Thinking about replacing or installing new siding on your home? Trying to compare the prices of vinyl and HardiePlank siding?
You may want to do more than just a price comparison — ‘vinyl siding vs HardiePlank’ is a classic battle in the home improvement world. Either route you take will come with pros and cons.
Read on to learn what you want to consider when choosing to install vinyl or fiber-cement siding on your home.
Table of Contents
- Which Is Best For Your Budget? Vinyl Siding Vs HardiePlank
- How Much Does Vinyl Siding Vs HardiePlank Cost?
- How Much More Expensive Is HardiePlank than Vinyl Siding?
- 7 Factors to Consider When Doing a Price Comparison of Vinyl Siding Vs HardiePlank
- Doing a Price Comparison of Vinyl Siding vs HardiePlank and Unsure of Which Is Best for Your Needs? Elite Home Exteriors NW Can Help
Which Is Best For Your Budget? Vinyl Siding vs HardiePlank
With most home improvement projects, balancing cost and quality is the most difficult task.
More often than not, cheaper products translate into:
- Lower quality products, or
- Results that don’t last as long.
When it comes to siding, this principle generally holds up.
While vinyl siding is the more budget-friendly option, it is worth considering the long-term value of an investment.
In other words, let’s say you have to replace your siding more frequently because you went with the cheaper option. The choice could end up being harder on your budget in the long run.
How Much Does Vinyl Siding vs HardiePlank Cost?
Vinyl siding is almost always a cheaper option for buyers.
This is for a couple of reasons:
- The product is cheaper to produce.
- Vinyl doesn’t take as long to install (labor savings).
HardiePlank, or fiber cement siding, is typically going to be the more expensive option. Many make the argument, however, that HardiePlank is the best exterior system on the market.
Of course, prices are going to vary based on your specific needs.
When it comes to the overall cost, you’ll have to consider these factors and more:
- Square footage needed
- How many people will be required to install the siding
- The type and style of siding you want (various kinds of each)
- Material composition
- Location of project
- If paint is needed (if so, what kind and how much?)
How Much More Expensive Is HardiePlank than Vinyl Siding?
One of the reasons HardiePlank is more expensive than vinyl is because it takes more time to install. Generally, installing HardiePlank racks up more labor hours than installing vinyl.
The cost to have vinyl siding professionally installed starts at $3+ while the cost to have HardiePlank, or fiber cement siding, installed starts at $5+ per square foot.
What you will actually pay varies, but there are estimating tools that can help you know what to expect. This rough estimate would include:
- The price of the siding and
- the installation.
You’ll want to be aware of potential additional charges or removal fees if you’re updating or replacing old siding.
Bottom line: If keeping costs low on a project is a primary goal, vinyl siding is the less expensive option.
At Elite Home Exteriors, we’re here to help you find the information you need to make the right decision for you, your home, and your budget.
Call today to schedule a consultation with one of our siding experts and receive a free estimate.
7 Factors to Consider When Doing a Price Comparison of Vinyl Siding vs HardiePlank
As we said, there is no cut and dry ‘price comparison: vinyl siding vs HardiePlank’ out there.
Everybody has their own set of needs to consider.
Likewise, the price of vinyl and HardiePlank differ for a variety of reasons. As a buyer with unique objectives in mind, some factors may be more or less important to you.
In the following section, we’re going to unpack some of the factors that most impact the price of vinyl and HardiePlank siding
#1: Durability
When deciding on an element of your home’s structure, durability is an essential factor. Curb appeal matters, too, but at the end of the day, you want to know that the siding on your house is going to hold up.
Vinyl is made of primarily PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, resin. It is a plastic siding that is designed to look like wood siding.
James Hardie siding, or HardiePlank, is a fiber cement product that is made of:
- Wood pulp
- Silica sand or ash
- Water; and
- Portland cement
Though fiber cement and vinyl have different material compositions, they generally provide a similar amount of durability.
Both Hardie siding and vinyl should:
- Protect against inclement weather
- Protect your home from insects
- Last up to 50+ years
Depending on where you live, you may find that one type of siding outperforms the other.
For example:
- Vinyl generally does better against high winds but doesn’t perform as well against moderate-sized hail.
- Likewise, you will find that fiber cement holds up better against humidity and hotter climates than vinyl.
If you’re unsure which kind of siding best suits your needs, don’t hesitate to reach out for a free consultation and estimate today. We at Elite Home Exteriors are here to help.
#2: Insulation
You may have heard that you can save money on your monthly electricity bill with the right siding.
While this is true, the fact of the matter is that you’ll only save if your home is well-insulated.
It used to be true that vinyl generally provided more insulation to your home than fiber cement. Hardie siding, however, has come out with a version of its siding that has insulated backing.
With the updated siding, Hardie siding is significantly better than vinyl at:
- Insulating your home
- Making it run more efficiently; and
- Saving you money long-term.
#3: Ease of Installation
For the installation of James HardiePlank siding, there are a few things that affect the cost. We’ve provided a guide that is specifically focused on this topic. You can read that here.
Fiber cement siding is typically more difficult to install. Why?
Because:
- The slabs of cement siding are heavy (and large if not cut)
- It is prone to chipping and breakage and requires special care
- Requires more people to install
Vinyl siding, on the other hand, is generally easier to install. The material is very lightweight and doesn’t require much effort to handle.
Elite Home Exteriors specializes in several types of siding. Whether you choose the James HardiePlank siding, vinyl, or another type of siding for your home,
Elite Home Exteriors is there to provide excellent service, honesty, and transparency at every stop along the way.
#4: Environmental Impact
When comparing the price of fiber cement and vinyl siding, it is only fair to also assess the ecological cost.
Simply put: Fiber cement is far better than vinyl when it comes to environmental impact.
Since vinyl is a plastic material, it does not decompose well. Many facilities do not recycle it, and when vinyl is burned, it produces harmful dioxins. Producing vinyl siding also has a negative environmental impact.
Unlike vinyl siding, Hardie siding is known for its positive impact on the planet. In fact, James Hardie fiber cement siding was named the “Greenest Siding Brand” on Green Building Media’s Readers’ choice survey six years in a row.
Fiber cement is not perfect but is generally friendlier to the environment. Hardie siding:
- Is made of natural, sustainable materials
- Is not renewable or recyclable (no recycle options yet)
- Has a sustainable production process
- Has a long lifespan; and
- Will not emit hazardous chemicals.
#5: Styles, Colors, and Textures
Do you want your home to have a textured look? Are you into vertical siding? The style you choose can have a significant impact on the price of the siding.
With James Hardie siding, the styles generally include:
- Textured panels
- Lap siding
- Vertical siding
- Shingle-style siding;
- And more.
Hardie siding can also come pre-painted or primed, which is a huge bonus, but may cost you more on the front end.
With vinyl, you have significantly more color options. Other than that, both vinyl and fiber cement siding have roughly the same amount of options when it comes to:
- Levels of the product (think: economic through premium)
- Textures on the planks
- Trim board selection
Though Hardie siding has a greater market share, both HardiePlank and vinyl can look absolutely beautiful on your home.
Schedule a consultation with Elite Home Exteriors to discuss your options and receive a free estimate.
#6: Routine Maintenance
When it comes to the cost of keeping your home looking shiny and new, the amount of routine maintenance required on your siding is important to consider.
While maintenance is required with any type of siding, HardiePlank and vinyl are two very low-maintenance sidings.
Vinyl siding will need:
- Annual cleaning
- More frequent replacements
- No new paint (colors baked into the material)
Fiber cement siding will need:
- Annual cleaning
- Caulking around joints
- An occasional new coat of paint (within 25-35 years)
Pro Tip: When cleaning, vinyl and fiber cement siding are about equally as easy to clean. The secret is a soft-bristled cleaning brush.
#7: Repair Costs
To correctly estimate and compare the cost of vinyl and Hardie siding, it makes sense to factor in the price of doing repairs.
We know that vinyl is a little more likely to need repairs. This is because it is:
- Slightly less durable, and
- More likely to warp under intense heat
Fiber cement, on the other hand, does not have these tendencies. It is, however, more prone to complications with moisture. Over time, too much moisture can evolve into mildew or drainage problems.
If either type of siding did need a repair, vinyl is far easier to work with. This is because:
- Vinyl panels pop out easily
- Panels are simply replaced
- Materials are lightweight
- Repairs don’t need to be done professionally
Doing a Price Comparison of Vinyl Siding vs HardiePlank and Unsure of Which Is Best for Your Needs? Elite Home Exteriors NW Can Help
As you can see, when deciding which type of siding to use on your home, there is a lot to consider. Because it is your home, even choosing between two great options can feel overwhelming.
If you’re unsure of what to do or you could use some help making the final decision, Elite Home Exteriors NW is here for you.
We are a local business and we pride ourselves on our honesty, transparency, and high-quality work. Call or reach out to set up a consultation. Let us help you with all your siding needs today.