Window replacement cost in Birmingham, AL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (10 windows)
- $4,100 – $13,900
- Per window
- $412 – $1,394
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −7%
- US $9,750
- Rank of 300 metros
- #229
- 1 = most expensive
Birmingham homeowners pay roughly $4,100 to $13,900 to replace windows at 10 windows, or $412 to $1,394 per window (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Birmingham is 7% lower. Glaziers earn a median of $21.89 an hour in the Birmingham area, 20% below the US median of $27.44.
Estimate your window replacement cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 10 windows in Birmingham, AL, standard level
$7,050 to $11,000
About $706 to $1,099 per window before permits. Labor is about 24% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $5,200 | $8,450 |
| Labor | $1,850 | $2,550 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $7,050 | $11,000 |
Cost breakdown for 10 windows in Birmingham, AL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,800 | $6,850 | $10,800 | 76% |
| Labor | $1,300 | $2,200 | $3,100 | 24% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $4,100 | $9,050 | $13,900 | 100% |
What is behind the Birmingham number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: glaziers at 50%, carpenters at 40%, general maintenance and repair workers at 10%. Weighted together, Birmingham wages are 0.83 times the national level. Labor makes up about 24% of the midpoint estimate (27% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Birmingham metro is 96.4 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 10 windows comes to $6,850, compared with $7,100 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (91.6) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 50% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Birmingham. The wage table below marks each row.
Is Birmingham cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, 4 are cheaper than Birmingham. Montgomery is the lowest at about $8,950 (midpoint, 10 windows), 80 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, ALthis page | $4,100 – $13,900 | $9,050 | |
| Tuscaloosa, AL60 miles | $4,100 – $13,800 | $8,950 | −1% |
| Decatur, AL75 miles | $4,150 – $14,000 | $9,050 | level |
| Montgomery, AL80 miles | $4,050 – $13,800 | $8,950 | −1% |
| Huntsville, AL90 miles | $4,100 – $13,900 | $9,000 | level |
| Auburn, AL100 miles | $4,050 – $13,800 | $8,950 | −1% |
| Alabama (statewide) | $4,100 – $13,900 | $9,000 | −1% |
| United States | $4,500 – $15,000 | $9,750 | +8% |
Across 300 US metros, Birmingham comes in at #229 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $11,800; the cheapest is Laredo, TX at $8,350 (midpoints, 10 windows). Statewide, Birmingham is 1% above the Alabama figure.
Other Alabama metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | 266,650 jobs | $4,100 – $13,900 | $9,000 | level |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $4,100 – $13,800 | $8,950 | −1% |
| Montgomery, AL | 165,550 jobs | $4,050 – $13,800 | $8,950 | −1% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $4,100 – $13,800 | $8,950 | −1% |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $4,050 – $13,800 | $8,950 | −1% |
| Auburn, AL | 72,710 jobs | $4,050 – $13,800 | $8,950 | −1% |
Cities with a workforce like Birmingham's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Birmingham against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo, NY | 534,550 jobs | $4,550 – $15,100 | $9,850 | +9% |
| Omaha, NE | 498,100 jobs | $4,150 – $13,900 | $9,050 | level |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 598,260 jobs | $4,150 – $13,900 | $9,050 | level |
| Rochester, NY | 494,280 jobs | $4,550 – $15,100 | $9,800 | +8% |
Specs and site conditions that change a Birmingham bid
Permit
Window permits are $50-$200 each, or $400-$600 total for a multi-window job, and are often only needed when you change the opening (HomeGuide). No permit fee is included here because many cities do not ask for one on same-size replacements.
Frame material
Vinyl windows run $350-$1,500 each installed, fiberglass $400-$2,000, composite $400-$2,300, and wood $800-$3,800 (HomeGuide).
Window type
Single-hung and picture windows are cheapest; bay and bow windows can reach $3,000-$8,000+.
When to schedule windows in Birmingham
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Birmingham Ap (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
September through June is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Birmingham (10 of 12 months). July and August have an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Birmingham gets about 57 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 1 inches of snow. The wettest months are March, April and July (5.7 inches in March). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 4.0 and 3.3 inches. The station averages about 65 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55 | 35 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Feb | 59 | 38 | 5.0 | Workable |
| Mar | 67 | 45 | 5.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 75 | 52 | 5.1 | Workable |
| May | 82 | 61 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 88 | 69 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 91 | 72 | 5.4 | Hot |
| Aug | 91 | 71 | 4.3 | Hot |
| Sep | 86 | 65 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 76 | 54 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Nov | 65 | 43 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Dec | 57 | 38 | 4.9 | Workable |
What nearby projects cost in Birmingham
Because every project leans on different trades, Birmingham's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, front door runs −7% and vinyl siding −11%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patio door | 1 door | $550 – $5,400 | −10% |
| Front door | 1 door | $450 – $2,350 | −7% |
| Storm door | 1 door | $320 – $880 | −8% |
| Vinyl siding | 2,100 sq ft of wall | $7,500 – $22,500 | −11% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $650 – $3,450 | −7% |
Cost by quality level and size in Birmingham
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Birmingham wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$4,100 to $8,050
Standard vinyl single-hung, same openings
Standard
$7,050 to $11,000
Mid-grade vinyl or composite, a few larger units
Premium
$10,000 to $13,900
Fiberglass or wood, large or custom sizes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| a few windows (5 windows) | $2,050 – $4,000 | $3,550 – $5,500 | $5,000 – $6,950 |
| small house (10 windows) | $4,100 – $8,050 | $7,050 – $11,000 | $10,000 – $13,900 |
| average house (15 windows) | $6,200 – $12,100 | $10,600 – $16,500 | $15,000 – $20,900 |
| whole house (25 windows) | $10,300 – $20,100 | $17,700 – $27,500 | $25,000 – $34,800 |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Birmingham is 0.83 times the national level.
Glaziers (47-2121) carry 50% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Birmingham metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median: $21.89 an hour against $27.44 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $17.88 and $23.26 an hour.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 40%) the local median is $24.23 an hour, which is 17% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.00 and $28.95 an hour. BLS counts 1,660 of them working in the area, 31.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
General maintenance and repair workers (49-9071), 10% of the weighting: a median of $22.29 an hour, 7% below the US median of $23.84. The middle half of them earn between $18.22 and $27.50 an hour. About 3,720 work in the metro. That is 71.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 98.4 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the glaziers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($23.26 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $65. At the 25th percentile ($17.88) it shrinks by about $190. The total moves by 0.7% or 2.2%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 520,290 jobs in the Birmingham area. That makes it the 50th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.33% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glaziers (47-2121) | 50% | $17.88 | $21.89 | $23.26 | $27.44 | 0.80 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $22.00 | $24.23 | $28.95 | $29.12 | 0.83 | metro |
| General maintenance and repair workers (49-9071) | 10% | $18.22 | $22.29 | $27.50 | $23.84 | 0.93 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.83 | |||||
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $7,050 to $11,000 for Birmingham, AL is attached.
A detailed PDF report of this estimate, $9
Multi-page report for Birmingham, AL: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Window replacement in Birmingham: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace windows in Birmingham?
For 10 windows, expect $4,100 to $13,900 in the Birmingham area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,050 to $11,000. Small jobs usually cost more per window and large ones less.
+What is the price per window for windows in Birmingham?
About $412 to $1,394 per window for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $450 to $1,500.
+Is windows cheaper in Birmingham or Tuscaloosa?
Tuscaloosa is 60 miles away. The midpoint for 10 windows there is $8,950, which is 1% less than Birmingham ($9,050). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Birmingham?
About 24% at the midpoint, or $2,200 out of $9,050. Materials are 76% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 27%.
+What would average house (15 windows) cost in Birmingham?
$6,200 to $20,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does windows need a permit in Birmingham?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Birmingham area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Birmingham expensive for windows compared with the rest of Alabama?
Birmingham is 1% above the Alabama statewide estimate ($9,000 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Alabama; see the state page to compare them.
+What do glaziers earn in Birmingham?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $21.89 an hour, compared with $27.44 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.88 to $23.26.
+What do basic and premium windows work cost in Birmingham?
For 10 windows, basic work runs $4,100 to $8,050 and premium work $10,000 to $13,900. Basic means: standard vinyl single-hung, same openings. Premium means: fiberglass or wood, large or custom sizes.
+When is the best time to replace windows in Birmingham?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are September through June. September and October are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Window replacement near Birmingham
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Window Replacement Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = 65% of the low installed price and 75% of the high one, from HomeGuide's statement that the window unit is 65-75% of replacement cost.