Siding Cost Calculator

A 2,000 sq ft two-story has roughly 2,800 sq ft of wall, which prices at about $22,672 in vinyl with house wrap and a full tear-off — inside HomeGuide's $10,000–$32,500 band for a 2,500 sq ft home. Single-story ranches have less wall, so they run 15–25% under that.

On the 2,500 sq ft reference house the model prices fiber cement at about $32,688 vs $20,213 for vinyl — roughly $12,475 more up front. The case is lifespan and looks: fiber cement holds paint 10–15 years and resists rot and fire, while builder-grade vinyl fades and gets brittle. It wins on resale in higher-end neighborhoods; on rentals it rarely pays back.

Vinyl-over-vinyl is physically possible with furring and re-trimming every opening, but it traps moisture against the sheathing, hides rot until it's expensive, and voids most manufacturer warranties. It also saves less than you'd think — skipping tear-off on the reference job keeps about $2,500, before you pay to re-flash every window. Most reputable crews will quote tear-off by default.

Like-for-like re-siding usually needs no permit in most US jurisdictions. Expect one ($75–$300) when the scope changes the wall assembly — adding rigid foam, repairing structural sheathing, working in a historic district, or switching material class — because those alter the fire, moisture and energy performance the permit inspection exists to check. Working unpermitted where one is required risks a stop-work order with the wall half-open, plus disclosure trouble at resale. HOA architectural approval is a separate, slower gate with its own color and material rules — start it before you book the crew, because a rejection after the dumpster arrives is an expensive do-over.

Yes whenever the wall is opened to the sheathing — the International Residential Code requires a weather-resistive barrier behind exterior wall coverings, and modern WRBs add water holdout plus a big air-leak reduction for about $0.50 per sq ft of wall in this model. Skipping it is the classic corner-cut on cheap re-sides.

A four-person crew typically tears off, wraps and sides a 1,500–2,500 sq ft two-story in about 4–8 working days. The sequence matters for your calendar: tear-off and house wrap come first, sheathing repairs happen while the wall is open, then panels go up bottom-up and trim closes everything out. Height is the throttle — the same 8% two-story and 18% three-story labor premium this calculator prices shows up as calendar time, not just dollars. The two delays that stretch schedules are rain (a wet wrap can't be left exposed) and rotten sheathing found behind the old siding, which bills per sheet on top of the estimate.

Soffits, fascia and gutters (see the gutters calculator), window and door replacement, structural sheathing repair — rotten OSB or plywood discovered after tear-off bills per sheet on top — moving gas meters or light fixtures, painting (fiber cement arrives prefinished), and lead or asbestos abatement on pre-1980 homes, which requires certified remediation.