Siding Replacement Bids: What a Quote Should Include and How to Compare

Siding bid comparison table

Copy this table into a note or spreadsheet. Put one quote in each column and fill every row. A blank cell means the quote does not say, and that is a question for the contractor. Compare the totals only after every row is filled in.

What should a siding quote include?

A siding quote should describe the whole job in writing: the walls covered, the measurement, removal of the old siding, the layers behind it, the product, the trim and flashing, the warranties, the permit, the schedule, the payment terms and the exclusions. If a line is missing, assume it is not included until the contractor says otherwise in writing.

A one-line quote that reads "replace siding, one price" gives you nothing to compare. Ask every contractor for the same detail. Our guide to how to read a contractor estimate shows the same line-by-line habit on a roofing estimate.

How is siding measured, by the square or by the foot?

A siding quote may be priced by the square (a trade term for one hundred square feet of wall area) or by the square foot, and trim and accessories may be priced by the linear foot. What matters is that every quote states its unit, the total it measured, and where that number came from.

Ask each contractor how the area was measured. Did someone measure on site, or work from plans or photos? Does the total subtract windows and doors? Two quotes that start from different wall areas cannot be compared, even if the totals look close. When every contractor works from one set of measurements, this problem goes away.

Which walls does the quote cover?

A quote should list the elevations it covers: front, back, both sides, and any gables, dormers or bump-outs, so you know exactly which parts of the house are part of the price. Ask which are in the price and which are not, because a missing wall changes the total.

A quote can look lower simply because it leaves out a wall or a gable. Walk the house with the quote in your hand and mark each wall as included or excluded.

What happens to the old siding?

Ask whether the quote includes tearing off the old siding and hauling it away, or whether it plans to install over what is there. Removal lets the crew see the wall underneath; covering over it does not. These are different jobs, so note which one each quote assumes.

Also ask who handles disposal and whether it is in the price.

Does the quote cover what is behind the siding?

Some quotes mention only the siding itself. A complete quote also says what goes behind it: a house wrap or weather barrier, any sheathing repair, and how that repair is priced. Ask what happens if the crew finds damaged boards after the old siding comes off.

Sheathing repair can be written into a quote in different ways, such as a price per sheet, an allowance (a set amount that is adjusted once the real damage is known), or an exclusion. Each is a fair way to write a quote, but they work out differently when damage turns up. Ask each contractor which method they use and how you would be told before extra work begins.

Which material and profile is being quoted?

A quote should name the material (vinyl, fiber cement, engineered wood or metal), the manufacturer's product line, the thickness or grade, and the profile, such as lap, board and batten, or shingle style. The word "siding" alone is not a specification.

Each material has trade-offs, so ask practical questions. What upkeep does it need? Does it need paint or a finish, and who applies it? What does its warranty require of the installer and of you? Ask each contractor why they chose the product they quoted.

Are trim, corners, J-channel, soffit and fascia in the price?

Trim pieces, corner posts, J-channel, soffit and fascia are easy to leave off a quote, and they change the look and the protection of the finished wall. Ask whether each one is included, replaced or reused, and in what material.

Ask the same about flashing around windows, doors and roof lines, since those are places where water can get in. Ask about caulking, and about paint or finish if the material you chose needs it. If a quote is silent on any of these, put a question mark in the table and ask.

Can one wall be replaced, or does the whole house need to match?

You can ask for a quote on one wall or on the whole house. The difficulty with partial replacement is matching: new siding may differ from older siding in color, profile or sheen, and some products are no longer made. Ask each contractor whether a match is available now and how they would handle it if it is not.

Ask contractors to quote a partial and a whole-house option so you can see each scope on its own. If a claim is involved, ask your insurer how matching is handled.

How do I compare warranties?

A siding job can come with two warranties: the manufacturer's product warranty and the installer's workmanship warranty. Ask for both in writing. They are different promises made by different companies, and a quote that says only "warranty included" has not told you which one it means.

For each, ask who stands behind it, what it covers, what it excludes, how long it lasts, whether it can be transferred if you sell the home, and what you must do to keep it valid. Some warranties carry installation conditions. Ask whether the quoted installation meets them. Read the actual document, not the sales summary.

Is the lowest siding bid the best one?

Not necessarily. A low total can mean a smaller scope, a thinner list of inclusions, a lower-priced product line, a sheathing repair left out, or a warranty that says less. It may also be a fair price from a contractor with lower costs. You will not know until the quotes describe the same job.

Fill in the table for each bid. Where a lower quote is missing rows, ask what adding them would cost, then compare again. Look at reviews, licensing information, the deposit, payment schedule, change-order pricing and how clearly each contractor answers your questions.

Can an insurance estimate help me compare siding quotes?

If you have an insurance estimate, you can share it with every contractor as the written list of work to price. That gives each bid the same starting point. Questions about what your policy covers go to your insurer. Check your policy, and ask your insurer how any scope or matching question is handled.

Otter Quotes does not work with your insurance company. Contractors can still price the same written scope, and you can compare what each one adds or leaves out.

What to ask every siding contractor

Copy this list and send the same questions to each contractor, in writing if you can. Asking everyone the same things gives you answers you can line up in the comparison table, and it shows which contractors explain their quote clearly and which leave gaps.

• How did you measure the area, and does the total match the walls listed?
• Which walls are in the price, and which are not?
• Are you removing the old siding, and who disposes of it?
• What goes behind the siding, and how is sheathing repair priced?
• What exact product line, thickness or grade, and profile are you quoting?
• Are trim, corners, J-channel, soffit, fascia, flashing and caulking included?
• Is a match available for the siding already on my house?
• Can I see both warranties in writing?
• Who pulls the permit, and is it in the price?
• What is the deposit, and what are the payment stages?
• When can you start, and how long will it take?
• Who will be on my property, and can I see the license number and proof of insurance?
• What is excluded, and how do change orders work?

Where contractors are licensed, you can look up the license with the agency that issued it; the guide on how to choose a contractor walks through those checks. For how scope differences drive gaps between bids, read why roofers quote different prices, and see the roof bid comparison worksheet for the same side-by-side layout on roofing.

Where Otter Quotes fits

Otter Quotes creates a written scope of work for your project and sends it to multiple contractors. Every contractor bids on the same scope and the same measurements, so you are comparing the same job. You compare the bids online, next to reviews and licensing information, without a salesperson visiting your home.

Because contractors know they are competing, they are more likely to include better materials and warranties. Otter Quotes is not a contractor, does not sell upgrades and does not work with your insurance company. Contractors pay Otter Quotes a fee on the accepted bid.