Vinyl Siding Cost
How Do the Potential Costs of Vinyl Siding Compare to The Costs of Other Siding Options?
Vinyl siding is an attractive, cost-effective option for upgrading and protecting the exterior of your home. But it's far from the only option. Also to consider are wood shingles and clapboard, masonry, and an increasingly popular option, fiber-cement.
Each of these siding materials has its pros and cons, and when you're deciding which to choose, chief among these deciding factors is price.
Vinyl siding costs are among the lowest, with an average cost of between $0.45 and $1.90 a square foot, or $7,575 to $11,575, based on the 3,200 square feet you'd need to cover a 2,300-square-foot home. But fiber-cement is close, at $0.84 to $2.55 a square foot, as is wood, which costs $0.67 to $3.46; masonry (including brick, stone, and stucco) costs the most. Prices begin at $2.46 a square foot and go up to more than $10 a square foot.
Vinyl siding, which can be convincingly molded to mimic the look of any other siding type, is low-maintenance, never needs to be painted, and withstands some of the worst weather conditions imaginable. In comparison to the other options, it holds up well. But perhaps--with a lifespan of between 25 and 50 years--it doesn't last as long as its competitors.
Fiber-cement siding, for instance, comes with a 50 year warranty, but it requires periodic painting and upkeep. Wood shingles and clapboard can last as long as 100 years, but it's susceptible to water and insects and can warp or twist. Masonry is similarly hearty, and perhaps requires the least maintenance, outside of periodic crack repair and any damage caused by freezing and thawing.
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