Worked Estimates and Checklists
Siding replacement estimate: a worked example for a two-storey house
Measure walls, price vinyl or fibre cement siding, add removal, sheathing, rigid insulation, trim, soffit and tax, and compare two illustrative quotes for one Canadian house.
For a two-storey house with about 2,300 sq ft of wall to clad, an illustrative vinyl re-siding job with removal of old aluminium siding, a new weather barrier, trim, soffit and fascia comes to about $26,000 before tax in this example, and the same job in fibre cement about $41,000. Most of the difference is the cladding's installed price per square foot; the removal, barrier and trim lines are similar. The method below shows how to rebuild a siding quote line by line so that two quotes for different materials, or two contractors' quotes for the same material, can be compared.
This guide is part of how to compare roofing quotes, which applies equally to siding. Prices are illustrative only.
The house
- Two-storey detached house, 38 ft wide (front and back), 30 ft deep (sides), walls 18 ft to the soffit.
- Gable ends on the sides, each 30 ft wide and 9 ft high.
- Front: brick veneer on the lower storey only (to stay); everything else gets new siding.
- 16 windows, two doors, one 16 × 7 ft garage door on the front.
- Existing aluminium siding over original wood siding.
Step 1: measure the wall area
| Wall | Calculation | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Front, upper storey only (brick below) | 38 × 9 | 342 sq ft |
| Back, full height | 38 × 18 | 684 sq ft |
| Two sides, full height | 2 × 30 × 18 | 1,080 sq ft |
| Two gables | 2 × ½ × 30 × 9 | 270 sq ft |
| Gross total | 2,376 sq ft | |
| Less patio door on back (6 × 7) | −42 sq ft | |
| Net area | 2,334 sq ft | |
| With 10% waste | 2,334 × 1.10 | 2,567 sq ft |
The garage door is on the brick-clad lower front, so nothing is subtracted for it. Ordinary windows are not subtracted here; the contractor's trim and cutting time offsets the saved material.
Step 2: price the vinyl quote
| Line | Calculation (illustrative) | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Remove two layers of old siding and dispose | 2,376 × $1.50 | $3,564 |
| Sheathing repairs (allowance) | 6 sheets × $110 | $660 |
| Weather-resistive barrier, taped seams | 2,376 × $0.75 | $1,782 |
| Vinyl siding installed | 2,567 × $5.25 | $13,476.75 |
| Window and door trim (wrap and J-channel) | 18 openings × $110 | $1,980 |
| Corners and starter | lump sum | $850 |
| Aluminium soffit and fascia | 150 linear ft × $22 | $3,300 |
| Scaffold or lift (two storeys) | lump sum | $900 |
| Subtotal | $26,512.75 |
Removal and barrier are measured on the gross wall area (2,376 sq ft) because all of it is stripped; the siding uses the net area plus waste.
Step 3: price the fibre cement alternative
Same scope, but fibre cement lap siding at an illustrative $10.50 per sq ft installed, and pre-finished trim boards at $160 per opening:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Removal, sheathing, barrier (as above) | $6,006 |
| Fibre cement installed: 2,567 × $10.50 | $26,953.50 |
| Trim: 18 × $160 | $2,880 |
| Corners and starter | $1,100 |
| Soffit and fascia | $3,300 |
| Scaffold or lift | $900 |
| Subtotal | $41,139.50 |
Difference: $41,139.50 − $26,512.75 = $14,626.75. About $14,000 of it is the cladding itself (2,567 × ($10.50 − $5.25) = $13,476.75).
Step 4: add tax
| Province | Vinyl | Fibre cement |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario (13% HST) | $26,512.75 × 1.13 = $29,959.41 | $41,139.50 × 1.13 = $46,487.64 |
| Quebec (GST + QST, 14.975%) | $26,512.75 × 1.14975 = $30,483.03 | $41,139.50 × 1.14975 = $47,300.14 |
| Alberta (5% GST) | $27,838.39 | $43,196.48 |
In practice Quebec invoices calculate GST and QST separately and round each, so totals may differ by a cent. See GST/HST, PST and QST.
Step 5: optional exterior insulation
Adding 1-inch rigid insulation under the siding at an illustrative $2.25 per sq ft over 2,376 sq ft adds $5,346, plus deeper trim at perhaps $40 more per opening (18 × $40 = $720), for $6,066 in total before tax. Programs that fund wall insulation set their own requirements; check them first. See rebates and tax credits in 2026.
Step 6: check permits and fire rules
Before signing, check whether your municipality requires a permit for re-cladding, especially with combustible siding or on walls close to a property line, and whether stone or brick veneer additions need one. In wildfire-prone areas, consider non-combustible cladding at least near the ground. See roofing and siding permits.
Step 7: payment and holdback
On a $29,959 Ontario job, a 10% holdback is about $2,996 kept back until the lien period has passed. Payment by stages, such as deposit, completion of removal and barrier, and completion of cladding, keeps money in step with work. See holdbacks under provincial lien acts and use the holdback calculator.
Using the estimator
The siding cost estimator takes the area and a per-square-foot range plus a fixed amount. For this vinyl job: area 2,567 sq ft, $5.25–$7.00 per sq ft, extras $13,036 (everything except the siding line): low = 2,567 × $5.25 + $13,036 = $26,512.75; high = 2,567 × $7.00 + $13,036 = $31,005.
FAQ
Why is removal priced on the gross area?
Because all of the old siding comes off, including behind where windows are trimmed. Contractors may price removal per square or as a lump sum.
Can I keep the old aluminium soffit?
If it is sound and vented, perhaps. Soffit vents are part of attic ventilation, so replacements must keep enough open area. See ice dams, ventilation and flashing failures.
What if hidden rot is worse than the allowance?
A good contract sets a unit price per sheet and requires the contractor to show you the damage before replacing beyond the allowance.
Sources
- National Research Council Canada — National Building Code of Canada (cladding and moisture)
- Canada Revenue Agency — GST/HST
- City of Toronto — example permit guidance on re-cladding
- FireSmart Canada — exterior materials in wildfire areas
