Siding Cost Per Square Foot Calculator

What is the average siding cost per square foot?

In this calculator's planning assumptions, vinyl siding installed on 1,800 sq ft of wall, with tear-off and house wrap, costs about $8.25 per sq ft at Standard prices, or $825 per square. Fiber cement on the same walls, painted, comes to about $14.21 per sq ft, and cedar about $18.33 per sq ft.

Those figures are planning examples, not quotes. They include materials, labor, trim, tear-off and disposal. A price per sq ft that you see in an ad often covers only the siding product or the installation labor.

Siding cost per square foot by material

The table compares installed prices per sq ft on the same sample job, so only the material changes. It assumes 1,800 sq ft, one story, simple walls, 12 windows and doors, house wrap, no tear-off and average U.S. labor rates. Primed or raw siding includes painting.

Installed price per sq ft of wall. Planning assumptions only.

Two things stand out. First, the cheapest product does not always stay cheapest once labor is added, because heavy boards and natural wood take longer to install. Second, painting can add $1.40 to $3.50 per sq ft to primed fiber cement, engineered wood and wood, unless you buy factory-finished product.

What is a “square” of siding?

A square is 100 sq ft of wall. Siding is sold, ordered and often quoted by the square, so a quote of “$825 per square” means $8.25 per sq ft. The calculator shows both so you can compare quotes written either way.

What is inside a price per square foot

On the sample vinyl job with tear-off, the Standard price of $8.25 per sq ft breaks down like this:

Materials are a bit more than half of the price for vinyl. For fiber cement and wood, labor and painting take a bigger share.

Product price vs. installed price per square foot

Store and supplier prices are for the siding product only. In the calculator, the vinyl product itself is $1.60 to $4.20 per sq ft from Budget to Premium. The installed price is several times that, because it also covers:

• About 8% to 16% extra material for cuts and waste;
• Starter strip, corners, J-channel, fasteners, flashing tape and caulk;
• Trim around every window and door;
• Installation labor and crew setup;
• House wrap, tear-off, disposal and scaffolding when needed.

So when you see a price per sq ft online, check whether it is a product price or an installed price before you compare it with a quote.

Regional differences in price per square foot

Labor is the part of the price that changes most between areas. The calculator's labor-market selector applies factors of 0.85, 1.00, 1.20 and 1.40 to labor, disposal, equipment, repair and permit allowances, but not to materials. On the vinyl sample, moving from an average market to a very high-cost metro raises the Standard price per sq ft by roughly $1.70. These are planning factors, not a live regional price database.

Why small jobs cost more per square foot

Some costs do not shrink when the wall gets smaller: getting the crew and tools to the house, setting up, cleanup, and trimming each window and door. Spread over fewer square feet, they push the price per sq ft up.

Standard vinyl, tear-off included, average U.S. market.

In the calculator, a 600 sq ft vinyl job with four openings comes to about $8.70 per sq ft, against $8.25 for 1,800 sq ft. If you are siding one addition or one wall, expect a higher unit price or a minimum charge.

Other things that raise the price per square foot

Stories. Upper walls need scaffolding or a lift and take longer. A 2,400 sq ft two-story vinyl job comes to about $8.75 per sq ft in the calculator.

Wall complexity. Gables, dormers and many corners add cutting time and waste. The calculator uses 8%, 12% or 16% waste and adds 15% or 30% to labor for moderate and complex walls.

Windows and doors. Each opening needs trim and flashing, so a wall full of windows costs more per sq ft than a plain wall.

Tear-off. Removing and hauling away the old siding adds about $1.19 per sq ft on the vinyl sample.

Wall repairs. Rotted sheathing found after tear-off is extra. The calculator offers allowances of about 5%, 15% or 30% of the wall.

Add-ons. House wrap, foam board, soffit and fascia, and painting each add their own cost per sq ft.

Labor cost per square foot

Labor is calculated from hours. The calculator uses 3 crew hours per 100 sq ft for vinyl, up to 5.5 hours for cedar, at $55, $70 or $90 per hour for Budget, Standard and Premium. At Standard rates that is about $2.10 per sq ft of installation labor for vinyl and $3.50 for fiber cement before trim, wrap and mobilization. The labor-market selector then adjusts for your area: 0.85 for lower-cost areas up to 1.40 for very high-cost metros.

How to compare quotes by the square foot

1. Ask each contractor for the total price and the measured siding area. Divide one by the other.
2. Check what the price includes: tear-off, disposal, house wrap, trim, flashing and painting.
3. Ask for a separate per-sq-ft price for sheathing repair, agreed before work starts.
4. Compare the same product line and thickness. A thin vinyl panel and a premium panel are not the same price.

A quote that looks cheaper per sq ft but leaves out wrap or disposal can end up costing more.

Budget, Standard and Premium

Budget: entry-level siding, basic accessories and independent installer rates.

Standard: mid-range siding and accessories from an established siding company.

Premium: higher product lines, upgraded trim and a premium installer.

Estimating your wall area

Your price per sq ft only works if the area is right. Measure each wall's width and height, multiply, add the walls together and subtract large windows and doors. If you have not measured, the calculator estimates the area from your home size: