Hardie Board Siding Cost Calculator
Fiber cement siding, the material James Hardie makes as Hardie Board, costs $6 to $15 per square foot installed, or $10,200 to $25,500 for the 1,700 square feet of siding on a typical 2,000 square foot house. Quotes for a complete James Hardie job, with tear-off, prep, weather barrier and trim, run much higher: $16 to $40 per square foot, or $27,200 to $68,000 for the same house. Pick your house and product for the installed price, removal and cost per year.
Your house
Sets the siding area.
Wall area, if you measured it.
Whole job includes tear-off and trim.
Adds $0.70 to $2 per sq ft.
HomeGuide siding area for a 2,000 sq ft house
1,700 sq ft × $6 to $15
per square of 100 sq ft
no old siding to remove
rounded to $100
total ÷ 100 to 50 years
The same area in vinyl, at $4 to $12 per square foot installed, would be $6,800 to $20,400.
Comparing with vinyl, or measuring first?
Vinyl is the usual alternative to fiber cement. These two tools price it and measure your walls.
Why Hardie board prices vary so much
James Hardie makes the best-known fiber cement siding, a blend of cellulose fiber, cement, sand and water that resists fire, insects, rot and moisture. HomeGuide publishes two guides that price it very differently. Its fiber cement guide puts fiber cement siding at $6 to $15 per square foot installed and lists Hardie Board in the same range. Its Hardie Board guide puts Hardie at $16 to $40 per square foot, and says that figure covers the whole job: tearing off the old siding, surface preparation, weather barrier, the siding, trim and labor.
So the gap is largely what is included, not just the brand. A quote that covers tear-off, house wrap, corner and window trim and a premium Hardie product will land in the higher range; a price for fiber cement boards hung on a prepared wall will land in the lower one. The calculator offers both bases: the fiber cement options price the siding installed, with removal as an extra, and the Hardie options are whole-job prices with removal already included.
Hardie board siding cost by house size
Both HomeGuide guides price a house by its siding area, about 1,700 square feet on a 2,000 square foot house:
| House size | Siding area | Fiber cement installed | Hardie whole job |
|---|---|---|---|
| 900 sq ft | 720 sq ft | $4,300 to $10,800 | $11,520 to $28,800 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 800 sq ft | $4,800 to $12,000 | $12,800 to $32,000 |
| 1,200 sq ft | 1,000 sq ft | $6,000 to $15,000 | $16,000 to $40,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | 1,200 sq ft | $7,200 to $18,000 | $19,200 to $48,000 |
| 1,800 sq ft | 1,500 sq ft | $9,000 to $22,500 | $24,000 to $60,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 1,700 sq ft | $10,200 to $25,500 | $27,200 to $68,000 |
| 2,500 sq ft | 2,100 sq ft | $12,600 to $31,500 | $33,600 to $84,000 |
| 3,000 sq ft | 2,500 sq ft | $15,000 to $37,500 | $40,000 to $100,000 |
| 3,500 sq ft | 2,900 sq ft | $17,400 to $43,500 | $46,400 to $116,000 |
| 4,000 sq ft | 3,350 sq ft | $20,100 to $50,300 | $53,600 to $134,000 |
| 4,500 sq ft | 3,800 sq ft | $22,800 to $57,000 | $60,800 to $152,000 |
The fiber cement column is HomeGuide’s fiber cement table; the Hardie column is its Hardie table for 1,000 to 3,500 square feet and our arithmetic at $16 to $40 for the other sizes.
Cost by style
| Style | Material only | Fiber cement installed | Hardie whole job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planks (lap siding) | $0.70 to $5.00 | $4.70 to $14.00 | $18 to $30 |
| Panels | $1.50 to $4.00 | $5.50 to $13.00 | $16 to $28 |
| Shingles | $2.50 to $6.50 | $6.50 to $15.50 | $19 to $32 |
| Board and batten | — | — | $20 to $35 |
| Artisan collection | — | — | $20 to $40 |
Per square foot. Planks, also called lap siding or clapboard, come in 144 inch lengths and are the most common style. Shingles take longest to install, which is why they cost most; James Hardie also makes them in 48 inch wide panels. Panels come 4 by 8, 9 or 10 feet and can imitate wood, stone, brick or metal. Buying 35 or more pieces at once can save 20 to 50 percent on materials, according to the fiber cement guide.
Labor, removal and extras
Fiber cement is heavy, about 2.5 pounds per square foot, and needs two workers and special tools, so labor is a large share: $4 to $9 per square foot, about two-thirds of the job, in the fiber cement guide, and 50 to 65 percent in the Hardie guide. Each additional story adds 10 to 15 percent to labor, and late fall or winter scheduling can save 10 to 20 percent. The Hardie guide puts ideal installation temperatures at 40 to 85 degrees F, and says James Hardie Preferred contractors charge more but keep the warranty coverage intact. Other costs:
- Old siding removal: $0.70 to $2.00 per square foot in the fiber cement guide, $1 to $4 or more in the Hardie guide. Homes built before 1980 may have asbestos siding, at $7 to $10 or more per square foot to remove.
- House wrap: $0.50 to $1.50 per square foot.
- Trim: corner trim $3 to $8 per linear foot, window and door trim $5 to $15.
- Permits: $100 to $500 in the Hardie guide; the fiber cement guide gives $500 to $2,000.
- Soffit and fascia: $9 to $34 per linear foot to match the new siding; our soffit and fascia cost page prices it.
- Painting: pre-primed siding needs painting soon after installation, at $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot.
Fiber cement brands and warranties
| Brand | Warranty, per HomeGuide |
|---|---|
| James Hardie | 30-year siding, 15-year finish |
| Allura (formerly CertainTeed) | 50-year siding, 15-year finish |
| Nichiha | 30-year siding, 25-year trim |
| GAF Weatherside | 25-year limited |
| Woodtone | 20-year product and finish |
Warranty terms change and depend on installation to the maker’s specifications, so read the current warranty for the product you buy.
Pros, cons and upkeep
HomeGuide lists fiber cement’s strengths as suiting every climate, a Class A fire rating, resistance to moisture, warping, termites, rot and UV, a 50 to 100 year life when professionally installed and maintained, and a 70 to 85 percent return on investment. Against it: it costs 2 to 3 times as much as vinyl, needs professional installation, weighs 2.5 pounds per square foot, gives off crystalline silica dust when cut, can crack if mishandled, and insulates poorly, with an R-value under 1; foam board insulation added during installation raises that by 3 to 5. Upkeep is a wash every 6 to 12 months, a check of the seams every 2 to 3 years, and repainting every 10 to 15 years. Repairs run $4 to $12 per square foot, or $150 to $300 to replace a single plank section.
Over its life, fiber cement can still come out cheap: on the fiber cement basis, a 2,000 square foot house works out to $100 to $510 a year over 50 to 100 years. The siding cost calculator compares every material per year.
What this page does not give
- A quote. The two HomeGuide bases differ by what is included; ask any contractor to itemize tear-off, wrap, trim and painting.
- Local prices. These are national averages.
- Hazardous materials. Asbestos removal is regulated and priced only as a range here.
Sources
- HomeGuide fiber cement siding cost guide, dated June 23, 2025: installed and material prices by type and house size, labor, removal, permits, painting, maintenance, brands, pros and cons and return on investment.
- HomeGuide Hardie Board siding cost guide, dated October 24, 2025: whole-job prices by house size and style, cost factors, removal, asbestos, trim, wrap and permits, warranty and installation time.
- Read on November 5, 2026. Totals, the vinyl comparison and cost per year are our arithmetic, rounded to the nearest $100 and $5. Every source is listed on the methodology page.
Related cost guides
Hardie board siding cost FAQ
How much does Hardie board siding cost?
HomeGuide gives two answers. Its Hardie Board guide puts a complete job, with tear-off, surface prep, weather barrier, trim and labor, at $16 to $40 per square foot, or $27,200 to $68,000 for a 2,000 square foot house. Its fiber cement guide prices the siding installed at $6 to $15 per square foot, $10,200 to $25,500 for the same house, and lists Hardie Board in that range too.
How much does fiber cement siding cost?
$6 to $15 per square foot installed, or $10,200 to $31,500 for an average 2,000 to 2,500 square foot home, according to HomeGuide. The siding alone costs $0.70 to $6.50 per square foot depending on the type, and labor about two-thirds of the total.
How much does HardiePlank siding cost per square foot?
$18 to $30 per square foot for a complete HardiePlank job, in HomeGuide's Hardie Board guide, or about $30,600 to $51,000 for a 2,000 square foot house. Fiber cement planks in general run $4.70 to $14 per square foot installed, $0.70 to $5 for the material alone.
What is the labor cost to install Hardie siding?
HomeGuide's fiber cement guide puts labor at $4 to $9 per square foot, about two-thirds of the job, since the boards are heavy and need two workers. Its Hardie guide puts labor at 50 to 65 percent, with each extra story adding 10 to 15 percent and late fall or winter scheduling saving 10 to 20 percent.
Is Hardie board more expensive than vinyl siding?
Yes, about 2 to 3 times, according to HomeGuide: vinyl runs $4 to $12 per square foot installed against $6 to $15 for fiber cement. Fiber cement lasts longer, 50 to 100 years against 30 to 40, and is rated Class A for fire.
How long does Hardie board siding last?
50 to 100 years when professionally installed and maintained, according to HomeGuide. James Hardie's warranty runs 30 years on the siding and 15 on the ColorPlus finish.
How much does it cost to paint fiber cement siding?
Exterior painting costs $1.50 to $5.00 per square foot, or $3,000 to $10,000 for an average home. Pre-primed fiber cement should be painted soon after installation, within 6 months, and repainted every 10 to 15 years.
How much does asbestos siding removal cost?
$7 to $10 or more per square foot, according to HomeGuide's Hardie guide, which notes that homes built before 1980 may have asbestos siding needing specialized removal. Ordinary old siding costs $1 to $4 per square foot to remove.
Does fiber cement siding increase home value?
HomeGuide puts the return at 70 to 85 percent or more, so an $18,000 job could add $12,600 to $15,300 to the resale value, and notes the fire rating may also earn a homeowners insurance discount.
How long does it take to install Hardie board siding?
7 to 14 days for a professional crew on an average 2,000 square foot home, plus 4 to 5 days or more if pre-primed siding has to be painted after it goes up.
What are the downsides of fiber cement siding?
It costs 2 to 3 times as much as vinyl, weighs about 2.5 pounds per square foot, needs professional installation by more than one worker, and gives off crystalline silica dust when cut, so cutters need eye, nose and mouth protection. It can crack if mishandled and insulates poorly, with an R-value under 1.