Hurricane Impact Windows Cost Calculator: Per Window and Whole House
Updated · See the full hurricane impact windows cost comparison
One window to a whole house with doors: DIY from $1,140, an installer from $900.
- Pick the scope closest to yours; the window units are most of every number, and the calculator shows them as a materials line so an installer's labor can be read against them.
- The DIY column is honest about what the units, bucks, sealant, tools and permit cost. It doesn't price the voided warranty, the lost insurance credit or the permit history — the reasons the verdict is to hire.
- On the Hire a pro tab, tick sliding or entry doors if you have them, low-E glass if your energy code requires it, and stucco repair if the quote excludes it — those three are the usual gap between quote and bill.
- Tick the wind-mitigation inspection: $75–$150 that returns $300–$1,500 a year.
Calculate cost
| Tools to buy or rent | $210 |
|---|---|
| Materials | $7,470 |
| Disposal | $150 |
| Permit | $250 |
| DIY cash cost | $8,080 |
| Your time (50 h × $25) | $1,250 |
| DIY all-in | $9,330 |
DIY saves about $3,670 after valuing your time ($4,920 in cash).
National estimates for planning. Doesn't include the risk-side costs described on the comparison page.
Typical results by job size
Defaults the calculator starts from: commonly owned tools excluded, typical pro price, no add-ons.
| Size | Verdict | DIY | Pro | Your hours | Typical savings | Break-even |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One window replaced, 36×48 in single-hung | Hire | $1,140–$1,640 | $900–$1,800 | 4–6 hours | pro is cheaper | — |
| Whole house, 10 windows, aluminum single-hung | Hire | $7,830–$8,330 | $9,000–$18,000 | 40–60 hours | $4,920 (38%) | $98/hour |
| 15 windows plus two impact sliding glass doors | Hire | $16,630–$17,130 | $16,000–$30,000 | 60–90 hours | $5,120 (23%) | $68/hour |
| Whole house, 10 windows, vinyl or fiberglass premium | Hire | $11,830–$12,330 | $14,000–$25,000 | 40–60 hours | $5,920 (33%) | $118/hour |
Break-even is what an hour of your time would have to be worth for DIY and hiring to cost the same. Above it, hiring is cheaper all-in. See how these are calculated.
Reading the result
The scope you pick applies to both tabs.
Do it yourself totals the window units for that scope at dealer prices — one aluminum single-hung; ten; fifteen plus two sliding doors; or ten premium vinyl or fiberglass units — plus bucks and anchors, sealant, flashing and foam, stucco and trim repair materials, the hammer drill, suction cups and a saw rental you don’t already own, disposal of the old windows, the owner-builder permit, and your hours at the rate you set: 4–6 for a window, 40–60 for a house, 60–90 with sliders. It assumes you can buy approved units as a homeowner, which many dealers won’t do.
Hire a pro starts from a low, typical or high installed price for that scope, then adds what a base quote often leaves out: sliding glass doors and entry doors, stucco and paint repair, a low-E insulated glass upgrade, a color or fiberglass frame upgrade, removal and disposal, the wind-mitigation inspection for the insurance credit, and the permit with plan review. Tick what applies and compare.
What neither tab includes: the things that make the verdict. A manufacturer’s warranty that requires a certified installer, an insurance discount that requires a permit record, and a resale file that a buyer’s inspector will read — the cost comparison explains why those outweigh the saving, and the DIY guide describes the one-window job for anyone who takes it on anyway, and what the crew is doing on install day for everyone else.
Frequently asked questions
How do I count and size my openings?
Count every window and glass door. Standard single-hung windows around 36×48 in are the reference unit; anything over about 40 sq ft — picture windows, sliders, French doors — is priced individually at two to four times a standard window. A 1,500 sq ft single-story is usually 8–12 windows; a 2,000 sq ft house 12–16 plus one or two sliders. Use the 15-windows-plus-sliders option and scale if you have doors; use the 10-window option and scale by count if you don't.
Why does the single-window option show the pro as cheaper?
Because the permit and the tools cost the same for one window as for ten, and a single installed window at $900–$1,800 already includes them. Add a hammer drill, suction cups, a saw rental and a $200 permit to a $700 unit and you're at about $1,390 — more than the typical $1,300 installed price. It's the clearest illustration on the site of a job where DIY costs more, and it's before the warranty and insurance considerations.
What do the quote levels mean for impact windows?
Low is standard-size aluminum single-hungs with plain laminated glass in a frame house, inland, from a local installer in the off-season. Typical is the national median for that scope — aluminum frames, a block-and-stucco house, permit and patching included. High is the Miami-Dade High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, oversized or shaped openings, color frames, a large in-home-sales company's price, or a post-storm market. Doors, glass upgrades, frame upgrades, stucco repair, disposal, the mitigation inspection and the permit are add-ons on any level.
Sources
- Glaziers (SOC 47-2121), Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics , U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026-04
- How Much Do Hurricane Windows Cost? , HomeGuide, 2026-09
- How Much Do Impact Windows Cost? , Angi, 2026-09
- How Much Do Hurricane Windows Cost? , Forbes Home, 2026-09
- Florida Product Approval System , Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, 2026-09
- Product Control: Notices of Acceptance , Miami-Dade County, 2026-09
- Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802) , Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, 2026-09
- Protect Your Windows and Doors , Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, 2026-09
Figures last reviewed . See how we estimate.