Awning Windows: Where They Fit and What They Cost

An awning window is hinged at the top and swings outward from the bottom, usually with a crank, so the open sash forms a small roof over the opening ¹. That shape is the reason people choose it: Andersen says an awning can let in fresh air even while it rains, which makes it a common pick for bathrooms, high on a basement wall, and above or beside a large fixed window ¹.

On price, Fixr's window replacement guide, updated January 21, 2026, lists awning windows at $300 to $800 per window ². Modernize, updated September 23, 2026, reports $477 to $1,107 per window with materials and installation, and a national average of $638 ³. The two surveys use different methods, set out below, so treat both as ranges rather than a quote for your house.

How an awning window works

The sash is wide and short, hinged along its top edge, and it opens like an old-fashioned garage door ¹. Because the sash tilts out from the bottom, it acts like a canopy over the gap, which is how it can let air in while it rains ¹. Andersen's awnings open with a crank, and it says some of its series can be ordered with a power operator, which helps when the window sits out of reach ¹.

The same outward swing is the main thing to plan around. The open sash projects from the wall, and Andersen notes that outward-opening windows may not suit a spot next to a walkway or an outdoor living space ¹. Cleaning is the other trade-off: Andersen says awning windows are not designed to be cleaned from the inside, so the outside of the glass is washed from outdoors, and for a high window that may mean a ladder or a window cleaner ¹.

Where awning windows are used

Bathrooms. A bathroom needs air to clear steam, and an awning can stay open in light rain because the sash covers the opening ¹. Its horizontal shape also fits high on a wall, above eye level, which keeps some privacy. If the window sits near a tub or shower, check the safety glazing rules your area has adopted. In the 2025 California Residential Code (Section R324.4.5), for example, glazing in walls containing or facing a bathtub, hot tub or similar wet area is treated as a hazardous location when its bottom edge is less than 60 inches above any standing or walking surface, unless it is more than 60 inches horizontally from the water's edge of the tub or shower, as the City of Dublin's safety glazing handout summarizes ⁴. Other states adopt their own edition, so the local building department has the final word.

Basements. Where only a narrow band of wall sits above ground, a short, wide awning fits high on the wall and the crank makes it easier to open from below ¹. A short basement awning is usually there for air and light. Emergency escape openings for basement bedrooms, and the code sizes behind them, are covered in egress window cost.

Above or beside fixed glass. Andersen suggests pairing awnings with picture windows so a room gets the view from the fixed glass and air from the awning, and using them as transoms above a door or another window ¹. More on that pairing is in picture window cost.

Along the roofline. A row of awnings set high on a wall, as clerestory windows, can give a house a modern look, according to Andersen ¹.

What awning windows cost

Two cost surveys publish an awning figure, and they differ.

Why they differ: Fixr's figure comes from a table of window types in its general replacement guide, and the page says labor makes up about 30% of a typical window replacement total, though it does not say whether each row in the type table includes installation ². Fixr says it gathers data from pricing databases, contractors and industry experts ². Modernize's awning page splits its figure into $359 to $766 for materials and $70 to $150 for installation, so it puts a much smaller share on labor than Fixr does ³. Modernize does not describe its method on the page beyond saying its content is reviewed by its team ³. Neither survey is a price for your opening; the gap between them is a reminder that size, material and the condition of the old frame move the number more than the window type does.

What moves the price

• Frame material. Modernize lists window-only prices for a standard 24 by 36 inch awning of $200 to $400 for vinyl, $250 to $450 for aluminum, $300 to $500 for wood, $350 to $550 for composite and $400 to $600 for fiberglass, before installation ³. Materials are compared in window frame materials compared.
• Size and combination. An awning joined to a picture window is ordered as one combination, and the price follows the whole assembly, not the awning alone. Andersen says its A-Series awnings can be up to 6 feet wide and 4 feet tall, and it offers custom sizing ¹.
• Location. A second-floor or clerestory awning needs more setup to install than a ground-floor bathroom window, and the labor share may rise accordingly.
• The opening. Replacing an awning in an existing opening is a different job from cutting a new one or changing a window type. Full-frame vs. insert window replacement explains the two installation methods.

Awning windows vs. casement windows

Both are single-sash windows that swing out on a crank. Andersen describes awnings as horizontally oriented and casements as vertically oriented ¹. The practical difference is rain and shape: the awning's top-hinged sash covers the opening from above, and its wide, short proportions suit a high or narrow band of wall, while a casement, hinged on the side, suits a taller opening. The casement windows article covers the side-hinged version and its prices.

Questions to ask before you get quotes

• Will the open sash clear anything outside, such as a path, deck, gutter or shrub?
• Is the window near a tub, shower or door, and does that location call for safety glass under the code your area has adopted?
• Is the awning a stand-alone window or part of a combination with fixed glass, and is the quote for the whole unit?
• Is installation, removal of the old window and trim work in the price?

Ask each installer to quote the same size, frame material and glass so the prices line up, as described in how to compare window quotes. The window replacement cost guide covers the rest of the house, and types of windows compares awnings with the other styles. When you are ready, you can compare quotes from window installers.

We are not affiliated with the manufacturers named.

About these figures

• ¹ Reported: Andersen's description of how awning windows open, where they are used, their maximum size, cleaning, placement cautions and comparison with casements, checked October 26, 2026.
• ² Reported: Fixr's per-window range for awning windows from its type table and its note that labor is about 30% of the total, updated January 21, 2026, checked October 26, 2026.
• ³ Reported: Modernize's awning range of $477 to $1,107, $638 average, materials and installation split and frame-material prices, updated September 23, 2026, checked October 26, 2026.
• ⁴ Official record: City of Dublin, California handout summarizing the 2025 California Residential Code safety glazing rule for wet areas (Section R324.4.5), checked October 26, 2026.