Window replacement cost

Two numbers matter in a quote: the unit price and the install price. Cheap units with good install usually outperform premium units with bad install, because most real-world window failures are water and air leaks at the perimeter, not glass defects.

By style, NerdWallet's 2026 figures put single-hung units around $100–$400, double-hung around $150–$650, casement around $150–$1,000, and bay windows anywhere from $900 to $7,100 before labor. By frame, vinyl runs about $100–$900, wood $150–$1,300, fiberglass $500–$1,500, and aluminum $75–$400.

Costs jump when the opening changes. Enlarging an opening, adding an egress window, replacing rotted framing, or repairing siding and interior trim are separate line items. If a quote is suspiciously low, check whether it assumes the existing opening is perfectly sound.

One 2026 change worth knowing: the federal 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, which covered 30% of qualifying window costs up to $600 a year, applied only through the end of 2025 per ENERGY STAR. Do not let a salesperson price a 2026 job as if that federal credit still applies. State, local, and utility rebates are separate and may still exist — check your own utility.

How to choose

Get three quotes on the same scope

Write down the frame material, glass package, and insert-vs-full-frame decision, then ask all three companies to bid that. Otherwise you are comparing different jobs.

Ask for the price per window at two quantities

Volume discounts are real. Knowing the price at, say, 6 windows and 12 windows tells you whether phasing the job costs you much.

Separate unit cost from labor

A quote that is one lump number hides where the money goes. Ask for materials and labor split out, plus disposal and any trim or siding work.

Treat discounts skeptically

A 40% "today only" discount usually means the list price was inflated. Compare final out-the-door totals between companies, not discount percentages.

Budget for the surprises

Rot at the sill is the most common change order. Ask each bidder, in advance, what they charge per opening if they find rot once the old window is out.