Cost estimate
Window replacement (vinyl)
What replacing vinyl windows can cost per window, built from published wages, shelf prices and contractor cost data, and cross-checked against a federal database.
Data last checked . Every input is dated below.
Typical cost
Planning range $4,000 to $13,200
About $1,100 per window, typical.
typical
Where the money goes
- Labor$1,20014%
- Materials$3,70043%
- Permits and inspections$2403%
- Haul-away and disposal$1001%
- Contractor overhead and profit$3,40039%
For information only. A planning range, not a quote. We take care, but our sources can lag and so can we, so a figure may be out of date. It combines the low end of every input and the high end of every input, so it is deliberately wide. Real quotes can still fall outside it.
What moves the price
The same job can quote very differently. These are the usual reasons.
- Window grade and glass
- Stock vinyl windows sit at the low end of our range. Better frames, triple-pane or coated glass and wood or fiberglass frames cost more.
- Size and shape
- A larger window costs more to buy and takes more time to set. Bay, bow, arched and picture windows are priced differently.
- Opening and trim
- Fitting a new window inside the old frame is the simple case. New trim, rotted framing or brick and stucco openings add time.
- Floor and access
- Second-story windows, ladders or scaffolding and difficult access add labor.
- Lead paint in older homes
- Homes built before 1978 may need lead-safe work practices, which add time and cost.
The same job at other sizes, and in each state
Both tables use the same estimate as the calculator above and its first choice, inside the old frame (insert). They are here to read across; the calculator takes your own size and state.
| Size | Typical | Range | Per window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 windows | $1,450 | $600 to $2,250 | $1,429 |
| 6 windows | $6,600 | $3,100 to $10,100 | $1,097 |
| 11 windows | $11,700 | $5,500 to $17,900 | $1,067 |
| 15 windows | $15,900 | $7,500 to $24,200 | $1,057 |
| 20 windows | $21,000 | $10,000 to $32,100 | $1,051 |
Small jobs cost more per window because a contractor has a minimum charge, and the per-unit figure falls as the job grows until the minimum no longer applies.
Cost by state, at 8 windows
| State | Typical | Range | Against the US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $7,850 | $3,700 to $12,000 | −9% |
| Alaska | $9,550 | $4,400 to $14,600 | +10% |
| Arizona | $8,150 | $3,800 to $12,500 | −6% |
| Arkansas | $7,750 | $3,600 to $11,800 | −11% |
| California | $9,500 | $4,400 to $14,600 | +10% |
| Colorado | $8,600 | $4,000 to $13,200 | −1% |
| Connecticut | $8,600 | $4,000 to $13,200 | −1% |
| Delaware | $8,300 | $3,900 to $12,700 | −4% |
| District of Columbia | $9,100 | $4,300 to $13,900 | +5% |
| Florida | $8,100 | $3,800 to $12,400 | −6% |
| Georgia | $8,050 | $3,800 to $12,300 | −7% |
| Hawaii | $10,100 | $4,700 to $15,500 | +17% |
| Idaho | $8,100 | $3,800 to $12,400 | −6% |
| Illinois | $9,350 | $4,400 to $14,400 | +8% |
| Indiana | $8,300 | $3,900 to $12,800 | −4% |
| Iowa | $7,950 | $3,700 to $12,200 | −8% |
| Kansas | $8,050 | $3,800 to $12,300 | −7% |
| Kentucky | $8,000 | $3,800 to $12,200 | −7% |
| Louisiana | $7,750 | $3,600 to $11,800 | −10% |
| Maine | $8,400 | $3,900 to $12,800 | −3% |
| Maryland | $8,950 | $4,200 to $13,700 | +3% |
| Massachusetts | $9,050 | $4,200 to $13,900 | +5% |
| Michigan | $8,250 | $3,900 to $12,700 | −4% |
| Minnesota | $8,850 | $4,100 to $13,500 | +2% |
| Mississippi | $7,800 | $3,700 to $11,900 | −10% |
| Missouri | $8,350 | $3,900 to $12,800 | −3% |
| Montana | $8,200 | $3,800 to $12,500 | −5% |
| Nebraska | $7,900 | $3,700 to $12,100 | −9% |
| Nevada | $8,550 | $4,000 to $13,100 | −1% |
| New Hampshire | $8,500 | $4,000 to $13,100 | −1% |
| New Jersey | $9,300 | $4,400 to $14,300 | +8% |
| New Mexico | $8,100 | $3,800 to $12,400 | −6% |
| New York | $9,450 | $4,400 to $14,500 | +9% |
| North Carolina | $7,900 | $3,700 to $12,100 | −8% |
| North Dakota | $8,100 | $3,800 to $12,400 | −6% |
| Ohio | $8,150 | $3,800 to $12,500 | −6% |
| Oklahoma | $7,700 | $3,600 to $11,700 | −11% |
| Oregon | $9,150 | $4,300 to $14,000 | +6% |
| Pennsylvania | $8,500 | $4,000 to $13,000 | −1% |
| Rhode Island | $8,450 | $3,900 to $12,900 | −2% |
| South Carolina | $8,050 | $3,800 to $12,300 | −7% |
| South Dakota | $7,850 | $3,700 to $12,000 | −9% |
| Tennessee | $8,000 | $3,800 to $12,200 | −7% |
| Texas | $8,050 | $3,800 to $12,300 | −7% |
| Utah | $8,100 | $3,800 to $12,400 | −6% |
| Vermont | $8,350 | $3,900 to $12,800 | −3% |
| Virginia | $8,400 | $4,000 to $12,900 | −3% |
| Washington | $9,400 | $4,400 to $14,400 | +9% |
| West Virginia | $8,050 | $3,800 to $12,300 | −7% |
| Wisconsin | $8,250 | $3,900 to $12,700 | −4% |
| Wyoming | $8,100 | $3,800 to $12,400 | −6% |
Each state's wages for this trade, material price level and permit level are applied to the same job. They are statewide averages; towns within a state differ, and an expensive city and a rural county can sit far apart.
How we got these numbers
Labor, parts, overhead and permits, added up. Each assumption below says how solid it is.
Checked sourcePublished, secondhandOur estimate
- Our estimateLabor hours of 2.5 to 5 per window (removing the old sash, fitting, insulating, caulking and basic interior trim) are our estimate. We found no reliable time study.
- Checked sourceMaterials of $253 to $650 per window start from Lowe's shelf prices on 4 Nov 2026 for stock vinyl windows about 36 x 60 inches ($197 to $319) plus an allowance for foam, caulk, shims and flashing ($25 to $75). The upper end covers better vinyl lines we did not price.
- Our estimate2% waste covers damaged units and offcuts.
- Checked sourcePermit fees of $100 to $380: window permits cost $100 to $254 in the official city fee schedules we read (Auburn CA, Pleasanton CA, Albany NY; a small sample, not a national survey), and many places need no permit for like-for-like replacement.
- Checked sourcePayroll costs of 21% to 27% of wages follow the Census 2022 figure for finish carpentry contractors (fringe benefits 23.0% of payroll).
- Checked sourceOverhead and profit of 50% to 70% is added on top of wages with payroll costs, materials, permits and disposal. Census 2022: finish carpentry contractors' receipts were 60% above direct cost; NAHB's remodeler study gives 43%.
- Checked sourceCross-check: the US government-funded REMDB database (2023 dollars) puts replacing a 15 sq ft vinyl window at about $630 (low), $1,360 (middle) and $2,840 (high) installed. Our range and typical figure sit inside that band.
- Not includedBrick, stucco or siding repair, new interior or exterior trim beyond the basics, custom or specialty windows, bay windows, security glass and permits for structural changes are not included.
- Our estimateFull frame, down to the studs: Labor hours of 4 to 8 per window (taking out the old frame, flashing the opening, setting and insulating the new frame, and fitting new trim) are our estimate. Contractor and cost-guide pages give anything from 3 to 8 hours or more, with no measured study behind them, so the range is wide.
- Checked sourceFull frame, down to the studs: Materials of $318 to $795 per window are the insert figures plus $65 to $145 for flashing tape, a sill pan, foam, extra shims and exterior and interior trim stock. The Lowe's stock window price is the same as for an insert.
- Our estimateFull frame, down to the studs: Disposal of $0 to $60 a window is higher than for an insert because a whole frame and its trim come out.
- Not includedFull frame, down to the studs: Siding, brick or stucco repair around the opening, structural rot repair and new interior finishing beyond basic trim are not included. Rotted framing found when the old frame comes out is the most common surprise.
Sources
Where each input comes from, and when we last looked.
- Checked sourceU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data year 2025, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceU.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Economic Census, table EC2223BASIC (Construction: Summary Statistics), NAICS 238350 Finish Carpentry Contractors (the group that includes residential window and door installation), United States; fringe benefits are 23.0% of payroll and revenue is 60% above direct cost. Data year 2022, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceLowe's shelf prices read on lowes.com product pages, Central Columbus OH (43211) store, 4 Nov 2026: stock vinyl windows about 36 x 60 in at $197 to $319. Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-04.
- Our estimateNo reliable time study found; the hours are our estimate, cross-checked against the Census figure of $176 of work per field labor-hour for finish carpentry contractors and against the REMDB installed-cost range. Data year 2022, checked 2026-11-04.
- Published, secondhandNAHB Remodelers' Cost of Doing Business Study, 2026 edition (fiscal 2024), as reported by NAHB's Eye on Housing blog, 8 Apr 2026: revenue about 43% above direct cost (33% in 2021). Data year 2024, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceNREL National Residential Efficiency Measures Database (REMDB), 2024 release (2023 dollars, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0): installed cost = retail price x installation multiplier. Used only as a cross-check; our arithmetic. Data year 2023, checked 2026-11-04.
- Checked sourceOfficial city building permit fee schedules read 5 Nov 2026: City of Auburn CA (building fees, 24 May 2025), City of Pleasanton CA (building permit and plan review fees) and City of Albany NY (building and zoning permit application fees, revised Feb 2026). Three small or mid-size cities, not a national survey; fees in larger cities and valuation-based schedules can be higher. Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-05.
- Our estimateOur working assumptions, marked as estimates on this page; not checked against contractor quotes. Data year 2026, checked 2026-11-04.
- Published, secondhandU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state (US = 100), as republished by FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis). Goods parity is used for materials and all-items parity as a rough stand-in for permit fees. Data year 2024, checked 2026-11-04.