There are many practical reasons for replacing the siding on your home. After all, it’s your home’s big first impression and you want it to stand out. But, when siding is damaged or out of style, replacing it can be the best solution.
Before you can start the process, knowing which products fit into your budget is important. With all of the options out there – wood, vinyl, stone, brick, faux products, and more – it's easy to get lost in all of the details. You also want to consider things like ease of installation, required maintenance, and durability.
Keep reading for an explanation of how much exterior siding costs, so you can make the most informed decision and best investment possible.
How to Calculate Exterior Siding Cost
Many factors go into the total cost of buying and installing siding on the exterior of your home. According to Forbes, siding materials plus installation can range between $2 and $50 per square foot, with the average being $12 per square foot.
To gain the most accurate cost estimate, take each of these expenses into account:
The Siding Itself
Wood tends to be the least expensive siding material at about $2 per square foot, while real stone veneer can cost as much as $50 per square foot.
To help you calculate your potential siding cost, you’ll need to measure your house to find out how much material you need. Measuring your home for siding is a matter of measuring the height and width of each wall, the gables, and all openings like windows and doors. When you’re ready to measure, follow our easy step-by-step guide.
Installation Materials
In addition to the main siding product(s), you need the required installation materials like screws, screwdriver, ladder, starter strips, trim, corner pieces, and ledges.
Cost of Labor
Depending on the type of siding you choose, replacing your siding can be a DIY project. This can save you a lot of money. If you hire labor you’ll need to factor that into your budget.
The Shape of Your House
Bigger homes and homes that are more dimensional require more materials and skilled labor, increasing the exterior siding cost.
Cost of Removing Old Siding
Before you can install replacement siding, your existing siding will need to be removed. You can do this on your own, or you can hire someone to handle it for you. If you remove it yourself, be sure to factor in the cost of removal, which would likely require a dumpster. If you choose to hire someone to remove it, include the cost of labor in your budget.
Maintenance
Depending on which style of siding you choose, your maintenance costs will differ.
- Natural stone, rock, and brick veneer require upkeep and periodic cleaning with water mixed with mild detergent, and use of a sponge or brush to remove any debris.
- Natural stone, rock, and brick veneer is susceptible to cracking and may need to be patched or replaced.
- Wood siding will likely require new stain or finish at least every three years.
- Vinyl siding can be sprayed clean with a hose or pressure washer as needed.
Faux stone, brick, rock, and wood exterior siding products require little to no maintenance and can be cleaned by simply wiping them with a damp cloth.
Siding Quality
The higher the quality of your siding, the more expensive it gets. Oftentimes, you can get away with a lower-quality siding, but you may find yourself repairing it often, or replacing it sooner than you want to.
With Barron Design’s line of Novik exterior siding, you don’t have to choose between quality and affordability – you get both! These siding panels are made from high-quality polypropylene that is resistant to cracking, chipping, and fading.
Faux Exterior Siding is DIY and Wallet-Friendly
Faux exterior siding is a gorgeous and long-lasting replacement siding solution that has the same realistic look and feel of natural stone, brick, rock, and wood, without the stress of complicated installation and time-consuming maintenance.
The benefits of this product will keep your exterior siding cost down, without sacrificing looks.
- Much more affordable than their natural counterparts to buy, ship, install, and maintain
- Lightweight and easy to manage so installing faux siding panels is an easy, DIY process that can be completed over a weekend
- Hassle-free, requiring little to no maintenance, while offering resistance to water, wind, and pests
- Unlike other siding products, including natural stone, wood, rock, and brick, faux exterior siding won’t crack, chip, or fade in the sun.
Cost of Real Stone Veneer vs. Faux Stone Siding
Stone is a popular exterior choice for many new home builds and remodels because of its strong, bold, and rugged beauty. However, real stone veneer is expensive, so many homeowners choose to use it as accent wainscotting, rather than covering the entire exterior.
To help you understand the cost of installing real stone veneer, consider the analysis below of how much it costs to purchase and install stone veneer siding.
- The current average cost of real stone veneer is $20 per square foot but can be as much as $50 per square foot.
- For an average 1,500 square foot house, it can cost between $30,000-$75,000 including materials and installation. If your house is larger, or more dimensional, your project will cost more.
- Real stone veneer can weigh up to 60 pounds per square foot, so hiring professional labor to install it is required. You should also take into account the availability of skilled labor in your area.
- Real stone requires maintenance, periodic cleaning, and potentially replacement if it chips or cracks, further increasing your cost.
The Faux Stone Siding Alternative
If real stone veneer doesn’t fit into your budget, you’re not alone!
Faux stone siding is the perfect solution. Faux stone exterior siding costs a fraction of real stone but has the same natural look, colors, and texture as real stone. At under four pounds per panel, this siding alternative is lightweight enough to install yourself and saves you big on shipping costs.
Check out any of our beautifully, realistic faux stone siding products and enter in your quantity to determine the cost of materials. We are sure you’ll find that the value you are getting from our faux siding products surpasses that of natural stone veneer.
You will also want to consider the cost of accessories and installation.
Cost of Accessories
Your total installation accessory cost depends on the dimensions of your home and the number of openings (windows and doors). Installation requires starter strips or starter clips, corner pieces, ledges, and trim as well as blocks as a finishing touch for protrusions like light fixtures and dryer vents, in addition to vent panels to ensure proper airflow.
Cost of Installation
Installing faux stone exterior siding yourself is easy, and doesn’t require help from a professional contractor, making your labor cost zero dollars!
It’s easy to see that from materials to accessories, installation, and maintenance, the overall cost of real stone veneer far exceeds the cost of faux stone exterior siding. And you don’t even have to sacrifice a beautiful, realistic look to feel the savings.
Start Saving With High-Quality Exterior Siding Panels
The difference in the cost of purchasing and installing faux stone, brick, rock, and wood siding is huge.
While your total cost will differ based on the details described above, choosing an exterior faux siding will cost a fraction compared to the cost of real, natural materials. And with faux exterior siding, you are getting the same look and feel with far less maintenance over time. And you won’t have any trouble choosing a style and color to suit your home!
Get started now and view all of your faux exterior siding options below!