Why Is Siding So Expensive? (10 Reasons)

 

Whether you’re building a new house or looking to renovate your current one, you may find yourself in need of siding.

Siding is a popular exterior material to cover your home due to its affordability compared to brick or natural stone.

However, even though siding is usually less expensive than stone, it can still be quite expensive to purchase.

Considering how important siding is for a home, you may wonder why it’s so expensive.

 

Why Is Siding So Expensive? (10 Reasons)

 

The average price of siding is around $12 per square foot with a total average installation price of around $10,000.

Siding is expensive because of the costs associated with installing it, the type of siding it is, and whether you have to finance the service or not.

Let’s look at these factors in more detail.

 

1. Removal Of Existing Siding

 

One of the reasons siding is expensive is that it usually includes the removal of existing siding.

Unless you’re building a new home, there’s a good chance that your home already has old siding on it.

New siding can’t simply go over old siding.

The contractors need to remove the old siding first.

That can add a lot of time to the total service.

The problem only grows if your home has multiple stories.

The contractors have to break out ladders or other machinery to reach the siding on the higher levels.

They can’t start installing the new siding until the old siding isn’t there anymore.

As such, it might delay the installation of your new siding by a few hours or even a whole day.

That adds to the total cost of your siding if the contractors are charging you by the hour.

Siding is expensive because it often requires the contractors to remove old siding, too.

 

2. Size Of The Home

 

The size of your home also plays a role in determining how expensive your siding becomes.

Obviously, the larger your home is, the more expensive your siding is going to be.

That’s because contractors typically charge by the square footage of your home.

Each piece of siding has a value attached to it.

For example, some types of siding cost $12 per square foot while others might have a value of $5 or even $15.

That just covers the material costs of the service, however.

From there, contractors might charge you a flat fee for the installation service or charge you by the hour.

If your home is large and has more than one story, it’s going to take more materials and more time to finish the job.

Smaller homes, on the other hand, don’t require as many materials.

Since they’re smaller, the contractors can swiftly change the siding.

You’ll face a cheaper price in this regard.

Otherwise, if your home is large, you can expect the price of your siding installation to also be expensive.

 

3. Layout Of Home

 

The layout of your home can impact the price of your siding installation, too.

For one, if you have multiple stories, that’s going to require the contractors to bring in additional equipment.

That eats into their time as well, so you might face a more expensive price for it.

Some houses also have trim or window shutters that can impede siding installation.

For example, some might have brick or stone facades.

Others might have the corners of their home made out of stone or some other material.

These unique features require the contractors to do a bit of extra work.

They need to measure the house and cut the siding to ensure it fits around the facade or trim.

It also needs to be flush with the extra features of the home lest it exposes the home to the elements.

Any other odd features that the home has can also impact the price of the siding.

If it slows the contractors down or requires them to use more siding, you can expect a more expensive price.

Siding is expensive when your home has a strange layout.

 

4. Delivery Costs

 

Delivery costs also play a large factor in determining the price of your siding installation.

While siding isn’t the heaviest material in the world, it can be quite large.

Siding tends to come in large panels that the contractors then trim to size.

As such, the delivery of siding usually requires a large truck.

That might differ based on the siding company.

Regardless, delivery services can run on the expensive side.

That’s especially true if you’re using siding from a company that isn’t close to you.

There are several different types of siding, but not every local company has the type that you want.

You might find a company that has the exact siding that you want that’s based across the country.

They might deliver the siding to your home but at a high price.

That’s because it costs them a bit of money to deliver siding to your door.

Since siding can take up a lot of room, they can only make so many deliveries in a single day.

Not all their customers live in a convenient cluster either.

They’re throughout the region.

As such, delivering siding isn’t always efficient.

They have to spend money on fuel costs and truck maintenance.

The further you live from the company, the more expensive your delivery charge is going to be.

Siding is expensive because delivery charges can add a lot to the overall price.

 

5. Type Of Siding

 

The type of siding that you buy can also influence the price of your siding.

You might be familiar with one particular of siding, but there are actually several different types that you can buy.

One of the most popular types of siding is vinyl.

It’s the material that you tend to associate with siding.

That’s because vinyl siding is one of the cheapest options available.

You can find all sorts of different colors when it comes to vinyl siding.

That allows you to have a lot of customization options for the exterior of your home.

The problem with vinyl siding is that it isn’t always durable.

You may find yourself spending a lot on siding because you have to keep replacing it due to damage.

A variety of vinyl siding is insulated vinyl siding.

The main difference is that this type of siding comes with some insulation pieces built right into it.

It can save you some money, but it’s ultimately more expensive than standard vinyl siding.

Hardwood siding is one of the most expensive types of siding.

The benefit of this type of siding is that you can repaint it.

This can keep your exterior looking fresh.

It also has a lot more durability, so the siding lasts longer.

Siding is expensive based on the type of siding that you choose.

 

6. Additional Services

 

Siding can also become expensive when you find yourself in need of additional services.

For example, after removing your siding, the contractors may discover water damage beneath it.

There’s a chance that your old siding became damaged to the point that it was no longer able to protect your home.

In this case, an additional contractor may need to come to the site and fix the damage for you.

If they discover mold, a specialist will need to arrive to clean the mold first.

All these services add to the cost of siding because they can’t put new siding on until they handle these other problems.

The more problems they find, the more expensive your siding is going to be.

Siding is expensive when you need additional services on top of the siding installation.

 

7. Labor Costs

 

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons siding is expensive is the labor costs associated with siding.

Installing siding is a skilled trade.

Contractors have to understand how to remove old siding and install new siding safely.

They also need to know how to do so without damaging the exterior of the home.

In addition, they need to be able to identify problems with the exterior before they put the new siding on.

If they put the new siding on without recognizing any problems, they could face lawsuits later.

As such, contractors need a bit of training and experience to perform their jobs well.

Installing labor is also quite labor-extensive.

It’s not an automated process yet.

Workers have to physically remove the old siding to put the new siding in place.

If your home is large, it’s going to take more hours for the workers to install the siding.

Experience certainly plays a factor in the prices, too.

More experienced companies tend to charge more expensive prices.

You’re essentially paying for their expertise.

The benefit is fewer mistakes or problems with the siding.

Whether the company charges by the hour or charges a flat fee can also influence the price.

If you have a large home, a company that charges by the hour is likely going to be more expensive.

If you have a smaller home, a company that charges by the hour might actually be cheaper.

Either way, labor costs tend to make siding expensive.

 

8. Siding Can Last A Long Time

 

Depending on what type of siding you buy and where you live, your siding can last a long time.

Because of that, you typically don’t have to spend money on siding for long periods of time.

That means that siding manufacturers and contractors have to make as much money as they can when you do need their services or products.

The more durable the siding is, the more expensive it tends to be since the company knows you’re not likely to buy from them again for several years.

You may even never need to buy from them again if you move out of the house.

Siding is expensive because it’s usually durable.

 

9. Financing Interest Rates

 

Siding companies know that their installation costs aren’t always cheap.

Not everyone has $10,000 lying around for a siding replacement service.

As such, many companies will offer some sort of financing.

The problem with financing is that it can make siding even more expensive.

For example, if the financing terms have a high-interest rate associated with them, it’s going to make your overall cost a lot more expensive.

Some companies won’t use an interest rate provided you pay on time.

As such, it’s worth examining the terms before accepting the financing.

Siding is expensive because some financing terms come with high-interest rates.

 

10. Brand Name And Features

 

A final reason siding is expensive has to do with brand names and the features they offer.

Some brand-name siding companies have made a name for themselves by producing high-quality siding.

They’ll often add extra features like mold resistance or fire-resistant coatings to their siding.

Others will focus on making a type of siding, like fiber-cement siding, that has those features naturally.

Like other products, a well-known brand name can add some value to a product.

If you buy siding from a well-known brand, you’re likely going to face higher prices.

Siding is expensive when it comes from popular brand names.