How Much Does Vinyl Siding Cost to Install and Maintain?

Vinyl siding was first created in the 1950s as an alternative to wood that had lower maintenance needs, and it’s now one of the most popular types of siding. Vinyl siding is a type of plastic that gets color added through each piece, and this means that you won’t have to worry about painting it to seal out the elements or maintain it. This can help justify your upfront vinyl siding cost. You can also pick from a huge range of colors and styles that can help mimic various home designs, styles, and materials. However, this also means that your vinyl siding costs can fluctuate very quickly, depending on what you pick out. 

When you try to figure out your vinyl siding cost, you have to include the cost of labor along with the materials. Think about which colors will look best with your home and your design aesthetic. Some colors are more traditional while others are bright and bold. You can easily get a color or style that blends with your neighborhood or helps you create a traditional or rustic look on your home. It can last for years once you install it, and this helps even out your initial vinyl siding cost. 

On average, your vinyl siding cost will range from $7,500 to $12,000. Most people find themselves spending around $9,000 for their vinyl siding costs to install it on a 1,500-square foot house with shingle-look panels and lap siding. If you have vinyl planks, your vinyl siding cost will drop to around $4,500 for a 1,500-square foot home. If you wanted insulated vinyl with faux stone, lap siding, and shingle-look on a 1,500-square foot house, the vinyl siding cost jumps to $22,500. Per square foot, you’ll pay between $3.00 and $12.00, with $7.50 being the average price. This makes it very affordable. 

If you’re considering installing vinyl siding on your home but you have no idea what your vinyl siding cost will be, this is for you. We’re going to outline the biggest cost factors associated with this project, and you can take a look and see which ones apply to your situation. This way, you can easily get a rough estimate to take to local contractors in your area, and they can give you a more solid estimate to help you create your budget and get this project finished. 

Vinyl siding requires very little maintenance once you get it installed, and the installation process itself is usually very quick and easy. It can lend many different looks to your home from rustic to modern. Vinyl Siding by Bart Everson / CC BY 2.0

Vinyl Siding Style and Cost Ranges

One of the biggest decisions you have to make is the vinyl siding style that will suit your home the best. Vinyl siding can get formed in a host of ways, and it uses molds so it can mimic how brick, wood lap, shakes, shingles, stone siding, and a log look. The average vinyl siding cost depending on the style is as follows: 

Beaded

This is a horizontal lap siding, and your vinyl siding cost will range between $1.30 and $6.00 a square foot. The bed is an indent that runs along the bottom of each lap. The bead creates a lip with a deep interest, and this adds a lot of visual interest. The shadow will help break up your siding, and this lends a more interesting design aesthetic. It’s not as common as other types of lap siding, and this can limit your color choices. It typically runs four and five inches wide. 

Board and Batten

This siding comes with an average vinyl siding cost of $2.50 to $8.00 a square foot. This is one of the oldest siding styles available in the United States, and it uses large boards that are around 12-inches wide and get installed vertically. They install thin strips called battens over the seams, and vinyl board and batten use 12-inch panels. The battens are already attached to overlap two boards. This is less common for siding, so your thicknesses and colors can be limited. 

Brick-Look

There are panels that give you the look of brick, and your vinyl siding costs will vary from $4.00 to $10.00 a square foot. This is less common than other types of faux brick or vinyl siding, and it can be effective when you use it as an accent. The siding gets installed in a single row around your home’s perimeter. Generally speaking, the panels are two feet wide, and the brick rows can be between two and four inches wide. This is another uncommon type of siding, so you might have limited thickness and colors available. 

Cedar Shake

Cedar is a popular landscaping timber because it’s naturally rot-resistant. Your vinyl siding costs range from $2.50 to $8.00 a square foot. This siding comes in two or three deep rows, and each row is around six inches wide. You can find five or seven-inch wide rows too. They usually come heavily embossed to give them the wood grain real wood has, and they’re available in several colors. It’s very common to install cedar shake with lap siding to give your home more visual interest. They can be insulated, premium, or hollow. 

Clapboard

Per square foot, your vinyl siding cost for clapboard will range from $1.30 to $6.00. This style is one of the oldest plank siding types in the United States. This is why many people mistakenly believe that most horizontal lap siding is clapboard. However, this isn’t true. Each plank comes with a thinner top and thicker bottom, and this creates a wedge look. It’s available in several different colors, and you can easily get wood grain or smooth finishes. It comes insulated or hollow too. 

Dutch Lap

Your vinyl siding cost for Dutch Lap will range from $1.30 to $6.00 a square foot. This is one of the most popular types of siding available in the United States. It’s a horizontal siding type that offers a concave upper section on the lap. Since the section of the board overlaps over this concave area, it will cast a very deep shadow below it. This makes the siding look more interesting at a glance, and you won’t have to add a lot of decorate elements. It’s usually four or five-inches thick, and you can get insulated or hollow types. 

Hand-Split Shake

Depending on the type, your vinyl siding cost will range from $2.50 to $8.00 a square foot. You get a more rustic looking shingle with this style. Each shake measures around seven-inches wide, but they often come staggered or irregular along the bottoms to give you a rustic look. So, the shakes may come in seven-inch sizes, the rows could easily have sections that measure give or six-inches deep. This is a very nice accent piece for any rustic-style homes, and you can get insulated, premium, or hollow types. 

Scalloped

You can buy vinyl siding shingles that come with a scalloped design on the bottom edge for $3.00 to $8.00 a square foot. This is a great choice if you want to accent a small area of your home, and it does very well beneath gables. It’s a common practice to pair this type of siding with lap siding. If you do, the scalloped design will go along the edges and the lap siding will go over the majority of the house. The shingles are between six and seven-inches wide at the lowest point, and the edge has a rounded design. 

Smooth

If you pick out a smooth-style siding, it usually gets sold as lap siding. Your vinyl siding costs range from $1.30 to $6.00 a square foot, and this is any type of horizontal siding where the top plank slightly overlaps the one below it. Smooth lap siding has no wood grain texture, and it gives you a purely aesthetic design that doesn’t impact the performance or quality. It can be easier to maintain or clean vinyl siding with your pressure washer than textured options are. It comes in four to five-inch widths. 

Stone-Look

Your vinyl siding cost for styles that mimic the look of stone ranges from $4.00 to $10.00 a square foot. It works best as an accent to give you a fieldstone look on your home. The panels for this siding are slightly thicker, and they have a distinct texture. The stones come in different sizes to give it a very natural look, and they have color variations. The panels can be 12 or 24-inches wide, and the stones are varying widths. It’s less common than other options, so you have limits in styles and colors. 

Traditional Lap

This is one of several types of horizontal-style lap siding that will cost between $1.50 and $6.00 a square foot. The type will influence your vinyl siding cost. This type of lap looks like clapboard, and it comes with a thicker design at the bottom of each plank. This will give you a wedge design. There are few or no decorative elements with this style, and the sections can get six-inches wide. The planks are usually between three and four-inches thick. 

Vinyl Log

Your vinyl siding costs for vinyl log range from $4.00 to $10.00 a square foot, and this is on the high end. This is a hollow siding that will look like a log home once you get it installed. You can install it over your home’s exterior to give it a much more rustic look. It generally comes with a wood grain texture on it, and it can get up to 12-inches wide. This is an easier-to-maintain and less expensive alternative to actual logs. Real wooden homes are very high-maintenance, and putting vinyl over them is one way to give you this look more easily. 

The vinyl siding style you pick out will have a big impact on your vinyl siding cost because some are much more expensive. It’ll also impact your installation process, and some are very time-consuming while others are easier. Shed status 9-13-09 by davef3138 / CC BY 2.0

Vinyl Siding Prices by Type

Once you pick the style, you’ll have to settle on a type. Vinyl siding was always hollow traditionally with nothing behind or inside the thin plastic planks. You can still buy it this way, but you can also pick out insulated versions or versions with thicker premium materials that are much more durable. Each type of vinyl siding has a different price attached to it. 

Hollow

Your vinyl siding costs are low with hollow-type siding at $1.25 to $4.00 a square foot. This is a very thin plastic siding, and you can easily install it over house wrap or a rigid foam insulation. You can easily use this vinyl siding as a rain screen if you live in a high rainfall planting zone because there is nothing behind it and you get a cavity between the wall and the siding. This is usually seen as the less durable type of siding, but it’s also the most common option. 

Insulated

Your vinyl siding costs will range from $8.00 to $10.00 a square foot. It comes with rigid foam insulation attached to the panel or plank backs. The insulation and vinyl fits very tightly together, and this makes it more effective than adding insulation and then siding. It can’t work as a rain screen, but it works well in colder climates than hollow siding. You should always use some type of insulation with your vinyl siding because it’s not a good insulator by itself. Using insulation can help create a tighter building envelope while increasing your home’s energy efficiency. 

Premium Hollow

Per square foot, your vinyl siding costs for this type will range between $2.50 and $8.00. This vinyl is slightly heavier and thicker in design. This makes it much more durable than you’ll get with standard hollow siding. This is much less likely to crack when the temperature falls than thinner materials are. You can install it over rigid foam insulation or a common house wrap. In heavy rainfall areas, this type of siding will act like a rain screen too. 

Price Points for Different Brands

You can find many different manufacturers for your vinyl siding, and they all have a range of vinyl siding costs. Some manufacturers can specialize in specific types, and other companies offer a range of products. Each brand has a price point, including: 

Alside

Alside’s vinyl siding costs range from $2.50 to $8.50 a square foot. This is a premium-style siding that has both insulated planks and thicker planks, and you can choose from several styles and colors. This material comes designed to give you better performance overall, and the panels need less caulking with a thicker rigid foam to give you more insulation. This company’s materials are also usually easier to install than other hollow-back brands. 

Georgia-Pacific

Your vinyl siding costs with Georgia-Pacific will run between $1.15 and $8.00 a square foot. The style and type will dictate your costs. They make shingle and lap vinyl siding, and you can pick from a range of colors. They offer simple styles, and they offer matching skirting, fascia, and soffit products. You can get hollow siding as well as insulated premium siding, and you can find the material that fits your budget and needs. 

Mastic

Mastic vinyl siding comes from Ply-Gem, and your vinyl siding costs start at $2.50 and go up to $8.50 a square foot. This company focuses on creating vinyl siding that looks like shingles or shakes. It offers a thicker vinyl material than you’ll get with some lap siding, and this makes it more durable. It comes designed to interlock, and this makes the installation process easier. It’s easy to maintain, and you can pick from several different colors. 

Rollex

If you get your siding from Rollex, your average vinyl siding cost range falls between $4.00 and $7.00 a square foot. They recently redesigned their siding to make it easier to install. This is a very rigid and thick siding, and a single person can install it instead of a team. The planks interlock to make installation fast and easy, and you can insulate this vinyl to make it more energy-efficient. This company offers a broad range of popular color choices. 

Wolverine

Wolverine is the least expensive company for your vinyl siding costs, and they range between $1.50 and $7.00 a square foot. This company makes a line of good quality lap siding, and the product comes made by Certainteed. It’s available in a broad range of very vivid colors, and you can choose from four basic types. Each type has different thicknesses and details, and there is a smooth option that allows you to mimic historic home styles. 

It’s a good idea to pick a well-known brand when it comes to figuring out your vinyl siding costs. Going with a well-known brand can ensure you get a good reputation with higher quality materials that last longer. P3085250 by Del Ramey / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Replacing Vinyl Siding Costs

On average, your vinyl siding will last for around 20 years. This means that you may have to replace it sooner than other materials. Replacing any old siding will have a vinyl siding cost that matches a new siding job’s price. You also have to include disposal and removal fees when you take on this project. 

Vinyl siding has plastic in the makeup, and very few recyclers accept this material. This can cause your disposal fees to jump to around $500. You could also have to pay $1.00 to $2.00 a square foot in labor fees to get rid of the old siding, install the new house wrap, and make any repairs needed. To replace your vinyl siding on a 1,500-square foot home, you’ll pay between $5,500 and $23,000. Although this is a broad cost range, your contractor can give you more solid numbers. 

Labor Costs

A lot of vinyl siding is very easy and quick to install, and your vinyl siding costs for labor will range between $1.00 and $3.00 a square foot. Vinyl is lightweight, and you have to nail it down, except for the first course. Each successive course will lock into the one below it, and this can speed up your installation process. 

It’s generally easier to install insulated and premium materials over hollow ones, and the price is usually lower. This is due to the lightweight hollow siding being floppy and bendy. You’ll need to bring in at least two contractors per plank to help lift it, position it, and attach it. Insulated and premium materials are still lightweight, but they’re more rigid and thicker. So, you’ll only need a single person to come in and lift them, move them, and install the panels. 

This siding will go up between two and four rows at a time, and this is much quicker to install than wood siding. This is why your labor costs will add to your vinyl siding cost by $1.00 and $3.00 a square foot for most projects. A 1,500-square foot installation job will range from $1,500 to $4,000 for labor out of a $9,000 project total.

Optional Improvement Costs

There are a few things you can do to improve your siding’s look, but they will also increase your vinyl siding cost. The biggest optional improvement costs you can consider with this project include but are not limited to: 

Exterior Trim

When you install your vinyl siding, you might want to include vinyl trim. This will increase your vinyl siding cost by $1,800. This trim comes made to match your vinyl siding, and it features the same material. The trim will help cover the edges and give you a more finished look. You want to try to use the same manufacturer and brand from the siding and trim. 

Gutters

 When you install new siding, it’s a great time to install new gutters on your home. You can have your gutters made of the same vinyl on your home to match, or they can feature steel or aluminum. For most homes, installing new gutters will cost around $1,500. 

Insulation 

You can add insulation to your siding in one of two ways. It’s possible to buy pre-insulated siding for $8.00 to $10.00 a square foot. Yb

You can also get rigid foam insulation like XPS or IPS installed under the vinyl. Your vinyl siding cost will increase by $5.00 a square foot. Both options can help improve your home’s energy efficiency rating. 

Painting

You can paint your vinyl siding for $5,000. You want to use an adhesive primer so the paint bonds strongly to the vinyl. If you don’t, it can easily peel off. You should clean the vinyl and let it dry 100% before you paint it. Since vinyl lasts around 20 years, you should consider replacing it over painting it if it’s 15 years old or more. 

Soffit Installation

Soffits are the trim that covers the roof’s underside. It works to help protect the rafters. You’ll install it right along your other trim on the house, so it usually gets included right in your vinyl siding costs. Soffits can use vinyl in the makeup. You want to have a perforated soffit because this allows ventilation to the eaves, and this can prevent moisture buildup. 

Where to Find Vinyl Siding Contractors Near You

When it comes to installing vinyl siding, you can do it yourself. However, you always want to contact local experts and see what they recommend. You can start looking for local installation professionals here: 

• Vinyl Siding Installers

Frequently Asked Questions

A lot of people ask the same questions when it comes to your vinyl siding costs, and we’ve picked out the biggest ones a lot of people have so you have them all for reference in one place. Cole Project_During (27) by Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

1. Can you install vinyl siding on your own?

You can install vinyl siding by yourself to help cut down on the vinyl siding costs. However, bringing in a professional can help increase how long your vinyl lasts. Correct installation can also prevent cracking, expansion, warping, and bulging that can happen when you DIY. 

2. How much will it cost you to add a window to this siding?

If you want to add a new window to an existing wall when you put on your new vinyl siding, you can spend between $1,000 and $5,000. The siding type won’t matter with this cost estimate. 

3. Will vinyl siding increase your home’s value?

Vinyl siding can increase your home’s value, depending on what you’re replacing and the type of vinyl you pick out. Vinyl will only last around 20 years, and it can melt in hot climates or crack in cold ones. So, vinyl may not be the best choice in some instances. 

Bottom Line

Your total vinyl siding costs will depend on a large range of factors. We’ve picked out the biggest ones you want to keep in mind before you take on this project. This way, you’ll be able to get a rough estimate of this project to take to local companies and see which ones work best for your wants and needs. If you get it right, you can have a 20-year investment on your home.