Steel & Aluminum (Metal) Siding Cost Calculator
Estimate installed steel or aluminum siding cost from your net area and quoted rate, against labeled $6–12/sq ft (steel) and $4–9/sq ft (aluminum) planning bands.
Steel or aluminum on 1,336 sq ft at $8.50/sq ft is about $12,491.60 (metal installed band ~$4–12/sq ft — labeled). Steel and aluminum are durable and low-maintenance; steel resists dents better, aluminum is lighter — enter your quoted $/sq ft.
1 Enter your numbers
Metal siding is two materials with different economics under one name. Steel is the durable, dent-resistant, fire-resistant option with the longest service life of the common claddings (40 years and up) and a labeled installed band of about $6–12/sq ft. Aluminum is lighter and cheaper to handle, corrosion-proof and well suited to coastal air, with a lower band near $4–9/sq ft — the trade-off is that it dents more easily. This tool uses the steel band as its default sanity check; when you are pricing aluminum, read against the aluminum row in the table below.
Both are low-maintenance and hold a factory finish for decades, so like vinyl they carry no repaint cost in the lifetime math. Enter your net area and the installed $/sq ft from your quote.
Formula
Area × rate, plus labor and add-ons, times a contingency — identical structure, metal rate:
total = (net_area_sqft × $/sqft + labor + add‑ons) × (1 + contingency)
The result shows the steel band ($6–12/sq ft); for aluminum, compare against the $4–9/sq ft row in the reference table.
Worked example
The worked house at 1,336 sq ft, installed at $8.50/sq ft for steel lap, 10 % contingency:
- Siding work: 1,336 × $8.50 = $11,356.00
- Contingency: 10 % = $1,135.60
- Estimated total: $12,491.60
Price the same house in aluminum at $6.00/sq ft and it runs $8,817.60 — the dent-resistance-versus-cost decision in two numbers.
Steel or aluminum — pick the band first
The one mistake that skews a metal estimate is comparing a quote to the wrong band:
- Match the metal to the band. A $6.00/sq ft quote is normal for aluminum and cheap for steel — read it against the right row before you judge it.
- Finish and gauge. Thicker-gauge steel and premium coatings raise the rate but add dent resistance and finish life; a rate at the bottom of the steel band may be a thin gauge.
- Coastal exposure. Aluminum resists salt corrosion better than bare steel, which is part of why it persists near the coast despite denting more easily — a durability factor, not a line item.
Planning estimate only. Get itemized written quotes from licensed, insured contractors before you commit.
Reference table
| Material | Installed band ($/sq ft) | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl siding | $3–$8 | Lowest cost, low maintenance |
| Engineered wood / LP SmartSide | $4–$9 | Wood look, moderate cost & upkeep |
| Aluminum siding | $4–$9 | Light, low maintenance; can dent |
| Steel siding | $6–$12 | Durable, resists dents & fire |
| Wood / cedar siding | $5–$12 | Premium look, highest upkeep |
| Fiber cement / James Hardie | $6–$13 | Durable, fire-resistant, higher labor |
Installed = material + labor. These are labeled planning bands, a sanity check only — they are not a price you should paste into a budget. Enter the real number from your own itemized quotes; costs move with wall and gable geometry, profile and exposure, waste and trim, tear-off and disposal, house wrap and insulation, complexity, region and labor. Basis in sources & formulas.
Frequently asked questions
How much does metal siding cost?
It depends which metal. Installed steel runs a labeled band of about $6–12/sq ft; aluminum is lower at about $4–9/sq ft. Enter your quoted rate and read it against the matching row in the table.
Steel vs aluminum siding — which costs more?
Steel typically costs more installed, and it buys better dent resistance and a longer service life. Aluminum is lighter, cheaper and corrosion-proof for coastal air, but dents more easily. It is a durability-versus-cost trade, not a quality ranking.
Does metal siding need repainting?
Not on a fixed cycle. Both hold a factory finish for decades, so — like vinyl — they carry no recurring repaint cost in the lifetime math, unlike natural wood.
Is steel siding worth the premium over aluminum?
It depends on your exposure. Steel resists dents and impact better and lasts longer, which suits hail-prone or high-traffic walls; aluminum is lighter, cheaper and shrugs off salt corrosion, which suits the coast. On the worked house the two rates above differ by a few thousand dollars — enter both to see the gap on your own area before you decide.
Why does this calculator not show a price?
Because a fixed price would be wrong the day it was written. Material and labor rates move with region, season and demand, so the only number that reflects your job is the one on your quote. You enter the installed $/sq ft; the tool does the arithmetic and shows a labeled planning band beside it so you can tell whether your quote sits inside the usual envelope.
What contingency should I use?
A contingency covers what the measurement cannot see — rotten sheathing behind old cladding, extra trim on a fussy elevation, a price change between quote and start. On a clean re-clad, 10 % (0.10) is a reasonable planning margin; on an older house of unknown condition, 15 % is defensible. It is a buffer you hope not to spend, not a negotiating discount — enter it as a decimal fraction.