How much does it cost to replace a window?

Most standard residential windows run $450 to $1,200 installed, with vinyl double-hung units at the low end and wood-framed casements or impact-rated units at the high end. A bay or bow window is $1,800 to $4,200 or more.

Are impact-rated windows worth the extra cost?

In a coastal wind-borne debris zone they are usually required by code, so the comparison is against approved shutters or panels rather than against nothing. They add roughly 60% over standard double glazing but are permanently installed, add security and sound reduction, and often earn a wind-mitigation insurance discount.

What is the difference between insert and full-frame replacement?

An insert unit fits inside the existing frame, keeping the exterior trim and losing a small amount of glass area. Full-frame removes everything back to the rough opening so new flashing and trim go in. Full-frame costs about 30% more and is the only correct choice when the sill or jamb is rotten.

How long does it take to replace ten windows?

Two installers typically complete four to eight insert replacements a day, so ten windows is one to two days. Full-frame work runs about half that pace, plus interior patching and painting afterwards.

Do replacement windows need a permit?

Like-for-like replacement often does not, but changing the opening size, altering egress in a bedroom, or installing in a high-velocity hurricane zone almost always does. Impact-rated installations usually need a permit and an inspection to qualify for an insurance credit.

Will new windows pay for themselves in energy savings?

Rarely on energy alone. Replacing single-pane windows with modern double glazing gives a real reduction in heating and cooling load, but the payback period is typically well over fifteen years. Comfort, noise, operation and resale value are the honest reasons.

Window Replacement Cost Calculator

Enter how many windows you are replacing and what you are putting in to get a low-to-high installed cost, both per window and for the whole job. The breakdown separates materials, installation labor and disposal of the old units.

Number of windows

Count openings, not sashes. A double-hung unit is one window.

Window type

Frame material

Glazing

Impact-rated glass is required in most coastal wind-borne debris zones.

Installation method

Insert keeps the existing frame; full-frame tears back to the rough opening.

Regional market

Estimated total cost

$4,500 – $9,000

10 windows, installed

Cost per window: $450 – $900
Most likely total: $6,750
Materials (windows & trim)60% of the job: $2,700 – $5,400
Installation labor36% of the job: $1,620 – $3,240
Removal & disposal4% of the job: $180 – $360

What this figure includes

These are installed prices for a professional replacement of standard-size residential windows in sound openings, including basic interior and exterior trim, sealant, flashing at the head, and haul-away of the old units. They do not include repairing rotten framing or sills, structural headers, re-sizing openings, interior drywall or plaster repair beyond the trim line, custom shapes, stained-glass or leaded units, painting, or window treatments. Lead-safe work practices on pre-1978 houses add cost.

How this is calculated

The formula

Window replacement is priced per opening, then adjusted by four choices:

Cost per window = base type price × frame factor × glazing factor × install factor × regional factor

Total = cost per window × number of windows

The base price is set by the operating style, because that determines how much hardware and glass the unit carries. A slider is the cheapest common unit at roughly $400 to $850 installed. A double-hung, with two moving sashes, balances and tilt hardware, runs about $450 to $900. A casement, with a crank operator and a compression seal, runs $550 to $1,150. A bay or bow is really three to five units on a built-out frame with a seat board, head board and its own roof, so it sits in a different bracket entirely at $1,800 to $4,200.

Frame material multiplies that base. Vinyl is the baseline at 1.0. Aluminium is about 1.1 and is now mostly used where a thermal break and a slim sightline are both needed. Fiberglass is about 1.35, and is the material that moves least with temperature. Wood or wood-clad is about 1.55 and is often what a historic district requires.

Glazing is the factor people underestimate. A standard double-pane low-E unit is the baseline. Triple glazing adds about 25%. Impact-rated glass — a laminated interlayer in a reinforced frame, tested to Florida or Miami-Dade standards — adds about 60%, and in most coastal wind-borne debris zones it is not optional. It is worth pricing against the alternative: impact windows usually cost less over ten years than shutters plus the labour of putting them up, and many insurers discount the wind portion of a policy for them.

Install method is the last factor. An insert replacement drops a new unit into the existing frame and is the baseline. Full-frame tears out to the rough opening, which is the only honest option when the sill or jamb is rotten, and adds about 30% because it brings new flashing, new trim inside and out, and drywall work.

A worked example

Ten double-hung windows, vinyl frame, impact-rated glass, insert replacement, in a coastal metro at 1.35:

Factor: 1.0 × 1.6 × 1.0 × 1.35 = 2.16
Per window: $450 × 2.16 = $972 low, $900 × 2.16 = $1,944 high
Ten windows: $9,720 to $19,440

Switch to full-frame because the sills are soft, and the same job runs $12,636 to $25,272. The windows did not change. The condition of the openings did.

Where the money goes

Materials — the units themselves plus trim, flashing and sealant — are about 60% of the bill. Installation labour is about 36%, typically two installers doing four to eight openings a day on inserts and half that on full-frame. Removal and disposal is about 4%, and on a pre-1978 house it climbs, because lead-safe containment, plastic sheeting and HEPA cleanup are legally required.

Reading a window quote

Compare quotes on the unit, not the discount. Ask for the manufacturer, the line within that manufacturer, the U-factor and the SHGC, and whether the labour warranty is separate from the product warranty. A quote that names only "energy-efficient vinyl windows" cannot be compared with anything.

Doing the whole house at once is meaningfully cheaper per opening than doing four now and six later — the crew mobilises once, the units come on one delivery, and any volume pricing applies. If the budget will not stretch, replace by elevation rather than by room, so the exterior still reads as one job.

Cost figures last reviewed 9 Sept 2026 · Installed per-window price ranges by operating style, national averages.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to replace a window?: Most standard residential windows run $450 to $1,200 installed, with vinyl double-hung units at the low end and wood-framed casements or impact-rated units at the high end. A bay or bow window is $1,800 to $4,200 or more.
Are impact-rated windows worth the extra cost?: In a coastal wind-borne debris zone they are usually required by code, so the comparison is against approved shutters or panels rather than against nothing. They add roughly 60% over standard double glazing but are permanently installed, add security and sound reduction, and often earn a wind-mitigation insurance discount.
What is the difference between insert and full-frame replacement?: An insert unit fits inside the existing frame, keeping the exterior trim and losing a small amount of glass area. Full-frame removes everything back to the rough opening so new flashing and trim go in. Full-frame costs about 30% more and is the only correct choice when the sill or jamb is rotten.
How long does it take to replace ten windows?: Two installers typically complete four to eight insert replacements a day, so ten windows is one to two days. Full-frame work runs about half that pace, plus interior patching and painting afterwards.
Do replacement windows need a permit?: Like-for-like replacement often does not, but changing the opening size, altering egress in a bedroom, or installing in a high-velocity hurricane zone almost always does. Impact-rated installations usually need a permit and an inspection to qualify for an insurance credit.
Will new windows pay for themselves in energy savings?: Rarely on energy alone. Replacing single-pane windows with modern double glazing gives a real reduction in heating and cooling load, but the payback period is typically well over fifteen years. Comfort, noise, operation and resale value are the honest reasons.