How much does it cost to install siding?

Vinyl is cheapest to install. Fiber cement is cheapest over 30 years when you factor in zero maintenance vs two repaint cycles. The install price is not the real price.

Tallyard EditorialUpdated April 20, 2026Reviewed against James Hardie, CertainTeed, LP SmartSide specs and contractor pricing

Install price and ownership price are different numbers

Vinyl costs $14,000 to side a 2,000 square foot home and never needs painting. Fiber cement costs $24,000 and needs repainting at year 12 and year 24 ($4,500 each time). Cedar costs $28,000 and needs staining every 4 to 5 years ($2,000 to $3,000 per application). Over 30 years, the cheapest siding to install (vinyl at $14,000 total) costs less than half what the premium option (cedar at $40,000 total) costs. But fiber cement lasts 50 years and vinyl lasts 30, so the per-year cost tells yet another story.

Fig. 1. Per-foot installed cost ranges from $3 for vinyl to $16 for cedar. Fiber cement at $6-13 is the mid-market standard for new construction.

How we calculated these numbers▾

Install costs from James Hardie, CertainTeed, and LP SmartSide contractor pricing networks. Repaint costs from PCA (Painting Contractors of America) residential exterior surveys. All costs for a 2,000 ft² home with 2,200 ft² of wall area including gables.

Fig. 2. Vinyl has zero ongoing cost. Fiber cement needs two repaint cycles in 30 years. Cedar needs 6-7 stain cycles. The install price leader and the TCO leader are different materials.

Example project · Charlotte, NC

A homeowner replacing cedar lap siding got two quotes. Option A: vinyl at $15,500. Option B: fiber cement (James Hardie) at $26,800. She picked fiber cement because her home insurance agent confirmed a 7% premium reduction for Class A fire-rated cladding, saving $180/year ($5,400 over 30 years). The net cost difference over 30 years: fiber cement cost $7,400 more to install but saved $5,400 in insurance and $12,000 in staining the cedar would have needed. Fiber cement won by $10,000 over the 30-year period.

Based on typical project dimensions and 2026 material pricing.

Fig. 3. Fire-rated siding can reduce insurance premiums. Vinyl and cedar do not qualify for fire rating discounts in most markets.

	Vinyl	Fiber cement	Cedar
Install (2,000 ft² home)	$6,000–16,000	$12,000–26,000	$16,000–32,000
Fire rating	None (melts)	Class A (1 hr)	Class C
Impact resistance	Cracks in cold	Excellent	Good
DIY	Moderate	Hard (heavy)	Moderate
Lifespan	25–40 yr	30–50 yr	20–40 yr

Fiber cement is the contractor default for new construction. Vinyl dominates budget and retrofit markets.

For material quantity, use the siding calculator. For a deep-dive on the vinyl vs Hardie decision, read the vinyl vs fiber cement buying guide.