Vinyl siding cost in Altoona, PA

Local wages behind the labor line

Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Altoona is 0.95 times the national level.

For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 60%) the local median is $27.58 an hour, which is 5% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.09 and $36.73 an hour. BLS counts 360 of them working in the area, 61.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is deeper than average.

Construction laborers (47-2061), 30% of the weighting: a median of $22.03 an hour, in line with the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.45 and $24.02 an hour. About 350 work in the metro. That is 59.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.

For sheet metal workers (47-2211, weighted 10%) the local median is $28.19 an hour, which is 5% below the national $29.71. The middle half of them earn between $22.58 and $34.73 an hour. BLS counts 50 of them working in the area, 8.5 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 7.7), so the local bench is about average.

Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($36.73 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $1,600. At the 25th percentile ($22.09) it shrinks by about $950. The total moves by 9.6% or 5.8%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.

For context on the local economy, BLS counts 58,650 jobs in the Altoona area. That makes it the 291st largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.04% of US employment.

Altoona against nearby metros and the rest of Pennsylvania

Same job, same size (2,100 sq ft of wall), priced for the nearest metros. Pittsburgh is the priciest of the group at $17,000. Chambersburg is the cheapest at $15,900.

Across 300 US metros, Altoona comes in at #129 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $22,700; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $13,500 (midpoints, 2,100 sq ft of wall). Statewide, Altoona is 2% below the Pennsylvania figure.

Other Pennsylvania metros

Cities with a workforce like Altoona's

Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Altoona against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.

Planning more than one job in Altoona?

Because every project leans on different trades, Altoona's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, attic insulation runs +1% and roof replacement −11%.

When to schedule vinyl siding in Altoona

We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Altoona 3 W (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.

March through November is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Altoona (9 of 12 months). January, February and December have an average daytime high under 45°F.

In January, February and December the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.

Altoona gets about 45 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 38 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and September (4.4 inches in May). Inside the workable window, March and November are the driest, at 3.5 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 6 days a year at 90°F or above.

Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.

Vinyl siding: what moves the price in Altoona

• Old siding removal

  Taking the old siding off costs $0.70-$2.00 per sq ft. Check that disposal is included.

• Labor and season

  Siding labor is $40-$80 an hour or $2-$6 per sq ft, and it is highest in warm months.

• Wall area is not floor area

  A 2,000 sq ft house usually has more wall area than floor area once you count gables and two stories. Measure the wall, not the floor.

Altoona: what basic, standard and premium work costs

Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Altoona wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.