How Much Does Home Window Tinting Cost?

We are a professional window tinting company located in Chicago. We have applied numerous brands and styles of film throughout the years and are offering this general advice to help educate the public about window film. Professional window film is usually priced by the square foot, with the cost including the film and the installation fees.

On typical residential installations (100-300/sqft) prices will usually fall right around $7/sqft for standard semi-metallic  films. On installations close to and over 1000 square feet, prices can fall as low as $6/sqft. Using these prices as a base, installation cost can go up as much as $2/sqft more, depending on the difficulty of the installation.

Typical “square” windows with clean edges that can be accessed without the use of stools, ladders or scaffold and do not have obstructions in the way should be installed at the low end of the price scale.

Things that can raise the base cost of installation:

• Excessive putty, paint or silicone on the edge of the glass to be filmed
• Glass that does not have a frame on some or all of the edges
• Odd shaped windows
• Skylight application
• Removal of existing film
• Storm window application
• Ladder or scaffold use
• Window/Door hardware  removal/replacement
• Applications that require seaming (usually if window is over 72″ in two directions)
• Windows blocked by immovable obstructions

Square foot price is usually switched to a per-unit price when dealing with “french-pane” windows. Individual preparation and filming of each of the units is labor intensive, so the prices can range from $15-$20 a pane depending on the condition of the glass and the type of film used.

Shades, blinds & curtains are standard obstructions and the price should not be affected by their presence. The service should either work around or remove and replace these obstructions as part of the service.

Spectrally-selective films fall in a higher price range. Less effective films such as 3M Prestige can range from $8-$11/sqft while the higher performance films like V-Kool can range from $12-$20/sqft. The “70” series of each of the manufacturers is the most popular. The “70” refers to the nominal percentage of light allowed through the glass after the  application of the film. This level of light reduction is nearly undetectable to the human eye, so the fact that these films can reject up to 56% of solar energy is impressive. These films also act as an after-market low-E coating, which can reflect heat back into the room, saving energy in the winter.

Less effective spectrally-selective films block less heat, block more light, and in some cases, add distortion to the glass. Review our article about spectrally selective films for more information

If you live in the Chicago area, visit us at www.precisefilm.com to get a free estimate for your window film project.

Tinting House Windows For Privacy

Our window film company is based in Chicago. We get a lot of questions about tinting house windows for privacy. There are a few misconceptions about what can be accomplished with window film, so we’re going to help clear things up.

The most common request we hear when people want privacy film for their homes is to get a dark “limo” tint installed. The first thing we tell them is that you will still be able to see in at night when the lights are on. This is usually where that discussion ends. But  for those who want to push forward we give the next bit of infomation:

Dark films cause windows to absorb excessive amounts of heat. It is this thermal stress that can damage glass. The problem with using a limo-like film is that most residential windows are double pane and made of weak plate glass. If you were to install a limo tint to the inside of an insulated glass window it would only be a matter of time before that window seal would fail, causing excessive moisture to collect inside the window, eventually molding.

Even if you had a window that was single pane, the application of a dark film is risky. Windows are frequently chipped during transport and installation. This damage is not visible after the windows are installed. These chips are weak points from which breaks can occur after the application of a dark film. If you insist on using a dark film we recommend you can have it applied to the exterior surface of the window if your windows are double pane. These applications don’t last more than a couple years, but at least you won’t have to worry about damaging the glass.

If it acceptable to have a silver appearance to the exterior of the window, you may want to consider a one-way film. One-way film has a dark limo appearance on the inside, but is mirror like on the outside, providing superior privacy. The only drawback is that most condo associations will not allow you to change exterior windows in this manner.

Another option if you’re only interested in daytime privacy is to use a 25-35% semi-metallic film. You can easily see outside during the day and the film can safely be applied to the inside of the windows. The only drawback to this is not being able to see outside at night.

The fourth choice in films for privacy are those that block the view in both directions day and night. You can go with a frosted, whiteout or blackout film. Frosted films allow all of the light to come through while blackout film lives up to its name by blocking it all. Blackout films can only be safely applied to the exterior surface of windows unless your glass is single-pane and tempered.

Frosted and whiteout films are safe for interior application. Whiteout films are typically used to cover floor to ceiling windows in a commercial space so that a wall can be built in front of them (to increase shelving space).

Frosted films achieve a natural etched appearance without blocking the light. This is usually the first film we recommend to any customer interested in privacy in their home. Visit our website at www.precisefilm.com to see examples of frosted window film styles.

Tint Specialist, Chicago IL

We’re proud to host the #1 Chicago based resource for architectural window film information. We offer general comparisons to popular products and give expert advice about installation concerns and window film removal. If you have a question not covered in our blog, please submit a comment so we can help!

We believe that once you have learned about our quality products, reasonable rates and  experience that every dollar you spend will be with confidence. We are one of the only companies in Chicago that can call themselves an archtiectural tint specialist – we never have and never will work with cars.

Please review our posting categories and frequently asked questions, listed on the right of the page. If you are interested in learning more about our company and services, please visit www.precisefilm.com.