New Study Debunks Actual Cost of Brick Homes

Words: Lorelei HarloeAn independent study debunks common misperceptions of the actual cost to build a brick home versus competing exteriors.

RSMeans, North America's leading supplier of construction cost information, developed "The Installed Cost of Residential Siding" study for the Brick Industry Association (BIA). The October 2015 study compares RSMean's estimated construction cost of homes with brick veneer over wood framing with stone veneer, fiber cement, wood siding, wood shingles, vinyl siding and cement stucco in major metro areas throughout the U.S.

Nationally, RSMeans estimates that the average total construction costs of brick wall cladding is just 8 percent more than vinyl siding, 1 to 3 percent more than stucco and wood siding and 4 to 6 percent more than wood shingle and fiber cement siding. Moreover, brick is estimated at 13 to 15 percent less than comparable homes with stone veneer. In 11 of 17 major, selected U.S. markets, brick's cost is not only less expensive than stone in every single market, it is also less expensive than wood siding.

"The initial cost of a brick home is quite competitive, especially since most homes require less exterior cladding than people think," said Ray Leonhard, BIA's president and CEO. "An average 2,700- square-foot two-story house only needs 2,265 square feet of cladding material when accounting for windows, doors, etc."

Leonhard said the unparalleled benefits of brick more than offset the relatively small increase in the initial cost of a new a brick home, including little to no maintenance with no painting required; extreme durability with some 100-year manufacturer warranties; better fire and wind safety; non-fading color and reduced exterior noise with improved energy savings.

The metropolitan areas shown here include Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; Indianapolis, Indiana; Jacksonville, Florida; Kansas City, Missouri; Louisville, Kentucky; Minneapolis, Minnesota; the New York City suburbs; Nashville, Tennessee; Raleigh, North Carolina; and the Washington, D.C. suburbs.
Terminations: The Hardest Part of Leadership
May 2026

Throughout my career, I’ve faced a wide variety of challenges, some technical, some interpersonal, and many that forced me to adapt quickly. These days, most of my work is behind a computer in an office, but the lessons I’ve learned apply wherever I go.

Damian Lang
Business Management
Read More
The Compliance Shield: Navigating the New Standards of Field Oversight
May 2026

The modern job site is undergoing a quiet but significant transformation. While the physical act of laying a block remains the core of the trade, the environment surrounding that work is becoming increasingly data-driven. We are moving away from the era o

Shayne Sanders
MAP Partner
Read More
When GEORGE Met BOB: Ironsite Is MCAA's First AI-Centered Cornerstone Partner
May 2026

Earlier this year at World of Concrete, I taught the AI Test Drive class and gave attendees an early look at GEORGE 3.0, which we're set to release later this year. As I was wrapping up the session and people were still asking questions, the team from Iro

Dan Kamys
MAP Partner
Read More
Ironsite Joins Masonry Alliance Program as Newest Cornerstone Partner
May 2026

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) is thrilled to announce that Ironsite will be joining the Masonry Alliance Program (MAP) at the Cornerstone level.

MAP Partner
Read More