How Much Does Siding Cost in Los Angeles in 2026?
Planning ranges per square foot of wall for every material we install, what a 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 and 2,400 sq ft house pays, what moves the number, repair ranges, and the permit and fire-zone rules that apply.
Siding cost in Los Angeles (2026): fiber cement lap $14–$24 per sq ft of wall ($25K–$43K for a typical 1,800 sq ft of wall), full three-coat re-stucco $12–$22 ($21.5K–$39.5K), a stucco re-coat over sound stucco $4–$8 ($7K–$14.5K), engineered wood $11–$20, natural wood $15–$32, metal $13–$32; most repairs $750–$2,750. Count the wall, not the floor: a 2,000 sq ft house carries roughly 2,000–2,400 sq ft of wall once gables and the second story are included, so fiber cement lap on it lands near $28K–$57.5K and a three-coat re-stucco $24K–$53K.
2026 planning ranges compiled from published Los Angeles siding prices (per square foot of wall area, including tear-off, weather barrier, flashing and trim; paint separate); your fixed price follows a free on-site estimate. Licensed general contractor, CSLB #1021284, own siding crew, 10-year written workmanship warranty, 5.0★ Google (45 reviews).
Siding is priced by the square foot of wall, not floor, and the material decides most of the number: a stucco re-coat that leaves the wall in place costs a fraction of a tear-off and re-side. The ranges below are Right Image Builders' 2026 planning figures, compiled from published Los Angeles pricing, for a complete job: tear-off, dry-rot allowance, new weather-resistive barrier, flashing at every opening, the siding or stucco system and the trim; paint is separate.
Siding cost per square foot by material (Los Angeles, 2026)
| Material | Per sq ft of wall | Typical 1,800 sq ft of wall | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber cement lap (James Hardie and similar) | $14–$24 | $25K–$43K | Noncombustible, paintable, 50-year class products; the default replacement for a 1950s Valley house and the material we install most. |
| Fiber cement panel / board-and-batten | $16–$28 | $29K–$50.5K | Vertical panel and batten look for mid-century and modern houses; same material, more trim and cutting. |
| Stucco: patch and re-coat | $4–$8 | $7K–$14.5K | Crack repair, patching and a new color or elastomeric coat over sound stucco; the least expensive refresh. |
| Stucco: one-coat over new lath | $9–$14 | $16K–$25K | New paper and lath with a one-coat system; where the old stucco is failing but the budget is tight. |
| Stucco: full three-coat re-stucco | $12–$22 | $21.5K–$39.5K | Tear-off, new paper and lath, scratch, brown and color coats; the traditional Los Angeles exterior done properly. Smooth finishes cost more. |
| Engineered wood (LP SmartSide type) | $11–$20 | $20K–$36K | Resin-bonded wood strand siding; lighter and cheaper than fiber cement, with a wood look. |
| Natural wood (cedar, redwood) | $15–$32 | $27K–$57.5K | The real thing, with the maintenance that comes with it; fire-zone lots need treated wood or a tested assembly. |
| Vinyl | $8–$14 | $14.5K–$25K | Rare in Southern California; generally not used in fire-hazard zones. |
| Metal (steel, aluminum) | $13–$32 | $23.5K–$57.5K | Standing-seam and corrugated panels for modern houses; noncombustible. |
What a 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 or 2,400 sq ft house pays
The question Google gets asked most is "how much does it cost to side a 2,000 sq ft house". The honest answer starts with the wall area: a single-story 1,200–1,600 sq ft ranch carries 1,500–1,800 sq ft of wall; a 2,000 sq ft house, 2,000–2,400 sq ft once the gables and the second story are counted. Multiply by the material rate:
| Material | Per sq ft | 1,000 sq ft of wall | 1,500 sq ft of wall | 2,000 sq ft of wall | 2,400 sq ft of wall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber cement lap (James Hardie and similar) | $14–$24 | $14K–$24K | $21K–$36K | $28K–$48K | $33.5K–$57.5K |
| Fiber cement panel / board-and-batten | $16–$28 | $16K–$28K | $24K–$42K | $32K–$56K | $38.5K–$67K |
| Stucco: patch and re-coat | $4–$8 | $4K–$8K | $6K–$12K | $8K–$16K | $9.5K–$19K |
| Stucco: one-coat over new lath | $9–$14 | $9K–$14K | $13.5K–$21K | $18K–$28K | $21.5K–$33.5K |
| Stucco: full three-coat re-stucco | $12–$22 | $12K–$22K | $18K–$33K | $24K–$44K | $29K–$53K |
| Engineered wood (LP SmartSide type) | $11–$20 | $11K–$20K | $16.5K–$30K | $22K–$40K | $26.5K–$48K |
| Natural wood (cedar, redwood) | $15–$32 | $15K–$32K | $22.5K–$48K | $30K–$64K | $36K–$77K |
| Vinyl | $8–$14 | $8K–$14K | $12K–$21K | $16K–$28K | $19K–$33.5K |
| Metal (steel, aluminum) | $13–$32 | $13K–$32K | $19.5K–$48K | $26K–$64K | $31K–$77K |
Two-story and hillside houses add scaffolding on every elevation and material carried by hand: a three-level canyon house can take six weeks where a single-story house takes two to four, and that time is in the price.
What moves the number
1. Tear-off and what it finds
Old siding or stucco comes off to the sheathing. Rot at the base of a wall, failed paper, a deck ledger sided over without flashing: each is repaired before the new barrier goes on, priced in writing when found. Most houses need some; a house that was leaking for years needs more.
2. Stucco removal on a conversion
Converting stucco to siding adds cutting the stucco off, pulling the lath and paper and hauling the weight away — a few dollars per square foot of wall on top of the siding rate, which is why conversion figures sit above siding-alone figures. On a house whose stucco is coming off anyway, the removal is already in the re-stucco price.
3. Profile, trim and detailing
Lap siding is the baseline; board-and-batten and panel profiles cost more in trim and cutting; smooth stucco finishes run 30–60% above a standard texture; corner boards, water tables, belly bands and window trim are priced by the linear foot.
4. Fire-zone details
In a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code adds ember-resistant vents and listed eave and wall-base details; the compliant materials (fiber cement, metal, three-coat stucco, treated wood) cost what they cost anywhere, so the premium is in the details and the site, not the cladding.
5. Paint
Fiber cement and engineered wood arrive primed; a full exterior paint job is a separate line, and a color-coat or elastomeric finish is the stucco equivalent.
Repair instead of replacement
| Repair | Planning range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Service minimum | about $750 | A crew visit for a small patch, a few boards or a hairline-crack repair |
| Typical repair | $750–$2,750 | Stucco cracks with refinish, a rotted section at the base of a wall, failed window or deck flashing, woodpecker or termite damage |
| Section with new paper and lath | $4,500–$10,500 | A wall section opened to the sheathing, new weather barrier and lath, three-coat stucco or matched siding |
| Dry rot behind the wall | priced in writing when found | From a sill or trim patch to sistered studs or rim joists |
Repair when the damage is local and the barrier behind the rest of the wall is sound; replace when stucco rings hollow on more than one elevation, when repairs repeat every year, or when the paper behind the wall has failed. Siding repair vs. replacement walks through the signs.
Permits
Inside the City of Los Angeles, siding over solid sheathing and re-stucco are express permits at LADBS under Information Bulletin P/GI 2020-003; a stucco-to-siding conversion or a wall that needs framing repair is a simple alteration permit. Burbank, Glendale, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Culver City, West Hollywood, Calabasas and Malibu issue their own permits; Calabasas and Malibu sit entirely inside the fire zone, and Malibu adds Coastal Zone review on most parcels. The permit is inside the fixed price.
Siding by city: permits, fire zones and the houses
The per-square-foot rates above are the same across our service area; what changes from city to city is who issues the permit, whether the Wildland-Urban Interface rules apply, and what the houses are built of. The table links to our siding page for each city.
| City | Permit authority | Fire-hazard zone | Typical houses we side |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman Oaks | LADBS (City of Los Angeles) | Hillside and canyon streets mapped Very High; flats outside | 1940s–60s ranch and mid-century homes on the flats, post-and-beam and hillside houses south of Ventura |
| Studio City | LADBS (City of Los Angeles) | Hillside and canyon streets mapped Very High; flats outside | 1940s–60s ranch and traditional homes on the flats north of Ventura, hillside houses in Fryman and Laurel Canyon |
| Encino | LADBS (City of Los Angeles) | Hillside and canyon streets mapped Very High; flats outside | estate-scale ranch and traditional homes on RA and RE lots, with hillside houses south of Ventura |
| Van Nuys | LADBS (City of Los Angeles) | Mostly outside the mapped zones; parcel confirmed on the CAL FIRE map | 1950s R1 tract homes, typically 1,200–1,600 sq ft on 6,000–7,500 sq ft lots |
| Valley Glen | LADBS (City of Los Angeles) | Mostly outside the mapped zones; parcel confirmed on the CAL FIRE map | 1940s–50s ranch homes, typically 1,200–1,700 sq ft on 6,000–7,500 sq ft lots |
| Woodland Hills | LADBS (City of Los Angeles) | Hillside and canyon streets mapped Very High; flats outside | larger 1950s–70s ranch and traditional homes on generous lots, estate parcels in Walnut Acres, condos and townhomes around Warner Center |
| Reseda | LADBS (City of Los Angeles) | Mostly outside the mapped zones; parcel confirmed on the CAL FIRE map | 1950s single-story tract ranches, typically 1,100–1,600 sq ft on 6,000–7,500 sq ft lots |
| Burbank | City of Burbank Building and Safety Division | Hillside and canyon streets mapped Very High; flats outside | 1920s–40s Spanish and bungalow homes in Magnolia Park, ranch homes in the Rancho, hillside houses above Glenoaks |
| Glendale | City of Glendale Building and Safety Division | Hillside and canyon streets mapped Very High; flats outside | 1920s–50s Spanish, Tudor and traditional homes, 1,400–2,200 sq ft on 6,000–9,000 sq ft lots, larger on the hillside streets, with several blocks inside historic district overlay zones |
| Beverly Hills | City of Beverly Hills Building and Safety Division | Hillside and canyon streets mapped Very High; flats outside | 1920s–60s Spanish, Traditional and mid-century estates, 2,500–5,000+ sq ft on 8,000–20,000+ sq ft lots in the Flats and the hills, with 1930s–50s single-family and duplex blocks south of Wilshire |
| Pacoima | LADBS (City of Los Angeles) | Mostly outside the mapped zones; parcel confirmed on the CAL FIRE map | 1940s–60s stucco ranches and tracts on flat lots, many with detached garages |
| Winnetka | LADBS (City of Los Angeles) | Mostly outside the mapped zones; parcel confirmed on the CAL FIRE map | 1950s–60s stucco ranches on flat 6,000–7,500 sq ft lots |
| Sun Valley | LADBS (City of Los Angeles) | Mostly outside the mapped zones; parcel confirmed on the CAL FIRE map | 1940s–60s ranches and small tracts, some larger RA lots toward the foothills |
| West Hollywood | City of West Hollywood Building and Safety Division | Mostly outside the mapped zones; parcel confirmed on the CAL FIRE map | 1920s–40s Spanish and traditional single-family houses on small lots, with many duplexes and condos; historic resources survey applies |
| Santa Monica | City of Santa Monica Building and Safety | Mostly outside the mapped zones; parcel confirmed on the CAL FIRE map | 1920s–50s bungalows and Spanish houses, larger lots north of Montana |
| Culver City | City of Culver City Building Safety Division | Hillside and canyon streets mapped Very High; flats outside | 1920s–40s bungalows and 1950s ranches on 5,000–6,500 sq ft lots, hillside houses in Blair Hills |
| Pasadena | City of Pasadena Permit Center | Hillside and canyon streets mapped Very High; flats outside | Craftsman bungalows and 1920s Spanish houses in the central districts, 1950s ranches in Hastings Ranch and east Pasadena, hillside houses along the Arroyo |
| Calabasas | City of Calabasas Building and Safety Division | Whole city mapped Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone; WUI code applies to every re-side | 1970s–2000s two-story houses and estates in gated communities, hillside lots, all inside the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (Class A roofs and Chapter 7A ignition-resistant exteriors) |
| Malibu | City of Malibu Building Safety | Whole city mapped Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone; WUI code applies to every re-side | coastal and canyon houses from 1950s beach cottages to contemporary estates, all in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (Chapter 7A) and most in the Coastal Zone |
Inside the City of Los Angeles (Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Van Nuys, Valley Glen, Woodland Hills, Reseda, Pacoima, Winnetka, Sun Valley) LADBS issues express permits for re-siding over solid sheathing and for re-stucco; the other cities issue their own, and Calabasas and Malibu apply the fire-zone material rules to every exterior alteration.
How to get a real number
Request the free on-site assessment. We walk every elevation, probe for rot, check the barrier, flashing and weep screed, measure the wall area and put one fixed price in writing — the permit, the inspections and a 10-year written workmanship warranty included. Then hire us where you live: Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Van Nuys, Valley Glen, Woodland Hills, Reseda, Burbank, Glendale, Beverly Hills, Pacoima, Winnetka, Sun Valley, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Culver City, Pasadena, Calabasas, Malibu.
Frequently Asked
Questions
A 2,000 sq ft house usually carries 2,000–2,400 sq ft of wall once gables and the second story are counted. At the 2026 planning rates that is $28K–$57.5K for fiber cement lap, $24K–$53K for a full three-coat re-stucco, and from $8K for a re-coat over sound stucco. Hillside or two-story scaffolding sits on top. 2026 planning ranges compiled from published Los Angeles siding prices (per square foot of wall area, including tear-off, weather barrier, flashing and trim; paint separate); your fixed price follows a free on-site estimate.
Per square foot of wall, installed, in 2026 planning ranges: fiber cement lap $14–$24, fiber cement panel $16–$28, stucco re-coat $4–$8, one-coat stucco $9–$14, three-coat re-stucco $12–$22, engineered wood $11–$20, natural wood $15–$32, vinyl $8–$14, metal $13–$32. The figures include tear-off, weather barrier, flashing and trim; paint is separate.
About 1,500–1,800 sq ft of wall for a single-story 1,500 sq ft house: fiber cement lap $21K–$43K, three-coat re-stucco $18K–$39.5K, re-coat $6K–$14.5K, in 2026 planning ranges compiled from published Los Angeles pricing. The free on-site assessment measures the actual wall area and probes for rot before the fixed price.
With the old stucco already coming off, the two land in the same band: $12–$22 per sq ft of wall for a new three-coat system versus $14–$24 for fiber cement lap, plus a few dollars per square foot of stucco removal on a conversion. Sound stucco changes the answer: a re-coat at $4–$8 undercuts both by a wide margin. Fire zone, house style and the finish you want settle the rest; re-stucco or re-side works through the decision.
The compliant materials cost the same as anywhere else in Los Angeles. What adds cost in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone is the site (scaffolding on slopes, hand-carried material) and the listed details at vents, eaves and the wall base required by the 2025 California Wildland-Urban Interface Code. Siding in a fire zone lists what qualifies.
Verify the license number at cslb.ca.gov and ask for the insurance certificates (liability and workers' compensation) before anything else; then read the proposal for three things, the weather-resistive barrier, the flashing at every opening and the name of whoever pulls the permit, and look for a workmanship warranty with a term written on it. Right Image Builders, CSLB #1021284, runs its own siding crew from Valley Glen with a 10-year written warranty across the San Fernando Valley, the foothill cities and the Westside.
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for Your Walls
Free on-site assessment across the San Fernando Valley, the foothill cities and the Westside: every elevation walked, the walls probed, the wall area measured, and one fixed price in writing.
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