Pick your material, window type and installation method to see a per-window price and a realistic total for the whole job — rot allowance included.
Updated September 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Estimate your window replacement
Cost per window
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Job total
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Range
Inserts cost less but you inherit the old frame's problems. Rot repair is priced per affected window once the old frame is open.
What drives window replacement cost
Most quotes are built from a per-window base price, then adjusted. The four levers that matter:
Frame material: vinyl runs $450 to $750 installed, fiberglass $600 to $1,000, wood-clad $750 to $1,200+, aluminum $500 to $900.
Window type: casements and awnings run 20 to 30% above double-hungs. Bays and bows are a different animal entirely at $2,500 to $5,500 installed — they're really three or more windows plus structural support.
Insert vs full-frame: inserts save $100 to $350 per window but keep the old frame. Full-frame work pushes labor higher — labor is already 30 to 45% of a straightforward job.
Rot: the wildcard line item at $150 to $400 per affected window once the old frame is open.
How the math works
We start from the installed per-window base for your material, apply the type adjustment, then add the full-frame premium if you're pulling frames. The rot allowance uses the affected-window count you enter — an honest contractor prices unknowns as a unit rate up front rather than a blank check. Disposal and exterior sealant adds a couple hundred dollars to any whole-house job.
Tip: get quotes itemized per window, not as one lump number. The itemized version is the only way to compare bids when one crew assumes inserts and the other assumes full-frame.
A typical 10-window house lands between $6,500 and $13,500 installed. Vinyl inserts sit at the bottom of that range; full-frame wood or fiberglass jobs sit at the top. Our worked example — 8 vinyl double-hung inserts, 1 casement, 1 picture, disposal and sealant — came to about $6,300.
What is the difference between insert and full-frame replacement?
Inserts fit inside your existing frames and run roughly $100 to $350 less per window. You give up some glass area and inherit whatever problems the old frame has. Full-frame replacement pulls everything out to the rough opening — the right call when frames are rotting or you want a different size.
Which window material is best for the money?
Vinyl is the volume seller with decent low-E glass standard now. Fiberglass is stronger and more dimensionally stable for about $150 to $250 more per window. Wood-interior with clad exterior is the premium look but more maintenance-prone. Aluminum mostly survives in warm-climate markets.
Why do casement windows cost more than double-hungs?
Hardware. Casements and awnings run 20 to 30% more than a double-hung of the same size because of cranks, hinges and sash mechanisms. Picture windows, with no hardware at all, cost less than an operable unit of the same size.
