Use wall area, not floor area
This calculator asks for exterior wall area. Work from each wall’s width and height, then follow the quote’s treatment of openings and waste. The home’s living area is a different measurement.
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Siding replacementSiding replacement cost calculator
Siding is priced by the square foot of wall, not of floor, and the two are not close. Getting that number right is most of the work in checking a quote.
Rates reviewed August 2026
See the illustrated project guide
Written and maintained byMantu Kumar
Evidence review4 August 2026
Calculation rulesRead the methodology
Quality standardEditorial policy
Siding replacement estimate
No email · nothing sentA closer look at your project
Price the exterior wall, including its edges
The broad wall surface is easy to notice. Corners, windows and the condition underneath help define what a siding quote actually covers.
The three detail views below enlarge parts of the same photograph. Use them with the planning checks. Photos are AI-generated illustrations, not installation instructions or actual claim records.
Compare more than the finish
Specify the siding material and profile. Ask whether the proposal includes removing the old cladding, preparing the wall and replacing trim around windows and corners.
Ask about what is underneath
A photograph cannot establish the condition behind cladding. Request a written process for documenting and pricing hidden damage once the old material is removed.
Before comparing totals, ask for these details
- Main wall area
- Measured area, opening deductions and waste basis
- Edges and openings
- Corner boards, window/door trim and transitions
- Preparation
- Removal, wall repairs and disposal allowances
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On this page
How much does it cost to replace siding on a 2-story house?
The answer depends on exterior wall area, not the home’s floor area. A 2,000 square foot two-story house commonly has about 1,600 to 2,200 square feet of wall after a rough allowance for windows and doors, before adding gables. Material choice then sets the base installed rate, while the second story increases access, staging and labor.
Use the calculator above with Estimate from floor area if wall measurements are unavailable, select two stories, and compare the result with quotes that separately identify tear-off, house wrap or sheathing repair, trim, soffit, fascia, disposal and permit work.
Working out your wall area
Wall area is perimeter multiplied by wall height, less roughly 10 to 15% for windows and doors. A 2,000 square foot two-story house typically has 1,600 to 2,200 square feet of wall — noticeably less than its floor area, which surprises most people.
Gables add area that is easy to forget. Each triangular gable end is roughly half its base times its height, and a house with three or four of them can carry a few hundred extra square feet that never appears in a rough estimate.
| Material | Installed, per sq ft | Expected life |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl | $3 – $12 | 30 yrs |
| Engineered wood | $5 – $12 | 30 yrs |
| Fiber cement | $6 – $15 | 40 yrs |
| Metal | $6 – $16 | 40 yrs |
| Natural wood | $7 – $18 | 25 yrs |
| Stucco | $8 – $16 | 50 yrs |
| Brick or stone veneer | $12 – $30 | 75 yrs |
What quotes leave out
Trim. Fixr notes trim alone can add $0.50 to $30 per linear foot depending on material. On a house with a lot of windows that is not a rounding error.
House wrap and sheathing. You only find out what is behind the old siding once it is off. Rot around windows and at ground level is common on older houses and is not optional to fix.
Insulation. Rigid foam behind the siding adds cost and pays back in comfort. It is the cheapest time you will ever have to do it, since the walls are already open.
Complexity. Board and batten, diagonal layouts and custom factory colors all add labor or lead time or both. Standard horizontal lap is the cheapest way to buy any material.
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What insurance covers
Hail, wind and impact damage are generally covered. Fading, warping, age and ordinary weathering are not. Siding claims run into a specific and frustrating problem more often than other trades: matching.
If a storm damages one elevation and your siding has been discontinued or has faded over fifteen years, replacing that elevation alone leaves an obvious mismatch. Some policies include matching coverage that pays to replace undamaged siding for a uniform appearance. Many do not, and will pay only for the damaged section. It is worth finding out which yours is before you need to.
Siding result summaryWall area and selected material create the base range; tear-off, house wrap, sheathing, flashing, corners, openings, soffit, fascia and paint determine whether two quotes cover the same job. Insurance treatment depends on the cause of damage and the policy’s matching and cosmetic-damage terms.
Questions
How much does it cost to replace siding?
Installed siding runs roughly $3 to $15 per square foot of wall across materials. A 2,000 square foot house with mid-range material typically lands near $17,200. Vinyl is the cheapest mainstream option at $4.50 to $8.20 installed.
How do I calculate my siding square footage?
Perimeter times wall height, less 10 to 15% for windows and doors, plus roughly half the base times the height for each gable end. A 2,000 square foot two-story house usually has 1,600 to 2,200 square feet of wall.
Is fiber cement worth more than vinyl?
It costs 20 to 30% more and lasts longer, resists impact better and holds paint well. In hail country or where fire resistance matters it earns the premium. Vinyl still delivers the stronger return on investment at resale.
Does homeowners insurance cover siding replacement?
Hail, wind and impact damage are generally covered. Fading, warping and age are not. The complication is matching — if your siding is discontinued, some policies pay to replace undamaged sections for uniformity and many do not.
How long does siding last?
Vinyl and engineered wood around 30 years, fiber cement and metal around 40, natural wood 25 with maintenance, stucco 50 or more. Dark vinyl colors fade noticeably faster in strong sun.
Can I replace only part of my siding?
Physically yes, and it costs less. The problem is appearance — new siding rarely matches fifteen-year-old siding even in the same product code, and some colors are discontinued entirely. Phased replacement works best when done by elevation.
Related
- Window replacement — do both together and the trim is done once
- Roof replacement — same storm, same claim
- Claim gap calculator — the matching problem in numbers
- What insurance actually pays
Where these figures come from
Rates are cross-checked against 2026 published pricing from Fixr, Modernize and HonestCasa. Fixr puts installed siding at $3 to $15 per square foot across materials and vinyl at $3 to $12; Modernize reports vinyl at $4.50 to $8.20 installed and a mid-range 2,000 sq ft house at about $17,200. Depreciation is modeled straight-line against expected service life; carriers use
their own schedules and some cap payouts by age. These are ranges for planning, not quotes,
and nothing here is a coverage determination.
Evidence trail
Reviewed 4 Aug 2026Sources used to check this model
Primary public references anchor price movement, housing context and insurance terminology. Calculator rates remain planning assumptions tested against published market ranges.
Price movementBLS Producer Price Index
Housing contextU.S. Census housing data
Insurance termsNAIC homeowners guidance
These organizations do not endorse ReplaceCost. Local contractor quotes, permits, product specifications and the written insurance policy control the real result. See the full methodology for the source hierarchy and update process.