What do think is a fair price to have a standard size home window installed?

Had a company give us an estimate to install three standard sized windows for $3400. The companie's name is Improveit and are based in Ohio. The windows are energy star rated and all the good bits offered by the big guys. What's grm think?

I should add the windows are their own design that they themselves manufacturer.

Sounds high to me. Price some energy star windows at Lowes Depot installed and see what the going rate is. Lotta variables involved here.

It depends entirely upon the window. You can get Energy Star rated all-vinyl windows and Energy Star rated all-wood, fiberglass-clad windows. The price will vary widely.

I work at Home Depot. Don't get windows at Home Depot.

First of all, the high-dollar offerings at HD like Pella and Andersen are built cheaply for the big box stores. They aren't the same quality as what you would get directly from the manufacturer. They are also just designed for new construction. The chances that they would fit your openings is very slim.

Have HD come out and give you an estimate. They use outside contractors who get custom replacement windows, but the whole thing is backed by HD. Its a pretty good deal. A little tip for you... Don't take the first offer from HD. Sit on it. They will call you in a week to take another swing and by that point you'll have 4 other bids in your pocket that you can use to negotiate.

Get on Yelp or Angie's List and do a search for local window contractors. I just had 14 windows put in my house (including two massive 8' wide sliders) for $5123, but that was due to my insane negotiation skills. They had all the bells and whistles; energy star, E3, argon filled, breakproof, etc. They are from a company named Vista. I'm ridiculously impressed with their build quality for the price. The installer was top-notch. I got lucky.

If they're relatively normal sized windows, I'd budget $300-$500 each installed. The going rate around here is $100/window for installation, or a bit more if you actually want them to insulate while the window is out. Then figure $200 & up for the window.

Sorry guys...more details.

Windows are 36x50.

Their windows are made with pure vinyl, fully insulated, braced for strength, and are dual pane. Heat welded seams . Also have a lifetime warranty.

The house is brick and the windows are custom built to the window opening not a spec size and then altered to "fit" .

All that being said all my coworkers except one thought $1000+ per window was crazy.

I think we are the same category as roofs, siding, asphalt driveways, mattresses,.......education + many quotes is the answer.

i paid an average of $500 per window on my colonial about 6 years ago. that includes a bay window and two 72" x 48" windows in the family room. the rest were 60" x 24" or something like that. gas-filled dual pane vinyl yada yada

Odd size windows in a brick veneer = Ben Dover pricing

All windows are custom. I think the only "standard" sizes are the ones at home depot or Lowes. I did windows last year and paid $200 ea for them, but installed them myself in about 30 minutes each.

Doors, that's another story. I just had to pay $800 for two custom steel entrance doors, because nothing is standard in my 125 year old farm house.

TRoglodyte wrote: Odd size windows in a brick veneer = Ben Dover pricing

No joke, our small house is brick. We had Thermal Windows come give us a quote last year. For 1 avg sized, 4 large (think same size as OP) and the BIG one in our bedroom (6'x5' with an arch top) came out to $5k.

We went on vacation instead.

Just spoke to a company that sells German engineered windows by Veka. He said there's no way he could charge more than $500. He mentioned the nation average window replacement cost was $800 per window.

I had a quote last month for eighteen windows for 17k. 14k if I financed through them and decided then and there. I said no thanks.. They called back this week, I said no thanks again. I think Curtis has the right idea.

I usually charge $400-500 per hole depending on size, difficulty of install, and how much material i need to buy to do the job above the window itself, insulation, and caulk. I am also in ohio...

I use the #1 ranked vinyl replacement windows by JD power... Simonton brand. good stuff. they are so good i put them in my own house. which says a bit if you know me.

Dumb question...I've got some wood sash Anderson windows that the bottom sashes are rotting on. Can I get just the lower sash and have it installed, or is it just cheaper to do the entire window?

Yes, you can get just a lower sash.

No, it is not a good idea.

In reply to curtis73:

I think you said don't buy from HD, but buy from HD and wait for them to negotiate.

???

dankspeed wrote: Just spoke to a company that sells German engineered windows by Veka. He said there's no way he could charge more than $500. He mentioned the nation average window replacement cost was $800 per window.

Installed? He's lying.

He most certainly CAN charge more than $500

Ask him what they will cost if they are argon filled low E triple panes iwith a thermal break in a brick wall with aluminum wrapped frames.

Your specs are not detailed enough to offer a good answer to your question.

He is just trying to hook you, then run up the change orders.

I'm actually having windows installed from Window World right now. The guys here are subcontractors, but they seem to be doing a fine job. Four "regular" windows, and one large 1/3,1/4,1/3 window is running $2300 installed. They are energy rated argon filled, lifetime warranty on breakage and everything, etc. I read a bunch of reviews, they are basically the Walmart of the window world. I got a couple quotes from local places, the windows I actually wanted Made in USA etc but same spec would have been $2600 just for the 1/3, 1/4, 1/3 window.... The GRMer in me saw the savings as money spent on stuff I like more than windows...

In reply to SVreX: What kind of details would help? He was trying to say he as a business man couldn't charge more because he would feel he is cheating his customer.

I recently for a quote for new windows in my tiny house which happens to have 14 windows (including the two in the garage). 100% vinyl, double pane, argon filled and he tried to give me a line of crap about replacements would be better than doing a full re-install (I want the siding stripped and replaced at the same time). $14,000. Without the siding.

Umm... do I at least get a reach-around?

My g/f had custom sized, double-pane, true-divided light replacement windows made for her house by Pella (from a stand alone Pella store, no THD). They were about $800 ea. The full-glass windows (interior, removable dividers) were about 1/2 that. We installed them ourselves over a couple of weeks. By the time we finished, we could R&R a window in about an hour.

Zomby Woof wrote: All windows are custom. I think the only "standard" sizes are the ones at home depot or Lowes. I did windows last year and paid $200 ea for them, but installed them myself in about 30 minutes each.

+1 on the DIY labor

I paid 200-400 for each depending on the size for UV glass double pane gas filled windows from a good brand name at a local supply place. They don't usually sell to you unless you are a contractor but the idea that anyone was turning down a guy with cash and his own truck to haul them away disappeared when I said "I need a lot of them. I can probably find someone else to take my money but you came highly recommended".

I did 22 windows on my last house for around $6200 (in 2002 dollars).

After the first 2 or 3 you can bang them out in half an hour each, no sweat unless you are changing the size and/or have to build a new frame. I had a stone farmhouse so... we made the windows to fit the hole. The only other options were "smaller" or "dynamite" :) I did have a few with rot and had to repair that - those take time but are not very difficult.

dankspeed wrote: In reply to SVreX: What kind of details would help? He was trying to say he as a business man couldn't charge more because he would feel he is cheating his customer.

I'm glad you think that to be the case. It's just not the way the industry works.

The way the industry works is to offer a price for a base level window, then up-sell.

He is correct that $500 is a fair price for an installed base window. In fact, it is a little high. But almost no one ever ends up buying a base window.

A good window manufacturer offers a custom product to properly fit the opening. However, consumers are very ignorant about the products, and always compare prices against Home Depot and Lowes.

Lowes and HD only offer base line products in standard sizes for new construction.

So, in order for a business to even be considered, they have to offer a "similar" product. So, they price a base line unit, then up-sell for the aluminum trim on the frame, the brick wall, Low E, replacement sizing, or disposal of old windows.

If the only product he can sell would never pass $500 installed, he is probably only offering base line products. I've seen windows that cost several thousands of dollars each, so there is always room to charge more if the customer picks an expensive unit.

Also, be aware that manufacturers of vinyl windows change corporate structure with great frequency to avoid paying claims on "lifetime" warranties.

Going rate for an installed basic vinyl window in new construction is about $225- $250. An installed basic vinyl replacement window should be about $300- 350, but $400- 600 is more typical in the end. A premium window in a difficult install can be $600- $800 per opening. If you buy them from HD or Sears, they can easily hit $1200 per opening.

So, the details of the unit and the install will determine the price.

Brick wall? Leaving existing trim? Wrapping existing frame with aluminum? Low E? Thermal break? Replacement sizing or standard new construction? Name brand? Size of air space between panes? Argon filled? etc. etc.