How Much Does Office Window Tinting Cost?

Customers often ask about the cost of tinting the windows in their offices. Many variables go into determining the cost of your office window tinting, making this a difficult question to answer. Why are you tinting your windows? What are you looking to accomplish? What type of window tint will best help you? Where are you located? These are just a few questions to help determine the cost of your window tinting.  

Also, the quick answer of pricing should consider the actual cost, determined after you figure out what you will gain by installing window tint on your windows. You might save more money by adding window tint to your windows than you spent installing commercial window tinting.  

Here we will discuss some of the many factors in figuring out your commercial window tinting cost. We will also examine the benefits you will receive by installing window film on your business. Finally, you can better decide your actual price for office window tinting.

Window Film Pricing

The first factor to consider when looking at the average cost of window tinting is what type of window film you need to achieve your goals. If your goal is to gain security, you will need a thicker security film, usually around eight mils thick, which will have a different price than a solar film, used to reduce heat and glare, gain privacy, and protect against fading. There are solar security films that combine the properties of both but at an increased cost. For total privacy, you can use a standard frost film or an elaborate patterned, designer film that will provide similar privacy but at a much higher price. Films can also be custom cut into patterns and designs, adding to the average cost of your window tinting. There are too many variables to discuss specific costs for office window tinting. When you reach out to local window tint service providers to ask about prices, you should know what you are trying to accomplish with window film and which type of film you might like.

There are situations with any window tinting project that can increase the cost of any window film, such as high windows, hard windows, small windows, and hard-to-reach windows. For windows up high, would the installer need a ladder, or would they need scaffolding or even a lift? High windows will slow any installer down, and lifts or scaffolds will require the equipment costs added to the pricing.  

Does the installer have easy access to the window, or do they need to move a lot of desks or reach behind a wall? The answers to these questions will affect the costs of your office window tinting. Hard windows, such as sloped glass or dirty wood frames, will also slow an installer down, and the extra time must be part of the estimated cost.  

Small windows will also increase the average cost of window tinting. More labor is required to install window tint on many small windows compared to a few large ones. A window’s square footage often determines the price of window film. For example, a 5′ by 5′ window has 25 sq.ft. If that same 5′ by 5′ window consists of 20 small French panes, it will take quite a bit longer for an installer to install the same square footage window film.

You will get the best pricing if your windows are freely available during regular business hours than if you require an after-hours installation or they only get small blocks of time in each area. A commercial window tinting company will also ask about the necessary installation hours.

Finally, geographical location is also a factor in considering commercial window tinting costs, as it is with most products. Just as houses cost more in places like New York City, so will your window tinting. Even in your state or city, businesses far from a window tint service provider will pay more than businesses nearby. For example, in places like Colorado, there are a lot of window tint providers in the Denver area, but only some in the Mountains. A Denver-based commercial window tinter may have to drive 2 hours for a mountain window tinting project each way, every trip.

What do you gain with office window tinting?

Now that you have a better idea of what goes into pricing the windows in your office, you can consider what you will gain and determine your actual cost (actual cost = price – benefit). Some of the benefits you receive will have a more definable dollar amount, and some will be slightly less obvious.

Window film’s more obvious dollar-saving benefits include the money saved by the window tint’s energy savings, fading protection, and added security. With solar window tinting, you will save energy by blocking the heat your windows let into your business during the hot months and slowing the loss of heat escaping through your windows during the cold months. On large office buildings, you can run a Department of Energy-supported energy analysis to estimate the energy savings you will receive with window film. Often, with window film on large buildings, we will see a payoff period, due to the money saved with energy, of around 3 to 7 years.

Window films will also help protect against fading by reducing the amount of UV light, heat, and visible sunlight that comes through your windows. Reducing fading and sun damage will save you money by protecting against damage to your merchandise, flooring, furniture, and artwork. Depending on how much each item costs, the saving can be substantial.

Window films, specifically thicker security films, can make it more difficult for people to break into your business and steal your merchandise. Some companies get broken into more often than others, and potential savings from a security window film is more significant for those businesses.

Some of the benefits you may receive from office window tinting that are harder to put a dollar amount to include increased comfort, added privacy, and more safety. Reducing heat with a solar film, your A/C will need to run less, helping to even out the temperature in your business and increasing the comfort of your employees and customers. Reducing intense glare from the sun can also keep people from squinting, increasing comfort. Installing office window tinting on your business can help hold the glass together and in the frame if the window ever breaks. By keeping the sharp pieces of glass from falling and scattering, you will be safer, reducing the chances of someone getting hurt — that is hard to put a value on.

What is the actual cost of office window tinting?

Now that we have discussed what determines the price of your commercial window tinting and what benefits you may receive, you can better see the actual cost. With office window tinting, if you can block a lot of heat, protect costly merchandise from sun damage, and increase security, while at the same time increasing comfort, safety, and gaining privacy, it may cost you more not to have window tint installed on your business. Reach out to your local commercial window tint service provider and see what window film can do for you!