Glass is ordered to size, so most jobs mean a measure, an order, a wait and an install. Price both trips, the supplier's cut size with your markup, and the setting materials. A broken pane on a busy street is also an after-hours call, and that is a different price.
- Price two trips into every custom glass job: the measure and the install.
- Fixr puts window glass replacement at $300 to $880, about $375 for a 30 by 36 inch double-pane sliding window.
- Replacing clear glass in a single-pane window is about $200 in Fixr's guide.
- Storefront glass replacement runs $500 to $3,000, per Fixr.
- Take a deposit before you order. Cut glass cannot be returned.
Setting your labor rate
Start with the wage. The closest group the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes is glaziers. In its May 2025 wage survey, that group's national mean wage was $28.71 an hour and the median was $27.44 (BLS OEWS 47-2121).
Add your labor burden on top: payroll taxes, workers' comp and any paid time off. If burden in your state comes to 20% of wages, a $29 an hour tech costs you $34.80 an hour. That loaded number is what goes into the job cost.
Published glass prices
| Job | Published price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Window glass replacement, typical | $300 to $880 | Fixr |
| 30 x 36 in double-pane sliding window | About $375 | Fixr |
| Single-pane, single-hung window | About $200 | Fixr |
| Picture window glass | $175 to $925 | Fixr |
| Storefront glass | $500 to $3,000 | Fixr |
| Frameless shower door, material | $900 to $2,300 | Fixr |
| Framed shower door, material | $300 to $1,200 | Fixr |
A worked example: two fogged double panes
Every input is an assumption for the example.
- Scope: replace the insulated glass in two 30 by 36 inch sliding windows that have fogged between the panes. Frames are sound.
- Glass: $140 a unit from your supplier.
- Time: one hour to measure and three to install, at $34.80 an hour loaded.
- Driving at 76 cents a mile, the IRS business rate for the second half of 2026 (IRS standard mileage rates).
- Overhead 20% of the price and profit 15%.
- Insulated glass units from your supplier: 2 x $140 = $280
- Labor, measure and install: 4 hours x $34.80 = $139.20
- Glazing tape, setting blocks and sealant: $30
- Disposal: $20
- Drive: 2 trips x 20 miles x $0.76 = $30.40
- Direct cost: $280 + $139.20 + $30 + $20 + $30.40 = $499.60
- Overhead plus profit: 20% + 15% = 35% of the price
- Price: $499.60 / (1 - 0.35) = $499.60 / 0.65 = $769
Check it: 35% of $769 is about $269, and $769 minus $269 is about $500, the direct cost of $499.60. The profit and overhead are inside the price, not added on top of a cost you guessed.
That is about $384.50 a pane. Fixr's example of a 30 by 36 inch double-pane sliding window is about $375, so this lands in the right place.
Good, better, best for a shower door
- Good: a framed sliding door.
- Better: semi-frameless with heavier glass.
- Best: frameless with a protective glass coating.
Send them with Koira's estimates. The customer picks one, signs and pays the deposit on the same page. Customers can text photos first: Koira drafts the estimate from the photos and your price list, and you confirm sizes on the measure.
Common glass pricing mistakes
- One trip priced. A custom unit is always two.
- Tempered glass at the annealed price. Doors, showers and glass near the floor often need safety glass. Check before you quote.
- No after-hours rate. Board-ups and emergency glass at night need their own price.
- Ordering before the deposit. Cut glass is yours if the customer cancels.
Sources
Every published figure on this page was read on the source page itself on the date shown. Worked example inputs are assumptions, labeled as such.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025, Glaziers (47-2121), checked October 9, 2026
- Fixr: Window glass replacement cost, checked October 9, 2026
- Fixr: Walk-in shower installation cost (shower door table), checked October 9, 2026
- IRS: Standard mileage rates, checked October 9, 2026
Questions contractors ask
How much should I charge to replace a window pane?
Build it from the glass, two trips and your hours. Fixr lists $300 to $880, about $375 for a 30 by 36 inch double pane.
What does storefront glass replacement cost?
Fixr lists $500 to $3,000, depending on size and type.
What does a frameless shower door cost?
Fixr lists frameless shower doors at $900 to $2,300 for the door, before installation labor.
Should I charge for the measure visit?
Price it into the job, or charge a trip fee that comes off the job if they go ahead.
