How much does it cost to replace all the windows and doors in a house in 2026 (real figures)

“How much does it cost to replace all the windows and doors in a house?” is the question we get asked most often. The honest answer is: it depends on too many variables to give a flat figure. But that’s also an answer that helps no one. In this article I’ll try to give you realistic ranges updated for 2026 with two example homes, the items that raise and lower the price, and a checklist of things to ask about explicitly to avoid dodgy — or suspiciously cheap — quotes.

The number that matters: price per square metre installed

The industry works in €/m² fully installed, where “fully installed” includes profile + glazing + hardware + UNI 11673 installation + disposal of old units.

Realistic 2026 ranges in Italy for a standard residential window (tilt-and-turn, average dimensions):

PVC:

• Entry standard (70 mm profile, 5 chambers, double low-E argon glazing): €350-450/m²
• Mid-range (Salamander GreenEvolution 76 or equivalent, double low-E warm edge): €450-600/m²
• Premium (Salamander BlueEvolution 72 with triple glazing): €600-800/m²
• Passive (BlueEvolution 82, triple glazing argon/krypton): €800-1,100/m²

Thermal-break aluminium:

• Entry (LMT 70 / 71 double glazing): €500-700/m²
• Mid-range (LMT 91 double or triple): €700-900/m²
• Premium (LMT 92 triple glazing): €900-1,200/m²
• Passive (LMT 93 triple argon/krypton): €1,200-1,500/m²

The low end of each range is a basic product done well; the high end is a top product with full accessories. Below the range minimums, there’s usually something being cut (standard non-low-E glazing, minimal installation, basic hardware, non-German-brand profiles).

Concrete example 1: 80 m² flat with 5 windows + 1 French window

Typical case: 80 m² flat in a mid-sized city (Rome, Bologna, Genoa), 1st floor of a 1970s apartment block. 5 windows (average 120x140 cm = 1.68 m² each) + 1 balcony French window (160x230 = 3.68 m²). Total window and door surface area: ~12 m².

Mid-range configuration (PVC GreenEvolution 76, double low-E argon glazing, RC2 hardware, UNI 11673 installation, disposal included):

• Material + installation: 12 m² × €550/m² = €6,600
• Disposal of old units: included
• Reduced 10% VAT (maintenance work on a residential property): check with your accountant
• Gross total: €6,600-7,300 (depending on specific items)

Premium configuration (BlueEvolution 72, triple glazing, RC2, UNI 11673 installation):

• Material + installation: 12 m² × €720/m² = €8,640
• Gross total: €8,600-9,500

Aluminium LMT 91 configuration with triple glazing: €9,000-11,000 total.

For the tax incentives in force at the time of your spend, always refer to ENEA and the Agenzia delle Entrate (the Italian Revenue Agency), because rates, caps and procedures change frequently.

Concrete example 2: 150 m² house with 8 windows + 2 French windows

Typical case: detached 150 m² house on the outskirts/in the provinces, built in the 1980s, original energy class F-E. 8 standard windows + 2 garden French windows. Window and door surface area: ~18-20 m².

Standard configuration (PVC GreenEvolution 76, double low-E, RC2 targeted at the ground floor only):

• Material + installation: 20 m² × €560/m² = €11,200
• Sub-frame replacement for 4 old units (€100 each): +€400
• Sills to redo for 2 windows (€130 each): +€260
• Total: €11,800-12,500

Premium configuration (BlueEvolution 72, triple glazing, RC2 throughout):

• Material + installation: 20 m² × €730/m² = €14,600
• Sub-frames + sills: +€700
• Total: €15,500-16,800

Aluminium LMT 91 triple-glazed configuration: €18,000-22,000.

If you upgrade the garden French windows to a lift-and-slide door (instead of a classic tilt-and-turn), the cost of the single unit can easily double (a 3 m wide, top-of-the-range PVC lift-and-slide door runs from €2,500 to €4,500 installed). This is an upgrade that only makes sense if the opening justifies the spend (a panoramic view, a liveable terrace, wide access).

Items that increase the price

The items that significantly push up the quote:

Special types:

• Lift-and-slide door (on recessed tracks, HS frame): +60-100% versus a standard French window
• Parallel sliding door: +40-60%
• Bay window or curved unit: +80-150%
• Pivot window, large top-hung (vasistas) window, sash window: +30-60%
• Roof lights: priced separately, €600-1,500 per roof light

Security:

• RC2 anti-intrusion versus standard: +€80-200/unit (15-25% on the single item)
• RC3 anti-intrusion: +€250-450/unit (40-70% on the single item)
• 44.2 laminated anti-shatter glass: +30-50% on the glazing cost
• Armoured shutters instead of standard: +€200-500/shutter

Special glazing:

• Triple glazing vs double: +20-30% on the window cost
• Solar control glass (for hot areas, low solar factor): +15-25%
• Acoustic glass (for noisy areas, Rw 42+): +25-40%
• Patterned/satin/decorative glass: +10-30%

Accessories and finishes:

• Special colours (non-white, non-standard RAL): +10-25%
• Single-faced colour (white inside, coloured outside): +8-15%
• RENOLIT wood-effect foils: +15-30%
• Integrated shutters or internal blinds: +€200-500 per window
• Motorised roller shutters/blinds: +€250-500 per motorised unit (see our guide to motorised shutters and blinds)
• New insulated shutter boxes (Streetex, Climaver shutter box): +€150-400 per box

Types of installation:

• Installation with existing or new external insulation: +€50-150/unit to manage the transition
• Installation flush with the external wall face: +€100-200/unit
• Installation on a historic/listed building: +20-40% for the extra care required

Items that lower the price

What brings the quote down while staying on quality:

• PVC entry-standard (70 mm profile, 5 chambers, not a premium German brand): can drop to €350-400/m²
• Standard double glazing (4-16Ar-4 low-E, no triple): the economical sweet spot for zones C-D
• Standard white colours, no special finishes
• Standard hardware (no specific RC2, but good-brand standard multi-point locking)
• Existing shutter boxes reused (if in good condition)
• Existing sills and sub-frames reused (if compatible)
• Work done in a single round (volume discount: 6-10 windows done together often cost 10-15% less than the same quantity split across two separate jobs)

An entry-standard PVC window, 70 mm, double glazing 4-16Ar-4 low-E, Maco multi-point hardware, UNI 11673 installation included, CE marking: comes in at €380-450/m² installed. Below €350/m² something doesn’t add up.

The suspiciously low quote

Every year we see companies offering “all-inclusive” windows at €200-280/m². It’s mathematically impossible to do a serious job at that price. The costs that can’t be skipped:

• Base material (profile + glazing + hardware): €180-250/m² from a serious supplier
• UNI 11673 installation (labour, foams, tapes): €150-250 per standard window
• Disposal of old units: €30-50 per window
• Business margin (to survive): 15-25%

At €250/m² something gets cut. The options:

• Chinese PVC profiles with no serious CE marking
• Single glazing or plain double glazing (no argon, non-low-E)
• Low-cost, unbranded hardware
• “Quick” installation: generic polyurethane foam only, no UNI 11673 tapes
• No disposal (the old units get left in the garden)
• No technical certification useful for tax incentives

The result: within 5-10 years you have windows that close badly, lose thermal performance and have dried-out seals. With no access to incentives, you’ve spent less at the start but far more over the full life cycle.

The items to explicitly ask for in the quote

To avoid nasty surprises, check that the quote states in black and white:

1. Brand and model of the profile (e.g. “Salamander GreenEvolution 76”) — not a generic “PVC 5 chambers”
2. Glazing composition (e.g. “4-16Ar-4 with Planitherm low-E coating and warm edge”)
3. Hardware brand (e.g. “Maco MultiMatic RC1N”)
4. Declared Uw value for each window/door type
5. CE marking from the manufacturer, attached
6. UNI 11673 installation with the tape brands specified (illbruck, Tescon, Klober)
7. Disposal of old units included
8. Sub-frame replacement if needed — included or explicitly quoted separately
9. External sills: reuse or replacement, an explicit line item
10. Technical certification for access to tax incentives — who signs it, cost
11. Warranty: minimum 10 years on the product, 5 years on the installation, in writing
12. A compliant invoice for incentives (with the correct works code)
13. Estimated delivery and installation times
14. Payment terms (deposit + balance, not 100% upfront)

If these items are missing, ask for them to be added. A serious company includes them by default; anyone who leaves them out either has something to hide or doesn’t work to that standard of quality.

Which price band for which type of home

Broadly speaking:

A flat to let or to sell soon:

• PVC entry-standard, double glazing, RC1
• Range: €350-450/m²
• Logic: covers basic objections, no excessive investment

A flat lived in full-time:

• PVC GreenEvolution 76 or equivalent, double or triple glazing depending on zone, RC2 on the lower floors
• Range: €500-700/m²
• Logic: real comfort, lower bills, lasting value

A house lived in full-time:

• PVC BlueEvolution 72 or aluminium LMT 91, triple glazing, targeted RC2-RC3
• Range: €700-1,000/m²
• Logic: a serious investment, meaningful energy class

A passive house / new build, class A:

• PVC BlueEvolution 82 or aluminium LMT 93, triple glazing argon/krypton, RC2
• Range: €900-1,500/m²
• Logic: a systemic part of the house, paid back in 8-12 years

To get better oriented, also read how to choose the right windows and doors and request a quote tailored to your situation.

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In our quotes, we always set out two or three scenarios (entry, mid-range, premium) for the same job, so you can see for yourself what changes and by how much. No single, closed-off quote: you see every line item and decide yourself where to cut back and where to invest.