20 Best Window Companies in Oakland, CA (2024 Reviews)

How Installing Energy-Efficient Windows in Oakland Saves You Money

When you switch to energy-efficient windows, you may see several benefits, such as:

• Decrease your carbon footprint: Decreasing how much energy you use also lowers your indirect greenhouse gas emissions. You could reduce it by 117 pounds per year on average.
• Protect your investment: If your home is on the older side, your windows are most likely outdated. Upgrading your windows can make your home more comfortable and also help increase the value of your property if you decide to sell.
• Protect your valuables from fading: The low-emissivity coatings on many energy-efficient windows filter out harmful UV rays, preventing fading of your furniture, carpet and other valuables.
• Save money on electricity bills: Once you switch to energy-efficient windows, you can see a reduction in your bills by about 12% because you’ll need less energy to heat or cool your home.

Estimated Cost of Window Replacement in Oakland

When looking into window installation, each company provides varying services and prices. Let’s take a look at some typical costs and services.

How Much Do New Windows Cost?

Even though the national average cost to replace a single window is about $600, it can range from $200 to $1,200. But costs vary considerably based on the size of your home, complexity of the installation, your location and the quality of the company you choose. Many window companies also offer door installations, which will make your project cost more.

Keep in mind that energy-efficient windows may cost more, but Energy Star predicts the upgrade will save you between $101 and $583 a year when replacing single-pane windows and between $27 and $197 a year when you replace double-pane, clear glass windows. Your savings will vary depending on your local climate, energy rates and individual home characteristics.

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

What Services do Window Installers Offer?

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

A full-frame installation is a replacement of the total window. It involves removing the old window, the windowsill, and the exterior and interior trim. It can also involve other materials, such as insulation and drip edges, which raise the overall cost of the project. It’s also worth noting that you may have to touch up the paint around the window after a full-frame installation. A pocket installation involves replacing a window within the existing frame, which tends to be cheaper than a full-frame installation.

Your window installer should be able to help you decide which type of installation you need.

How We Choose the Best Window Installers in Oakland

In our search to find the most reliable, eco-friendly window installers in Oakland, EcoWatch landed on the above companies as the best window installation companies in the city. Along with energy efficiency, we reviewed several window installers in Oakland and ranked them using the following methodology:

Service Area

Because this is a guide for Oakland, we only included companies that cover the city. There are other reputable providers that didn’t make the cut because they wouldn’t be able to serve homeowners in Oakland.

Work Quality

When picking new windows, the quality and range of services can often play just as important of a role in insulation and performance as the type of window you choose. We do rate window installers higher if they offer high-quality products, but we also factor in workmanship as reflected in customer feedback.

Customer Reviews

We analyzed patterns in recent customer feedback to find the companies with the most consistent customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction may be the most important factor, as it indicates the quality of services across most other categories, including cost, warranty, quality of parts, quality of installation, professionalism and more.

Cost

Cheaper windows certainly don’t mean better windows, but we know many of our readers want to keep costs as low as possible. When analyzing the prices of providers, we gave higher scores to companies with reasonable prices and accessible financing rather than “cheaper” services.

Warranty

As discussed previously, windows are a sizable investment, so you’ll want to be certain that investment is well protected. Window installation companies that give you lengthy warranties for products, parts and installation (aka workmanship) rank higher with EcoWatch.

Years of Experience

Lastly, we like to see companies that have a proven track record in the industry. Window installers that have more experience earn higher rankings by our standards. We like to see at least ten years of experience.