Siding Costs in Seattle: Fiber Cement, Cedar, LP

Picking siding for a Seattle home means balancing three things: the upfront price, how long the material lasts, and the maintenance it demands. Our persistent rain and damp air punish the wrong choice, so a poor decision becomes rot, warping, and expensive repairs within a few years. This guide details what fiber cement, cedar, and engineered wood actually cost here—material prices, labor rates, expected lifespan, and the upkeep each one requires. Understand those numbers and the decision becomes considerably clearer.

Seattle averages 156 rainy days a year and 39 inches of rain, and siding that performs fine in a dry state can deteriorate quickly here. Labor also costs more than the national rate: the cost of living is high, capable crews stay booked, and our short dry season leaves a narrow installation window. Older homes complicate matters further—many predate modern moisture barriers and conceal dry rot behind the existing siding, damage that surfaces mid-project and drives the price upward. Both the material you choose and the contractor you hire matter more here than in most regions.

Fiber Cement Siding

Fiber cement is the material we reach for most often here, for good reason: it is tough and it shrugs off moisture. The boards themselves run $0.70 to $5.50 per square foot depending on brand and style, and with labor the installed cost usually lands at $9 to $18 per square foot. Complex projects push past $25 per square foot.

On a 2,500-square-foot home, the job runs $13,700 to $25,000, with most Seattle owners paying about $20,370. The bulk of projects land between $12,393 and $30,160. Then add our 10.25 percent sales tax on materials, plus permit fees of $300 to $3,000.

Style moves the price considerably. Shingle-style fiber cement runs $5 to $14 per square foot for the boards, clapboard or lap siding $4 to $14, and panels or sheets $6 to $18. Shingles cost more to hang, because a crew sets each piece by hand.

Lifespan and value are where fiber cement wins. With basic maintenance it lasts 30 to 50 years in our wet weather, and at resale owners recover up to 69.4 percent of what they spent, with payback that can reach 80 percent. It looks good, it holds up, and it asks little of you—that combination is why we lean on it.

Maintenance here is refreshingly simple. Unlike wood, fiber cement will not rot, and it stays dimensionally stable—it does not warp or swell when the weather turns. Rinse it once a year to clear dirt, and check the caulk and paint periodically so moisture cannot sneak in behind it.

You will repaint it eventually. A professional exterior paint job in Seattle averages $3,700, so buy the boards with factory paint or primer if you can; that can preserve a warranty of up to 25 years and cut your maintenance later.

Labor in Seattle runs $3 to $11 per square foot to install fiber cement, and our high cost of living, short dry season, and thin pool of skilled crews all push that upward. The boards are heavy and crack if handled wrong, so a good crew uses power shears and the right nail guns. This is not the material to let a crew learn on: bad cuts and bad nailing void the warranty and invite water behind the wall.

On homes of three or more stories, labor climbs 10 to 15 percent for the added reach and scaffolding. Removing the old siding adds $0.90 to $3 per square foot, or $11 to $17 per square foot if it contains asbestos, and any dry rot repairs add $100 to $2,000.

In our climate, a clean installation is what actually keeps moisture and rot out, so it pays to hire well. Confirm that any contractor is registered with Washington L&I and carries a bond and insurance, and look for a James Hardie Preferred contractor—someone trained on this exact material—for extra confidence.

Cedar Siding

Cedar has genuine charm, but it is the priciest of the common sidings. The boards run $6 to $10 per square foot, labor adds $3 to $11 per square foot, and the total installed cost lands at $11 to $24 per square foot.

Cedar also needs prep and a finish coat after installation, which adds time and labor. On a 2,800-square-foot home, the whole job—teardown, materials, labor, and permits—runs $60,000 to $90,000. Add our 10.25 percent sales tax and permit fees of $300 to $900 for a house, and figure sealing or staining after the install at another $1 to $3 per square foot.

The grade you choose swings the price sharply. Knotty cedar runs $2.50 to $5 per square foot, while clear-grade cedar—fewer knots and more durable—runs $10 to $30 per square foot.

Lifespan runs 20 to 40 years when you keep up with maintenance, even in our climate; skip that upkeep and the damp air cuts it short, leaving the wood open to rot, mildew, and water damage. Here is the honest trade: cedar looks better on a Craftsman than anything else, but you will be back on a ladder to re-coat it every few years, and that trade is the whole decision. If you want the look and will do the work, cedar rewards you; if you want to forget about it, it is the wrong material.

For the best odds, choose a high-grade treated cedar and schedule installation during our dry season, when the wood stays drier. Ask for a full tear-off of the old siding too, so the crew can inspect the wall sheathing for hidden dry rot.

Maintenance is heavier than the other options, and our damp climate makes it worse. A gentle annual rinse, at $170 to $310, clears dirt, algae, and grime, and you should recoat the finish every 2 to 5 years to keep moisture out. When water soaks in instead of beading up, recoat right away—that wet-dry-wet cycle is exactly what cups and splits the boards.

Inspect the wood twice a year for water damage, rot, or pests like termites and carpenter ants, and keep the gutters clear so runoff does not wear on the boards. Cedar repairs in Seattle run about $1,870, with most jobs between $842 and $2,969; sealing or staining costs $1 to $3 per square foot, while repair work runs $4 to $13 per square foot. Never blast cedar with a pressure washer, which tears the wood grain—use a soft wash or a wide fan tip instead.

Labor demands a careful hand, since cedar swells and absorbs moisture. Removing the old siding adds $1 to $3 per square foot, and older homes can run into abatement fees of $1,200 to $3,300, or scaffolding on our hills at $4,000 to $10,000.

A clean installation keeps water from slipping behind the boards, where it feeds dry rot and repairs of $100 to $2,000. Make sure the contractor is registered with Washington L&I and carries a bond and liability insurance, and remember that historic areas like Capitol Hill or Queen Anne may require a matched look, which adds to both labor and material cost.

Engineered Wood Siding

Engineered wood gives you a wood look at a middle price. It is real wood strands bound with resin and treated throughout to resist rot. The boards cost $3 to $8 per square foot and labor adds $3 to $11 per square foot, which brings the installed cost to $7 to $15 per square foot in Seattle.

On a 2,800-square-foot home, teardown runs $0.90 to $3 per square foot, with sales tax and permits totaling $300 to $900. Tall homes or intricate layouts add 10 to 15 percent for scaffolding and precise cuts, though the lighter boards let a crew move faster than fiber cement allows.

So you get the warmth of wood with more backbone—a mid-range material that splits the difference between looks and durability.

Lifespan runs 20 to 30 years with good care, in line with other mid-range materials. The resin and rot treatment help it stand up to moisture, pests, and warping, all of which matter in our damp climate. At resale owners recover around 70 percent, and some Seattle jobs reach 80 percent, because buyers here watch closely for water damage.

You can install siding yourself, but we would steer you toward a professional. Engineered wood lives or dies on the details: the flashing that sheds water, and a bead of sealant on every cut edge. Miss those and the boards swell from the ends inward, and a sloppy install shows up later as early failure and rework that costs more than the crew you skipped.

Maintenance is fairly light, but our rain still asks for some. It needs far less than cedar—an annual rinse with the garden hose clears grime that would otherwise trap moisture, and repainting every 10 years keeps the protective coat working against the wet. A professional paint job on an average home runs about $3,150.

Between paint cycles, the occasional spray-down helps shed water, backed by the factory resins and waxes built for our high humidity.

Labor runs $3 to $11 per square foot. The lighter boards trim install time next to heavier stock, but our high cost of living, thin crew supply, and short dry season still keep Seattle prices above the national rate.

When you swap old siding, request a full tear-off so the crew can read the wall sheathing for hidden dry rot; it turns up often here and can add $100 to $2,000 in repairs. Keep in mind that nearly 78 percent of Washington builders report trouble filling skilled positions, so timelines can stretch. As always, confirm the contractor meets Washington L&I requirements and carries a bond and liability insurance.

Material Comparison

Our wet climate puts a hard test to any siding, so the trick is to weigh how long it lasts, what it costs to maintain, and the price up front. Here is how the three materials stack up.

Fiber cement is usually the smart bet for our weather. It does not rot, and it neither swells nor shrinks with the damp, so it holds up for the long haul—up to 50 years with little maintenance. The catch is weight: heavy boards mean more labor and time. But because it ignores moisture the way wood never can, it fits our climate well.

Cedar stands out for natural, timeless looks, but the maintenance is not optional. Skip the stain or paint and it rots quickly in our climate. It lasts 20 to 40 years, though untreated cedar also carries a fire risk unless it is treated for one.

Engineered wood sits in the middle—a wood look with fair moisture resistance. Let the protective coat wear off, though, and it can swell or shrink. It is lighter and easier to install than fiber cement, but it will not match it for durability in steady wet.

Put simply: fiber cement resists moisture best, lasts a full 50 years, needs little maintenance, and installs at $9 to $18 per square foot. Cedar resists moisture only fairly and only with upkeep, lasts 20 to 40 years, demands a lot of maintenance, and installs at $11 to $24 per square foot. Engineered wood resists moisture fairly but can swell or shrink, lasts 20 to 30 years, needs moderate maintenance, and installs at $7 to $15 per square foot.

Each material carries its own compromises. In our climate, however, the two factors that matter most are how effectively it sheds moisture and how long it endures.

Making Your Decision

The best choice weighs what you pay now against how long it lasts, and our wet climate raises the stakes. Fiber cement leads on nearly every measure: it sheds moisture well, lasts 50 years, and installs at $9 to $18 per square foot, with a strong return at resale.

Cedar wins if appearance tops your list, at $11 to $24 per square foot installed, but plan for continual upkeep—staining and sealing—to withstand our damp. Engineered wood is a more affordable route to a wood look, though it will not last like fiber cement.

When you budget, incorporate local sales tax and permit fees. On a standard 2,000-square-foot home, new siding runs $24,000 to over $50,000 depending on the material and the complexity—and at that price, a clean installation is not the place to economize.

Professional installation matters even more in our climate. We request a full tear-off on older homes, because the real story is often on the sheathing rather than the siding, and a quote that omits the tear-off is concealing the risk, not saving you money. Any bid you accept should itemize the tear-off cost, so the crew can inspect the wall behind the boards for hidden rot.

For siding installation and dry rot work built for our climate, call (425) 517-1751 to schedule a free 15-point dry rot inspection. We will walk through the siding options that will protect your home’s exterior for decades.