Window Replacement Cost in Montreal

What changes the price in Montreal

In Montreal, Quebec, a standard-quality windows renovation typically costs between $5,348 and $12,300 in 2026 — prices are below the Canadian average, with a local cost index of 93%. Expect around 1 to 3 days per window of work and a 70–80% return on investment at resale. Ice-and-water shield along every eave and valley plus R-60 attic insulation will prevent 80% of the ice-damming and condensation issues typical to this climate.

What’s specific to Montreal windows

A Montréal plex has windows on three floors and often two or three units' worth of them, so a whole-building replacement is a project the co-owners plan together: in a divided co-ownership the windows are usually common elements and the syndicate decides. Québec makes much of the country's windows, which keeps local quotes competitive, and Rénoclimat pays per ENERGY STAR opening replaced, provided the home's EnerGuide rating improves. In the Plateau and other heritage sectors, the borough can require that street-facing windows keep their original divisions.

Permits and rules in Montreal

Authority: Ville de Montréal, your borough’s permit counter

• Montréal charges a renovation permit fee of $9.80 per $1,000 of work, with a minimum of $167.40 for a strictly residential building. Boroughs issue the permits. Ville de Montréal
• A contractor doing renovation work for a client in Québec must hold an RBQ licence in the relevant subcategory, whatever the size of the job. Only an owner-occupant doing the work alone is exempt. Check the licence in the RBQ register before signing. Régie du bâtiment du Québec
• Contractor invoices in Québec carry GST 5 % plus QST 9.975 %, 14.975 % in total. Revenu Québec
• The Office de la protection du consommateur advises a written contract that describes the work, the materials by type and quantity, the start and end dates, the total price and the contractor’s liability insurer, a small deposit only, and no final payment before the work is finished to your satisfaction. Office de la protection du consommateur
• Health Canada says a home built before 1960 probably contains lead-based paint, and one built between 1960 and 1990 may on the exterior. Disturbing it releases lead dust: no sanding, heat guns or blowtorches on old paint without a test, and keep children away from the work. Santé Canada
• In a divided co-ownership, work on common elements (roof, façade, balconies, party walls) goes through the syndicate, which since 14 August 2025 must hold a reserve-fund study renewed every five years by an independent professional; a special assessment may be how your share of a major job gets paid. Gouvernement du Québec — copropriétés divises

Guide: Renovating in Québec: licences, taxes, permits and programs (2026)

Subsidies that apply

• Rénoclimat pays $150 per existing rough opening replaced with an ENERGY STAR certified door or window, on condition that the home’s EnerGuide rating improves after the work, which an energy advisor checks before and after. Gouvernement du Québec — Rénoclimat

What to ask the contractor before you sign

• Check the contractor’s RBQ licence in the online register: the number, the subcategories, and that it is active. No licence, no contract.
• Ask for proof of liability insurance and, where it applies, workers’ compensation coverage, dated within the year.
• Get a written contract that lists the scope, the materials by brand and grade, the schedule, and what is excluded.
• Agree on a deposit that matches materials ordered, not a share of the whole job, and tie further payments to milestones you can see.
• Ask who pulls the permit, who schedules inspections, and whether the quote includes the permit fee.
• Compare three quotes on the same written scope; the cheapest one usually left something out.
• Ask for two recent references for the same kind of job, and call them.

Frequently asked questions