Average Cost of Window Replacement

Average Cost of Window Replacement.

DIY projects are fun and rewarding, and you often have the opportunity to learn new skills while improving your home. A DIY window replacement project for your home can save a lot of long term energy costs, but how do you figure out what your initial replacement cost is going to be?

What Should You Include When Figuring a DIY Window Replacement Cost?

The basics when figuring the job cost for any home improvement project are labor, materials, and incidentals, and arriving at a potential replacement cost isn`t any different. The key is knowing what to include in the estimate and not leaving items off the list, especially those that might have a significant difference on the total.

Labor

You already know you plan on doing most of the labor yourself, but replacing windows can be a two-person job if you have large windows or a two-story home. If some friends are willing to help, then you might not have to put any costs in this category. However, if you plan on hiring a neighborhood teenager to lend a hand, don`t forget to add their labor into your potential cost.

Materials

The replacement windows are going to be the most expensive item in this category. There are some other materials you may need though, and they should be included in your window replacement cost if you want an accurate estimate. These items are:

Exterior caulking
Construction adhesive
Batt insulation
Spray foam insulation
Wood shims
You should also read the window manufacturer`s installation instructions to see if they recommend using any other materials.
Incidentals

Incidentals are items such as ladder or tool rentals or clean-up costs that you might want to include for your window replacement.

Add up all three of these categories, and you should have a fairly accurate idea of what your DIY replacement cost is going to be.