Siding cost

Siding is priced per square foot of wall, not floor area, so a two-story house with the same footprint costs far more than a ranch. Contractors measure in "squares" (100 square feet). When two quotes differ wildly, the first thing to check is whether they measured the same amount of wall and included the same trim.

The line items that actually swing the number: tear-off and disposal (about $1,000 to $2,500 on a vinyl job, per Fixr), rotten sheathing found during tear-off (anywhere from under $100 to several thousand dollars), trim and soffit, and permits (Fixr cites $150 to $1,500 depending on jurisdiction). Labor alone is typically 30% to 50% of a vinyl siding total.

Be skeptical of a low bid that is low because it skips tear-off, skips flashing, or carries no allowance for rot. Those costs do not disappear; they arrive as a change order once your wall is open and you have no leverage. Ask every bidder for a written per-square-foot rate for sheathing replacement before you sign.

How to choose

Vinyl

$6,000–$24,000 installed, national average about $12,000, per Fixr's 2026 guide. Grade matters: builder-grade around 0.04" thick runs $2–$6/sq ft in material; insulated vinyl $7–$12/sq ft.

Fiber cement

$5–$14 per square foot installed with a national project average of $14,674, per This Old House. Labor is $2–$8/sq ft of that — it is heavy and slow to hang.

Cedar and wood

About $11.70 per square foot installed, per This Old House. The purchase price is the smaller half of the decision; wood needs recoating on a cycle forever.

Stone and brick veneer

About $14 to $20 per square foot installed. Usually used as an accent on part of a façade rather than the whole house.

Get three quotes on the same scope

Hand every bidder the same written scope: tear-off yes/no, barrier type, trim included, rot allowance rate. Otherwise you are comparing different jobs.