make your home stand out. Remember, it is all in the details.  

Once you add up all these items you will have a pretty good idea of what the real vinyl siding costs will be to install it on your house.

Make note of any rotten wood, termite damage or anything that should be repaired or replaced.  Make note and write each item down in your workbook. You will want to go over each and every one of these items with each contractor.  Each item that needs fixing will impact your vinyl siding costs.

To see more information on how vinyl siding will increase your home's value, go to the Vinyl Siding Institute website. Lots of really valuable information there.

Click here to go to the Vinyl Siding Institute site

Vinyl Siding Costs Depend on How Big Your House Is

Vinyl siding costs depend on how big your house is, how much siding will you need?

How Big Is Your House?

When you call any contractor and ask him what his 'going rate' is to install vinyl siding, the first thing he will ask you is "how much vinyl siding are you talking about?"  

Go out and measure your house, determine the amount of siding you will need.

How many floors you have on your home will determine the way the contractor installs your new vinyl siding.

Contractors can install vinyl siding to single story homes by using regular ladders that the workers can stand on to hang the siding.

Two- and three-story houses require very specialized installation tools like scaffolding for the workers to stand on.  This will increase the cost of the job considerably.  And add to the overall vinyl siding costs associated with your project.  

Click here to see more information on How to Measure Your House?  Click Here

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Working with Contractors

Working with your contractor is very important when figuring vinyl siding costs.

Working with contractors is a big part of getting the best price and the best installation possible. 

How much work will be required to make your house ready to install the new vinyl siding?

This is a two-part question. Each will affect total vinyl siding cost.

Part One.

What is on the exterior of your house now and does it need to be removed and hauled away?  

Example: Do you have old siding on your house now and want to remove it and haul it away? Or do you want the contractor to hang the new siding on the old? There is a significant difference in price. But the contractor needs to know this.

If a contractor must remove the old siding, of course this will be an additional cost to you. 

If you have stucco on your house now, that is totally different than having old wood siding or masonite shingles that will have to be removed and hauled away to the local dump, where a dump fee will be required.

Brick and stucco homes will need a wooden framework attached to the exterior walls in order to apply the new vinyl siding.

The contractor must know this up front in order to give you an accurate price quote.  

Working with contractors may be the most important part in figuring vinyl siding costs for your project.  It is important for you to go over all the items in your workbook with each contractor. You do not want to leave out any items and you want each contractor to bid on exactly the same things, so it is important to have this information written down in your workbook, so you don't forget or leave out something important.

With this information written down in your workbook, you are now ready to call some contractors and get some prices. Working with contractors is a key step in any home improvement project.

When you call a contractor and tell him you would like a price to install vinyl siding on your house, he will always ask you "How much siding do you need", and "is your house a one or two story home". You have this written down in your workbook.

This will give him a general idea of the scope of your project. He will then decide whether he is interested in coming out to your house and reviewing the job and give you a price quote.

The information in your workbook is what you will go over with each contractor. 

Click here to review how to get prices from contractors.

Click here to review how to write contracts.

How to pick the best contractor for your project.

The labor to install vinyl siding is pretty much standard, so if you call three or six contractors the price to install the siding on your house the price for installing the siding is about the same.  

Where the differences in prices come in is the extra work needed to make your house ready for the siding and the quality of the workmanship the contractor has.

A contractor working out of his pickup truck will usually be less expensive than a contractor who has many different trucks and jobs running.  A contractor who has installed hundreds of jobs will be more expensive than someone just starting out and has only done a few jobs. The quality of the installation is one of the most important parts of the job. Like any professional the better they are the higher the price they will charge. 

The more work a contractor must do on your house to make it ready for the siding the more it will add to the over-all vinyl siding costs associated with your project.

Click here to review some basic questions to ask any contractor.

How to Work with Contractors  

Go to Vinyl Siding Prices