$3 – $15 per sq ftThat is the typical siding replacement cost in 2026, installed, across the two national cost guides we checked: HomeGuide puts it at $4 to $13 per square foot and Fixr at $3 to $15. For a whole house, Fixr puts most jobs at $8,500 to $20,000 on a 2,000-square-foot home, with a national average of $14,500. Vinyl and aluminum sit at the low end, fiber cement, wood and engineered wood in the middle, and steel, stucco, brick and stone at the top. Tearing off the old siding adds $0.70 to $2.00 per square foot (HomeGuide), or $1,000 to $2,500 for the job (Fixr).
The material you choose moves the price more than anything else, followed by the size and shape of the house. What sits behind the old siding matters too: rotten sheathing or a missing weather barrier only shows up once the old boards come off. The figures below cover each of those lines, plus the rules that apply to older homes and what new siding returns at resale.
Siding replacement cost by material
| Material | HomeGuide, per sq ft installed | Fixr, per sq ft installed | Lifespan (years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl | $4 – $12 | $3 – $12 | 30 – 40 |
| Masonite (hardboard) | $4 – $8 | not listed | 20 – 40 |
| Aluminum | $6 – $10 | $3 – $10 | 25 – 40 |
| Wood (pine, fir, cypress) | $5 – $15 | $2 – $15 | 20 – 40 |
| Cedar | $6 – $16 | not listed | 20 – 40 |
| Engineered wood | $7 – $12 | $2 – $10 | 30 – 50 |
| Fiber cement | $6 – $15 | $5 – $14 | 50 – 75 |
| Steel | $7 – $16 | $4 – $16 | 40 – 70 |
| Stucco | $7 – $17 | $7 – $17 | 50 – 80 |
| Brick veneer | $8 – $18 (veneer to full brick) | $3 – $13 | 20 – 75 faux, 100+ real |
| Full brick | included in the row above | $8 – $21 | 100+ |
Stone is left out of the table because it is rarely used on a whole house. Natural stone runs $15 to $45 per square foot installed and cultured stone $10 to $35, so it usually goes on the front of the house as an accent (HomeGuide). Fixr’s figures are similar: $20 to $45 for stone and $5 to $11 for stone veneer (Fixr).
The two guides mostly agree at the top of each range and differ at the bottom, where Fixr starts $1 to $5 lower for wood, engineered wood, aluminum and steel. A third source, Homewyse, prices a small 120-square-foot vinyl job, including removal of the old siding and debris disposal, at $7.60 to $12.95 per square foot, and the same job in fiber cement at $9.33 to $15.28 (Homewyse vinyl, Homewyse fiber cement, September 2026). Those figures sit in the upper half of the other two guides’ ranges.
Estimate your siding replacement cost
Use the tables above to estimate your cost. The interactive calculator needs JavaScript.
Our estimate: the calculator multiplies your wall area by each material’s range, running from the lower of the two guides’ low figures to the higher of their high figures (HomeGuide and Fixr, table above), then adds HomeGuide’s removal and house wrap ranges per square foot and Fixr’s $150 to $1,500 permit range. It is our combination of published ranges, not a quote or a measured figure.
Cost by house size
| Home size | HomeGuide | Fixr |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $4,000 – $13,000 | $3,600 – $19,500 |
| 1,200 sq ft | $4,800 – $15,600 | $4,200 – $24,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $6,000 – $19,500 | $4,800 – $27,000 |
| 1,800 sq ft | $7,200 – $23,400 | not listed |
| 2,000 sq ft | $8,000 – $26,000 | $5,400 – $30,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $10,000 – $32,500 | $6,000 – $33,000 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $12,000 – $39,000 | $6,900 – $37,500 |
| 3,500 sq ft | $14,000 – $45,500 | not listed |
Treat these totals as a rough guide. The contractor prices the wall area to be covered, not the floor area, and the two are not the same. HomeGuide’s own fiber cement guide, for example, estimates about 2,100 square feet of siding on a 2,500-square-foot home and 1,700 on a 2,000-square-foot one (HomeGuide). Fixr prices by siding area too: it estimates 1,800 to 2,000 square feet of siding for a 2,000-square-foot home and 2,000 to 2,200 for a 2,500-square-foot one (Fixr). The two guides’ totals differ a lot at the low end, so treat either column as a range, not a price. Doors, windows, gables and the number of stories all change the real figure.
Shape counts as much as size. A rectangular ranch house costs less to side than a home with several sections, dormers, large gables or turrets, and multi-story homes cost more because the crew needs scaffolding and safety equipment (HomeGuide).
Vinyl, fiber cement, wood and the rest
Vinyl is the most popular siding material, comes in many colors and needs little maintenance. The trade-offs: the color can fade in direct sun, and boards can crack where temperatures swing hard (HomeGuide). Insulated vinyl, with foam bonded to the back of each plank, costs $6 to $12 per square foot installed against $4 to $7 for standard lap profiles (HomeGuide, January 2025).
Fiber cement is a blend of cellulose fiber, sand, cement and water, and resists fire, insects and moisture (HomeGuide). It is heavy, at about 2.5 pounds per square foot, and usually needs two installers and special tools, which is why labor makes up about two-thirds of its installed price. Pre-primed boards cost less than factory-painted ones but have to be painted soon after installation (HomeGuide, June 2025).
Wood prices cover common species such as pine, fir and cypress; hardwoods cost more. Cedar insulates well but is more susceptible to fire, moisture and insect damage and needs more regular maintenance than most other siding, and premium knot-free grades cost the most. Engineered wood, at $7 to $12 per square foot installed, is the lower-maintenance alternative to real wood (HomeGuide).
Aluminum and steel are the metal options. Aluminum is insect-proof and fire-resistant but dents and scratches easily. For steel, the thicker 24-gauge panel costs 30% to 40% more than 26-gauge, and concealed-fastener panels ($10 to $16 per square foot) cost more than exposed-fastener ones ($7 to $12) but shed weather better (HomeGuide).
Stucco is cement, sand, binders and water applied in several coats, like plaster. It lasts 50 to 80 years but is not ideal for rainy climates. Brick may need a concrete footer, called a brick ledge, to carry its weight, at $15 to $30 per square foot for labor and materials (HomeGuide).
What the labor line pays for
| Part of the bill | Per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Materials and supplies | $2 – $7 |
| Labor | $2 – $6 |
| Total installed | $4 – $13 |
Materials make up 50% to 55% of a typical siding job and labor the other 45% to 50%. Siding contractors charge $40 to $80 an hour (HomeGuide) or $40 to $90 (Fixr), and Fixr puts labor for an average home at $1,800 to $8,000. Labor runs highest on homes with ornate details or many angles, where every piece has to be measured, cut and fitted. Thicker, premium-grade products can cost up to twice as much as builder’s grade, and contractors often charge more in their busy season, from late spring to mid-fall (HomeGuide).
Removal, house wrap and what is behind the old siding
| Work | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Removing and disposing of old siding | $0.70 – $2.00 per sq ft (HomeGuide); $1,000 – $2,500 per job (Fixr) |
| House wrap (weather-resistant barrier) | $0.50 – $1.30 per sq ft |
| Wall insulation, if replaced | $1.00 – $4.50 per sq ft |
| Framing repairs behind the siding | $5 – $20 per sq ft |
| Replacing exterior trim | $3 – $11 per linear ft |
| Soffit and fascia to match | $9 – $34 per linear ft (HomeGuide); soffit $6 – $30 and fascia $7 – $22 per linear ft (Fixr) |
Removal is the line most often missing from a first quote: HomeGuide warns that many contractors leave it out of their initial estimate (HomeGuide). Rot in the sheathing or backerboard beneath the siding is one of the signs that a house needs new siding in the first place, and major damage can require repairing the framing behind it (HomeGuide).
Our estimate: on 2,500 square feet of wall, tear-off and disposal at $0.70 to $2.00 per square foot comes to $1,750 to $5,000, and new house wrap at $0.50 to $1.30 adds $1,250 to $3,250. That is up to $8,250 on top of the siding itself before any repairs. This is our multiplication of HomeGuide’s per-square-foot ranges, not a measured figure.
New siding can go over old siding if the old surface is flat, tightly fastened and sound, but HomeGuide notes that most reputable contractors will not do it, because hidden rot keeps spreading underneath (HomeGuide). The Journal of Light Construction’s standard siding projects call for a continuous water-resistive barrier, such as house wrap, beneath the new siding (JLC).
Lead paint and asbestos in older homes
About three-quarters of U.S. homes built before 1978 still contain some lead-based paint. The EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule requires anyone paid to disturb painted surfaces in a pre-1978 home to be certified, with workers trained in lead-safe work practices (EPA). The rule exempts only minor jobs that disturb 20 square feet or less of paint on the exterior, so tearing painted siding off a whole house is covered (EPA). The same rule covers window replacement regardless of size, which we explain in our window replacement cost guide.
Paint testing is not required, but unless there is documentation that the paint is not lead-based, the RRP requirements apply (EPA). In general the rule does not apply to homeowners working on their own home, unless they rent it out, run a childcare center in it or are flipping it (EPA).
Asbestos is the other hazard. The EPA lists roofing and siding shingles among the places it may be found, says you generally cannot tell by looking, and suggests an inspection by an accredited professional if you are planning a remodel that will disturb building materials (EPA, EPA). Removal must be done by a trained and accredited asbestos professional. HomeGuide puts asbestos siding removal at $7 to $10 per square foot and on-site testing at $250 to $850 (HomeGuide).
Permits
Whether you need a permit depends on your town. Minor, non-structural repairs usually do not need one, but siding replacement typically does (HomeGuide). On price, HomeGuide’s own guides disagree: its main siding guide puts a siding permit at $30 to $200 (HomeGuide), while its fiber cement guide says $500 to $2,000 depending on project size and location (HomeGuide). Fixr says most municipalities require a permit and puts permit and inspection fees at $150 to $1,500 (Fixr). With estimates that far apart, your local building department is the only reliable answer. The FTC lists a contractor asking you to get the required permits yourself as one of the signs of a home improvement scam (FTC).
Does new siding pay off at resale?
| Project (1,250 sq ft of siding) | Job cost | Resale value | Cost recouped |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siding replacement, fiber cement | $21,485 | $24,420 | 114% |
| Siding replacement, vinyl | $17,950 | $17,313 | 97% |
In the 2025 Cost vs Value report, fiber cement siding was one of just five of the 28 projects that returned more than they cost at resale, and vinyl came close to breaking even (Journal of Light Construction). The report’s standard vinyl job replaces 1,250 square feet of siding with factory trim at all openings and corners; the fiber cement job uses factory-primed and factory-painted boards with fiber cement or cellular PVC trim (JLC, JLC).
Our estimate: dividing the report’s job costs by its 1,250 square feet gives about $14.40 per square foot for vinyl and $17.20 for fiber cement, above the top of HomeGuide’s ranges ($12 and $15). The report’s prices include trim and a full weather barrier, so they read closer to a complete, well-specified job than to a basic install. This is our own division, not a figure published in either source.
How to keep the bill down
- Match the material to your budget and climate. Masonite and vinyl are the cheapest, and of the two vinyl is the more durable (HomeGuide). Stucco does poorly in rainy climates and vinyl can crack where temperatures swing hard.
- Book outside the busy season. Contractors often charge a premium from late spring to mid-fall.
- Make sure every quote includes tear-off, disposal and house wrap before you compare totals. A cheaper quote that leaves them out is not cheaper.
- If only a small area is damaged, price a repair first: $2 to $14 per square foot, or $200 to $1,100 on average, though faded old siding may be hard to match (HomeGuide).
- Get several written estimates for the same material and do not pay the full amount up front. The FTC advises against paying in full before the work starts and against making the final payment until you are satisfied (FTC).
Questions to ask before you sign
- Does the price include removing and disposing of the old siding, new house wrap, trim and cleanup?
- How will you price rotten sheathing or framing if you find it after the tear-off?
- My house was built before 1978. Is your firm EPA lead-safe certified?
- Could the old siding contain asbestos, and should it be tested before work starts?
- Will you pull the permit, and is its cost in the quote?
- What does the manufacturer’s warranty cover, and what is your warranty on the installation?
More exterior cost guides
- Chimney Repair Cost in 2026: Cap, Crown, Liner and Rebuild Prices
- Chimney Sweep Cost in 2026: Prices by Chimney Type and Inspection Level
- Driveway Replacement Cost in 2026: Price per Square Foot by Material
- Fence Installation Cost in 2026: Price Per Foot by Material
- Garage Door Replacement Cost in 2026: Prices by Size and Material
- Gutter Installation Cost in 2026: Price per Foot by Material
- Gutter Replacement Cost in 2026: Repair vs. Replace, Tear-Off and Fascia
- Window Replacement Cost per Window in 2026 (With Whole-House Totals)
Sources
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program and Renovation, Repair and Painting Program: Contractors, last updated March 31, 2026.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Learn About Asbestos and Protect Your Family from Exposures to Asbestos.
- Federal Trade Commission, How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam.
- Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs Value Report 2025, national averages, with the project descriptions for vinyl and fiber cement siding replacement (June 20, 2025).
- Fixr, How Much Does It Cost to Replace Siding?, updated January 23, 2026.
- Homewyse, Cost to Install Vinyl Siding and Cost to Install Fiber Cement Siding, September 2026.
- HomeGuide, How Much Does House Siding Cost to Install or Replace?, October 29, 2025.
- HomeGuide, Siding Repair Cost, February 9, 2026.
- HomeGuide, Fiber Cement Siding Cost, June 23, 2025.
- HomeGuide, Vinyl Siding Cost, January 28, 2025.
