New windows and doors improve comfort, cut energy bills and add long-term value to your home. Meridian Windows and Doors San Francisco pairs proven product lines with our own installing crews for lasting performance - and a price we put in writing.
Choose your installer
The unit is half the job - the install is the other half. Our own background-checked crews measure, set, seal and insulate every opening, and they know the lines we quote inside and out because they install them every week.
Select the right products
Compare styles, materials and glass packages side by side until the fit is right for your rooms, your budget and your goals. The product-line comparison below is the place to start.
Prepare your home for install
Before install day we walk you through a short checklist - furniture pulled back, treatments down, a clear path to each opening - so install day is watch-it-happen, not scramble.
Compare the Lines We Quote
Every project is priced on the same lines, side by side - the price indicators below are relative, and your consultant shows exact numbers on your actual openings.
PGTThe line homeowners arrive naming - the most impact certifications in the industry$$$
- More impact certifications than any other line we quote
- WinGuard, EnergyVue and ClassicVue Max systems built for every wind zone
- 99% on-time delivery keeps your install date on the calendar
CGIThe heavyweight impact line$$$$$
- Large-missile impact ratings for the strictest wind zones
- Architectural-grade aluminum with commercial-depth frames
- The line we quote when protection is the whole point
CWSThe value pick$$
- Vinyl systems built to strict wind codes
- Strong energy packages at the friendliest price point
- The smart start for whole-home replacements on a budget
ESWSlim lines, big glass$$$$
- Narrow-sightline aluminum for modern elevations
- Oversized openings and floor-to-ceiling glass
- Impact-rated without the bunker look
ECOThe aluminum impact workhorse$$$
- Factory-built aluminum impact systems
- A strong price-to-protection ratio for coastal homes
- Proven inventory lines with short lead times
Trusted Window Installation for San Francisco Homeowners
Window installation in San Francisco runs $650 to $2,800 per window installed, depending on the frame material, glass package, and whether you’re replacing a double hung, casement, or picture window. A full-home replacement of 10 to 14 windows typically lands between $9,000 and $26,000. Elliot Vance leads every Meridian Windows and Doors San Francisco project from written estimate to final inspection, and the price on that estimate does not move at the door. Call (831) 273-7126 for a written quote before you commit to anything.
We are the windows-and-doors specialist within the Garrison Partners network, operating to The Garrison Standard since 2009. San Francisco homes present a specific set of challenges: marine-layer moisture against the west side, wind-driven rain in the hills, and architectural review boards from the Marina to West Portal. Our installers have worked in every district and know what each one requires. A meridian, by the way, is a fixed line you measure everything against. That is what the name means and how we run every install.
Casement Windows
Casement Windows hinge at the side and crank outward, sealing tight against the frame when closed, which makes them the strongest performer against San Francisco’s wind and moisture. You’ll most often need them on upper floors where a sash window feels too heavy to operate, or on the west-facing walls of Sunset and Richmond District homes that catch the afternoon wind off the Pacific.
Marine-Layer Seal Performance
Casements press their weatherstripping flat when the crank closes, which is why they outperform sliding sash units in fog-heavy zones. We spec multi-point locking hardware on every casement install in San Francisco because the wind loads near the bay are real. A properly set casement should crank closed with even resistance and zero daylight showing at the corners.
What It Costs Here
A casement window replacement in San Francisco runs $700 to $1,900 installed, and we write that price down before the first screw turns. If the frame is rotted from years of fog exposure, the number moves to the higher end. The free estimate tells you exactly which bracket you’re in.
Double Hung Windows
Double Hung Windows are the classic two-sash design where both the top and bottom panels slide vertically, a style you’ll recognize from Victorians in Noe Valley and the painted-lady rows near Alamo Square. For homes needing a different approach, Awning & Hopper Windows work well in basements and tight spaces. They’re the right call when you want ventilation from both top and bottom, or when a home’s architectural character requires a traditional look.
When Two Moving Sashes Beat One
Double hungs let warm air out the top and cooler air in the bottom, which matters in San Francisco homes that lack central air. We set balance tension on each sash so a child can lift it but it will not slam shut. The written estimate includes disposal of the old sash weights and any lead-paint abatement prep required by city code.
Pricing by Frame Material
Expect a double hung window installation in San Francisco to cost $650 to $1,600 per window. Wood frames sit at the top of that range; vinyl runs the bottom. We’ll show you three options in the free estimate and tell you honestly which one makes sense for your block’s sun exposure.
Vinyl Windows
Vinyl Windows are made from extruded PVC, and they remain the most common window type we install in San Francisco because they deliver solid thermal performance at the best price per unit. When a wider opening calls for a different format, 3-Panel Sliding (3-Lite Roller) Windows are another option we carry. They make the most sense in rental properties, rear bedrooms, and anywhere the budget matters more than period-correct aesthetics.
What Vinyl Does Well in This Climate
Vinyl does not absorb fog moisture the way wood does, and it will not rot at the sill line on a west-facing wall. The trade-off is expansion: vinyl frames move slightly with temperature swings, so we set the reveal tolerances differently for a fog-belt house than for one in sunnier Bernal Heights. Getting that gap right is what separates a 10-year install from a 2-year call-back.
Typical Vinyl Window Cost
Vinyl window installation in San Francisco generally runs $650 to $1,300 per window. Add $100 to $250 per opening if we’re pulling stucco or trim to access the old flange. We carry stock from Mr-Glass among our eight manufacturer lines, so lead times stay short even on odd sizes.
Picture Window
Picture Window is the trade term for a large fixed pane that does not open, designed purely to frame a view. In San Francisco, that view is often the reason you bought the house: Twin Peaks looking downtown, Noe Valley catching a slice of the bay, or a Pacific Heights living room facing the Golden Gate.
Glass Spec Matters Most
Because a picture window cannot be ventilated, the glass package is doing all the work. We recommend low-E glass (a thin metallic coating that reflects heat while letting light through) on any fixed pane over 12 square feet. Without it, a south-facing picture window becomes a solar oven by 3 p.m. from June through October.
What a Fixed Pane Costs
Picture window installation in San Francisco runs $800 to $2,800 per unit, driven almost entirely by pane size and glass spec. A tempered, laminated, low-E unit for a bay-facing wall sits at the top. We quote the installed price with haul-away included, so there is no surprise second line item.
Bay Window Installation
Bay Window Installation involves building or rebuilding a projection that extends out from the wall line, usually composed of three or more windows angled together. San Francisco’s oldest neighborhoods are dense with bays, and many now show their age in the form of sagging roofs, rotted skirt boards, and failing support brackets.
Structural Work Is Part of the Job
A bay window is not just glass, it has a roof, a floor deck, side skirts, and a support structure underneath. In San Francisco, we routinely open up bays in the Richmond and Sunset and find the original 1940s framing under-built for current code. We pull the permit, reinforce the deck and knee braces, and then set the windows on the corrected structure. If it fails within 365 days, we come back at no charge. That is the Done Right Promise, in writing.
Bay Window Pricing in the City
Bay window installation in San Francisco runs $3,500 to $9,000 for the complete project when structural repair is involved. A cosmetic glass-only refresh with no framing correction sits at the bottom of that range. The written quote breaks out glass, structural work, permit, and disposal as separate lines so you see exactly what you’re paying for.
Window Contractor
Window Contractor is the state-licensed classification that performs window replacement and installation work, and it is what you should look for before anyone touches your walls. In San Francisco, a window contractor also needs to understand local building code, energy ordinances, and the specific permit triggers that apply to residential window work here.
What a Real Contractor Brings
A legitimate window contractor pulls permits when the scope triggers them, carries liability coverage, and puts every commitment in writing. We have held to The Garrison Standard since 2009, meaning background-checked, uniformed technicians show up when the schedule says they will, and the price on paper is the price you pay. Live-person phone coverage runs around the clock, seven days a week, so you are never waiting for a call-back to reschedule.
How We Price as a Contractor
A full-scope window contractor engagement in San Francisco typically runs $9,000 to $26,000 for a whole-home project of 10 to 14 windows, with single openings at $650 to $2,800. Our fixed price includes tear-out, install, trim, caulk, and legal disposal. We do free estimates with no deposit required, and if you want a second visit to review the quote line by line, that is free too.
Window Installers
Window Installers are the crew members who physically remove your old windows, prep the rough opening, set the new unit, seal the flange, and trim the interior and exterior. In San Francisco, good installers are the difference between a window that keeps the fog out for 30 years and one that leaks by the first winter.
Who Shows Up at Your Door
Every installer we send into a San Francisco home is background-checked and wears a uniform. You will know the name of the lead on your job before the truck parks. Elliot Vance personally reviews every project file before the crew leaves our shop, and our installers follow The Garrison Code on site: floors covered, work area cleaned at day’s end, and no shortcuts hidden behind trim.
The Skill You’re Paying For
Setting a window square, level, and plumb in a 1920s San Francisco wall that has settled three degrees out of square is not a DIY job. Our installers shim, flash, and seal every opening to manufacturer spec, and they carry units from ECO Window Systems, Therma-Tru, ViewLux, and five other lines. Installation labor runs $200 to $600 per opening as part of the total installed price, never as a separate after-the-fact line.
Brands We Service
We are authorized to install and replace products from eight manufacturer lines, which means we are not tied to one brand and we will spec the window that fits the job. ECO Window Systems makes a high-performance impact-rated line we recommend often for hillside homes in San Francisco where the wind coming through the Golden Gate hits hard. We know their flange systems and their hardware, and we can source replacement parts without a middleman.
Therma-Tru is more than entry doors; their window offerings around door surrounds and sidelites come up regularly on San Francisco front-entry projects. We handle those as complete system installs, not piecemeal retrofits. Whether you have a ViewLux unit or any other make in your walls, we can install, replace, or service it, and every job carries the same written 365-Day Done Right Promise.
Signs You Need a Pro Right Now
- You can see daylight around the sash when the window is closed. That means the weatherstripping has failed or the frame has shifted. In San Francisco, that gap admits fog moisture all summer and cold air all winter, and no amount of caulk fixes it properly.
- The window does not lock, or the lock feels loose. A window that will not secure is a security risk on any street, and it also means the sash is not seating tight enough to seal. We address the frame alignment and the hardware at the same time.
- There is rot at the sill or soft wood around the frame. Once rot starts in a fog-exposed sill, it spreads inward. Sill replacement is part of our standard install scope, and we will tell you during the free estimate whether the rot has reached the structural framing.
- Condensation is fogging between the glass panes. That indicates the sealed unit has lost its argon or krypton gas fill. The insulating value is gone, and the only fix is replacing the insulated glass unit or the whole sash.
- The window rattles in high wind or the sash does not stay up. That is a hardware or balance failure, and in a wind-driven town like San Francisco, it gets worse fast. We replace balances and hardware on every manufacturer line we carry without requiring a full-window replacement.
Our Process, Step by Step
- 1
Written estimate. You call, a live person answers, and we schedule the walkthrough. Elliot reviews the site with you, takes measurements, checks framing condition, and delivers a written quote with a line-item breakdown for every window, every piece of trim, and every disposal fee.
- 2
Product selection. We walk you through the relevant options from our eight manufacturer lines, with honest guidance based on which side of the house faces the fog and which faces the sun. You choose. Nothing is pushed.
- 3
Permit and prep. When the scope triggers a San Francisco building permit, we pull it and handle the inspections. If lead paint is present on a pre-1978 home, the prep work is documented and done to code before we touch the openings.
- 4
Install day. The crew arrives on schedule, floors and furnishings are covered, and every opening gets torn out, flashed, set, insulated, trimmed, and sealed the same day. The work area is cleaned before we leave.
- 5
Walkthrough and warranty. You inspect every window with the lead installer before we pack the truck. Your project is covered in writing for 365 days. If anything fails within that year, including a free second visit, we come back at no charge.
How Much Does Window Installation Cost in San Francisco?
Window installation in San Francisco spans $650 to $2,800 per window for a standard replacement, with the spread driven by frame material, glass package, and window style. A straightforward vinyl double hung in a rental unit lands around $700. A large, laminated, low-E picture window on a bay-facing wall approaches $2,800. Whole-home projects of 10 to 14 windows typically run $9,000 to $26,000 in San Francisco, and bay window rebuilds with structural work start at $3,500.
What moves the price: the condition of the rough opening (rotted sills and framing add labor), the window’s exposure (west-facing marine-layer walls need better flashing), and whether the project requires a permit with structural scope. The way to avoid overpaying in San Francisco is a written line-item quote that names the window, the glass, the labor, and the disposal fee as separate charges, so nothing is buried. Our free estimate includes exact measurements, a framing inspection, and a fixed price that does not move at the door. Window installation in Oakland runs slightly lower on labor due to fewer multi-story, zero-lot-line access challenges, but the pricing discipline is the same.
Our Service Area Near San Francisco
Meridian Windows and Doors San Francisco serves the city proper and the surrounding Bay Area: window installation in Hayward, Oakland, Richmond, Alameda, San Rafael, Hillsborough, Vallejo, San Mateo, Pacifica, Hercules, and San Lorenzo. Most San Francisco estimates are scheduled within 48 hours of your call, and we bring the same written pricing and 365-Day Done Right Promise to every job in the region.
Serving San Francisco, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Francisco area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions About Window Installation in San Francisco
Window installation is the process of removing an existing window, prepping the rough opening, setting the new window level and square, sealing the exterior flange against water, and trimming the interior and exterior. It includes flashing, insulation, and disposal of the old unit under most scopes. In San Francisco, it also means working around fog-rot, settled framing, and permit triggers that vary by district.
Most San Francisco homes with 10 to 14 windows are completed in 2 to 4 working days. Bay window rebuilds with structural repair can run 5 to 7 days including the inspection. We will give you a day-by-day schedule in writing before the job starts.
A single window runs $650 to $2,800 installed, and whole-home projects typically land between $9,000 and $26,000 in San Francisco. The exact number depends on the window type, frame material, glass package, and framing condition. Call (831) 273-7126 for a free written estimate, which is the only way to get a real number for your specific walls.
Yes. We are authorized to install and replace products from ECO Window Systems, Therma-Tru, and six other manufacturer lines including ViewLux and Mr-Glass. We can spec, source, and install units from any of these lines and order replacement parts directly. If you have a different brand, we can serve that too.
You can reach a live person at (831) 273-7126 around the clock, seven days a week. If a broken window has left your home exposed, we will get a crew member on the phone immediately and schedule the repair as fast as our San Francisco schedule allows. We will not leave you with a sheet of plywood and a promise to call back next week.
Every Meridian Windows and Doors San Francisco installation is covered by a written 365-Day Done Right Promise. If the work fails within that year, we return at no charge, including a free second visit to diagnose and correct the problem. The manufacturer’s warranty on the window itself runs separately and varies by product line.
Clear a 3 to 4 foot work zone inside at each window, remove wall hangings and window coverings, and move furniture back from the openings. We cover floors and furnishings with drop cloths and seal off the work area from the rest of the house. Our installers handle all teardown, haul-away, and cleanup under the written price.
Schedule Your Window Installation Service in San Francisco Today
Call (831) 273-7126 and a live person will answer, day or night. We’ll schedule your free estimate, walk the windows with you, and hand you a written price that will not move at the door. No deposit, no pressure, and every job covered by the 365-Day Done Right Promise.
Written by Elliot Vance, Owner at Meridian Windows and Doors San Francisco, serving San Francisco since 2009.
Six Reasons Homeowners Choose Meridian Windows and Doors San Francisco
Laminated glass and reinforced frames hold up to wind-driven rain, hail and flying debris, so your openings stay sealed when the weather turns.
Low-E insulated impact glass from our manufacturer lines commonly cuts monthly cooling bills 20-30%.
Laminated impact glass shuts out up to 40% of outside noise - traffic, neighbors, weather.
Monitoring services run $30-90 a month. Laminated impact glass resists forced entry around the clock, with no subscription.
Tighter seals and insulated glass even out hot and cold rooms and stop the drafts at the frame.
A full impact package upgrades curb appeal, buyer confidence and appraised value in one project.