If you’ve ever received an estimate for new siding installtion, you may have heard your contractor say something like:
“Your house has about 25 squares of siding.”
And unless you work in construction, your immediate response might be:
Twenty-five squares of WHAT?
Don’t worry. Your contractor isn’t suggesting your house suddenly has 25 sides.
In the roofing and siding industries, a “square” is simply a unit of measurement equal to 100 square feet of material.
At Banana Roofing, we use squares when estimating both roofing and siding projects throughout Omaha, Lincoln, Papillion, Gretna, La Vista, Millard, Ralston, and surrounding Nebraska communities.
But while a roofing square and siding square represent the same number of square feet, measuring and pricing the two projects can be surprisingly different.
Let’s peel it apart. 🍌
What Is a Square of Siding?
One siding square equals:
100 square feet of siding
So, for example:
- 10 squares = 1,000 square feet
- 20 squares = 2,000 square feet
- 25 squares = 2,500 square feet
- 30 squares = 3,000 square feet
Contractors use squares because manufacturers package, sell, and estimate many exterior products using standardized coverage measurements.
When a siding contractor says your project requires “20 squares,” they generally mean approximately 2,000 square feet of siding coverage, before accounting for project-specific material needs, waste, accessories, and installation details.
Is a Siding Square the Same as a Roofing Square?
Yes.
This is one of the most common questions we hear.
A roofing square and a siding square both equal:
100 square feet
But that does not mean a house with 25 roofing squares automatically has 25 siding squares.
The measurements describe completely different surfaces.
A roofing contractor measures the surface area of your roof planes.
A siding contractor measures the exterior walls of the house.
Roof pitch, home design, number of stories, gables, dormers, additions, garages, windows, doors, and architectural features can all make the two measurements dramatically different.
So:
1 roofing square = 100 sq. ft.
1 siding square = 100 sq. ft.
Same unit of measurement. Completely different calculation.
How Do Contractors Measure a House for Siding?
At its simplest, siding measurement starts by determining the exterior wall area.
For a rectangular wall that is 40 feet wide and 10 feet tall:
40 × 10 = 400 square feet
Divide that by 100:
400 ÷ 100 = 4 siding squares
Of course, houses aren’t usually giant rectangles.
A proper siding measurement may account for:
- Each exterior wall
- Gables
- Dormers
- Multiple stories
- Garages
- Bump-outs and additions
- Windows
- Doors
- Corners
- Soffit and fascia areas
- Trim
- Architectural details
- Material waste
That’s where professional measurement becomes important.
Do Windows and Doors Get Subtracted From Siding Measurements?
Sometimes—but it’s not necessarily as simple as subtracting every opening from the gross wall area.
Large openings, such as garage doors or large banks of windows, can materially reduce the amount of siding required.
Smaller windows and doors may not translate into an equivalent reduction in the project’s overall material and labor requirements.
Why?
Because openings actually create more detail work.
Your installer has to cut siding around windows and doors and properly integrate trim, flashing, and water-management components.
There can also be material waste from those cuts.
That’s why estimating siding by simply measuring the walls and subtracting every window isn’t necessarily going to tell you what the finished project should cost.
Why Does a Siding Project Need Extra Material?
If your home’s exterior measures exactly 2,000 square feet, ordering exactly 2,000 square feet of siding would usually be a bad idea.
Installation requires cuts.
Those cuts create waste.
Extra material may also be needed around:
- Corners
- Windows
- Doors
- Gables
- Rooflines
- Utility penetrations
- Uneven wall sections
- Architectural features
The exact waste factor depends on the house and siding product.
A simple ranch with long, uninterrupted walls may use material very efficiently.
A two-story home with multiple gables, windows, bump-outs, and complicated exterior geometry can require considerably more cutting and fitting.
More complicated house = more complicated siding installation.
Is Siding Priced by the Square?
Often, yes—but there’s an important distinction.
A contractor may use cost per square internally to estimate the project, but your final siding price involves considerably more than the siding panels themselves.
The installed price can include:
- Siding material
- Removal of existing siding
- Disposal
- House wrap or weather-resistant barrier
- Flashing
- Starter strips
- J-channel
- Corner posts
- Window and door trim
- Fasteners
- Labor
- Equipment
- Setup and cleanup
- Repairs discovered beneath the existing siding
So when comparing siding bids, don’t look only at:
“How much per square?”
Ask:
“What exactly is included in that price?”
That question can reveal a lot.
Why Can Two Houses With the Same Number of Siding Squares Cost Different Amounts?
This is where homeowners can get confused.
Imagine two homes that each require 20 squares—or approximately 2,000 square feet—of siding.
Their final prices could still be significantly different.
One might be a simple, single-story ranch with four relatively straight walls.
The other might have:
- Two stories
- Multiple gables
- Numerous windows
- Dormers
- Difficult access
- Extensive trim
- Multiple exterior corners
- Damaged sheathing underneath
- Complicated roof-to-wall intersections
Same approximate siding area.
Very different amount of labor.
It’s similar to roofing: square footage tells us the size of the project, but it doesn’t tell us the entire story.
What Determines the Price of New Siding?
Several factors influence the cost of a siding replacement in Nebraska.
Siding Material
Different materials have different product and installation costs.
Common choices include vinyl siding and other engineered or specialty siding systems.
Material quality, thickness, profile, manufacturer, color, and warranty can all affect price.
Size of the Home
More exterior wall area means more siding, accessories, and labor.
That’s where your project’s number of siding squares becomes particularly important.
Height of the Home
Installing siding on a single-story ranch isn’t the same as working several stories above the ground.
Height can affect equipment, setup, safety requirements, and labor.
Architectural Complexity
Gables, corners, dormers, windows, doors, roof intersections, and decorative details require additional cutting and installation time.
Existing Siding Removal
If the old siding needs to be removed and disposed of, that adds labor and disposal costs.
What’s Underneath the Siding?
Sometimes the biggest question doesn’t get answered until the existing siding comes off.
Contractors may discover:
- Rotten sheathing
- Water damage
- Improper flashing
- Missing or damaged house wrap
- Insect damage
- Previous installation problems
Those conditions may need to be corrected before new siding is installed.
And that’s important.
Putting beautiful new siding over a water-management problem doesn’t fix the problem—it hides it.
Why Proper Siding Installation Matters in Nebraska
Siding isn’t simply decoration.
It’s part of your home’s exterior protection system.
Here in Nebraska, your siding has to contend with:
Wind. Hail. Rain. Snow. Ice. Summer heat. Winter cold. And occasionally all four seasons before dinner.
Properly installed siding helps protect the structure underneath while also contributing to curb appeal and, depending on the siding system and overall wall assembly, energy performance.
Poor installation can lead to problems involving moisture, movement, buckling, gaps, and water intrusion.
That’s why we don’t recommend choosing a siding contractor based solely on who quotes the lowest cost per square.
Should You Compare Siding Estimates by Price Per Square?
Price per square can be a useful comparison tool, but only when you’re comparing similar scopes of work.
Suppose Contractor A quotes a lower price per square but doesn’t include:
- Tear-off
- Disposal
- House wrap
- Flashing repairs
- Premium trim
- Certain accessories
Contractor B’s price per square might look higher while actually providing a much more complete siding system.
It’s the same lesson we constantly preach with roofing:
Compare scopes, not just totals.
Make sure you understand the materials, preparation, accessories, installation, cleanup, and warranty included in each proposal.
How Much Does Siding Cost in Omaha and Lincoln?
There’s no responsible single answer without knowing the property.
A siding estimate in Omaha, Lincoln, Papillion, Gretna, La Vista, Millard, or Ralston depends on the home’s size, siding material, number of stories, architecture, existing siding, trim requirements, accessibility, and the condition of the structure underneath.
That’s also why an online “cost per square” number should be treated as a starting point—not a quote.
A professional siding inspection and measurement gives you a much better idea of what your particular home actually requires.
Siding Installation in Omaha, Lincoln & Eastern Nebraska
Banana Roofing provides siding installation and exterior services throughout Omaha, Papillion, Gretna, La Vista, Millard, Ralston, Lincoln, and surrounding Nebraska communities.
Whether you’re replacing aging siding, repairing storm damage, changing the look of your home, or trying to understand an estimate you’ve already received, we’ll help you understand the numbers.
Because we’d rather explain why something costs what it costs than hand you a mysterious number and expect you to sign underneath it.
No monkey business. 🍌
Frequently Asked Questions
How many square feet are in one square of siding?
One siding square equals 100 square feet. For example, a home requiring 20 squares of siding requires approximately 2,000 square feet of siding coverage before accounting for project-specific material needs and waste.
Is a siding square the same size as a roofing square?
Yes. Both equal 100 square feet. However, roofing squares measure roof surface area, while siding squares measure exterior wall coverage. A house’s number of roofing squares and siding squares will usually be different.
How do I calculate how many squares of siding I need?
Measure the width and height of each exterior wall and multiply them to determine square footage. Add the wall areas together and divide the total by 100. Gables and other exterior surfaces must also be calculated, and a professional estimate should account for openings, waste, trim, accessories, and architectural complexity.
Is siding sold by the square?
Many siding products and contractor estimates use a square—100 square feet—as the standard unit of coverage. Packaging varies by manufacturer and product, so the number of individual panels or pieces required to make a square can differ.
Why does siding cost more on a two-story house?
Height can increase installation time, equipment needs, access difficulty, and safety requirements. Two homes with identical siding square footage can therefore have different installation costs.
Are windows and doors deducted when measuring siding?
Large openings may be deducted, but contractors don’t necessarily subtract every square foot of every window and door. Openings also require cuts, trim, flashing, and additional installation work, and those cuts can create material waste.
