Free Cost Guide · 2026
Cost to Install Siding in 2026: Real Pricing by Material and Home Size
The cost to install siding in 2026 typically lands between $3 and $18 per square foot installed. Here is the breakdown by material tier, labor, and region, for your own exterior or a client’s.
- Vinyl siding typically lands between $3 and $7 per square foot installed.
- Metal usually runs $6 to $14, wood $8 to $15, and fiber cement $10 to $18.
- An 1,800 square foot single story home: $5,400 to $32,400 depending on material.
- Two story homes usually add 15 to 25 percent for scaffolding and handling.
What goes into the cost to install siding
The cost to install siding comes down to four line items: the siding itself, trim and accessories, demo of the old wall, and labor. Material picks the lane, trim and demo fill in the middle, and labor sets the high end. Whether you are pricing your own exterior makeover or bidding it for a client, the math is the same.
These installed ranges cover the siding, house wrap, fasteners, trim, and crew labor on a single story home, with demo priced separately below.
| Material | Per sq ft installed | 1,800 sq ft home | Typical lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl | $3 to $7 | $5,400 to $12,600 | 20 to 40 years |
| Aluminum | $6 to $12 | $10,800 to $21,600 | 30 to 40 years |
| Steel | $8 to $14 | $14,400 to $25,200 | 40 to 50 years |
| Engineered wood | $8 to $13 | $14,400 to $23,400 | 30 plus years |
| Cedar and solid wood | $8 to $15 | $14,400 to $27,000 | 20 to 30 years, maintained |
| Fiber cement | $10 to $18 | $18,000 to $32,400 | 30 to 50 years |
Siding material sets the budget
Material is the first fork in the road, and it sorts into four tiers. Vinyl is the budget workhorse: light, fast to hang, and fine for most climates. Metal, meaning aluminum or steel, costs more up front but shrugs off hail, insects, and fire. Wood covers cedar and engineered planks, and buys curb appeal in exchange for maintenance. Fiber cement sits at the top because the planks are heavy, the cuts need dust control, and the crew time runs longest.
Trim, wrap, and demo are the hidden cost drivers
The wall itself is only part of the bid. Trim, corner boards, and J-channel typically run 12 to 18 percent of material cost, and trim stock often costs more per foot than field siding. House wrap usually adds $0.25 to $0.50 per square foot, and flashing typically runs $80 to $200 per opening. Tearing off the old siding typically adds $0.80 to $1.50 per square foot, and rotted sheathing found underneath typically runs $4 to $8 per square foot to repair. A bid that skips these lines is not cheaper, it is just incomplete.
Price a siding job from a photo, free →
What the labor really costs
Labor is the biggest single driver in a siding bid, usually 50 to 65 percent of the installed total. A three person crew typically finishes an 1,800 square foot single story reside in 4 to 7 working days, plus a day or two of demo.
Height is the other labor multiplier. Two story walls need scaffolding or staging, which typically adds $1 to $2 per square foot, and every plank moves slower at height. Plan on a 15 to 25 percent premium versus one story.
Cost to install siding by region
The same 1,800 square foot fiber cement reside prices very differently by metro, mostly on labor. Treat these as directional bands and use them to sanity check quotes.
| Region or metro | 1,800 sq ft fiber cement | vs national median |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay Area | $24,000 to $40,000 | +32 to +48% |
| NYC metro, Long Island | $22,000 to $38,000 | +22 to +40% |
| Boston, Seattle, Portland | $20,000 to $34,000 | +12 to +25% |
| Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver | $17,500 to $28,000 | -3 to +5% |
| Phoenix, Tampa, Charlotte | $15,000 to $24,000 | -16 to -10% |
| Rural Midwest, Appalachian, Plains | $13,000 to $20,000 | -30 to -22% |
Four ways to bring the number down
- Reside one elevation. If only the weather side is faded or rotted, replacing that wall alone typically saves 60 to 75 percent versus a full wrap.
- Step down a tier. Premium vinyl and engineered wood look nearly as rich as fiber cement and typically cost 30 to 55 percent less installed.
- Book the off season. Crews in temperate regions often discount winter slots 8 to 15 percent versus the spring rush.
- Get three quotes. Bids for the same siding scope routinely spread 25 to 45 percent, so the third call usually pays for itself.
Siding is usually one line in a bigger exterior project. Price the rest with our cost to install a fence guide and the cost to replace drywall breakdown, and if you bid this work for a living, our guide to surviving a slow housing market covers pricing when leads get thin.
Pricing a siding job in seconds
Everything above gets you a solid ballpark. The exact number takes a photo. The SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo of the job into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds, so you can price a reside from the driveway and hand over a line item quote the same visit. Receipt scanning and mileage tracking keep your cost figures accurate. It is free to try.
Sources
- Installed per square foot ranges: typical range practice guidance from SimplyWise editorial review of residential siding work, not a published dataset.
- Regional variance: directional editorial estimates, not a published dataset.
- Material tiers and lifespan bands: standard industry practice for vinyl, fiber cement, wood, and metal siding.
The cost to install siding lives in four line items. Price the material, the trim, the demo, and the labor, and the total stops surprising you.
SimplyWise Editorial
Cost to install siding: common questions
How much does it cost to install siding in 2026?
Installed siding typically lands between $3 and $18 per square foot in 2026. On an 1,800 square foot single story home, that is $5,400 to $12,600 in vinyl, $14,400 to $27,000 in wood, and $18,000 to $32,400 in fiber cement. Two story homes usually add 15 to 25 percent.
What is the cheapest siding to install?
Standard vinyl is the cheapest, typically landing between $3 and $5 per square foot installed. Premium vinyl runs $5 to $7 with thicker panels and deeper colors. Metal usually starts around $6, and wood and fiber cement land in the $8 to $18 band.
Is fiber cement worth the premium over vinyl?
Fiber cement typically costs two to three times vinyl installed, and buys a harder wall that resists fire, rot, and hail, holds paint well, and usually lasts 30 to 50 years. If you plan to stay in the house long term, the premium usually earns its keep.
Do I have to remove the old siding first?
Vinyl can sometimes go over an existing wall if the old surface is flat and sound, which saves the demo line. Fiber cement and most wood installs need a tear off down to the sheathing, and most crews recommend demo anyway to catch rot and re-flash the windows.
How can I get an exact siding estimate fast?
The SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo of the job into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds. It is free to try, no credit card.
Estimate your next siding job from the driveway.
Snap a photo of the wall and get an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds. Price the work and send the quote before you leave. Free to try, no credit card.