Siding, Windows & Exterior costs
Siding, window replacement, gutters and everything else on the outside of the house.
Siding and windows are priced by area and by opening, and the number that matters most is how much of the wall has to come off. Siding over existing sheathing is one job; siding that exposes rot, failed housewrap or a window that was never flashed is another, and the second is only discovered once the first has started.
Material sets the floor and the labor multiplies it. Vinyl is the cheapest to buy and the fastest to hang; fiber cement is heavier, needs specific fasteners and cutting precautions, and takes longer per square; wood and engineered wood need finishing. Windows follow the same pattern — a full-frame replacement costs more than an insert because it involves trim, flashing and interior finish work.
Height and access are the quiet multiplier. Work above the first story needs staging or lifts, and OSHA fall protection above six feet is a real cost a crew cannot price out of. Two-story work commonly runs a quarter to a half more per square foot than the same work at ground level.
Cost to paint a two-story house exterior$3.00 to $6.50per sq ftPainting a two-story exterior costs $3.00 to $6.50 per square foot for the upper walls and $2.00 to $5.00 for the ground band. Ladders, staging and lifts, not paint, make up the difference.
Fiberglass windows cost$800 to $1,800eachFiberglass windows cost $800 to $1,800 per opening installed, typically $1,100, against $750 for vinyl. The premium buys a frame that moves with the glass, holds dark colors and can be painted.
Insulated vinyl siding cost$700 to $1,300per squareInsulated vinyl siding costs $700 to $1,300 per square installed, typically $950, against $500 to $1,000 for standard vinyl. The foam buys straighter walls and impact resistance far more than it buys energy savings.
Siding replacement cost by state$500 to $1,000per squareVinyl siding costs $625 a square in Arkansas and $875 in Illinois. On a 2,000 square foot house that is $12,500 against $17,500 for identical work.
Wood siding cost$700 to $2,500per squareWood siding costs $700 to $2,500 a square installed. It is the most beautiful cladding and the most demanding: everything about the price follows from needing refinishing every five to ten years, forever.
Stucco cost$8 to $20per sq ftStucco costs $8 to $20 a square foot installed. It is excellent in a dry climate and unforgiving in a wet one, and where it fails it fails behind the surface.
Brick veneer cost$12 to $30per sq ftBrick veneer costs $12 to $30 a square foot installed. Among the most expensive claddings to install and the cheapest to own, because it needs essentially nothing for a century.
Metal siding cost$900 to $2,800per squareMetal siding costs $900 to $2,800 a square installed. It does not burn, it does not rot, and a good coating carries a forty-year warranty. The finish matters more to the price than the metal.
Siding repair cost$300 to $2,500per projectRepairing siding costs $300 to $2,500, typically $800. Replacing a few vinyl panels is a two-hour job. Opening a wall because the panels were hiding rot is a different project.
Garage door replacement cost$800 to $4,500eachReplacing a garage door costs $800 to $4,500 installed, typically $1,800 for a double. It is consistently near the top of every return-on-investment survey, which is unusual for something this cheap.