Confirm replacement scope
Record the material, existing siding, number of stories and elevations included. Separate full replacement from half-house or accent work. Confirm access for ladders or staging, disposal, substrate repairs and who removes fixtures. Write exclusions and the process for approving extra work before the crew starts.
An initial estimate helps decide whether the scope and budget fit. A confirmed quote follows inspection and agreement on the work; the document and local requirements determine its terms.
Calculate net wall square feet
For a simple example, use 160 ft of wall perimeter × 10 ft of wall height × 1 story, plus 200 sq ft of gable triangles: 1,800 sq ft gross. Deduct an assumed 15% for openings to get 1,530 sq ft. For half coverage, 1,530 × 0.5 = 765 sq ft. Check each elevation because half the walls may not have half the windows.
Measured Bid infers wall area from roof geometry, stories, wall height and an opening deduction. It does not scan facades or measure individual windows and doors. Overhangs, porches, mixed cladding and walkout basements can change the result. Verify openings and non-siding surfaces on site. Use the wall-area tool for a starting quantity, not a material order.
Worked siding estimate
Sample scope: full replacement on the one-story house above, fiber cement, removal included. All prices below are illustrative selling rates with a story factor of 1.00.
| Line | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New siding | 1,530 sq ft × $8/sq ft | $12,240 |
| Removal | 1,530 sq ft × $1/sq ft | $1,530 |
| Trim, corners and flashing | 10% × $12,240 | $1,224 |
| Total | Greater of $14,994 and a $2,500 minimum | $14,994 |
Trim is a percentage of the new-siding line, not of the removal or total. On a two-story job with a 1.15 story factor, the siding line becomes $14,076 and the 10% trim line becomes $1,407.60. Removal stays $1,530 in this example, for $17,013.60 before other work.
Build and check your rates
Start with a defined cost base: materials, loaded labor, equipment and other job costs. Recover overhead deliberately in your rates or cost allocation. Markup and gross margin use different denominators.
With $100 of cost, a 25% markup gives P = C × (1 + m) = $125. A 25% target gross margin gives P = C ÷ (1 − g) = $133.33. Gross margin is before overhead and other expenses; it is not a promise of net profit. Reject a margin of 100% or more because the denominator is zero or negative.
These formulas help you choose selling rates outside the app. Measured Bid applies the configured trade rates and adjustments; it does not automatically calculate these cost or margin inputs.
Include material waste in your costing before setting the installed rate. Do not add it again to a rate that already includes it. Record job hours and material receipts to compare expected and actual cost. Use a minimum to cover setup and travel on a small repair, rather than assuming every square foot takes the same effort.
Use the method in Measured Bid
Set per-square-foot rates for fiber cement, engineered wood and vinyl. Configure story multipliers, removal rates by existing material, trim percentage and a job minimum. Wall height, overhang and opening assumptions belong in the wall-model settings. Coverage choices apply a share of modeled wall area; they are not an elevation-by-elevation takeoff.
Your team sees line-item dollars and a total. The website widget shows a preliminary range and lets the homeowner request follow-up. Inspect hidden damage, flashing details and access before confirming scope. Use the siding template to document the estimate and exclusions.