Why Siding and Piece Rate Work Well Together
Siding installation is repetitive, measurable, and speed-dependent. You can count squares installed, linear feet of trim completed, or panels hung. An experienced siding crew can outproduce a less skilled crew by 40-60% on the same house. That's the kind of spread where piece rate pay shines — it rewards the crews who know how to move efficiently without sacrificing quality.
I'm Tyson Faulkner. Roofing is my trade, and siding crews are often right there on the same job. I've seen the difference piece rate makes on siding jobs firsthand. The crews earning by the square don't take 45-minute lunch breaks or stand around waiting for someone to tell them what to do next. They show up, they install, and they go home with a paycheck that reflects what they produced.
But siding has more material variation than most trades. Vinyl is light and fast. Fiber cement is heavy and requires more cutting. Wood needs more care. Engineered wood falls somewhere in between. You can't use one rate for everything. This guide breaks down fair rates by material type, the factors that move pricing up or down, and how to build a rate system your crews will respect.
How Siding Rates Are Measured
Siding is typically priced per "square" — that's 100 square feet of wall coverage. Some contractors use per-square-foot rates instead, which is the same math just divided by 100. For trim and accessories, linear feet or per-piece rates are standard.
Throughout this guide, rates are listed per square (100 sq ft) unless otherwise noted.
Vinyl Siding Rates
Vinyl is the fastest siding material to install. It's lightweight, snaps together easily, and doesn't require painting. Production rates are high, which means the per-square rate is the lowest of any siding material.
Rate Ranges for Vinyl
- Standard horizontal lap siding: $40 to $60 per square
- Premium or insulated vinyl: $50 to $70 per square
- Vinyl shake or scallop panels: $55 to $75 per square
- Soffit and fascia (vinyl): $2.50 to $5.00 per linear foot
- J-channel and starter strip: typically included in the per-square rate
What a Vinyl Crew Should Earn Per Day
A two-person vinyl siding crew on a straightforward ranch-style home should install 6 to 10 squares per day. At $50 per square, that's $300 to $500 per day for the crew, or $150 to $250 per person. On easy jobs with long, uninterrupted wall runs, production can push higher.
If your rates don't produce daily earnings that compete with $22 to $32 per hour for your area, you'll have trouble keeping crews. Use our Piece Rate Calculator to model different scenarios.
Factors That Affect Vinyl Rates
Wall prep. If the existing surface needs furring strips, foam board insulation, or house wrap, that adds time before any siding goes up. Either pay a separate rate for prep or build it into a higher per-square rate.
Cut-ups. A wall with six windows and two doors has more cutting, fitting, and trim work than a blank gable end. Cut-up areas should pay 20-35% more per square than open runs.
Stories. Second-story work means ladders or scaffolding, which slows production and adds risk. I've seen contractors add 25-40% for second-story vinyl and 50%+ for third-story work.
Removal of old siding. If the crew is tearing off the old material before installing new, that's a separate scope. Price it as a separate line item — typically $15 to $35 per square for tear-off depending on material.
Fiber Cement Siding Rates (HardiePlank)
Fiber cement is heavier, harder to cut, and requires more care than vinyl. It also produces silica dust when cut, so proper dust control is mandatory. All of that means slower production and higher piece rates.
Rate Ranges for Fiber Cement
- Standard lap siding (HardiePlank or equivalent): $65 to $95 per square
- Fiber cement panels (4x8 or 4x10 sheets): $55 to $85 per square
- Fiber cement shingle panels: $80 to $120 per square
- Fiber cement trim boards: $3.00 to $6.00 per linear foot
- Fiber cement soffit: $4.00 to $7.00 per linear foot
Why Fiber Cement Costs More to Install
The weight difference is significant. A box of vinyl siding weighs maybe 30 pounds. A bundle of HardiePlank can weigh 150 pounds or more. Every piece needs to be carried, lifted, and held in place while it's fastened. That physical demand alone slows production by 30-40% compared to vinyl.
Cutting is the other factor. Vinyl cuts with a utility knife or snips. Fiber cement requires a saw with a fiber cement blade, and every cut generates dust that needs management. Crews need to stop and reposition their cutting station as they work around the house.
The quality standard is also different. Fiber cement has to be blind-nailed in specific zones, gaps need to be precise for caulking, and the material can crack if handled roughly. All of this adds time.
Production Expectations
A two-person crew installing fiber cement lap siding should complete 4 to 7 squares per day on average. At $80 per square, that's $320 to $560 per day for the crew. Complex homes with lots of cuts and trim will be at the low end; simple ranch homes with long runs will be higher.
Wood Siding Rates
Real wood siding — cedar lap, cedar shingles, tongue-and-groove, board-and-batten — is a premium product that requires premium craftsmanship. It's the slowest siding to install and commands the highest piece rates.
Rate Ranges for Wood
- Cedar lap siding (bevel): $80 to $120 per square
- Cedar shingles (hand-split or machine-cut): $90 to $140 per square
- Tongue-and-groove (T&G): $85 to $125 per square
- Board-and-batten: $75 to $110 per square
- Wood trim and corner boards: $4.00 to $8.00 per linear foot
What Makes Wood Different
Every piece of wood is unique. Grain direction, knots, width variation, and slight warping all affect how each board fits. The installer has to select, orient, and sometimes plane each piece. That selection process doesn't exist with vinyl or fiber cement, where every piece is identical.
Wood also requires pre-finishing in many cases. If the siding arrives pre-primed or pre-stained, it's faster. If the crew needs to back-prime every board before installation, add 15-25% to the rate or pay a separate prep rate.
Fastening standards are strict for wood. Stainless steel ring-shank nails, specific penetration depths, and precise overlap dimensions all matter. Rush the work and the siding cups, splits, or fails prematurely.
Engineered Wood Siding Rates
Engineered wood (LP SmartSide is the dominant brand) splits the difference between fiber cement and real wood. It's lighter than fiber cement, easier to cut, and more consistent than natural wood. It's become one of the most popular siding materials in residential construction.
Rate Ranges for Engineered Wood
- Engineered wood lap siding: $55 to $85 per square
- Engineered wood panels: $50 to $75 per square
- Engineered wood trim: $3.00 to $5.50 per linear foot
- Engineered wood shakes: $70 to $100 per square
Engineered wood installs faster than fiber cement because it's lighter and cuts more easily with standard woodworking tools. But it's slower than vinyl because each piece still needs individual nailing and more precise fitting.
Production Expectations
A two-person crew should install 5 to 8 squares per day of engineered wood lap siding. At $70 per square, that's $350 to $560 per day for the crew. Good production, good earnings, and a material that homeowners are increasingly requesting.
Trim Work and Accessories
No matter what siding material you're using, trim work is where the detail is. Window trim, door trim, corner boards, water tables, frieze boards, soffits — this is the work that makes a siding job look professional.
Typical Trim Rates Across Materials
| Trim Type | Vinyl | Fiber Cement | Wood/Engineered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window/door trim (per opening) | $12-$25 | $25-$50 | $35-$65 |
| Corner boards (per linear ft) | $1.50-$3.00 | $3.50-$6.00 | $5.00-$8.00 |
| Soffit (per linear ft) | $2.50-$4.50 | $4.00-$7.00 | $5.00-$8.50 |
| Fascia (per linear ft) | $2.00-$4.00 | $3.50-$6.00 | $4.50-$7.50 |
| Water table (per linear ft) | $2.00-$3.50 | $3.00-$5.50 | $4.00-$7.00 |
Trim work takes longer per unit than field siding. A crew that installs 7 squares of siding in a day might only complete 80-120 linear feet of trim work in the same time. Your rate structure needs to account for this so crews aren't penalized for doing the trim-heavy parts of the job.
Building a Siding Rate Card
The most successful siding contractors I've talked to use a tiered rate card that covers every scenario. Here's a framework:
| Work Type | Unit | Rate Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl, open runs | per square | $40-$55 | Baseline |
| Vinyl, cut-up areas | per square | $55-$75 | +35% for windows/doors |
| Fiber cement, open runs | per square | $65-$85 | Baseline |
| Fiber cement, cut-up | per square | $85-$110 | +30% for cuts |
| Wood lap | per square | $80-$120 | Premium material |
| Engineered wood | per square | $55-$85 | Mid-range |
| Trim (all materials) | per LF | $2-$8 | Material dependent |
| Tear-off | per square | $15-$35 | Separate line item |
| Second story premium | multiplier | 1.25x-1.40x | Applied to base rate |
Post the rate card before each job. When everyone knows what the numbers are before they start, there are no surprises on payday.
For guidance on building rate structures that hold up across trades, read our guide on setting fair piece rates in construction.
Sample Earnings Calculation
Let's walk through a real job. You have a two-person crew installing fiber cement lap siding on a 2,200 square foot two-story home. The siding area breaks down as:
- First floor: 10 squares at $80/square = $800
- Second floor: 8 squares at $100/square (1.25x height premium) = $800
- Window and door trim: 14 openings at $35 each = $490
- Corner boards: 60 linear feet at $5/LF = $300
- Soffit and fascia: 140 linear feet at $5.50/LF = $770
Total piece rate earnings: $3,160
If the crew completes the job in 5 working days, that's $3,160 / 2 = $1,580 per person, or $316 per day. At 9-hour days, the effective hourly rate is $35/hour.
Good money for skilled siding installers. And for you as the contractor, the labor cost is fixed at $3,160 regardless of whether the crew takes 4.5 days or 5.5. That kind of predictability makes bidding more accurate and profitable.
Test your own scenarios with our Bid Calculator to make sure your labor costs fit within your overall project budget.
Compliance Reminders for Siding Piece Rate
Track Hours
Even though you're paying by the square, you still need to track hours. Federal and state law requires it for minimum wage verification and overtime. I've seen contractors think they can skip this because their crews "earn way more than minimum wage." That's not the point. The law requires the records. Period. Read more on tracking hours for piece rate workers.
Overtime
When siding crews work long days during good weather — and they will — overtime adds up fast. For piece rate workers, you calculate the regular rate by dividing total weekly piece rate earnings by total hours worked, then pay 0.5x that rate for every hour over 40. Our full guide on overtime for piece rate workers has worked examples.
Safety and Non-Productive Time
Siding work involves ladders, scaffolding, and power tools. Safety meetings, equipment setup, and job site prep are non-productive time that still needs to be compensated. Whether you pay a flat daily rate for setup time or build it into your piece rates, make sure it's documented.
Keeping Rates Current
Siding material prices and availability change. Labor markets shift. Review your rates at least every six months and ask these questions:
- Are crews leaving for competitors? Your rates might be below market.
- Are you consistently over budget on labor? Your rates might be too high, or your bid estimates need updating.
- Have you switched materials? Going from vinyl to fiber cement on a project type means completely different rates. Don't assume the old numbers transfer.
- Is quality slipping? If callbacks are increasing, crews might be rushing. Implement quality checkpoints or adjust the rate structure to incentivize precision.
If you're tracking all of this with spreadsheets, you know how messy it gets. Piece Work Pro automates production tracking, payroll calculations, and job costing so you can spend your time running jobs instead of running spreadsheets.
For more on how piece rate applies across the full range of construction trades, see our article on piece work in different construction trades. If you're thinking about transitioning your siding crews from hourly to piece rate, start with our guide on how to transition from hourly to piece work pay.