Why window and door jobs are hard to price
- Ordered to size. Special-order units can't be returned if the job falls through.
- Every opening is different. Rot, out-of-square framing and old trim change the labor.
- Install materials. Flashing tape, sill pans, shims, foam and caulk are easy to forget.
- Trim and finish. Interior casing and exterior trim are often separate work.
How Trades HQ helps window and door installers
- Ready-made window and door items in your Price Book, like double-hung, casement, sliding, picture and egress windows, pre-hung interior doors, steel and fiberglass entry doors, and sliding glass doors. Add your prices once and reuse them.
- Deposits up front, so the order is paid for before you place it.
- Material price requests. Send one price request to all your suppliers and turn the best quote into a purchase order.
- Change orders for rot found when the old unit comes out.
- Proposals customers approve online, then one click to invoice.
- Live job profit on every job.
A window replacement estimate, step by step
- Measure each rough opening and note the window type.
- Add the unit price from your supplier quote.
- Add install materials for each opening.
- Add removal and disposal of the old unit.
- Add interior and exterior trim if it's in your scope.
- Apply your overhead and profit, and take a deposit before you order.
Example checklist for one replacement window (no prices; use your own):
| Line | Notes |
|---|---|
| Window unit | From supplier quote |
| Remove and dispose of old window | |
| Flashing tape and sill pan | |
| Shims, foam and sealant | |
| Interior casing | If it's in your scope |
| Exterior trim or capping | If it's in your scope |
| Install labor | Your hours × your rate |
Bedroom windows may need to meet egress rules, and homes built before 1978 may fall under federal lead-safe rules. Check the codes in your area.
Pricing tip: Price each opening the same way every time, then add rot repair as a change order when you find it. And remember that markup and margin aren't the same number: a 20% margin needs a 25% markup. The Estimating Basics guide walks through the math, and the free markup and margin calculator does it for you.
