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Home : Installation Prices : Vinyl Siding
Vinyl Siding Installation Cost Per Square Foot
Discover vinyl siding installation cost and what you can expect to pay in the different sections of the country. For better or worse, this tends to be the main driver of labor cost - location. Generally, more rural locations are less expensive than urban locations. Also, high income states tend to have higher labor costs than lower income states. We'll do our best to give real world examples of projects and lay out some guidelines for what you can expect when it comes to vinyl siding installation cost per square foot.
Let's start out with a general labor cost per square foot - $3 to $8 per square foot (labor cost only). This is a huge range that actually doesn't tell us much in my opinion. The reason for this massive range in labor costs is due to the many factors that goes into how a company bids out any job. Here are the main factors.
As we said at the top, location is perhaps the biggest driver of labor costs for any home improvement project. As an example, the fair labor price for a project in rural Kentucky might run $400. However, that labor cost on that exact same project might run $1,400 in a popular city such as Los Angeles, California. Bottom line is this: location plays a huge role when it comes to vinyl siding installation cost and project quotes.
The second biggest factor that drives labor costs is the structure and size of the company that you hire. Well-reputed contractors who do high end work are going to charge much higher rates than a single contractor who just recently got his General Contractor's license. Then, you step down from the contractors and you have a whole host of local companies and/or installers. Well established local companies will typically charge a higher labor rate than smaller companies with less overhead and less experience.
The third biggest factor that drives labor costs is the project specifics. What is involved - siding removal, installing house wrap, do you need fascia boards, how complex are the cuts, travel time to and from the job, etc. The interesting thing is that all of these questions have differing importance to different GCs, siding companies, installers, and handymen. That's the reason that bids are so all over the board.
The last piece of the puzzle is the siding material you choose to use. Hardie Board (or fiber cement) is heavy, cumbersome, and dusty to cut. However, it holds up very well over time when properly installed. This material is more expensive to buy, but also to install. Non foamed backed vinyl siding is light and easy to cut, therefore this material is going to be cheaper to buy and have a lower labor cost associated with it.
I have 8 windows to upgrade and want to re-side the house. Additionally, we want to go with a company that does both the siding and windows. Curious what your take on vinyl siding vs fiber cement would be. Also, thanks in advance for your help.
Hi May, thanks for the question. I would agree that the same company is nice to tackle both of these home improvement issues. Of course, they have to have a good reputation for both, but there are lots of companies out there that fit the bill. So, vinyl siding vs fiber cement, this is a commonly debated question and one worth considering. For instance, buying cheap viny siding is probably not the recipe for long term success.
Related Topics: Variform Siding Colors
Bottom Line The only real way to know what local contractors, installation companies, and handymen are going to bid out the labor portion of your project is to collect 4 to 5 bids and compare them. And I believe this is backed up by my explanations below on the complex nature of predicting vinyl siding installation cost.
Bill - Site Editor - Page Last Updated: April 24, 2025
General Labor Cost Range
Related Topic: Buying Vinyl Siding
Location, Location, Location
Related Topic: Vinyl Siding Thickness
Who You Hire
At the low end of the labor price spectrum are non licensed installers who we will call handymen. These guys are going to be all over the board in terms of what they charge to do a job. Their labor rates will be based on how their business is doing, how much work they have, and whether they think your project is easy (or difficult) to handle. The bottom line is this: the size and structure of the company doing the work plays a very big factor in what your project bids will be in terms of the overall vinyl siding installation cost.
Related Topic: Siding Materials Cost
Vinyl Siding Installation Cost: Project Specifics
Related Topic: Siding Removal Cost
Siding Materials
Related Topic: Siding Materials
Vinyl Siding Installation Costs
May - Homeowner - from 2022
[Site Editor's Answer]
For me, fiber cement siding makes sense if you intend to stay in your home long term as it is more expensive to put in, but tends to have more staying power. Plus, when done correctly, I think it looks great. However, having said this, a composite siding does as well. Also, if you go with fiber cement, you will pay a higher installation price per square foot because the material is difficult to work with. I would suggest you use our hardie siding calculator to get some ballpark pricing.
I would suggest you get the bids for both materials and see how they break down in terms of material cost and installation cost. That's probably step one. Then look at how long you intend to stay in the home and then I think you can make the decision. Finally, I am happy to take a look at your siding cost bids and put in my two cents as to which option makes sense financially for your situation.
Bill - Site Editor - from 2025
* Fiber Cement Siding Prices