How much does stained glass cost?
The national average cost to commission a custom stained glass window or hanging ranges from $90 to up to $600 or $700 per square foot. That price may not include installation, depending on whether the glass artist offers that service.
A stained glass window or hanging can brighten and beautify a space in your home that might otherwise be a bit dull or, if occupied by a standard clear window, look out on a less-than-spectacular view. Stained glass can also give you privacy without blocking out natural light.
If you want to replace your plain glass windows with a colorful glass pattern, you can hire a stained glass artist to custom-make stained glass windows and wall hangings. Prices vary depending on the artist and a number of other factors, but you can use this guide to help estimate your glass art's price before you hire a glass artist to help.
What's in this cost guide?
Most glass artisans will charge a square foot pricing for stained glass windows and panels. The price for a stained glass window or hanging will vary from artist to artist, but there are a few standard factors that can raise or lower how much you pay. Regardless of who you work with, stained glass pricing is impacted by:
- The size of the window or panels
- Complexity of design
- Material costs, which depend on the color, type, or texture of glass
- Whether the glass artisan paints on glass or combines glass pieces
If you have a specific pattern in mind, remember that more complex designs will take more time to create, and therefore cost more. A Thumbtack pro in Denver, Colorado who specializes in glass art, has a three-tier pricing structure for custom stained glass windows:
- Low (least complex design): $90-$150 per square foot
- Mid-tier (not overly simple or overly detailed): $150-$250 per square foot
- High (most complex design and special glass or techniques required): $250 and up per square foot
Another artist and Thumbtack pro located in Jamaica Plain, MA, near Boston typically prices his custom windows at $600-$700 per square foot but smaller, less complex pieces may cost less. His price includes window installation.
Custom stained glass is priced by the square foot, in part to accommodate additional materials, but also to reflect the additional time needed to create it. With that in mind, it's probably no surprise that a larger panel will have a higher price tag.
For example, a glass artist and Thumbtack pro in Jamaica Plain, MA designed several leaded stained glass panels for a client. These panels filled the sidelights on each side of the client's front door, as well as the transom window above it. The project resulted in 12 stained glass panels in all and the total price for all of the windows cost $6,000, including installation.
For the project, he ordered glass from Youghiogheny Opalescent Glass in Connellsville, PA, which added to the cost.
Stained glass designs are generally created by fusing together pieces of colored glass using pieces of lead, which produces the separation of colors unique to the art form. Stained glass may also be the result of designs that are painted on glass using special paint, then fired in a kiln to adhere the paint permanently to the glass. Each of these techniques cost different amounts.
For example, the Thumbtack pro artist in Jamaica Plains said that "painting windows takes more time and typically cost more".
Material costs will also impact your overall price, as stained glass prices vary based on the color, type, or texture of the glass.
A Thumbtack pro in Denver, CO notes that cobalt blue glass contains the element cobalt, some pink glass contains gold, and other colored glass may also contain expensive elements.
Repair and restoration
In addition to creating custom stained glass pieces, most glass artists will repair and restore stained glass and leaded glass, which is common in many older homes and buildings on the east coast. Removal and reinstallation of a window ranges in cost from $150 to $200. The repair itself might cost $500 or more, depending on the extent of the damage.
The work can be time-consuming and requires great care, depending on the age of the window and the extent of the damage or dirt buildup. The cost also factors in the level of difficulty required to remove and reinstall a window or a pane of glass in a cabinet.
The Thumbtack pro in Jamaica Plains, MA restored a crescent-shaped stained glass window that included the building's numeric address for $3,000. The window, which was in a stairwell, was caked with soot and was missing some pieces. Repairing broken glass in an antique leaded glass cabinet door, on the other hand, might cost about $400.
If you're ready to transform your plain windows into iridescent suncatchers, find a glass artist near you on Thumbtack to create beautiful stained glass windows.
