A homeowner sent me a quote last winter for three drafty double-hungs in a 1990s house. The number on the page was $4,200, replacement only. Her actual problem? Two failed sash locks and dried-out weatherstripping she could have fixed for under $90 in parts. The window glass was fine. The frames were fine. She was about to spend forty times what the repair needed because the salesman led with the biggest ticket in the binder.
That gap is the whole story here. A drafty window is a symptom, not a diagnosis, and the fix can run anywhere from a $15 tube of caulk to a $1,500 unit install per opening. The trick is knowing which bucket your window actually falls into before anyone writes you a quote.
I price these for a living, so let me break both paths into line items and show you where the money really goes.
What a "Drafty Window" Usually Means
Drafts come from a short list of failure points, and most of them are cheap. Worn weatherstripping, a gap where the frame meets the wall, a sash that no longer seals when locked, or failed caulk on the exterior trim. None of those require a new window.
The expensive failures are different. A cracked frame, rotted wood sills, fogging between the panes (a sign the insulated glass seal has blown), or single-pane glass in a cold climate. Those are the cases where repair starts chasing diminishing returns.
On a windy day, run a lit incense stick around the window edges. Smoke that bends at the sash means weatherstripping. Smoke that bends at the trim means caulk or framing. Fog trapped between two panes means a failed seal, which no caulk will fix.
The Repair Path, Line by Line
Repairs are where a homeowner can claw back the most money, because labor is short and parts are cheap. Here is what the common ones actually cost.
- Weatherstripping replacement: roughly $8-$25 in materials per window, plus 20-40 minutes of labor. A handyman might charge $75-$150 for a couple of windows in one visit.
- Re-caulking exterior trim: a $6-$12 tube covers several windows. Pro labor runs about $50-$125 if bundled.
- Sash lock or balance replacement: parts are $15-$60 per window; labor adds $75-$150.
- Glass-only replacement (single pane): typically around $50-$150 per pane installed.
- Insulated glass unit (IGU) swap for a fogged window: roughly $150-$400 per sash, keeping your existing frame.
Notice that last one. Swapping just the glass unit on a fogged window is the most overlooked repair in the trade. Salespeople skip it because there's no frame markup, but it solves the fog and the draft for a fraction of a full replacement.
If a quote bundles "window service" into a single flat fee with no breakdown, ask for line items. The difference between a $90 weatherstrip job and a $1,400 replacement is rarely visible until you force the itemization. The same trick shows up in plenty of trades, which is why I always say get the line items first, the way I'd push on any garage door repair cost quote before signing.
The Replacement Path, Line by Line
Replacement makes sense when the frame is compromised or the window is so old that repairs only buy you another season. Here's the breakdown per opening.
A standard vinyl double-hung replacement runs roughly $450-$900 for the unit itself, plus $150-$400 in labor per window for an insert (pocket) install that keeps the existing frame. A full-frame tear-out, where rotted framing forces them to rebuild the opening, jumps to $700-$1,200 in labor because of carpentry, flashing, and trim work.
Materials move the price too. Vinyl is the budget tier, fiberglass and composite run 30-60% higher, and wood-clad units are the premium line. Add roughly $50-$150 per window for permits in jurisdictions that require them, and another $100-$300 if there's lead paint disturbance in a pre-1978 home.
Rot is the budget-killer. If the installer opens the frame and finds soft, water-damaged wood, you're now paying for framing repair on top of the window. It's the same surprise that turns a small sagging floor repair cost into a structural job once someone pulls back the subfloor. Always get a clause about what happens if rot is found mid-install.
Repair vs Replacement: Side by Side
Here's the honest comparison on the four things that actually decide it: cost, lifespan, upkeep, and risk.
| Factor | Repair | Replacement |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost per window | $75-$400 | $600-$1,500 |
| Lifespan added | 3-10 years (depends on the fix) | 20-30 years for a quality unit |
| Upkeep | Re-caulk and re-strip every few years | Minimal for 15+ years |
| Energy savings | Modest; seals the obvious leaks | Larger if going from single to double pane |
| Risk | May not fix a deeper frame problem | Tear-out surprises, oversold scope |
| Best when | Glass and frame are sound | Frame is rotted, fogged, or single-pane in cold climates |
The Verdict: Who Should Repair and Who Should Replace
Repair wins for the larger group. If your frames are solid, the glass is intact (no fog between panes), and the draft traces back to weatherstripping, caulk, or a bad lock, you're looking at a few hundred dollars at most. Spending $4,000 to solve a $90 problem is the single most common overpay I see.
Replacement wins when the math stops favoring patches. That's fogged double panes across multiple windows, visible frame rot, single-pane glass in a heating climate, or windows so old that parts no longer exist. In those cases, repair is just renting a few more seasons before you pay for the unit anyway.
If the repair cost climbs past about a third of replacement and only buys you a few years, replace. If it's under that and the frame is sound, repair every time. Run the same per-unit math you'd apply to any home system, the way skipping cheap upkeep turns into expensive failures (see these HVAC maintenance mistakes for how that pattern plays out).
What Moves the Price Up or Down
A few variables swing the final number more than the window itself. Knowing them lets you predict a quote before it lands.
- Number of windows. Bundling drops per-unit labor. One window costs more per opening than ten in the same trip.
- Install type. Insert installs are cheaper than full-frame tear-outs by several hundred dollars per window.
- Access. Second-story or hard-to-reach windows add labor for ladders or scaffolding.
- Material tier. Vinyl to wood-clad can double the unit price alone.
- Custom sizing. Non-standard openings mean custom-order units, which add cost and lead time.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace a drafty window?
Repair is almost always cheaper upfront, often $75-$400 versus $600-$1,500 for replacement. The exception is when the frame is rotted or the glass seal has failed, where repairs only delay the inevitable replacement.
Can a foggy window be repaired without full replacement?
Often yes. If the frame is sound, you can replace just the insulated glass unit for roughly $150-$400 per sash instead of the whole window. Many salespeople skip mentioning this because there's no frame markup in it.
How much should I budget per window for replacement?
Plan on roughly $600-$1,500 per window installed for a standard vinyl double-hung, more for fiberglass or wood and more again if rot forces a full-frame tear-out. Get the labor and materials itemized separately before you commit.
Before you sign anything, make the contractor break the quote into parts and materials, then check whether your draft is a seal problem or a frame problem. Nine times out of ten, the cheaper path is sitting right there in the line items, waiting for someone to ask. Get a second opinion if the first quote leads with replacement and never mentions repair at all. That omission tells you plenty about who you're dealing with.
