How much does it cost to repair siding?

House siding is necessary to close the exterior surface of the building envelope, and offers an opportunity to choose enhancements in appearance as well as insulating properties. On average, a contractor will charge $40-$50 an hour, which should be added to the price of the materials.

The variations in price are due to the usage of different materials. For example, vinyl ¹ siding will be the most affordable (and the easiest for the DIY homeowner to handle), while wood and steel options will be much higher in price and usually require professional assistance. However, each of them presents different types of damage:

• Vinyl ¹ has a tendency either to melt or crack. A damaged plant will need to be removed and replaced. If you have left over planks, they can be used, otherwise you will need to purchase replacements.
• Aluminum or steel have a tendency to melt. A dent can be repaired by drilling a hole into the siding, inserting a screw and popping out the dent. The hole is then patched and filled. Otherwise, the plank needs to be replaced. Usually, because of the fact that aluminum fades easily, the entire section will need to be replaced to make the repair match, or the aluminum section will need to be repainted, which will add to the costs.

• Wood often rots around windows and doors where the caulk ² may have failed. Otherwise, it may have peeling or chipping paint. This is the biggest type of siding repair, because often when you have rotting siding, you have dry rot underneath. So just replacing a few planks may not be the answer; in the case of wood, it’s impossible to tell how bad a repair will be until the planks are removed.

Cost breakdown

For the purpose of this discussion we will take a general look at the costs and requirements for making siding repairs on buildings with vinyl ¹, wood, and aluminum siding.

• Vinyl ¹ - Interestingly enough, vinyl ¹ siding is one of the simplest to repair, and the most affordable, but it is also a bit tricky too. The average replacement of a damaged section will require:
  • A piece of vinyl ¹ that matches the existing siding which is usually less than $40 for a single piece. Itelinc, for example, offers to find you the closest matched to the original siding and the closest match to what it currently looks like (taking fading into account) and it can be used for both vinyl ¹ and aluminum.
  • A zip tool for properly removing the damaged section which is usually less than $8 to purchase.
  • Tin snips ³ to trim the piece to size, which usually cost around $20 for a good pair.
  • A quick square to ensure accurate cutting and lines. This usually costs around $15.
  • Screws or nails appropriate to the needs of the siding.
• Wood - This form of siding may require somewhat more advanced carpentry skills and most homeowners will automatically request the services of an experienced professional. As mentioned above the installer will ask for $40 to $50 per hour, but may simply charge by section. For instance, most will ask for a set price per six foot section of wood siding repair or replacement, with the average price ranging from $100 to $150 per section - installed. This will not include any staining or painting, however. Additionally, when wood siding is being replaced it might be discovered that underlying water or insect damage has occurred as well, and this will also bump up the costs.
• Aluminum - There are not a lot of contractors willing to do a small repair on aluminum siding. Most prefer to reside the entire structure. Additionally, a pre-colored aluminum siding can be extremely difficult to match in color because of its tendency to fade over time. When a contractor does agree to do the repair, the costs will average between $770 and $1250 depending upon the amount of labor involved in the process. However, most homeowners who have repairs needed to their aluminum siding may have several isolated dents, not a full 179 square feet to repair, which will affect the total. For a small dent the most common repair is to pop it and patch, which can either be DIY for the cost of the patch and paint, or about $50 for a contractor to do for you. 

Siding repairs can be done as a DIY by experienced homeowners, but larger repairs are better left to professionals at around $40 to $50 an hour.

Remodeling Terms Cheat Sheet

¹ Vinyl: A synthetic plastic made from ethylene and chlorine. Vinyl has many applications in the construction industry and it is widely used in sidings, window frames, roofing and gutters, among others

² Caulk: A chemical sealant used to fill in and seal gaps where two materials join, for example, the tub and tile, to create a watertight and airtight seal. The term "caulking" is also used to refer to the process of applying this type of sealant

³ Tin snips: A tool used to cut sheet metal