A Solution to the Affordable Housing Crisis
By Don Browne
Anyone who’s ever built a house or remodeled knows that vinyl siding has traditionally been one of the most affordable of all claddings.
But with the workforce housing crisis shining a giant light on the rising cost of building materials, the Polymeric Exterior Products Association (PEPA) felt compelled to commission an independent exterior cost study which proves that prohibitions on the use of vinyl siding and the mandating of brick products are the real culprits in driving home prices up unnecessarily.
The analysis, conducted by renowned economist Dr. Elliott Eisenberg, focuses on 12 housing markets in the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest (four in each region). It includes:
- Standard vinyl siding
- Premium vinyl siding
- Polypropylene siding
- Fiber cement
- Brick
- Stucco
- Cedar clapboard
These represent 99.9% of all exterior cladding choices used in single-family homes. The data utilized came from the U.S. Census Bureau Survey of Construction (SOC) and RSMeans cost data for each of the seven exterior categories in each of the 12 market cities, with costs weighted by geographic location.
The differential between the lowest cost product, standard vinyl siding and all other exterior types was calculated to determine a second cost category: the additional monthly payment on a typical 6.5% 30-year mortgage, along with full amortized cost over 30 years.
Cost Comparison of Exterior Cladding Materials
The study found that standard vinyl, premium vinyl, and polypropylene siding rank among the four most affordable siding options. Notably, premium vinyl is the second lowest-cost option overall.
Geographically weighted cost comparisons show:
- Standard and premium vinyl siding cost $25,000+ less than brick
- They cost $30,000+ less than Cedar Grade A wood siding
- Polypropylene siding costs:
- $15,000+ less than brick
- $20,000+ less than Cedar Grade A wood siding
- 30-Year Amortized Cost Differences
When evaluating long-term costs over a 30-year mortgage:
- Brick and wood siding are $40,000+ more expensive
- Stucco performs better but is still $10,000+ more than polypropylene (on average)
- Fiber cement (including painting):
- Costs $3,000 to $5,000 less than polypropylene
- But costs $5,000+ more than vinyl (geographically weighted)
- And $12,000+ more than vinyl over 30 years
Monthly Mortgage Impact
The most impactful comparison is how each material affects monthly housing costs:
- Brick and wood siding:
- Add $166+ per month
- Equal to $45,000+ over 30 years
- Stucco:
- Adds $68 per month
- Equals $24,480 over 30 years
- Fiber cement:
- Adds $40 per month
- Equals $14,400 over 30 years
- Premium vinyl siding:
- Adds just $6 per month
- Equals $2,160 over 30 years
Performance vs. Cost
This analysis focuses only on upfront and long-term cost. It does not include performance differences.
- Polymeric materials (vinyl, polypropylene) offer superior durability
- Competing materials often require replacement or remodeling within 10–25 years
- Vinyl siding lifespan: approximately 50–75 years
Even when evaluating cost alone, the price differences between vinyl siding and other materials are substantial.
This raises an important question: Would the affordable workforce housing crisis be as severe if local restrictions did not limit the use of cost-effective polymeric exterior materials?
Download a copy of An Analysis of the Affordability of Various Exterior Cladding Options for New Residential Construction.
