What impacts the cost of a stained glass window or hanging?
Most glass artisans will charge a square foot pricing for stained glass windows and panels. The price for a stained glass window or hanging will vary from artist to artist, but there are a few standard factors that can raise or lower how much you pay. Regardless of who you work with, stained glass pricing is impacted by:
The size of the window or panels
Material costs, which depend on the color, type, or texture of glass
Whether the glass artisan paints on glass or combines glass pieces
Complexity of stained glass design
If you have a specific pattern in mind, remember that more complex designs will take more time to create, and therefore cost more. A Thumbtack pro in Denver, Colorado who specializes in glass art, has a three-tier pricing structure for custom stained glass windows:
Low (least complex design): $90-$150 per square foot
Mid-tier (not overly simple or overly detailed): $150-$250 per square foot
High (most complex design and special glass or techniques required): $250 and up per square foot
Another artist and Thumbtack pro located in Jamaica Plain, MA, near Boston typically prices his custom windows at $600-$700 per square foot but smaller, less complex pieces may cost less. His price includes window installation. Size and materials
Custom stained glass is priced by the square foot, in part to accommodate additional materials, but also to reflect the additional time needed to create it. With that in mind, it's probably no surprise that a larger panel will have a higher price tag.
For example, a glass artist and Thumbtack pro in Jamaica Plain, MA designed several leaded stained glass panels for a client. These panels filled the sidelights on each side of the client's front door, as well as the transom window above it. The project resulted in 12 stained glass panels in all and the total price for all of the windows cost $6,000, including installation.
For the project, he ordered glass from Youghiogheny Opalescent Glass in Connellsville, PA, which added to the cost.
Painting vs. fusing glass
Stained glass designs are generally created by fusing together pieces of colored glass using pieces of lead, which produces the separation of colors unique to the art form. Stained glass may also be the result of designs that are painted on glass using special paint, then fired in a kiln to adhere the paint permanently to the glass. Each of these techniques cost different amounts.
For example, the Thumbtack pro artist in Jamaica Plains said that "painting windows takes more time and typically cost more".