Window and door estimating software that wins more jobs

A window and door price is built opening by opening, from four layers of work:

1. Removal and disposal of the old unit.
2. Opening work: framing changes, headers, flashing and air sealing.
3. Installation of the new window, door or slab.
4. Finish work: casing, stool and apron, jamb extensions, caulking, hardware and paint.

Measure for the order, price for the opening

Measure each existing frame's width at the top, middle and bottom, and its height at the left, center and right. Order to the smallest of each.

Turn your site notes into estimate lines

Note these on every opening:

• which openings are out of square
• which sills are soft
• how deep the walls are, because thick walls need jamb extensions

Those notes become lines on the estimate.

Price each line from your own hours

These are the common lines on a window and door estimate and what each is measured in:

• Opening: most lines.
• Linear foot: casing, jamb extensions and caulking.

The hours and prices are yours to set, and every line's hours are editable to match your crew.

Ten insert windows add up to 44 hours

Example: Here's how the hours add up for ten insert replacement windows, each about 3 by 5 feet. The hours below are example figures; say your own records show your crew needs:

That's just over four hours an opening, before any interior trim.

Full-frame installs and doors take longer

If those same windows were full-frame installs instead, each one takes longer to install. The job usually adds flashing, new casing and often a stool and apron.

Doors run longer. A straight entry door swap is three lines:

• taking out the old door
• installing the prehung entry door
• a new handleset and deadbolt

A sliding patio door is heavier still. Put your own hours on each.

Your labor rate covers more than the wage

The rate you charge per hour has to cover far more than your installer's wage:

• workers' comp and liability insurance
• the van or truck, ladders and tools
• time spent measuring and quoting jobs you don't get
• second trips when a unit arrives damaged or wrong

BuildWell builds the rate in three steps

1. Wage: the median wage for that line's trade in your metro; most window and door work is priced at the carpenter wage.
2. Overhead: your labor overhead, which starts at 100%, so the wage is doubled.
3. Markup: your labor markup, which defaults to 20%.

Example: If your installer costs you $30 an hour (put in your real number), the 44 hours on those ten windows come to:

• Wages: 44 × $30 = $1,320
• With 100% overhead: $2,640
• With 20% markup: $3,168 for the labor, about $317 a window

The windows themselves, the trim and the materials are on top.

Price the units, materials and old-opening surprises

• The units: price windows and doors at your cost plus your markup, or mark them client-supplied. BuildWell starts material markup at 20%, and you can change it on any estimate.
• Installation materials: foam, flashing tape, sill pans, shims, fasteners, caulk and trim are real costs on every opening. Price them; they add up across 20 windows.
• Rot and out-of-square openings: you often can't see a soft sill or a sagging header until the old unit is out. State what's included and what repair costs beyond it, so the client agrees to the method before you start.

Check code items and permits when openings change

• Code items: changing a bedroom window can bring in egress size requirements, and glass near doors, tubs and floors may need to be safety glass. Check with the local building department when an opening changes.
• Permits: many jurisdictions require one to replace windows or exterior doors, and an opening that changes size usually needs one. BuildWell adds your flat permit fee whenever the estimate includes permits.

Earnings depend on market and mix of work

Wages vary by metro area and by experience, and much of this work is priced at carpenter wages.

Owners earn the margin between their installed price and their costs. So the labor rate and the markup on units matter more than the wage alone.

Self-employment tax is 15.3% of net earnings

As a sole proprietor or single-member LLC, you pay self-employment tax on your net earnings: 15.3% in total.

• Social Security, 12.4%: applies to net earnings up to the Social Security wage base, which is $184,500 for 2026.
• Medicare, 2.9%: applies to all of it.
• Deduction: you can deduct half of the self-employment tax on your income tax return.

That's in addition to federal and state income tax, so hold some of every payment back.

Pay estimated taxes every quarter

Make estimated payments on Form 1040-ES during the year. They're usually due in:

• mid-April
• mid-June
• mid-September
• mid-January

Deposits usually count as income when received

Deposits on special orders count as income when you receive them for most cash-basis businesses, even if you install next quarter.

Track your deductions as you go

Window and door businesses commonly deduct:

• tools, saws and ladders
• the business share of the van or truck
• fuel
• insurance and license fees
• lead-safe certification
• disposal costs
• phone and software

Keep receipts and a mileage log all year.

Subs paid $2,000 or more get a 1099-NEC

If you pay an unincorporated subcontractor for services, you'll generally need to send them a Form 1099-NEC. For payments made in 2026 and later, that applies once you've paid them $2,000 or more in a year, up from $600 before 2026.

Get a Form W-9, and a certificate of insurance, from every installer you sub work to.

Check your state's sales tax on materials

States treat installation contractors differently:

• Some have you pay sales tax when you buy the units and materials.
• Others have you charge it to the client.

Check your state's revenue department. In BuildWell, sales tax applies to materials only, not labor, at the rate you set.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. A tax professional who works with contractors can tell you what applies to your state and business.