How to Figure Costs for New Siding

• August 19th, 2010
• In: Aluminum Siding, Brick Siding, Fiber Cement, Stone Siding, Vinyl Siding, Wood Siding
• By: Rob Sabo
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If you have decided that it is finally time to tear off that old vinyl, hardboard, or aluminum siding on your home and replace it with new siding, the very first questions you must ask yourself are:

1. What type of siding do I want on my home?
2. How much do I have to spend?

How to Buy Siding

Replacing the siding on your home is a big task, and you might want to hire a siding contractor rather than try to do the work yourself or farm it out to a friend. But purchasing new siding also is an investment in the future of your home–outdated, leaking siding can cause water rot and subsequent structural damage to your home’s framing, causing you much more financial pain in the future.

Know that not all siding is created equal. Vinyl and aluminum siding are much more wallet-friendly than wood or stone siding. You may want to upgrade to brick or stucco, but those products are among the most expensive wall claddings, and you also are going to have to hire a mason or stucco contractor.

A rough estimate for siding prices per square foot:

• Fiber cement siding: from $1.89 a square foot.
• Wood siding:: from $4.89 a piece.
• Stone veneer siding: from $3.75 a square foot.
• Stone siding panels: from $7.90 a square foot.
• Vinyl siding: from $3 to $7 a square foot.

Keep in mind that most siding remodel jobs require additional materials, such as new trim, soffits, and vapor-barrier. Installation and removal of old siding also significantly increase the overall cost of new siding.

Once you have established what type of siding you like, and determined its cost per square or lineal foot, you have to know how much to order. A very rough “ballpark” figure is to figure out the livable space in your home, and add the attached square footage of a garage or similar structure. Knowing the amount of siding needed and its cost can help you feel comfortable with getting estimates from different siding contractors.