Most people asking this question have one broken or foggy window and a suspicion that the answer is going to be four figures. It usually is not. Here is what the work actually costs in Hamilton in 2026, and what makes the number move.
The short answer
| Job | From | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Single pane glass | $150 | $150 to $350 |
| Sealed unit, standard size | $350 | $350 to $650 |
| Sealed unit, large or tempered | $650 | $650 to $900+ |
| Patio or sliding door glass | $450 | $450 to $900 |
| Entry door glass insert, clear | $300 | $300 to $700 |
| Entry door insert, decorative | $600 | $600 to $1,500 |
| Emergency board up | $150 | $150 to $350 plus after hours |
| Storefront lite | $800 | $800 to $2,500+ |
Those are installed prices before tax, glass only, with the existing frame staying in place.
Glass replacement versus window replacement
This is the distinction that saves people the most money, and it gets blurred constantly because most companies quoting your foggy window sell whole windows.
A window has two parts that can fail. The frame, which is the vinyl, wood or aluminum structure fixed into your wall, and the glass, which is either a single pane or a sealed unit made of two or three panes with a spacer and gas between them. When a window fogs, the frame is almost never the problem. The seal on the glass unit has failed and moisture has got in between the panes. You cannot clean it, and you do not need a new window to fix it.
Replacing just the sealed unit runs $350 to $650. Replacing the whole window, frame included, runs $600 to $1,800 per window installed in Ontario, with a full home of ten to fourteen windows landing somewhere between $8,000 and $25,000. If your frames are sound, paying for new frames is paying for something you did not need.
The honest exception: if the frame is rotted, warped, no longer square, or the hardware has failed beyond repair, a new window is the right call. We do not sell full window replacement, so when we tell you the frame is fine, there is nothing waiting at the end of that sentence.
What actually moves the price
Size. This is the biggest factor by far. Sealed unit pricing scales with area and weight. A bedroom window and a two storey foyer window are the same job with the same steps, but one takes two people and a scaffold. It is why a quote in Vaughan or Oakville can be higher than one in East York for what sounds like the same window.
Glass type. Standard clear double glazing is the baseline. Low-E coating with an argon fill adds roughly 15 to 20 percent, and it is worth it in a Hamilton winter. Tempered glass, which is required by code in doors, patio sliders, shower enclosures and any pane close to the floor, costs more than annealed. Laminated glass, used for security and noise, costs more again.
Shape. Rectangles are cut from stock. Arches, circles, trapezoids and anything with a curve are cut to a template and cost more, and they add lead time because they cannot be pulled from inventory.
Access. Ground floor with a driveway is straightforward. A window above an entry needs a ladder or scaffold. A condo needs a service elevator booking and a certificate of insurance. None of these are complicated, but they add time.
Urgency. Same day and after hours work carries a premium, typically $100 to $250 on top of standard pricing. A board up on a Sunday night costs more than a scheduled Tuesday morning install.
Triple pane. If your window is a triple glazed unit, expect to pay more than the double pane ranges above. The unit is heavier and thicker and costs more to manufacture.
Why the quote comes in two parts
Almost every glass job in Hamilton is two visits. The first is a measurement, because a sealed unit is manufactured to the exact opening and there is no stock size that fits. The second is the install once the glass is cut, usually three to seven business days later, longer for shapes and specialty coatings.
If the window is broken rather than foggy, the first visit is also a board up so the opening is secure and the mess is cleaned up. That board up is a separate line, $150 to $350 plus after hours, and it is not deducted from the glass price.
Anyone who quotes you a firm final price over the phone without a measurement is guessing. What you should get on the phone is a range, which is what the table above gives you.
Insurance
Broken glass from a break in, storm or vandalism is usually covered by home insurance, subject to your deductible. Foggy or failed seals are not, because that is wear rather than damage. For a single $400 sealed unit a claim is rarely worth it once the deductible is applied. For a storefront lite at $2,000 it usually is.
For commercial claims we provide the itemised invoice and photos insurers ask for.
Getting a real number for your window
You need three things to get a usable range: rough dimensions, whether it is single pane or double, and whether the glass is broken or fogged. Measure the visible glass, corner to corner, and round to the nearest inch. That is enough for us to put you inside a couple of hundred dollars before anyone drives out.
We serve the whole city of Hamilton, same day, with no travel fee.