Save on long-term siding replacement costs with vinyl shake siding.

5 Factors That Determine Vinyl Siding Replacement Costs: What You Need to Know

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Ready to replace your siding but don’t know how much to budget? There are many reasons why homeowners look into replacing their vinyl siding. Some want a new look, some want to replace damaged siding, and some want to increase curb appeal while adding value to their home. But how much should you expect to set aside when planning for vinyl siding replacement?

Once you’ve made the decision, there are five major factors that need to be when determining vinyl siding replacement costs:

  • Home Size
  • Home Design
  • Siding Materials
  • Removal of Old Siding
  • Labor 

Home Size

The number one factor in replacement costs for vinyl siding is the size of the home. Naturally, the more square footage a home’s exterior has, the higher the cost will be for two reasons; one, because of the sheer amount of siding needed to cover the home, and two, the siding installation costs of the labor. 

The average cost per square foot for vinyl siding is about $3.00 per sq. ft. Depending on other factors, this cost could range from $1 to $8 per sq. ft. Use a siding calculator to determine the exact amount of siding your home will need based on its size.

Home Design

The complexity of the design and layout of your home may directly affect the total cost for your new siding. Due to easy installation, simple home designs with little to no variation in exterior wall size will be cheaper than the same square foot home with many different curves or crevices. This is due to the fact that most vinyl siding materials come in large sheets. When your home has varying size walls, this could mean added costs to cut and customize the vinyl shape.

Siding Materials

The type of siding material chosen for your home is another major reason for the cost of your siding project. 

Some common types of siding materials include the following options:

  • Aluminum Siding
  • Brick Siding
  • Fiber Cement Siding
  • Metal Siding
  • Natural Stone Siding
  • Stucco Siding
  • Vinyl (and Vinyl Shake Siding)
  • Wood Siding (ex: Clapboard and Batten Board)

Out of these material types, natural stone siding is the most expensive and could cost up to $100,000 for a 2,000 square foot home (at $50 per sq. ft). On average, vinyl siding does not cost as much as other material types, but it is certainly not less valuable. Typically, vinyl siding ranges from $1 to $8 per square foot, and while higher quality vinyl siding costs more, it is usually still less than the upper range of other material costs. 

Removal of Old Siding

Another influential factor to the cost of vinyl siding installation is whether or not existing siding needs to be removed. (Siding removal obviously adds additional cost to your home improvement.) 

The benefit of choosing vinyl or vinyl shake siding over other types of siding materials is that it can sometimes cover existing siding. Since it’s lightweight and offers a high degree of durability, vinyl can be installed directly onto the exterior wall’s surface, even over stubborn materials like brick siding or stucco. 

Choosing vinyl siding over a different material type allows you to save on siding removal costs, however, if your exterior siding is badly damaged, it’s best to remove the existing siding instead of just covering it up. 

Labor

Labor costs are another factor in determining how much you will pay for your new siding. Due to vinyl’s ability to potentially be installed directly on top of existing siding, vinyl and vinyl shake siding automatically reduces the overall cost of labor (since they do not have to spend time or energy removing the siding). 

Another thing that adds to the cost of labor is the layout of your home. The more complex your exterior walls are, the higher the cost of labor. This is due to the fact that installers have to cut more of the vinyl and take more time to install.

One way to save on labor costs is to install siding yourself. Due to the easy installation of vinyl siding, it can be manageable to do it yourself, since removal of existing siding may not be necessary. However, if you have a concern about your ability to complete the project, don’t hesitate to hire a siding contractor to make sure your siding is installed correctly and avoid any avoidable siding repair. A trusted installer will be able to prevent your siding from collecting water damage which can cause mold or mildew to grow.

The Benefits of Vinyl Siding

Even though vinyl siding prices are often cheaper than many of the other house siding options, it’s still a high-quality, long-lasting material to choose as your siding option. Plus, due to the low cost of material, you can choose a vinyl option on the high-end of the price range and still spend less than other materials. 

Vinyl Shake Siding

Vinyl siding has more benefits than just cost, especially vinyl shake siding. Vinyl shake siding gives the desired curb appeal of real wood cedar shake siding, with none of the problems associated with having wood siding. 

Wood siding, by comparison, invites unwanted critters to the outside of your home. This includes woodpeckers, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and possibly even termites. Vinyl shake gives you the chic look but keeps the unwanted pests away from your siding. 

Additionally, vinyl shake siding also offers the benefits of low maintenance. As with any exterior surface, vinyl shake siding needs to be cleaned from time to time. However, just a simple cleaner or vinegar water will completely remove any dirt and debris, including mildew or mold. Unlike wood siding, a simple cleaning will completely wipe away mold and mildew growth. While it may be tempting, do not pressure wash your vinyl shake siding as it could get water underneath the shingles and lead to water damage.

Long Term Cost Benefits

With vinyl shake siding, the average price is less in the long run than alternative siding materials. Wood siding is commonly damaged by animals and is prone to water damage, which has been known to cause warping (this will automatically cause a need for replacement). Vinyl siding will save you money on both labor and material costs, as it will need to be replaced less frequently than alternatives. In fact, Factory Direct Siding offers a lifetime warranty for their vinyl shake siding.

Order Through a Direct Supplier and Save More

The easiest way to save money on your vinyl siding is to order directly from a supplier like Factory Direct Siding. Cut out the middleman and buy directly from the manufacturer to eliminate unnecessary costs. Eliminate labor costs by purchasing the vinyl directly and installing yourself, or save money by providing the siding material for your siding contractor!

Either way, get started with FDS today and choose from over 30 distinct color options!