Key Takeaways
- Standard aluminium double glazing usually costs $1,500 to $2,500 per window installed in Melbourne, while a like-for-like single glazed swap can start near $300.
- Thermally broken frames typically add 30% to 60% to the window price, and can cut whole window heat transfer by a fifth to a third.
- Victorian households replacing single glazing may receive a state discount of up to $210 per 10m² of glazing.
- Three to four bedroom homes commonly budget $18,000 to $32,000 for a full aluminium replacement.
The cost to replace aluminium windows in Melbourne usually falls between $1,500 and $2,500 per window supplied and installed in standard double glazing. Single glazed replacements sit lower, and thermally broken systems sit higher.
That spread confuses homeowners because online guides often quote figures well under $1,000. Those numbers generally describe supply-only pricing or basic stock units, not a custom window measured to your opening and fitted by the manufacturer.
Knowing which tier you are pricing makes a quote easier to read. It also explains why a business handling window and door replacement end to end may price a job differently to a general glazier working from a rate card.
All figures below are indicative installed prices in Australian dollars, including Goods and Services Tax (GST), for common residential replacement work in Melbourne. Your own quote will vary with sizes, glazing, access and finishing scope, and it should confirm inclusions, exclusions and whether GST is included.
What Aluminium Window Replacement Costs in 2026
The same opening can be specified three ways. Frame construction and glazing move the number more than anything else:
| Frame and Glazing | Typical Installed Range | Commonly Suited To |
| Standard aluminium, single glazed | $300 to $900 | Like-for-like swaps on failing frames |
| Standard aluminium, double glazed | $1,500 to $2,500 | Most residential upgrades |
| Thermally broken, double glazed | $2,000 to $4,000 | Large openings and exposed sites |
Ranges are per standard residential opening. Custom sizes, shapes and commercial systems are quoted individually.
Relative Style Costs
Hardware count, fabrication time and the span the frame carries all shift with style, so two windows of the same size can carry different prices:
| Window Style | Relative Cost | What Drives It |
| Fixed | Baseline | Single panel and no operating hardware |
| Sliding | Slightly above baseline | Track and roller system |
| Awning | Slightly above baseline | Top hinges and compression seals |
| Casement | Moderately above baseline | Side hinges and more hardware per sash |
| Sashless double hung | Moderately above baseline | Twin sliding sashes and specialised hardware |
| Bay and rake | Furthest above baseline | Custom fabrication and possible lintel work |
Aluminium carries wide spans on slim sightlines, which makes the larger configurations practical. Most styles sit inside the standard double glazing band. Bay and rake windows sit well beyond it, and where a wider opening needs its lintel reinforced, that alone can add $500 to $1,500.
Standard Quote Inclusions
Where the manufacturer also installs, the quote usually covers:
- Aluminium frame system fabricated to the measured opening
- Insulated glass unit in the specified glazing
- Removal and disposal of the existing window
- Installation into the existing opening
- Perimeter sealing and weatherproofing
- Standard internal finishing around the frame
Common Quote Exclusions
These items are quoted separately, and they are where two quotes most often diverge:
- Structural changes or enlarged openings
- Lintel replacement or reinforcement
- Major brick, render or cladding repair
- Scaffolding for difficult or upper-storey access
- Custom architectural detailing and non-standard shapes
Whole Home Budgets
Planning figures for a full aluminium replacement under standard access conditions:
| Home Size | Typical Scope | Estimated Budget Range |
| 2 to 3 bedroom | 8 to 10 windows | $12,000 to $22,000 |
| 3 to 4 bedroom | 10 to 15 windows | $18,000 to $32,000 |
| 5 bedroom and above | 15 windows and above | $35,000 and above |
These budgets assume standard double glazed openings at multi-window rates. Replacing several openings in one visit lowers the price per window because delivery, set-up and site protection are paid once rather than repeated across a staged project.
Where the Money Goes in an Aluminium Window
Two homes can order the same window count and receive different numbers. Six variables account for most of the gap:
Frame Performance and Thermal Breaks
Aluminium carries its thermal upgrade in the frame. A polyamide thermal break is set between the inner and outer sections to interrupt the path heat takes through the metal. Whole window U-values for standard aluminium double glazing commonly sit above 3.0 W/m²K, while thermally broken aluminium typically sits between 2.0 and 2.4 W/m²K.
That is a fifth to a third of the heat transfer removed, which is why the 30% to 60% thermal break premium is judged on comfort and condensation rather than on the frame price. Ask for certified Window Energy Rating Scheme figures for the system you are quoting.
Glass and Performance Upgrades
Glazing is specified opening by opening, so upgrades rarely apply across a whole house:
| Upgrade | Typical Effect on Price |
| Low-emissivity (Low-E) coating | Priced per window, around $50 to $100 |
| Acoustic laminated glass | Priced per opening, based on noise exposure |
| Toughened safety glass | Priced per opening, where compliance requires it |
Upgrade costs vary with opening size and specification, so treat these as a budgeting guide rather than a fixed rate.
Custom Sizing and Local Fabrication
Windows built to a fixed range of standard sizes rarely match an existing opening. The opening is then packed out, rebated or partly rebuilt to suit the window, and that reinstatement is charged as part of the job.
Windows fabricated to a site measure avoid that work because the frame is made to the opening. Local manufacture also shortens the gap between measure and installation and keeps any warranty claim with the business that built the window.
Hardware and Screen Costs
Locks, rollers, hinges and seals usually sit inside the window price, although the grade varies. Two quotes can differ by a few hundred dollars on hardware alone, and that gap shows up years later in how smoothly the sash still runs.
Screens are commonly priced separately. A window flyscreen in Melbourne sits near $120, while a security screen compliant with the AS 5039 series, the Australian Standard for security screens, more often falls between $300 and $850 per window.
Access and Site Conditions
Ground floor openings with clear side access cost less to work in. Upper storey windows, narrow passages, steep blocks and the out-of-square openings common in older Melbourne homes all add labour.
Wall Reinstatement and Finishing
Brick veneer, render, weatherboard and cladding each need different treatment once the old frame is out. This is the line homeowners most often leave out of their own budget, and it explains many quote differences.
Supply Only or Supply and Install
Buying the windows on their own can reduce the invoice, although it moves several responsibilities onto you:
Choosing Supply Only
Supply only can suit a like-for-like replacement into existing openings where a licensed builder or carpenter is already engaged. It also allows you to compare products across suppliers before committing.
Choosing Supply and Install
Supply and install places measurement, manufacture and installation with one party, so a fault in the frame and a fault in the fit have one point of resolution.
Weighing Measurement Risk
Measuring is where a replacement is most likely to go wrong. Custom windows are made to your opening, so a five-millimetre error can mean a frame that will not sit flush and cannot be returned.
Removal, flashing, sealing and compliance with AS 2047, the standard governing window performance against wind and water, all sit with whoever holds the installation. That allocation usually matters more than the saving.
Rules and Rebates That Change Your Cost
Some rules settle the specification before price enters the conversation. Others change what you pay, and when you pay it:
Victorian Energy Upgrades Discounts
Victorian households and most businesses replacing single glazing may be eligible for a discount of up to $210 per 10m² under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program. Your supplier can confirm whether the system appears on the scheme register, and the discount is generally applied to the quote rather than claimed back later.
Amounts and eligibility change between scheme updates, so check the current discount with your supplier before building it into a budget.
Contract Deposit Limits
Victorian law caps what you pay upfront. Under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995, a builder cannot demand a deposit above 10% where the contract price is under $20,000, or 5% where it is $20,000 or more. Those limits apply to a major domestic building contract, which is domestic building work priced above $10,000. On a $24,000 whole-home replacement that caps the deposit at $1,200.
The cap applies to installation work rather than a supply-only purchase, so the two models carry different protections as well as different prices. The Domestic Building Contracts Amendment Act 2025 moves these deposit limits into regulations, with changes commencing by proclamation and no later than 1 December 2026.
Heritage Overlay Restrictions
A heritage overlay may limit frame material, colour, sightlines and opening style. Councils assess these individually, so confirm your position before anything is ordered.
Bushfire Attack Level Requirements
Properties in bushfire-prone areas carry a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating that dictates glass thickness, screening and frame specification. Systems built to a higher BAL usually cost more than standard specifications.
Owners Corporation Approvals
Apartments and townhouses often sit under an owners corporation that controls changes to the external appearance of the building. Approval is generally needed before fabrication starts.
Energy Efficiency Standards
Replacing windows like-for-like in an existing home does not usually trigger the 7-star requirement, although a major renovation can. New Victorian homes must meet a 7-star Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme minimum under the National Construction Code (NCC).
NCC 2025 applies in Victoria from 1 May 2026 and made no change to the residential energy efficiency standard, so the 7-star minimum set under NCC 2022 still applies. Your building surveyor can confirm what your scope of work triggers.
What the Replacement Returns Over Time
Replacement cost is only half the calculation. The other half is what the windows give back over the years you own them:
Energy Savings and Payback
Double glazing reduces winter heat loss and summer heat gain, and typical payback runs about 7 to 15 years in a Melbourne climate. The comfort improvement is immediate, which is why most households notice the change long before the numbers balance.
Payback depends on how you heat and cool, how long you stay and what you pay for energy.
Service Life and Maintenance
Well-maintained aluminium windows commonly last 30 years or more. The alloy holds its shape through Melbourne’s temperature swings and the frames resist corrosion. Powder-coated finishes are applied in the factory, so there is no repainting cycle to budget for.
Hardware such as rollers, locks and seals tends to wear before the frame does, and those parts can be serviced rather than replaced. Spread across three decades, the running cost of aluminium is close to the cost of cleaning it.
Recognising a Fair Quote
Most people replacing aluminium windows are not worried about the price itself. They are worried about not knowing whether the number in front of them covers the same job as the one beside it.
Once you can see which tier of frame you are pricing, which glazing sits in each opening and which site works are inside the figure, that doubt goes. The decision becomes one about specification rather than the total.
Arch Aluminium Windows & Doors fabricates architectural-grade aluminium in Rowville and sets out the frame system, glazing and site works separately, so the figure you receive after a site measure can be checked line by line.
If you would like a figure for your own openings, call our team on (03) 9989 0924 and we will talk through the specification and arrange a free quote.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why do some online guides quote much lower prices?
Supply-only pricing, standard stock sizes or basic single glazed units can sit well under $1,000 because they exclude measurement, removal, installation and reinstatement.
An installed quote covers the whole job, so comparing the two is comparing a part against the finished result.
Is it cheaper to replace the glass or the whole window?
Replacing glass alone is cheaper and makes sense where the frame is still sound and only the glazing has failed.
Once frames are draughty, corroded or sticking, the whole window is generally the better spend. New glass does not address air leakage around a failing frame, and older frames may not carry a double glazed unit properly.
Are thermally broken frames worth the extra cost?
It depends on the opening. On large glazing areas, exposed sites and homes working to a higher energy target, the improvement in whole window performance is substantial.
On smaller openings in sheltered positions, standard double glazing may deliver adequate comfort without the premium, so specifying by room rather than across the whole house usually gives better value.
Does a window replacement quote include GST?
Not always. Some suppliers quote inclusive of GST and others quote before it, which can make two otherwise identical figures look 10% apart.
Checking that one line before you compare totals removes a common source of confusion in window quotes.
How long does aluminium window replacement take?
Most of the wait is fabrication, because the windows are made to your openings. Lead times commonly run four to six weeks, and eight to ten weeks on more complex systems and glazing.
Installation is quick by comparison. Most homes are completed within a few days, depending on window count and access.
Do I need a permit to replace windows in an existing home?
Like-for-like replacement into existing openings usually does not require a permit. Enlarging an opening, altering the structure or working on a property under a heritage overlay generally does.
Requirements vary between councils, so check locally before committing to a specification.
Should I compare quotes per window or per square metre?
Most residential jobs are quoted per opening because every window is a different size and configuration. Square metre rates suit larger jobs and work as a budgeting shortcut rather than a final price.
Problems start when one quote arrives per window and another per square metre. Convert both to the same basis before comparing, or ask each supplier to price the same window schedule.
This page is general information only. It does not consider your objectives, property or circumstances, and pricing, rebate amounts and regulatory requirements change over time. Speak with a qualified building professional, confirm current requirements with your council or building surveyor, and request a written quotation following a site measure before acting.
