How Much Does Window Replacement Cost in Los Angeles? (2026 Numbers)
Per window installed in LA in 2026: vinyl runs $800–$1,200, fiberglass $1,300–$1,900, wood-clad $2,000–$3,500. A 12-window whole-home job typically lands between $13,000 and $26,000 all-in. The biggest cost variables aren't the window — they're full-frame vs retrofit (adds 30–40%), Title 24 glass spec, neighborhood permit overhead, and whether your installer pulls the permit at all.
Most homeowners ask the cost question first and the spec question second. That's backwards — the spec drives the cost — but it's how the market works, so this guide answers the cost question with enough spec context that you can read any quote you get and understand what's driving the number.
Every price in this guide is what we actually charge in 2026, validated against what our peer LA installers are quoting on the same scopes. We don't quote box-store pricing (a $329 Pella from Home Depot is a different product than a $329 Pella in a contractor catalog), and we don't quote Renewal-by-Andersen pricing (their installs run $2,800–$4,500 per window for a single product line, which is a separate market). What's below is the working middle of the LA installation market.
All prices are per-window installed, all-in: labor, materials, disposal, Title 24 documentation, permit fees, sales tax. The only thing not included is unforeseen rough-opening rot or seismic-anchor remediation, which we price as a written change order if and when we find it on tear-out.
What you'll actually pay, by material.
Bands are LA-area, all-in. Tighter end of the band is retrofit (block-frame swap); higher end is full-frame replacement with stucco/trim repair.
- ✓Milgard Tuscany or Anlin Catalina
- ✓Double-pane Low-E with argon
- ✓U-factor 0.32, SHGC 0.28
- ✓Lifetime install warranty
- ✓Title 24 docs filed
- ✓Marvin Elevate or Pella Impervia
- ✓Triple-coat Low-E
- ✓U-factor 0.28, SHGC 0.22
- ✓Slim sightlines (architect-grade)
- ✓Lifetime install warranty
- ✓Marvin Ultimate or Andersen E-Series
- ✓Aluminum-clad exterior, wood interior
- ✓Simulated divided lites available
- ✓U-factor 0.27, SHGC 0.20
- ✓Lifetime install warranty
Five variables move the number more than the brand does.
Retrofit vs full-frame. A retrofit (also called block-frame or insert) leaves the existing window frame in place and slides a new unit inside it — runs the lower end of every band above. A full-frame strips the opening to the studs, replaces the rough opening if needed, re-flashes, re-stuccos or re-trims — adds 30–40% to the per-window number but is mandatory if you have rot, seismic anchor failure, or want to change the window's dimensions. About 60% of our LA jobs are retrofits; 40% are full-frame.
Title 24 glass spec. California Title 24 requires U-factor 0.30 and SHGC 0.23 minimum in LA's climate zones (8 westside, 9 inland). Hitting that requires a Low-E coating, argon fill, and a warm-edge spacer — adds about $40–$80 per window over a standard double-pane. Inland Valley homes facing west often spec down to SHGC 0.20 for heat-load reasons, which adds another $30–$60. We file the CF1R/CF2R paperwork inside the permit, never as an extra.
Permit and inspection. LADBS pulls about $250 + $12/window in plan check and inspection fees. Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Manhattan Beach run their own building departments and charge 30–80% more, often with stricter timelines. Hidden Hills and gated communities add architectural-review process time. If your contractor isn't pulling the permit, that's not a savings — it's a future title-transfer problem.
Neighborhood modifier. Beverly Hills and Bel Air run 1.25–1.30× LA-average pricing because of background-check insurance, day-of inspections, storage caps, and historic-screening fees. Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando run 0.85–0.98× because permit pace is faster and the work is simpler. We publish the modifier for every city we serve so you can ballpark the range before we walk the job.
Glass package upgrades. Tempered glass (mandatory within 18" of a door, 24" of a tub, or any window below 18" sill height) adds about $70–$120 per pane. Laminated glass (for wildfire zones — Chapter 7A — or coastal Tier-3 sound abatement) adds $150–$250. Triple-pane is rarely worth it in LA's mild climate; we install it about 4 times a year, mostly for studio-adjacent acoustic projects.
What separates a real quote from a sales pitch.
- 1Stucco patching ($150–$400/window)Full-frame replacement on a stucco home requires patch and re-paint of the surround. Cheap quotes leave this off and add it as a 'change order' day-of.
- 2Interior trim/casing ($80–$220/window)If you're going from old aluminum to new vinyl, the casing depth changes and existing trim won't fit. Quote should specify whether trim is included or homeowner's contractor scope.
- 3Lead-paint testing (pre-1978 homes, $0–$450)Federal RRP rule. Some installers absorb the test cost; some pass it through. Either is fine — what's not fine is skipping the test on a 1925 Craftsman.
- 4Rough-opening rot (variable, $200–$1,500/window)Found on tear-out. Should be priced as a written change order with photos, never a verbal 'oh by the way.' If we find it, we fix it; you sign before we proceed.
- 5Seismic anchor remediation ($85–$160/window)CRC R613.4 requires mechanical anchors at specific spacing. About 40% of pre-2010 LA installs are out of code on anchors — ours bring them current as part of full-frame work.
- 6Title 24 inspection re-call ($0)If the inspector calls a redo, our crew handles it on our nickel. Watch for installers who try to bill 'inspection delay' as a separate line.
Vinyl vs fiberglass vs wood — when each one is the right call.
- 1Vinyl ($800–$1,200/window) — 20–30 yr lifespanBest $/value for tract homes, ADUs, rentals, north-facing elevations, and any short-hold (<10 yr). Warps on south/west after ~15 years of LA sun. Limited color (white, beige, bronze). Recovers ~70% of cost at sale on median LA homes.
- 2Fiberglass ($1,300–$1,900/window) — 30–40 yr lifespanThe default for most LA installs. Will not warp under LA sun, including on south/west elevations. Slim architect-grade sightlines. Full color range, paintable. Recovers ~80% at sale. The right answer for most Valley installs.
- 3Wood / clad-wood ($2,000–$3,500/window) — 40–60 yr lifespanFor Craftsmans, Spanish Colonials, design-grade homes, and any property where the original aesthetic carries the value. Aluminum-clad exterior protects the wood; interior keeps the traditional look. Recovers ~85% at sale (more on historic-designated homes). Often required by HPOZ or Cultural Heritage review.
What a 12-window whole-home job actually costs.
1985 ranch in Sherman Oaks (Title 24 zone 9), 12 original aluminum windows failing seals and conducting summer heat into the house. Homeowner wanted to standardize on one material and one color across the whole exterior. Project ran 3 install days, permit-to-finish 19 days.
Quote breakdown: 12 Milgard Tuscany vinyl windows in beige (8 standard openings, 4 oversized): $11,400 windows + install. Stucco patching on 4 full-frame openings: $1,100. Interior trim refresh on all 12: $1,440. Title 24 + LADBS permit: $396. Disposal of old aluminum: $180. Total: $14,516 ($1,210 per window installed average).
Same project quoted in Marvin Elevate fiberglass instead: $19,800 total ($1,650 per window). In Andersen E-Series clad-wood: $32,400 total ($2,700 per window). The homeowner went with the vinyl — they were planning a 7-year hold before selling, and the Tuscany lifetime warranty on vinyl was more important to them than the fiberglass longevity premium. We told them, on a 30-year hold we'd have steered them to fiberglass.
Quote line items — what each one means and whether it should be there.
Six things on a quote that should make you ask questions.
- 1No NFRC ratings listedEvery window quote should cite U-factor and SHGC. If it just says 'Low-E double-pane,' ask for the numbers. A 2008-era Low-E unit may fail Title 24 inspection; 'Low-E' alone doesn't tell you whether it's compliant.
- 2Permit listed as 'optional' or 'homeowner's responsibility'Window replacement requires a permit in every LA jurisdiction. Optional means the installer is prepared to skip it — and the savings disappear when it surfaces at sale or on a future permit pull.
- 3Stucco or trim repair not mentioned on a full-frame scopeFull-frame replacement on a stucco home will always need patching. If the quote doesn't mention it, it'll appear as a day-of change order at full retail rate.
- 4Change-order policy not in the contractRot and seismic-anchor issues are found on tear-out, not before. Ask to see the written change-order policy: who authorizes the extra work, what notification you receive, and whether you can halt the job if the number is unacceptable.
- 5Installer can't name the CSLB license on the jobEvery California window installer must carry a C-17 glazing license or a B general contractor license with glazing in scope. Ask for the license number before signing. Look it up at cslb.ca.gov — confirm the license class, workers' comp, and bond status.
- 6Price lock under 15 daysMaterial cost locks from manufacturers run 30 days minimum. If a quote is 'good for 7 days,' that's a closing tactic, not a real price constraint. Our quotes are good for 30 days — the same timeline our manufacturers give us.