DC · Maryland · Northern Virginia
Siding Replacement in the DMV
James Hardie fiber cement, insulated vinyl, and cedar. We correct the wrap and flashing behind the siding, not just the panel you can see.
- Free inspection with photos and a written report
- Fixed written price before any work starts
- We pull the permit where one is required
- Building in the DMV since 2012
Free siding estimate
Tell us what is going on. We reply the same business day.
Scope
What is included
We self-perform this trade. Everything below is work our own crews do, not something we hand off after you sign.
- Fiber cement (James Hardie and equivalent) installation
- Insulated and premium vinyl siding
- Cedar and engineered wood siding
- House wrap, flashing, and water-resistive barrier correction
- Rot repair and sheathing replacement
- Trim, soffit, fascia, and column wraps
What it costs
Siding pricing in the DMV
Published 2026 regional data puts installed siding for the materials most commonly used here in the range of roughly $7 to $13 per square foot, which for a typical 2,000-square-foot home works out to somewhere around $14,000 to $25,000 fully installed. Fiber cement sits at the upper end of that band and premium or complex elevations go past it.
These are planning ranges, not a quote
We publish ranges because a real number requires measuring your house, and because any contractor who gives you a firm price over the phone is guessing or anchoring you. Priced per square foot of wall area installed. After we inspect, you get a fixed written price — including what a likely surprise would cost — that is yours to keep and compare.
Where the money goes
Insulated and premium vinyl
Lowest installed cost
Adds a little R-value, never needs repainting. Defensible on a rental or a long hold.
Fiber cement (James Hardie and equivalent)
Meaningfully above vinyl
Holds paint, resists impact, and reads as premium — which is what matters for resale in Bethesda, McLean, and Chevy Chase.
Cedar and engineered wood
Highest, and carries ongoing maintenance
Usually a design or historic-review decision rather than a value decision.
What moves your number
Rot found behind the old siding
Common on DMV homes, especially at the bottom course and around window heads. We price sheathing replacement per sheet before we open the wall so a bad find is a known number, not an argument.
House wrap and flashing
A correct job includes a new water-resistive barrier and corrected flashing at every penetration. Bids that skip this are cheaper and will fail — new siding over failed wrap still lets water into the wall.
Trim, soffit, and fascia
Wrapping trim, columns, and fascia is a substantial share of the labor on a detailed elevation and is a frequent source of bid-to-bid difference.
Stories and access
Three-story and difficult-access elevations need more staging time.
On resale value
Cost-versus-value data has generally put vinyl siding replacement in the high-60s to low-70s percent recouped, among the better-performing exterior projects.
Permits & code
Does siding work need a permit?
It depends on which government reviews your address, and the difference is not small — the same job can be permit-exempt in one jurisdiction and a filed permit a mile away.
| Jurisdiction | Status | What that means for siding |
|---|---|---|
| DC | Permit required | Siding replacement is also absent from the Instant Permits scopes and is handled as an alteration. In a historic district the design review has to clear first. |
| Montgomery County | Usually exempt | "Siding" appears directly on the county’s no-permit list. As always the exempt work still has to comply with the building code — exempt from permit is not exempt from the rules. |
| Prince George's County | Depends | Like-material re-siding is generally maintenance; changes in material or any structural sheathing repair should be confirmed with DPIE before work starts. |
| Arlington | Usually exempt | The same USBC exemption covers replacement of an unlimited amount of siding on a single-family home. Fairfax County states it plainly as "re-siding of building/home with similar material." Switching to a materially different cladding, or structural sheathing repair, can pull it back in. |
| Fairfax County | Usually exempt | "Re-siding of building/home with similar material" is named directly on the county’s exempt list. Similar material is the operative phrase. |
| Alexandria | Usually exempt | The same USBC exemption covers replacement of an unlimited amount of siding on a single-family home. Fairfax County states it plainly as "re-siding of building/home with similar material." Switching to a materially different cladding, or structural sheathing repair, can pull it back in. |
Permit-exempt does not mean code-exempt
Where no permit is required, no inspector ever sees the work — but the code still applies in full. That is precisely why we photograph the concealed conditions before they are covered. On a permit-exempt job, that documentation is the only proof you will ever have.
Straight answers
What homeowners ask us about siding
Fiber cement or vinyl — which is right for my house?
Fiber cement holds paint well, resists impact, and reads as a premium finish, which matters for resale in neighborhoods like Bethesda, McLean, and Chevy Chase. It costs more up front and is heavier to install. Insulated vinyl costs less, adds a little R-value, and needs no repainting. If you plan to sell in under five years, the resale math usually favors fiber cement; if the house is a rental or a hold, vinyl is defensible.
What happens if you find rot behind the old siding?
It happens on a meaningful share of DMV homes, especially around windows and at the bottom course. We stop, photograph it, and price the sheathing repair as a written change order before we cover it back up. We will not bury rot behind new siding.
Do you replace the house wrap too?
Yes, and this is where cheap siding jobs fail. New siding over failed or improperly lapped wrap will still let water into the wall. Our scope includes a new water-resistive barrier and corrected flashing at every penetration.
How much does siding cost in the DMV?
Published 2026 regional data puts installed siding for the materials most commonly used here in the range of roughly $7 to $13 per square foot, which for a typical 2,000-square-foot home works out to somewhere around $14,000 to $25,000 fully installed. Fiber cement sits at the upper end of that band and premium or complex elevations go past it. Those are planning ranges drawn from published regional data, not a quote — the number for your house depends on the specifics, and we put a fixed price in writing after we measure.
Do I need a permit for siding work?
It depends entirely on your jurisdiction. DC: permit required. Montgomery County: usually exempt. Prince George's County: depends. Arlington: usually exempt. Fairfax County: usually exempt. Alexandria: usually exempt. We confirm your specific address with the permit authority before work starts and pull the permit where one is required.
Service area
Siding across the DMV
We quote siding work throughout the District, close-in Maryland, and Northern Virginia.
- Washington, DC
- Bethesda, MD
- Chevy Chase, MD
- Potomac, MD
- Silver Spring, MD
- Rockville, MD
- McLean, VA
- Arlington, VA
- Alexandria, VA
- Falls Church, VA
- Vienna, VA
- Fairfax, VA
While we are there
The rest of the envelope
These details all meet each other. If you are doing one, it is worth knowing the condition of the others — and combining them into one mobilization is usually cheaper.
Roof Replacement & Repair
Architectural shingle, standing-seam metal, and flat/low-slope systems. Leak diagnosis, storm damage documentation, and full tear-off replacement.
Costs & details →Window Replacement
Full-frame and insert replacement in vinyl, fiberglass, and clad wood. Correct sizing, correct flashing, no drafts at the sill.
Costs & details →Gutters & Downspouts
Seamless 5" and 6" aluminum, half-round copper, and guard systems — sized and pitched to actually move DMV storm volume away from the foundation.
Costs & details →Get a real number for your siding
Free inspection, written scope, fixed price. Same-business-day reply.