2026 national cost guide
Vinyl remains a common starting point for homeowners who want a lower-maintenance exterior without moving into a premium masonry or fiber-cement budget. The useful question is not simply “what is vinyl per square foot?” but what your quote includes after panel quality, preparation, trim, height, and removal are defined.
Vinyl siding costs from $3.50 to $9.00 per square foot installed before old-siding removal and project-specific upgrades. Your final range depends on panel grade, wall area, stories, trim, and local installation conditions.
The table below converts the approved national rate card into planning ranges for common siding-area sizes. It does not assume your living square footage equals your exterior wall area; a contractor should measure walls, openings, gables, and waste before quoting.
| Cost level | Installed cost per sq ft | Material share | Labor share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | $4 | 42% | 58% |
| Expected | $6 | 42% | 58% |
| High | $9 | 42% | 58% |
| Siding area | Low | Expected | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $3,500 | $5,500 | $9,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $5,250 | $8,250 | $13,500 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $7,000 | $11,000 | $18,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $8,750 | $13,750 | $22,500 |
Baseline is removal-exclusive. The calculator adds non-hazardous old-siding removal and disposal only when selected; it also applies approved state labor, story, and complexity adjustments.
Local labor conditions can change the installed range. The calculator applies the approved state labor multiplier when your ZIP falls in a covered market, then shows removal separately. For example, homeowners comparing options in Boston, Raleigh, Richmond, or Washington can use the same material baseline while still seeing a more locally informed planning estimate.
For an apples-to-apples comparison, ask every installer whether the proposal includes removal, disposal, house wrap, flashing, trim, permits, cleanup, and warranty labor. A lower bid may be a good value, but it may also omit a step that another quote includes. Put the scope beside the price before deciding.
Explore the national siding cost guide and compare related material pages before you request quotes.
At the approved national planning range, a 1,500-square-foot siding area runs about $5,250 to $13,500 before any separate removal, repairs, permits, or elective upgrades. The expected range is a planning midpoint, not a contractor quote.
No. This site’s master baseline is removal-exclusive. If removal is selected in the calculator, it adds a separate non-hazardous removal and disposal range once, so the scope stays visible.
Premium or insulated panels, additional trim, complex wall geometry, multiple stories, difficult access, removal, sheathing repairs, and local labor conditions are common reasons a quote moves higher.
No. Insulated vinyl is a separate material selection in the approved rate card because its foam backing and product options generally raise the material component.
Use price per square foot as a starting point, but compare the written scope too. A quote that includes removal, wrap, trim, flashing, and cleanup is not directly comparable to a quote that leaves those items out.
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