Aluminum Verses Vinyl Siding Cost

July 14, 2010 11:57 AM

My house siding was damaged in a recent hail storm. Currently I have aluminum siding, but I understand to replace aluminum siding cost more money than vinyl siding. Would anyone know approximately how much more a sheet of aluminum siding would cost verses a sheet of vinyl siding? Thanks in advance!
posted by Mckoan1 to home & garden (6 answers total)

This is what homeowner's insurance is for. Odds are pretty good that you have it, as it's required as a condition of all mortgages. Now would be the time to call your insurance company and file a claim.

I don't think HomeDepot etc. sell aluminum siding as a general matter. Certainly their website doesn't contain any information about it. You may have to call a local contractor and get a quote.

This site gives an estimate of $2.50-3.50/ft^2.
posted by valkyryn at 12:12 PM on July 14, 2010

This is not a direct answer to your question, and I hope it is helpful not irritating, but you may be interested in learning more about the hidden costs of vinyl siding.
posted by serazin at 1:17 PM on July 14, 2010

Just went through this last year…

It's about a $1 diff between the two but Homeowners Ins will pay the cost of replacing the existing siding (minus your deductible). So if you have aluminum they will pay the higher price of aluminum but aluminum is difficult to find and you’re more likely to find steel.

Both aluminum and steel have a much longer life and if you live in a hail prone area they hold up much better. Vinyl is cheaper and does come in more colors but is much more brittle and prone to fading (that’s why most of the colors are so muted). Instead of denting in a hail storm the hail will crack the vinyl and expose the house. I chose to go with steel as it has the longer life and is less prone to denting then aluminum and I live in a semi-hail prone area. Also, while the manufacturing processes for metal or vinyl are pretty bad for the environment, steel appears much less impactful. Also, there is some belief that vinyl will continue to outgas while it’s on your house and can cause ill health effects. It also fairs worse in a fire.

You may also want to consider Hardy Board or OSB. These cost a little more than metal ($1-1.50 sqft) but they claim to be more environmentally friendly. I choose not to go with Hardy Board as it is fairly new so I don’t know what the durability is and it’s made by the company responsible for asbestos siding and I’m not sure I trust that this new “silica” based product is that much better. Silica is still a fine particle that will be kicked up during installation and can get in the lungs. I liked the Idea of OSB based siding but it requires more maintenance similar to wood shingles (I’m too lazy to paint my house) and, as mentioned, I live in a weather prone area where it might not hold up against the damp very well.

If your thinking of getting a check from the Ins for the cost of aluminum and then using vinyl because its cheaper, think again the Ins will only pay for what you end up with, up to the amount they feel it would have cost to replace the existing (ie: they quote 11k for metal but you do vinyl for 8k then they’ll only pay 8k minus your deductable).
posted by thewalrusispaul at 1:45 PM on July 14, 2010

I would definately check out hardy board. This stuff is forever. It is basically fiber reinforced concrete you can nail and saw. It is a lot better than vinyl(enviormentally)and doesn't require nearly the upkeep of wood or plywood. Also bugs don't like it. You can even get it precolored. The silica in it is bound up, not available and takes a lot more exposure to cause problems than asbestos.
posted by bartonlong at 3:01 PM on July 14, 2010

In my area (Southeast US) Hardieplank (*the* brand name of cement-fiberboard siding) is the gold standard of siding. Hardie products were developed in Australia and have a great track record of resisting weather of all types. I would choose Hardieplank over any other type of siding in a heartbeat.
posted by FergieBelle at 6:14 PM on July 14, 2010

I had old, nasty aluminum on part of my house. I was able to sell it for nearly what it cost to buy vinyl to replace it with, if that is any help. If you do go with vinyl, I'd recommend a small lap (I prefer dutch lap) as it hangs better than the wide stuff.
posted by midwestguy at 1:04 PM on July 15, 2010