Window Replacement Cost: $900 Installed by Frame Type (2026)

How much does window replacement cost

Published US prices. The guides measure different things: HomeGuide prices a typical installed window, while This Old House averages what 1,000 homeowners reported paying, so both are shown.

The window itself is most of the bill. HomeGuide says the unit is 65% to 75% of the cost and labor is the rest, about $100 to $500 per window. That is why frame material, glass and window style move the price far more than the installer's hourly rate does. A new opening or a change in window size adds cost. HomeGuide notes low-E glass coatings add 10% to 20% to the window price.

Window replacement cost by frame material

Per window. HomeGuide, Feb 2026 (its vinyl section gives $350 to $1,500); HomeAdvisor, June 2026; This Old House, Aug 2026.

Notice the gap. This Old House's survey shows every frame within about $110 of the others, while HomeAdvisor's averages nearly triple from aluminum to wood. Get quotes for two frame materials on the same windows and compare them line by line.

Cost by window type

HomeGuide, Feb 2026. Bay and bow windows project out from the wall.

Double-pane glass runs $400 to $2,000 installed and triple-pane $450 to $3,000 in HomeGuide's data. This Old House's survey found $529 for double-pane and $609 for triple-pane.

Full-house window replacement cost

HomeGuide, Feb 2026; HomeAdvisor, June 2026. HomeAdvisor's brackets do not line up exactly with HomeGuide's counts, so its window count is shown in each cell.

A same-size, same-type swap typically needs no permit in HomeGuide's guide; changing a window's size means reframing the opening, which HomeGuide prices at $50 to $200 on top.

Insert vs. full-frame window replacement

There are two ways to put in a replacement window, and the choice changes both price and result. This Old House explains the difference and cites Angi's estimates:

• Insert (pocket) replacement slides a new window into the existing frame. The old frame stays. Angi's estimate: $100 to $400 per window. It works when the old frame is square and solid, and you keep the same size and style. The new unit sits inside the old frame, so you lose a little glass area.
• Full-frame replacement strips the window down to the rough opening: head, side jambs and sill. Angi's estimate: $180 to $1,500 per window. It is the right call when the frame is rotted, warped or out of square, when you want a different size or style, or when you suspect water damage, because opening the wall exposes it.

If the sill is soft or there are stains on the wall under a window, ask for full-frame. Water that gets in around a window can reach the siding and the wall framing; see siding repair for water behind siding, and stucco repair if your house is stucco, where HomeGuide lists cracks around windows and doors as a sign of water getting in.

Fogged double-pane windows: repair the seal or replace the window

Condensation or haze between the two panes means the seal on the insulated glass unit has failed. You cannot wipe it off, and HomeGuide lists it as one of the signs a window is due. But the whole window does not always need to go. Reuben Saltzman of Structure Tech lays out three options:

1. Check the warranty first. If the manufacturer's warranty covers the seal, call the manufacturer with the serial numbers. Replacement sashes are often free or low cost.
2. Replace only the glass unit. Structure Tech's June 2026 update puts a small insulated glass unit at $250 or more, with most between $300 and $700. Size, grids, tempered glass and windows above the first floor cost more. HomeGuide's 2026 range for double-pane glass replacement is $300 to $800.
3. Replace the whole window. The most expensive route, and the right one when the frame is failing too, or when, as HomeGuide notes, no compatible replacement glass can be found.

ENERGY STAR windows and the tax credit in 2026

ENERGY STAR says certified windows lower household energy bills by an average of up to 13% nationwide when they replace single-pane windows. Certification is set by climate zone, so look for the ENERGY STAR label for your zone next to the NFRC label on the glass. If you are replacing windows to cut energy use, check the attic too; attic insulation is another place to cut energy use.

The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, which covered up to $600 for qualifying windows, applied only to property placed in service from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2025, per the IRS. Windows installed in 2026 do not qualify, even though some cost guides still list the credit.

Permits and the lead paint rule for homes built before 1978

EPA says about three-quarters of US homes built before 1978 still contain some lead-based paint. Under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, anyone paid to disturb paint in a pre-1978 home must be lead-safe certified, including one-person companies. The rule's small-job exemption (6 square feet or less per room inside, 20 square feet or less outside) does not apply to window replacement, so on a pre-1978 house the window company generally needs RRP certification no matter how many windows you replace. The rule generally does not cover homeowners doing their own work, unless the home is a rental. Local permit rules vary, so ask the installer whether your city requires one and who pulls it.

Window replacement near me: how to pick an installer

• Get the quote itemized. Each window's size, frame material, glass package, insert or full-frame, trim and haul-away. That makes quotes comparable.
• Ask which installation method they plan, and why. A company that quotes inserts on every window without checking the frames is guessing.
• Ask for the RRP certification if the house was built before 1978.
• Ask about licensing. In Arizona, the Registrar of Contractors generally requires a license when labor and materials exceed $1,000 or a permit is needed, and window installation falls under its R-7 and C-7 carpentry classifications. In California, any home improvement job over $500 needs a written contract, and the down payment cannot exceed $1,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is less (CSLB). Rules differ by state; ask which license applies where you live and get the number.
• Ask what the warranty covers: the glass seal, the frame and the installation labor are often separate.

Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes window jobs. How calls work. For other jobs, see who to call or the full home repair cost guide.

Signs your windows need replacing

HomeGuide's list: cracked glass, a rotting frame, condensation between panes, windows that are hard to open or close, drafts, rising energy bills, and windows more than 20 years old. It suggests replacing windows after 15 to 30 years or when the seals leak. Water stains on the wall or floor below a window can point to a leak, not just an old window; leak detection and water damage restoration cover what to do if the wall is wet.