What Constitutes a Square of Vinyl Siding?

Description

• Vinyl siding is made out of polyvinyl chloride that can take a variety of colors and be textured to simulate many types of wood grains or remain smooth. It varies in thickness from about 0.3 to 0.5 inches, with the better-quality products starting at 0.42 inches. It commonly appears as two overlapping boards, with each board measuring four to five inches wide. Installation involves screws or nails to hang siding against a house wall. Vinyl siding normally lasts 40 years or more, although many manufacturers offer 50-year warranties.

Square

• The “square” is a term used to define materials installed on the surfaces of homes, such as siding or roofing. It refers to a measurement that is 10 by 10 feet, or 100 square feet. A home that needs 2,000 square feet of vinyl siding would thus need 20 squares. According to Cost Owl as of the time of publication, inexpensive vinyl siding costs between $250 to $300 per square installed. That puts the total price of 2,000 square feet at between $5,000 and $6,000. Prices can vary depending on the type of siding and the location of the installation.

Types

• A square of insulated vinyl siding is more expensive to buy and install, but provides energy savings that pay for the material in the long run. It typically uses foam-backing as insulation, which can add to the value of the home. Remodeling Magazine, as of 2010 to 2011, averaged the cost of a mid-range, uninsulated vinyl installation at about $908 a square, putting the total of a 1,250 square feet of siding at $11,350. A higher-end installation of foam-backed vinyl cost about $1,118 per square, or a total of $13,975.

Labor

• A major part of installing a square of vinyl siding depends on the cost of labor, which varies by location. As of May 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that carpenters received mean wages of $21.10 per hour across the country, with the lowest 10 percent earning $11.85 and the highest 10 percent making $34.45. States with the highest rate for this profession were Hawaii at a mean $31.81 per hour and Alaska at a mean $29.14 per hour. Locations with lower-than-average rates included South Dakota at a mean $14.81 per hour, Texas at a mean $15.59 per hour, and Florida at a mean $17.15 per hour.