Commercial Window Costs — Storefront, Multi-Family, and Office Glazing Pricing
Commercial window pricing is quoted per square foot of glazed area — a different metric than residential per-unit pricing. Here are the ranges for Utah commercial projects by system type.
Storefront Aluminum System — Installed Cost
Aluminum thermal-break storefront (frame + glass + hardware) installed in Utah ranges from $40 to $90 per square foot of glazed opening. The lower end of the range applies to simple single-story entrances with standard 1" IG and basic hardware; the upper end applies to custom configurations with tinted or high-performance glass, electronic hardware (card reader), and architectural finishes. For context, a typical 12'×10' storefront entry (120 square feet) runs $4,800 to $10,800 installed. Automatic door operators add $2,500 to $5,000 per opening depending on sensor type and operator model. ADA-required closers and hardware are included in the base price.
Multi-Family and Office Punched Opening Windows
Multi-family replacement windows in AAMA CW class aluminum with 1" IG low-E argon range from $50 to $110 per square foot of glazed area installed. A typical residential-scale double-hung or sliding window of 3'×4' (12 square feet) runs $600 to $1,320 per unit fully installed. The per-unit price drops meaningfully on programs of 40 or more units due to procurement volume discounts and crew efficiency — on a 100-unit program, expect the per-unit cost to be 15 to 25% below the single-unit quote. Mid-rise office punched opening windows at 5 to 10 stories run $80 to $160 per square foot due to scaffold access and structural glazing requirements for large-format units.
Curtain Wall Glazing — Mid-Rise Scale Costs
Curtain wall glazing (floor-to-ceiling unitized or stick-built aluminum-and-glass wall systems on multi-story commercial buildings) runs $80 to $160 per square foot installed for a 4 to 8 story mid-rise office or medical building in Utah. This range assumes a standard stick-built curtain wall system (Kawneer 1600WT or equivalent) with 1" IG low-E argon and standard anodized finish. Unitized curtain wall systems (factory-assembled panel units that crane-lift into place) run 30 to 50% higher per square foot but reduce field installation time on large projects. We refer most curtain wall projects of 20,000 square feet or more to our glazing sub-contractor partners who carry the specialized equipment and insurance.
Mobilization and Building Height Premium
Commercial window work above the second story carries an access premium that scales steeply with building height. Second-story manlift access adds 15 to 25% to the per-square-foot installed cost. Third story adds 25 to 40%. Buildings above four stories require engineered scaffold or a dedicated glazing hoist and carry a premium of 50 to 100% above ground-level pricing. On multi-family replacement programs, this is the primary reason to address all buildings in a complex in the same mobilization period — the equipment cost is shared across all buildings rather than invoiced independently per building.
Common Questions
- Does the energy code require a specific glass type that costs more?
- IECC 2021 Climate Zone 5 requires U-factor ≤ 0.40 and SHGC ≤ 0.40 for commercial windows. Standard low-E argon units typically achieve U-0.28 to 0.34 and SHGC 0.25 to 0.35 — well within code requirements. The code-compliant IG unit costs more than clear glass but is standard specification for all commercial replacement in Utah; there is no code-compliant path with clear glass in new or replacement commercial construction.
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