Siding replacement cost depends on how much wall there is to cover, what material goes on, what is under the old siding, and how much trim, flashing and finishing the job needs. Labor, permits, and the contractor’s overhead and profit sit on top. Ask each contractor which of these the bid’s total includes.
What are the line items in a siding replacement bid?
A siding replacement bid can cover removing the old siding, preparing the wall, a water-resistive barrier and flashing, the siding itself, trim and accessories, caulk and paint, permits, and the crew’s labor, plus the contractor’s overhead and profit. A bid may list these on separate lines or give one total, so ask which lines the total includes.
What can move each line item?
Each line has its own drivers. The table gives each line in plain words, what can change it, and a question to put to every contractor. A blank answer is information: it means the bid is silent on that line, and you can ask before you compare the totals.
| Line item | What it is and what can move it | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Wall area and shape | The amount of wall the new siding covers. Material and labor grow with it. More walls, gables, dormers and openings mean more to cover and more cutting around each one. | How was the wall area measured, and which walls are in the bid? |
| Removal and disposal of old siding | Taking the old siding off and hauling it away, or leaving it in place. The Polymeric Exterior Products Association, a trade association for polymeric exterior building products, formerly the Vinyl Siding Institute, writes in its installation tips: “In residing, strapping, or removal of uneven original siding may be necessary.” | Does the bid tear off the old siding or install over it? Who hauls it away? |
| Wall preparation and sheathing | The surface under the siding. James Hardie, a fiber cement siding manufacturer, says in its January 2023 installation instructions for Artisan lap siding: “Irregularities in framing and sheathing can mirror through the finished application. Correct irregularities before installing siding.” What the crew finds under the old siding can change this line. | Does the bid price sheathing repair per sheet, carry an allowance, or leave it out? What happens to the total if more is found? |
| Water-resistive barrier and flashing | The layer behind the siding and the metal or tape at windows, doors and other openings. James Hardie’s January 2023 instructions say: “A water-resistive barrier is required in accordance with local building code requirements.” The vinyl association says: “On any project, remember to install code-compliant flashing before starting to apply siding.” More openings and corners mean more flashing. | Which barrier and which flashing are in the bid, and is any of it reused? |
| Siding material and product line | The siding itself. Each manufacturer publishes its own installation instructions, and they differ by product, so the material you choose also changes the work around it. | Which manufacturer, product line, color and profile are written on the bid? |
| Trim, corners and accessories | Corner posts, J-channel, window and door trim, soffit and fascia. The vinyl association notes: “There are many accessories, panels, and parts that work together to complete a successful vinyl siding job.” | Which trim and accessories are replaced, which are reused, and in what material? |
| Finish and paint | Some products need paint. James Hardie’s January 2023 instructions say: “Factory-primed Hardie® products must be painted within 180 days of installation.” They also say: “Caulk, paint or prime all field cut edges.” Whether paint is in the bid, and who applies it, changes the total. | Does the product arrive primed or finished? Who paints it, and is the paint in the bid? |
| Added insulation (optional) | A layer of insulation added to the wall while the old siding is off. It is optional, and a bid that includes it covers more material and labor. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory, lists the choices in a fact sheet on re-siding: “Rigid insulation options include expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS), polyisocyanurate, mineral wool boards, wood fiber, fiberglass, or cork.” | Does the bid add any insulation? If so, which kind, and is it priced on its own line? |
| Permits | Whether siding replacement needs a permit, and what the permit costs, depends on where the home is. Your local building department can tell you what applies to your address. | Who applies for the permit, and is the fee in the bid? |
| Labor | The crew’s time for everything above. Some bids come from a contractor’s own crew, and some from a subcontractor. | Is the work done by the contractor’s own crew or a subcontractor, and how many days does the bid allow? |
| Overhead and profit | Overhead is the cost of running the contracting business that is not one job’s materials or crew: insurance, trucks and fuel, an office, marketing and sales commissions. Profit is what the contractor keeps after everything else. A bid’s total includes both, whether or not it shows them. | Does the bid show overhead and profit, or fold them into the total? |
Why can two siding bids for the same house have different totals?
Two siding bids can total different amounts because they price different jobs. One may cover every wall where another leaves out a gable, tear off the old siding where another covers it, carry a sheathing allowance where another carries none, or quote a different product line. Match the lines first, then compare the totals.
Our guide to comparing siding bids turns these lines into a table you can fill in for each bid. How to Read a Roofing Contractor Estimate shows the same line-by-line habit on a roofing estimate, and Why Two Roofers Quote Different Prices for the Same Job goes deeper on why scope differences move totals.
Does the siding material change the price?
The siding material can change more than the price of the panels. Each manufacturer publishes its own installation requirements, and they differ by product, so the wall preparation, accessories and finishing that a bid has to cover can differ too. Two examples from manufacturer and trade documents show the kind of detail involved:
- James Hardie’s instructions for Artisan lap siding say it “must be installed over minimum 7/16 in thick OSB sheathing and installed over braced wood, spaced a maximum of 24 in. o.c.” That is a requirement for that one product, in a document effective January 2023.
- The Polymeric Exterior Products Association’s installation tips say: “Vinyl siding contracts and expands as the outside temperature changes.” The same page follows that sentence with fastening steps that allow for the movement.
Instructions are revised over time, so ask each contractor to name the product in the bid and to show you the manufacturer’s current installation instructions for it.
What do overhead and profit mean in a siding bid, and can they change?
Overhead and profit is the part of a price that is not materials or crew time. Overhead covers the cost of running the business, and profit is what the contractor keeps. Some overhead is the cost of finding customers, such as marketing and sales commissions, so how a contractor wins work can affect it.
Otter Quotes is built around that idea. Contractors bid online on one written scope of work, with no salesperson visiting your home, which can reduce sales and marketing cost. We cannot say what any contractor’s bid will contain.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What goes into the cost of siding replacement?
A siding replacement price covers removal of the old siding, wall preparation and any sheathing repair, a water-resistive barrier and flashing, the siding, trim and accessories, caulk and paint, permits, labor, and the contractor’s overhead and profit. The amount of wall, the product chosen and what the crew finds under the old siding can each move the price.
Does the old siding have to come off?
A bid may remove the old siding or install over it, and those are different jobs. A trade association’s installation tips say that in residing, “strapping, or removal of uneven original siding may be necessary.” Ask each contractor which one the bid assumes, and who hauls away the old siding.
How is sheathing repair priced in a siding bid?
It can be priced per sheet, carried as an allowance, or left out, so ask. A U.S. Department of Energy laboratory fact sheet calls the time after the old siding is off a chance to “inspect the walls and windows and replace any damaged sheathing.” Because that check comes after removal, a bid may not show exactly how much repair the wall needs.
Does fiber cement siding need to be painted?
It can. James Hardie’s January 2023 instructions for Artisan lap siding say its factory-primed products “must be painted within 180 days of installation,” and “Caulk, paint or prime all field cut edges.” Ask each contractor whether the product in the bid arrives primed or finished, who paints it, and whether paint is in the price.
Why does this page not list a price per square foot?
A price depends on your house, the product chosen and the contractors bidding, none of which a general page can see. This page names the line items and what moves them. A written bid for your own house is the number to compare.
Sources
- Polymeric Exterior Products Association, Vinyl Siding Installation Tips & Tricks.
- James Hardie, Hardie Artisan Lap Siding installation instructions, effective January 2023, as posted at floridabuilding.org.
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Adding Insulation when Re-Siding, June 2023.