20 Best Window Companies in Chicago, IL (2024 Reviews)

How Installing Energy-Efficient Windows in Chicago Saves You Money

Switching to energy-efficient windows can help improve the comfort of your home and help you save on energy bills. Here are more details about how switching out your windows could benefit you:

• Save money on electricity bills: Since energy-efficient windows lower the amount of energy used to heat or cool your home, they can help you save about $298 annually on your energy bills in Chicago.
• Reduce your carbon footprint: In Chicago, you can cut your indirect greenhouse gas emissions by about 449 pounds per year once you upgrade to energy-efficient windows.
• Protect your investment: If you have an older home, your windows are most likely in need of replacement. Upgrading your windows can improve the insulation in your home and also help raise the value of your house if you decide to sell.
• Protect your valuables from fading: The low-emissivity coatings on many energy-efficient windows filter out damaging UV rays, preventing fading of your furniture, carpet and other valuables.

Estimated Cost of Window Replacement in Chicago

Windows come in various styles, purposes and shapes, so costs and services will differ greatly depending on several factors. Below, we go over the average cost and services that you’ll find from window installation companies.

How Much Do New Windows Cost?

On average, Chicago homeowners can anticipate their replacement window installations to range from $250 to $1,200. The average cost sits at approximately $600. These figures are based on the specifics of your installation, such as size, material, number of windows, type, the location of your home and more.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that energy-efficient windows will usually cost more initially, but Energy Star predicts that switching out the windows on your Chicago home can mean an average energy savings of $236 to $319 per year for single-pane window replacement, or between $87 to $126 each year for double-pane windows. How much you’ll save by installing energy-efficient windows varies based on your local climate, energy rates and other factors unique to your home.

How much your window installation costs will also vary based on the kind of material you choose for the frames. Wood windows are usually the most expensive, but it depends on whether they are 100% wood or clad with aluminum or vinyl. Fiberglass windows also tend to be a bit more expensive than vinyl, but they are more efficient.

What Services do Window Installers Offer?

There are typically two kinds of window replacement services: full-frame and pocket installations.

Full-frame installations are usually recommended when you want a new style or your window has significant rot. With this service, your professionals will replace the entire window, including the sill, frame and trim. Pocket installations are on the simpler end and won’t cost as much because they entail simply replacing the window within its existing frame. But if the frame has any damage or deterioration, you should opt for a full-frame installation instead.

If you’re still debating which type of installation to get, you can talk to your provider and get their advice. The choice mostly is influenced by the age of your window frames and if there’s any damage.

How We Choose the Best Window Installers in Chicago

In our search to find the most reliable, eco-friendly window installers in Chicago, the EcoWatch Reviews team landed on the above companies as the best window installation companies in the city. Along with energy efficiency, we evaluated several window installers in Chicago and assigned rankings based on the following methodology:

Service Area

Because this is a guide for Chicago, we only included companies that cover the city. There are certainly other reputable providers that didn’t make the list because of the low odds that they would serve the average homeowner in Chicago.

Work Quality

When choosing new windows, the quality and variety of services often plays just as important of a role in insulation and performance as the type of window you opt for. We do give window installers higher marks if they offer high-quality products, but we also consider workmanship as reflected in customer feedback.

Customer Reviews

Customer feedback is another very important review factor. If most customers don’t have nice things to say about their service from a certain installer, it won’t be featured on EcoWatch.

Cost

This one is a give-and-take: similar to most services, cheap window installation companies are not going to provide the highest quality service. On the other hand, we want to ensure we’re highlighting companies that provide a wide range of price and financing options so they’re accessible to most homeowners.

Warranty

Protecting your investment in new windows is important. That’s why window installation companies that provide lengthy warranties for products, parts and installation (aka workmanship) rank higher with EcoWatch.

Years of Experience

Because of Chicago’s climate, homeowners will want to mitigate water damage, low efficiency and rot. We factored in local experience to reflect the ability of Chicago window companies to prepare homes for the climate. If a company has less than 10 years of experience, it loses points in this category.