House wrap cost
House wrap costs $0.50 to $1.50 a square foot installed. It is a fraction of a re-siding job and it is the layer that decides whether the wall behind the siding stays dry.
National average
$0.90
per sq ft
On this page
- What it costs
- What makes it work, and what makes it useless
- Drainable wrap and rainscreens
- Wrap, felt, or membrane
- Frequently asked questions
- Can house wrap be replaced without removing siding?
- How long does it last?
- Is it needed under vinyl siding?
- My house was built in 1955 and has no wrap. Is that a problem?
- How do I check it was done properly?
House wrap costs $0.50 to $1.50 a square foot installed, typically around $0.90. On a 2,200 square foot wall area that is $1,100 to $3,300. It is a fraction of a re-siding job and it is the layer that decides whether the wall behind the siding stays dry.
Siding is not waterproof. It is a rain screen that stops most of the water, and something behind it has to stop the rest. That something is the weather-resistive barrier, and on most American houses it is house wrap.
What it costs
| Product | Installed, per square foot |
|---|---|
| Standard woven or spunbonded wrap | $0.50 to $1.10 |
| Premium drainable wrap | $0.90 to $1.80 |
| Self-adhered membrane | $1.50 to $3.50 |
| Asphalt felt, traditional | $0.40 to $0.90 |
| Rigid foam with taped seams | $1.50 to $4.00 |
| Extra | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Seam tape, all seams | included, verify |
| Window and door flashing tape | $8 to $25 per opening |
| Sill pans at every window | $15 to $60 per opening |
| Rainscreen furring strips | $1.00 to $2.50 per sq ft |
| Sheathing repair before wrapping | $3 to $10 per sq ft |
| Removing old wrap or felt | $0.20 to $0.60 per sq ft |
Because it is only accessible when the siding is off, house wrap is effectively a free addition during a re-side and a $10,000 project on its own.
What makes it work, and what makes it useless
House wrap fails in installation, not in the roll. Four things decide it:
Taped seams. Untaped horizontal seams let water run in behind. This is the single most common defect and it is visible from the ground before the siding goes on.
Shingle lapping. Upper courses must lap over lower ones, like shingles, so water running down the face passes over the joint rather than into it. Reversed laps happen, and they act as funnels.
Window integration. The wrap must tie into the window flashing in the right sequence: sill pan first, window in, jamb flashing over the nailing fin, head flashing over that, wrap lapped over the head flashing. Get the order wrong and every window is a leak. This is where most water intrusion in modern houses comes from.
Penetrations. Every hose bib, vent, light and cable is a hole. Each needs a flashed and sealed detail, not a smear of caulk.
Drainable wrap and rainscreens
Ordinary wrap sits flat against the sheathing, so water that gets behind the siding runs down a surface with nowhere to go but sideways.
Drainable wrap has a crinkled or textured face that creates a small gap, letting water drain and letting the sheathing dry. It costs perhaps 60% more and is worth it in almost any climate with real rainfall.
A rainscreen is a proper gap, 3/8 inch or more, created by vertical furring strips over the wrap. It costs $1.00 to $2.50 a square foot more and it roughly doubles the life of the siding and its finish. On wood or fiber cement in a wet climate it is the single best upgrade available during a re-side.
Wrap, felt, or membrane
Spunbonded wrap is the familiar branded plastic sheet. Strong, fast to install, vapour permeable so walls can dry outward.
Asphalt felt is the traditional option and it is not obsolete. It is less permeable when dry and more permeable when wet, which is arguably better behaviour, and it is cheaper. It tears more easily and cannot be left exposed for long.
Self-adhered membrane sticks to the sheathing entirely, sealing every fastener penetration. It is the best-performing and the most expensive, and it is what is used on high-performance houses and around every opening on ordinary ones.
Frequently asked questions
Can house wrap be replaced without removing siding?
No. It sits directly on the sheathing under the cladding. This is why the decision is made during a re-side and effectively never otherwise.
How long does it last?
Indefinitely once covered. UV is what degrades it, and manufacturers specify a maximum exposure of four to twelve months before the siding goes on. Wrap left exposed for a year through a stalled project should be replaced.
Is it needed under vinyl siding?
Yes, and it matters more there than under most claddings, because vinyl has open laps and vents by design. Water gets behind vinyl in every rainstorm; the wrap is what handles it.
My house was built in 1955 and has no wrap. Is that a problem?
It has felt, or nothing, and it has survived. Old walls dry in both directions and tolerate more than modern sealed assemblies. If you re-side, add wrap; there is no case for opening the walls just to do it.
How do I check it was done properly?
Look before the siding goes on, and photograph it. Taped seams, shingle laps, flashing tape at every window with the head flashing lapped over the wrap, and sill pans. Ten minutes with a phone camera is the best quality control available to a homeowner.
Read next
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.
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.
Window replacement cost$450 to $2,500per eachReplacing a window costs $450 to $1,200 installed for standard vinyl, averaging $750. A whole-house job of ten to fifteen windows runs $6,500 to $18,000.
Exterior trim replacement cost$8 to $25per linear ftExterior trim costs $8 to $25 a linear foot installed. It is the first thing on a house to rot and the last thing anyone budgets for, and it always fails at the end grain nobody looks at.
How long does siding last$500 to $1,000per squareVinyl lasts 30 to 40 years, fiber cement 40 to 60, brick a century. Siding rarely fails all at once: it goes at the details first, at the trim, the caulk and the missing flashing.