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Siding · Research

Siding research and data

Key sourced siding figures for 2026: installed cost runs about $6.13 per square foot for vinyl up to $20 for brick veneer (This Old House); the national average fiber cement project is $14,674 (This Old House); labor is 30% to 50% of a vinyl job and vinyl replacement returns about 97% at resale (Fixr); and NAHB lists vinyl, fiber cement, engineered wood, brick and stone as lasting the life of the house.

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Two datasets do most of the work in this category. Cost guides — This Old House and Fixr among them — publish per-square-foot installed rates that are useful for sizing a budget but reflect national averages, not your local labor market. The NAHB Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components publishes manufacturer-sourced life expectancies that are useful for planning replacement cycles but assume competent installation.

Where the two disagree is instructive. NAHB lists vinyl siding as lasting the life of the house; This Old House's field-oriented guide gives 20 to 40 years. Both are defensible: the material may not degrade, but color, profile availability, and installation details fail long before the polymer does. When you plan, use the shorter number.

Resale ROI figures deserve the most skepticism. Fixr cites about 97% return for vinyl siding replacement. These figures come from national surveys of agent-estimated resale value at a point in time; they are not returns you can bank on, and they vary hugely by market and by what condition your old siding was in.

How to choose

Installed cost per square foot
Vinyl $6.13, aluminum $7.32, fiber cement $9.00, stucco $9.66, cedar $11.70, stone veneer $14.16, brick veneer $20.00, per This Old House's 2026 data.
Whole-house totals
$8,000–$30,000 with an average near $19,000 on a 2,000-square-foot home (This Old House); fiber cement national project average $14,674.
Published life expectancies
NAHB: brick, vinyl, engineered wood, stone and fiber cement listed as lifetime; stucco 50–100 years; exterior trim 25 years; fiber-cement fascia 50 years.
Labor share
Labor is 30% to 50% of a vinyl siding project, roughly $2–$5 per square foot, per Fixr. Fiber cement labor is $2–$8 per square foot per This Old House.
Resale return
Fixr cites roughly 97% ROI for vinyl siding replacement. Treat as a national average, not a forecast for your home.
Use local quotes to calibrate
National data sets the expected range. Three local quotes on an identical scope tell you your actual market.
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FAQ

Siding research — common questions

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Different measurement conventions (wall area versus floor area), different assumptions about tear-off, and different regional samples. Compare methodology before comparing numbers.
No. NAHB's figures are manufacturer-sourced material life expectancies. Real-world life is dominated by flashing, drainage, and installation.
It's a national average of estimated resale value against cost at a point in time. Local market conditions and the condition of your existing siding matter more.
Your own measured wall area in squares, multiplied by an installed rate for the material you want. That gets you within range before any salesperson is involved.
Sources

Where these figures come from

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