20 Best Window Companies in San Diego, CA (2024 Reviews)

How Installing Energy-Efficient Windows in San Diego Saves You Money

When you switch to energy-efficient windows, you may see some benefits, including:

• Protect your investment: The older your home is, the more likely it is that switching to energy-efficient windows will benefit you. Older homes usually have windows that are outdated, leaky or maybe even damaged in some way. Updating your windows could help increase the value of your property if you decide to sell.
• Reduce your carbon footprint: By using less energy after switching to Energy Star certified windows, you’ll also be decreasing your indirect greenhouse gas emissions by about 12%, according to Energy Star.
• 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 on energy bills: Switching to energy-efficient windows lowers your energy bills by about 12% since you use less energy.

Estimated Cost of Window Replacement in San Diego

Let’s take a look at the cost of replacing your windows and the kinds of services offered by installers.

How Much Do New Windows Cost?

Even though the average cost of installing a single window is around $600, it can range anywhere from $200 to $1,200. These numbers vary depending on the specifics of your installation, including type, number of windows, size, material, the location of your home and more.

Whether or not you opt for energy-efficient windows is another factor that will determine the cost. These will almost always cost more than other windows, but on the other hand, you can save about $491 a year on your energy bills in San Diego.

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, though it depends on whether they are 100% wood or clad with aluminum or vinyl. Fiberglass windows also tend to be somewhat more expensive than vinyl, but they are shown to be more efficient.

What Services do Window Installers Offer?

Generally, there are two kinds of window installation services you can get: full-frame and pocket installations.

A full-frame installation replaces the total window, such as the windowsill, frame, trim and the window panes. As this kind of installation requires more time, it will cost more than a pocket installation. A pocket installation entails replacing a window within the frame that’s already there. This means instead of removing the whole window and rebuilding it, the contractor will just put the replacement window (also called a retrofit or insert window) into the frame.

Your window replacement company should be able to help you figure out what’s best for your needs. In San Diego, the decision will mostly depend on the age of your windows and if there’s any damage. Wood can decay if not properly maintained over the years, so it’s good to have a professional check your frames and window sills.

How We Choose the Best Window Installers in San Diego

In our hunt to make your home improvements easier and more eco-friendly in San Diego, EcoWatch evaluated many companies before settling on these. Along with energy efficiency, we analyzed several window installers in San Diego and assigned rankings using the following methodology:

Service Area

Because this is a guide for San Diego, we only included companies that serve the city. There are certainly reputable providers that didn’t make our list because they wouldn’t be able to serve homeowners in San Diego.

Work Quality

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

Customer Reviews

We analyzed patterns in recent online reviews to determine the companies with the most customer satisfaction, weighted by sample size. Customer satisfaction may be the most important factor, as it reflects the quality of services across most other categories, including quality of parts, warranty, professionalism, cost, quality of installation and more.

Cost

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

Warranty

Protecting your investment in new windows is important to many homeowners. For that reason, window installation companies that have lengthy warranties for products, parts and installation (aka workmanship) rank higher with EcoWatch.

Years of Experience

Last but not least, we like to see companies that have a good track record in the industry. Window installation companies that have more experience earn higher rankings by our standards. We like to see at least ten years of experience.