If you’re staring at a stack of window quotes trying to figure out whether one contractor is overcharging you, here’s the short version: most 3 bedroom homes have somewhere between 8 and 15 windows, and a full replacement typically runs $6,000 to $15,700 depending on the frame material, glass package, and how many windows you’re actually swapping out.
Vinyl brings the total down. Wood pushes it up. Everything else falls somewhere in between.
What a Full Project Actually Costs
| Project Type | Typical Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Whole house, vinyl frames (8-15 windows) | $5,600 – $14,400 |
| Whole house, wood frames (8-15 windows) | $10,500 – $22,400 |
| Single window, installed | $300 – $1,500 |
| National project average | Roughly $7,200 – $9,000 |
Those ranges hold up across most cost data published for 2026, and they’re wide for a reason. A house with ten standard double-hung windows in vinyl is a very different job than a house with three bay windows and a couple of custom sizes upstairs.
Get quotes broken down per window, not just as a lump sum, so you can actually compare them.
What Moves the Price Up or Down
A few variables account for nearly all the spread you’ll see between quotes.
- Frame material (vinyl, wood, fiberglass, aluminum, or composite)
- Glass package, including double pane versus triple pane and Low-E coatings
- Total number of windows and their sizes
- Full frame replacement versus an insert into the existing frame
- Access and labor complexity, like second story windows or a bay window that needs structural support
Insert replacements, where the new window goes into the old frame without touching the surrounding trim or siding, are usually cheaper and faster. Full frame replacements cost more but make sense when the original frame is rotted, warped, or letting in air no matter how many times you’ve caulked it.
A lot of homes in older Durham neighborhoods, especially ones built before the 1980s, need full frame work because the original wood frames have shifted over the decades.
Cost by Frame Material
| Material | Installed Cost Per Window | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl | $450 – $800 | Most affordable, most common choice |
| Fiberglass | $700 – $1,200 | Better durability, holds paint well |
| Composite | $650 – $1,100 | Similar performance to fiberglass |
| Wood | $875 – $1,865 | Best look for older homes, needs upkeep |
| Aluminum | $300 – $700 | Cheapest, weakest insulation value |
Vinyl wins on price almost every time, and it’s why it shows up in most budget-conscious quotes. Wood costs more up front but it’s often the right call on older brick or craftsman style homes where vinyl frames look out of place next to original trim.
Brands You’ll Run Into
Contractors in the Triangle area typically pull from a handful of manufacturers depending on budget. Andersen and Pella show up most often in the mid to upper range, with solid warranty programs and a wide selection of wood and fiberglass options.
Marvin is common on higher end or custom jobs, particularly when a home has non-standard window sizes. On the vinyl side, Simonton and Window World cover a large share of budget installs, and both are easy to find parts and service for later on.
None of these brands are dramatically better across the board. The install quality often matters more than the logo on the frame.
Where NC Climate Comes Into It
North Carolina summers are humid, and that humidity works its way into old wood frames over time, causing swelling and sticking. Winters here aren’t brutal compared to the Midwest, but drafty single pane windows still show up as a real line item on winter heating bills.
The Department of Energy estimates that heat gained or lost through windows accounts for roughly a quarter to nearly a third of a home’s total heating and cooling energy use.
Swapping single pane windows for anything meeting Energy Star standards tends to cut that portion of the bill noticeably, which is part of why so many homeowners treat this as more than a cosmetic upgrade.
Ways to Keep the Number Reasonable
Replacing all your windows in one project instead of doing a few at a time almost always brings the per window price down, since contractors quote lower labor rates on bulk jobs. Ask specifically whether an insert replacement works for your frames before assuming you need a full frame job.
And get at least three quotes with materials and labor itemized separately, because a low total price sometimes hides a cheaper glass package or a shorter warranty than the quote next to it.