Articles - Willamette Valley Window

How Much Does Window Replacement Cost?

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 20:44:50 GMT

How much is it to replace your windows?

We can’t possibly know the sizes, colors, styles, options, hardware, trim, location, code requirements, elevation, material, energy efficiency, product line, or brand for your unique window project, but we are still willing to answer the infamous “ballpark price” or “I won’t hold you to it” number that every homeowner starting their search wants to get. Below are some ranges that should give you a better idea of how much to budget for a replacement project. Of course, to get an exact figure, reach out to us to schedule a no-obligation consultation. A project manager can come out, measure your windows, and provide you with an exact project price.

A note on minimums: We do not have a unit minimum, but we do have a project cost minimum. This is the smallest project we can do and still cover the cost of the project setup, ordering, and getting installers out to do the install, demo, cleanup, and disposal, even if it is just one ‘super cute 1’x2’ closet window’. That number is currently $1800, but could change up or down depending on market factors and costs. To verify, give us a call or send us a message.

Starting around $850 installed 1-2k for a decent size operating window with exterior trim.

Small house (bungalow, cottage, ranch, manufactured home) 10-15k typically sometimes less.

Mid size house (2 story, houses with patio doors, houses built in the 2000’s) 15-25k typically .

Big houses (McMansions, Chalets, Mid-mod-window-wall-open-concept “indoor outdoor living” fortresses) starting around 25k+, average around 30k, sky being the limit of course.

Trinsic ® Vinyl window

Project Estimates

Starting around $1000 installed, $1,200-$2,000 for a decent size operating window with exterior trim.

Small house (bungalow, cottage, ranch, manufactured home) 15-20k typically sometimes less.

Mid size house (2 story, houses with patio doors, houses built in the 2000’s) 20-30k typically.

Big houses (McMansions, Chalets, Mid-mod-window-wall-open-concept “indoor outdoor living” fortresses) starting around 30k+, average around 40k, sky being the limit of course.

100 Series Fibrex Composite window

Project Estimates

400 Series Wood window

Starting around $1,100 installed, $1,500-$2,500 for a decent size operating window with exterior trim.

Project Estimates

Small house (bungalow, cottage, ranch, manufactured home) 20-25k typically sometimes less.

Mid size house (2 story, houses with patio doors, houses built in the 2000’s) 25-40k typically.

Big houses (McMansions, Chalets, Mid-mod-window-wall-open-concept “indoor outdoor living” fortresses) starting around 40k+, average around 50k, sky being the limit of course.

Who Do I Call To Replace My Windows?

Interested in something a lot cheaper? check out this article to get the inside baseball on window projects.

Window Brands

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 21:25:03 GMT

Window Manufacturer's We Often Recommend

When it comes to remodeling your home, quality is key. At Willamette Valley Window, we offer multiple options for every homeowner, with one objective in mind - quality. Every proposal includes a price for 3 different products, side by side, so you can make a decision that fits your personal style and budget. We do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach and have no interest in promoting one brand over another.

We have handpicked 3 trusted product lines at various price points for our homeowners that reflect our values of quality and reliability. We can and do work with other product lines, but these are the ones we prefer.

Leave it to the professionals at Willamette Valley Window to make your house a home. Whatever you choose, choose quality.

Andersen 400 series

$$$ $

The Andersen 400 series has been the most popular window contractors use in their own homes, and for good reason; A perfect blend of quality, luxury, and reliability, the Andersen 400 series can give any home a huge upgrade in quality.

$$ $$

Andersen is an industry leader in window technology and innovation. One of their most impressive innovations is the composite material known as Fibrex. This product has been an industry disruptor, and led the way for ‘Renewal by Andersen’ franchise dealers across the country to use this material exclusively.

Andersen Fibrex 100 series

$ $$$

Milgard Trinsic v300

Our Entry level product, Milgard has been a northwest mainstay since the 1950’s and with an affordable price point, great local servicing, and an amazing warranty, we can’t find a vinyl window that can top it. Milgard also has a capstock option for various color choices that hold up long term.

Who do I call to replace my windows?

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 20:10:09 GMT

Who do I call to replace my windows?

“All you have to do is think about any service industry experience you’ve had where the worker’s heart was not in it, and then imagine them performing surgery on your home.”

— Willamette Valley Window

There are basically 4 options when it comes to replacing windows: General Contractors , Window replacement companies (sometimes called specialty contractors), Corporations , and Do it yourself, or DIY . The solution needs to make sense for your unique situation, below, we’ll take a look at the different options, pros, cons, of each, and who is the best fit for each category.

Chuck in a Truck, Dan with a van

In most cases, the cheapest option is to hire a general contractor to handle your window replacement. Specifically, a handy man type that does the work himself, or with an employee helper or two. These contractors are plentiful, and go in and out of business every day in Oregon. According to the bureau of labor statistics, 50% of these contractors are out of business within 5 years. There is a gamble on experience with these contractors, as most will do just about any job, and convince a homeowner that they have experience. Realistically, these contractors routinely take on jobs they have little or no experience with, and are known to cut corners inadvertently, or choose the wrong products when installing. For more information on what to look for, navigate to the installation tab. Many homeowners falsely assume that a contractor has to show some degree of competency to obtain a license, with a general contractor this is not the case, they are only tested on what the laws and regulations are.

The upside to using a contractor that doesn’t specialize in this kind of work, is he may agree to do something a more experienced contractor would not do, or charge more for. The other upside is generalists are known to underbid projects. This allows them to win more jobs and keep themselves busy. As surprising as it may be, contractors underbid jobs they aren’t experienced in all the time and lose money all the time. As much as a win for the homeowner that this may seem, it can often be a bad thing for both parties. If something breaks, cracks, needs to be replaced, reset, re-leveled, reinstalled, a contractor with a disappearing margin may have the temptation to let something slide, or save money on installation materials such as flashing, caulking or fasteners, either by substituting inferior products, or using fewer products, since all is hidden in the wall.

Another concern is the contractor’s knowledge (or gaps in knowledge) of the window industry, this means observing building code when ordering windows, measuring and ordering the correct type of window for the opening and siding type, knowing what suppliers are priced well, or will handle the product properly, or what the lead time might be. We look at houses that were worked on by non-specialty contractors all the time.

These contractors are the perfect choice for and often used by landlords, house flippers, and those willing to take a gamble on saving some money. It is possible to get a good result (or realistically a satisfactory result) going this route, it just takes a lot of vetting. The typical homeowner that doesn’t have a background in window replacement is taking a calculated risk with this, especially in our rainy climate. There is also not a guarantee that a general contractor will cost less money, many remodeling contractors plan for unforeseen factors and price them into their bid, or they hire specialty contractors, and just add a markup to what you would pay to go to them in the first place.

In my experience a general contractor will charge somewhere around $1,200 an opening for a vinyl window, and have no idea what a composite or wood window will cost. If it’s alot more than this, they are probably subbing the work out to a specialty contractor, if it’s much less than this, it’s a red flag that something is being omitted.

Summary - General Contractor $$ $$

Pros:

Lowest cost
May underbid job by mistake
May be quickest to get to job, not booked out

Cons:

Less experienced with specialized task of window installation
Less likely to use better installation products, may omit products that should go in the wall to recover margin
Less likely to respond after project completion
Less likely to consult homeowner on options
Just about any mistake made by the contractor will result in a higher cost to fix than to hire a specialty contractor to begin with.

For the Love of Windows

The next category of replacement contractors are Window Replacement Companies , or Specialty Contractors. These are companies that only install windows and doors , and do so on a regular basis. This is a competitive industry, so although costs are typically higher than hiring a general contractor (jack of all trades, master of none type), it’s typically not substantially more, and when you factor in the cost of correcting mistakes to the weather envelope of the house, it can sometimes be drastically less. Something that happens with companies that do the same thing all the time is that they get really good at it. With this experience comes efficiency, and with efficiency comes cost savings. These companies know where to get products, lead times, better quality materials, and better practices for installation.

Another benefit to a specialty contractor, is they have participated in many more window projects, so they usually have better input when it comes to design, managing expectations, understanding differences in frame thicknesses, and material pros and cons, giving you options with trim, instead of leaving it all to a general contractor who is looking for the easiest and cheapest option because they didn’t address it before the contract was signed and doesn’t want to do more work or provide better materials at the expense of their margin.

My favorite part about a window installation company, or specialty contractor is they might actually enjoy the work they do. This isn’t a given, but in many cases, those who seek out specialty construction work, do so because they like it. If it was only about the money, we’d all be plumbers or electricians. Although a customer is going to have a hard time quantifying their window replacement companies’ love for the work they do, all you have to do is think about any service industry experience you’ve had where the workers heart was not in it, and then imagine them performing surgery on your home.

Although we see the window replacement company, or specialty contractor as the goldilocks zone of window replacement, it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. There can be downsides to this model for a homeowner. The first being servicing.

Now any competent business knows the value of servicing their customers after the fact, it is not a requirement for a window replacement company. Being unaffiliated with a window manufacturer is helpful while making a decision on brand; to eliminate any bias, it doesn’t require the specialty contractor to facilitate any repairs with the manufacturer after the installation. If there is a problem after the fact with the product, the company can, at best, document it on your behalf, contact the manufacturer and facilitate a solution, they can also, at worst, ignore your calls or give you an 800 number to call for a fix. This doesn’t mean the problem wont be solved, it just means that the company has the option to leave you to handle it yourself.

The other issue that can happen with a window replacement company is a little too common for my liking. That is competency. The larger a company grows, the harder it is to maintain quality, especially with customer service, follow up/follow through and installation. During the Covid years and the housing boom that resulted, we saw many companies scale too quickly, and their quality tanked. The bigger a company gets, typically the poorer the average quality becomes, if half of your workers are new, your odds of having mistakes and problems doubles. This is something even more common with the next category- corporations and franchise dealers.

For a detailed price range with examples on different brands and materials, click the ‘pricing’ tab at the top of the page. This type of business is ideal for homeowners who care about quality of product and installation and either plan on living in their house for years into the future, or doing quality rennovations to improve the value.

Summary - Window Replacement Company or Specialty Contractor $$$ $

Pros:

Typically most skilled at window and door installation
Can help make important decisions on function, performance, or appearance
Thorough knowledge of building code, can make sure the product is code compliant and safe
More likely to enjoy the work, leading to better installations and going above an beyond for client
Can save cost by doing installation correctly the first time, avoiding costly mistakes

Cons:

Usually not the cheapest option.
May have unskilled workers due to scaling.
Doesn’t have an obligation to service product after project completion.
Doesn’t have a ton of pull with a manufacturer

More money, More problems

The last professional category, is the Corporation or Franchise dealer. These are chain companies that either use the name or part of the name of the window manufacturer, or have offices in multiple states or regions. These companies are usually the most recognized by consumers because they spend big money on advertising

These companies are usually franchises, with individual owners who, instead of building a window company from the ground up, prefer to buy into a proven business model and not have to be tasked with branding, marketing messaging, or optimizing the business model. These companies are in it to make a maximum roi, and they absolutely do.

An ironic marker of these companies, is they often try to appear smaller or more local than what they are, this is seen in how they market. They will often send large amounts of direct mail marketing, designed to look handwritten. They will offer time sensitive deals or promotions, and will use inside sales call centers to set appointments. These companies spend millions on marketing, which of course is factored into the markup on products and services.

Another characteristic of these companies is the sales people. They pay top dollar for top talent. Hiring commission only sales people, who make large commissions on the project total, they are able to tailor a product consultation to a homeowner where their single product line is portrayed as the only viable option for your replacement project. This also comes with a high/low pricing strategy, where an astronomical “retail price” is given, only so it can be slashed by 20% or more for a time sensitive offer.

There are, however, some positives with franchise and corporate dealers. Being affiliated with a manufacturer, means the manufacturer monitors the company’s behavior, and makes sure that problems are rectified. They also have an obligation to service products in house after installation. This is tracked by surveys sent to prospective buyers, buyers and repeat customers.

It’s a fairly safe bet the project will be completed correctly, if not the first time, complaints are dealt with rather swiftly. Having more employees, mangers and ultimately oversight, results in a customer centered experience, where, if there is a problem, there is accountability and a solution. Also, having an enormous margin means the company can easily afford to go above and beyond when needed, reorder product, and give the homeowner the benefit of the doubt.

These companies are not immune to quality issues, being so large, they have to hire regularly to match the turnover rate of employees, and scaling of the business. They can also hire less skilled installers since the brand recognition gives customers a high level of trust. There is a misconception that these companies have the best installation, and that assumption can allow for mistakes to happen and not be detected by homeowners.

These companies will charge in excess of $2,500 per window for vinyl, and $3,000 plus for composite frames. It isn’t uncommon for large windows to cost in excess of $10,000. These companies are ideal for homeowners that don’t want to comparison shop, for homeowners with large budgets that want to have multiple departments to contact for complaints, and homeowners who have been burned before by a bad contractor and want the red carpet treatment.

Summary - Corporation or Franchise dealer $$$$

Pros:

Under contract with manufacturer to service product after installation
Monitored by Manufacturer to handle customer complaints, and rectify mistakes
Thorough knowledge of building code, can make sure the product is code compliant and safe
Big facilities, showrooms, customer service teams and management teams to contact if needed

Cons:

The most expensive option
Company size slows down communication, many people involved, rarely a fast answer or solution
High pressure sales system
Heavy handed marketing and remarketing campaigns
Usually longest lead times

Customers often laugh at me when I suggest this, but window replacement can be done by a homeowner. Usually you know if you’re the type to roll up your sleeves and dive into a renovation project yourself, but a handy homeowner can tackle this job given the right circumstances. I tell homeowners all the time, a homeowner that wants to do a good job is going to do better than a contractor that doesn’t care. Now are all the cuts going to be straight? Up to you. Is the window going to be plumb, level or square? Possibly. Any homeowner that reaches out for information on how to do their own installation will be provided that information by myself. It’s a job that is very important to get right, but it isn’t impossible. It also wouldn’t hurt to have a professional help with measuring and checking for code compliance, but that’s something that can be done for much less than a full professional installation. I firmly believe a homeowner can build a better weather envelope than a contractor that doesn’t care, or is winging it.

Expect to pay for the cost of your windows (figure ~$500 each for vinyl, or less with a cheaper brand, $800-$1,000 for composite and around $1,000-$2,000 for wood) at least $200 - $300 per opening for quality installation materials (Trim, fasteners, flashing tape, rigid flashing, caulking, backer rod, shims etc) and about 1 window a day for the first couple at least.

If you want something done right, do it yourself

Summary - DO it Yourself $ $$$

Pros:

Lowest cost
Feeling of accomplishment
Bragging rights at dinner parties or the family BBQ

Cons:

You can do this wrong and cause a lot of damage, so seriously only do this if you feel really confident and are committed to researching this thoroughly (that does not mean watching youtube)
It takes time
You can injure yourself
You can expose yourself to lead or asbestos depending on your house.

If you made it to the end, thank you for reading, if you scrolled down to the end to see how long this was, here’s the tldr : General contractors are the cheapest, but the quality is a gamble, followed by Window Replacement Companies, or specialty contractors who know what they’re talking about and arguably the best install and the corporate/franchise dealers are the most expensive, most likely will do a quality install, although it’s not a guarantee.

Or you can call Willamette Valley Window and book a consultation. It’s a lot less work than reading all of this.