Window replacement cost

This is the clearest example on the site of why an average is the wrong thing to publish. Three national guides give a per-window figure and they range from $280 to $800 — not because any of them is wrong, but because they are counting different things. All three are below, dated, with what each appears to include.

What the guides publish

Fixr$450 – $1,200 per window

Updated: January 21, 2026 · typical $800 · Installed. A whole two-storey house of 15–30 windows runs $12,000–$24,000.

Homewyse$632 – $967 per window

May 2026 · Installed, national average basis.

Bob Vila$180 – $409 per window

Updated Jun 10, 2024 · typical $280 · Markedly lower than the other two; its own frame-material figures run far higher, so this appears to be a narrower basis.

What the parts cost

Vinyl frame$350 – $800 per window

Fixr. Bob Vila: $100–$900, averaging $550.

Aluminium frame$200 – $800 per window

Fixr. Bob Vila: $75–$400, averaging $275.

Fiberglass frame$400 – $1,500 per window

Fixr. Bob Vila: $500–$1,500, averaging $1,250.

Wood frame$600 – $2,000 per window

Fixr. Bob Vila: $150–$1,300, averaging $800.

Composite frame$300 – $2,500 per window

Fixr. Bob Vila: $300–$1,200, averaging $900.

Whole house, 15–30 windows$12,000 – $24,000 total

Fixr

Glass and efficiency upgrades$100 – $800 per window

Fixr

Permit$50 – $300 added

Fixr; set by the local building department.

What moves the price

What the number includes: The single biggest driver of the published spread. A figure of $280 a window and one of $800 a window are not disagreeing about windows; they are disagreeing about whether installation, disposal and trim are in the number.
Frame material: Every guide agrees on the order: aluminium and vinyl cheapest, wood and composite dearest, fiberglass between.
Opening size and shape: Fixr prices by area at $10–$100 per square foot; a bay or a shaped window leaves that range quickly.
Whether the opening changes: Replacing like-for-like in a sound opening is the cheap case. Enlarging an opening brings in framing, header work and finish.

Questions

How much does it cost to replace one window?

Fixr publishes $450–$1,200 with an $800 average (January 2026); Homewyse $632–$967 (May 2026); Bob Vila $180–$409 with a $280 average (June 2024). The gap is about what each includes, not about the windows.

What does it cost to do a whole house?

Fixr puts a two-storey house of 15 to 30 windows at $12,000–$24,000, which is consistent with its per-window range rather than a separate estimate.

Do I need a permit?

Usually yes for a replacement, and almost always if the opening changes size. Fixr puts permit fees at $50–$300 depending on the local fee schedule.

These are the ranges other people publish, gathered on 2026-09-06 — not our estimate, and not a quote. Every guide is linked above with the date it prints. For the quantity rather than the price: Square footage calculator. See every cost page.