Siding in St. Paul, MN.
St. Paul siding projects often start with a question nobody can answer until a wall is opened: what is under the current siding? Many older homes carry two or three layers, from original wood clapboard to asbestos-cement shingles to aluminum or early vinyl. We scope carefully, price plainly, and take on anything from one porch wall to a full exterior.
- Typical build era
- Many pre-1940 homes, plus postwar Cape Cods and ramblers
- Common existing siding
- Wood clapboard under one or more later layers, aluminum, or older vinyl
- Wall condition
- Older walls are often out of plane and need shimming or furring
- Lot character
- Narrow city lots with tight side yards and alley access
- Older materials
- Possible asbestos or lead paint is flagged at the estimate, before removal
- Permit
- Most Twin Cities cities require a permit for full siding replacement; we confirm and pull the permit for your city
- Job size
- No minimum, from a porch wall to a full exterior
What makes St. Paul siding work different?
St. Paul has one of the oldest housing stocks in the metro. Neighborhoods such as Highland Park, Mac-Groveland, Como, and the East Side include large numbers of homes built before World War II, alongside postwar Cape Cods and ramblers. Older walls are rarely perfectly flat or square, and trim, porches, and eaves often have details worth keeping.
Layered siding is common. When we remove more than one layer, we inspect the sheathing or original boards underneath before anything new goes on. Some older homes have lead-based paint or asbestos-containing siding. We flag that during the estimate rather than discovering it mid-job.
City lots are tight. Narrow side yards, detached garages on alleys, and close neighbors affect staging, dumpster placement, and daily cleanup. Most Twin Cities cities require a permit for full siding replacement; we confirm and pull the permit for your city, and if your home is in a locally designated historic area we check whether any extra review applies before you choose materials.
What siding costs in St. Paul (2026)
Prices are quoted per square, meaning 100 square feet of finished wall per square, and they include tearing off and disposing of the existing siding. St. Paul homes are often compact, so the brackets start at 10 squares. Removing extra layers or regulated materials is priced separately.
These are Midwest Building Exteriors' own current 2026 installed prices, confirmed directly by owner Christian Musta: vinyl $900–$950 per square; LP SmartSide and fiber cement $1,200–$1,300 per square depending on finish; and steel $1,300–$1,500 per square (about $13–$15 per sq. ft.), dependent on various factors. One siding square equals 100 square feet of wall.
| Wall area | Vinyl ($900–$950/sq) | LP SmartSide ($1,200–$1,300/sq) | Fiber cement ($1,200–$1,300/sq) | Steel ($1,300–$1,500/sq) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10–14 squaresCompact bungalow, story-and-a-half, or small rambler | $9,000 – $13,300 | $12,000 – $18,200 | $12,000 – $18,200 | $13,000 – $21,000 |
| 15–20 squaresTwo-story foursquare or larger Cape Cod | $13,500 – $19,000 | $18,000 – $26,000 | $18,000 – $26,000 | $19,500 – $30,000 |
| 21–27 squaresLarge two-and-a-half-story home or a duplex | $18,900 – $25,650 | $25,200 – $35,100 | $25,200 – $35,100 | $27,300 – $40,500 |
| 28–36 squaresVery large older home or a small multi-unit building | $25,200 – $34,200 | $33,600 – $46,800 | $33,600 – $46,800 | $36,400 – $54,000 |
- Vinyl ($900–$950/sq)
- Generally Exterior Portfolio Market Square at .44 mil. A practical, paint-free choice for a postwar Cape Cod or rambler.
- LP SmartSide ($1,200–$1,300/sq)
- Our preferred default in Minnesota's freeze-thaw climate, and a good visual match for the wood clapboard many older homes started with.
- Fiber cement ($1,200–$1,300/sq)
- Available when asked for, at LP pricing. Heavy, fire-resistant, and demanding about installation details, which we cover below.
- Steel ($1,300–$1,500/sq)
- Christian's confirmed installed range is $1,300–$1,500 per square, about $13–$15 per square foot, depending on job factors. Easy to look after.
Line items that move a St. Paul number
- Insulated siding, offered at your request+$150 – $300 per square
- Rotted sheathing or board replacement uncovered at tear-off+$85 – $160 per sheet
- Kickout and step flashing corrected at roof and wall intersections+$350 – $900 per location
- Drip cap and trim wrap for each window or door head+$45 – $120 per opening
- House wrap over bare sheathing+$60 – $110 per square
- Additional siding layers or regulated-material removalquoted after inspection
- Single-elevation or partial repairquoted per job, no minimum
Ranges are installed totals in 2026 dollars — removal and disposal of the existing siding, house wrap, flashing and kickout details, trim, fasteners, permit, and cleanup included. They are planning numbers, not a quote. Wall area, number of stories, trim and gable complexity, window count, sheathing repair, and color availability all move the final figure. Repairs and partial-wall work are quoted on their own; there is no job-size minimum.
Which siding fits a St. Paul home?
All four systems are in our lineup and no single brand gets pushed. Here is how each performs on the older, uneven walls we work on across St. Paul.
| Material | Life in MN | Installed / square | Install time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl (Exterior Portfolio Market Square, .44 mil)Budget-friendly and maintenance-free. On out-of-plane walls we may shim or fur out first so the panels lie straight. | 20–40 years | $900 – $950 | 3–5 days |
| LP SmartSide engineered woodA strong match for original clapboard character. Narrow reveals and smooth or textured finishes are available, and it tolerates freeze-thaw well. | 30–50 years | $1,200 – $1,300 | 3–5 days |
| Fiber cementDurable and non-combustible, installed when requested. Uneven older walls make careful clearances and flashing even more important. | 40–50+ years | $1,200 – $1,300 | 3–5 days |
| SteelRot-free and rigid. Even so, hail can dent it. | 40–50+ years | $1,300 – $1,500 | 4–5 days |
Why we default to LP SmartSide — and what the research actually says
Our concern is with the fiber-cement category, not with a specific company's product. Cement board has an open, porous internal structure, and peer-reviewed research recorded that winter-style freeze-thaw cycling reshapes that structure and changes how the board flexes (Gorzelańczyk & Schabowicz, Materials journal, 2019, retrieved 2026-09-16).
Field data backs it up. Building Science Corporation's years-long Vancouver test on fiber-cement-clad assemblies traced their behavior mostly to drainage and drying behind the cladding (BSC Research Report RR-1306, retrieved 2026-09-16), while InspectAPedia's inspector reports on opened joints and cracked sealant point straight at clearance and flashing (InspectAPedia field reports, retrieved 2026-09-16). Older St. Paul walls are rarely flat, which makes those details harder to get right; it is one reason LP SmartSide is our own first suggestion here, and why any fiber-cement job we take follows the published installation manual exactly.
Is steel siding storm-proof?
Steel shrugs off fire and rot and keeps a crisp line, yet hailstones still dent sheet metal, and an adjuster will usually look first at dented gutters and trim. It is a lifespan-and-maintenance choice, not hail insurance.
Do St. Paul townhome or condo associations need color approval?
Most detached houses in St. Paul answer to no association, but condo buildings and townhome rows usually do. For those we prepare a review packet: product samples in hand, photos of the current facade, and a written list of the product, color and trim being proposed.
If the governing palette calls for a discontinued color, we bring the nearest in-production shade and mark it in the packet as a stand-in for the board to approve or decline.
Several buildings under one board can be planned and sequenced together. More on our townhome and HOA siding page and the commercial siding page.
- Product samples compared with the current facade
- Written review packet for the board or manager
- Marked stand-in for any discontinued color
- Sequenced plan for several buildings
Siding work from our crews
Do you repair siding on older St. Paul homes?
Yes, and there is no minimum. A soft porch wall, a chewed-up corner, or a strip removed to correct flashing can be priced by itself.
Siding on older homes is frequently out of production and has weathered for years, so a perfect blend is not guaranteed. We tell you in advance if a repair would show and give you a price for the full elevation as well.
Insulated siding is an available add-on for any St. Paul job, shown on its own line.
Who else does siding work in St. Paul?
St. Paul owners get approached by plenty of siding outfits, local and metro-wide, and sorting them out is hard. We searched the state's licensing data for the siding contractors that show up most often on the same St. Paul and east metro bids as us.
This is a lookup, not a judgment. Each name holds a Minnesota residential building contractor license. Entries are shown as filed, anything unconfirmed is marked, and the choice stays yours.
| Company | MN license | Status | Expires | Licensed address | BBB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craftsman's ChoiceCraftsmans Choice Inc | BC384780 | IssuedEnforcement flag on state record | 2027-03-31 | 5680 Quam Ave NE, Ste A, St Michael, MN 55376 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
| Super SidersWinslow Companies (DBA Super Siders) | BC632296 | Issued | 2028-03-31 | 10533 Karston Ave NE, Albertville, MN 55301 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
| Minnesota Exteriors IncMinnesota Exteriors Inc | BC002877 | Issued | 2028-03-31 | 8600 Jefferson Hwy, Maple Grove, MN 55369 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
| Twin Cities Siding & RoofingTwin Cities Siding Professionals Operating Company LLC (DBA Twin Cities Siding and Roofing) | BC752041 | Issued | 2027-03-31 | 6500 Carlson Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55346 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
| TWS RemodelingThe Window Store Inc (DBA TWS Remodeling) | BC773859 | Issued | 2028-03-31 | 9000 Science Center Dr, New Hope, MN 55428 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
| Garrett ConstructionGarrett Construction Limited Liability Company | BC785223 | Issued | 2027-03-31 | 2321 Rockwood Ave, St Paul, MN 55116 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
| Anchor Roofing & ExteriorsHudson Enterprises Inc (DBA Anchor Roofing and Exteriors) | BC689351 | Issued | 2028-03-31 | 101 Bridgepoint Way, Ste 140, South St Paul, MN 55075 | Unverified — BBB's published listing could not be retrieved on 2026-09-16. Check bbb.org directly. |
- Craftsman's Choice — License BC384780 was listed as Issued through March 31, 2027, at 5680 Quam Ave NE, Ste A, St Michael, MN 55376 in the Minnesota DLI residential contractor export retrieved September 16, 2026. The export's enforcement-action field is marked, but the export provides no action type, date, outcome, case number, or order text; we therefore make no claim about what occurred. DLI's enforcement materials state, ‘A Consent Order is not a finding of fact or admission of guilt.’ The export does not establish whether this flag relates to a Consent Order. Verify the current license and any enforcement information directly at dli.mn.gov.
- Super Siders — Licensed and active with no enforcement flag on the export. Long-standing license, originally issued 2008. Their own marketing claims about years in business and families served are self-reported and we have not verified them.
- Minnesota Exteriors Inc — Licensed and active with no enforcement flag, and one of the oldest license records in the export — originally issued January 1992. A separate entity, Minnesota Exteriors Commercial LLC (BC741401), holds its own active license for commercial work.
- Twin Cities Siding & Roofing — Licensed and active with no enforcement flag. Note the operating entity name differs from the trade name — worth checking that the contract you are handed names the licensed entity.
- TWS Remodeling — Licensed and active with no enforcement flag. An earlier, similarly named license (BC283598, Window Store LLC The) shows as voluntarily terminated — the current active record is the one above.
- Garrett Construction — Licensed and active with no enforcement flag; the license number published on their own site matches the state record. The license was originally issued in August 2021, which is worth weighing against marketing that cites a longer operating history.
- Anchor Roofing & Exteriors — Licensed and active with no enforcement flag. As with several on this list, the licensed entity name differs from the trade name you see on the truck.
License numbers, status, expiry, and addresses below are taken from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry residential contractor license export, retrieved 2026-09-16. License status and enforcement flags change — confirm current status yourself at dli.mn.gov before you sign anything with anyone, including us. BBB accreditation and rating are shown as unverified because we could not retrieve BBB's own published listings at the time of writing; we would rather label that gap than repeat a number we have not read at the source.
St. Paul siding questions
- How much does siding cost in St. Paul, MN?
- Vinyl is $900 to $950 per square (100 square feet), LP SmartSide and fiber cement are $1,200 to $1,300, and steel is $1,300 to $1,500. A 15 to 20 square St. Paul two-story runs about $13,500 to $19,000 in vinyl or $18,000 to $26,000 in LP SmartSide or fiber cement, before extra layers or regulated materials.
- How long does siding replacement take on a St. Paul home?
- Three to five days for vinyl, LP SmartSide, or fiber cement, and four to five days for steel. Extra layers, regulated materials, or damaged boards can extend the work.
- My house has several layers of siding. Do they all come off?
- Usually yes, so we can inspect and repair what is underneath. Additional layers are priced separately after inspection.
- What if my old siding contains asbestos or lead paint?
- If your existing siding or trim may contain asbestos or lead-based paint, we flag it at the estimate and tell you what testing is needed before any removal starts, so nothing is disturbed without the right precautions.
- Which siding looks closest to original wood clapboard?
- Our opinion: LP SmartSide in a narrow exposure gets closest to old clapboard and copes well with Minnesota freeze-thaw. Fiber cement is available if you prefer it.
- Is steel siding hail-proof?
- No. Sheet steel will not rot and keeps a straight line, but hailstones can still dent it.
- Do you do small siding repairs?
- Yes, small jobs are welcome. If new pieces would stand out against weathered siding, we say so beforehand and quote the whole elevation too.
- Do you work on storm-damaged siding?
- Our crew documents the damage in photos and shares that record with your own insurance adjuster. We perform the repair; we do not act as your public adjuster.
Christian Musta
Owner, Midwest Building Exteriors
Christian Musta owns Midwest Building Exteriors, a family-led exterior restoration company with offices in Richfield, Eagan, and St. Croix Falls. He has spent 10 years in the insurance restoration industry and holds a Minnesota Public Adjuster license — a credential that reflects his command of policy language, coverage, and claim ethics. Midwest Building Exteriors does not act as a public adjuster on jobs it repairs; Christian applies that insurance knowledge to how our crews document damage and communicate with the homeowner's own insurance adjuster during a project. Every city guide on this site is written and reviewed by him, using measurements, adjuster scopes, and tear-off findings from jobs his own crews completed.
- 10 years of experience in the insurance restoration industry
- Licensed Minnesota Public Adjuster — held as a credential of competency, ethics, and policy-language knowledge, not an adjusting service we provide
- Minnesota-licensed residential building contractor
- Manufacturer-certified roofing installer (Owens Corning, TAMKO, CertainTeed)
- Installs vinyl, LP SmartSide, fiber cement, and steel siding systems
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