How much money you need to tint windows on commercial buildings greatly varies depending on the specific project.
This article will go over all the different factors that go into determining the final price of commercial window tinting and let you know how you can earn a great return on your investment.
What Factors Affect How Much It Costs To Tint Windows?
- Type of window film
- Scope of the job
- Difficulty of installation
- Type of window film
One of the main factors that influence the total cost of tinting a commercial building’s windows is the specific type of window tinting film you choose to use.
There are many different types of window films with different aesthetic and performance properties. Some of the most popular ones for commercial facilities include:
- Colored window tints (black, gray, green, blue, red, metallic, color-shifting, etc.)
- Reflective window film
- Privacy window tinting film
- Low-emissivity window film
- UV/glare-blocking film
Naturally, basic window films, such as standard dark tinting films, cost less than high-performance, energy-efficient films.
The best type of commercial window tint for your property depends entirely on your goals.
For example, if you want to give an older glass building a modern facelift, you may opt for a sleek and stylish reflective or color-shifting window tinting film.
You may also decide to use different types of films, or even combinations of different tints, for specific parts of your building.
For instance, you could install dark or mirrored privacy window film on ground floor windows to provide more privacy for building tenants working at those levels, and install a lighter tint at higher levels where you want views to be less inhibited, but still want UV and glare protection.
- Scope of the job
Another important factor in how much the total cost of window tinting will be is the overall scope of the job, or how big and complex it is.
Things like how big the building is (or how many buildings there are), how many glass doors and windows in total are to be tinted, and other practical considerations are all part of the scope.
All these considerations affect how long the commercial window tinting job will take and how much labor goes into it. The more time and labor involved, the higher the cost will be.
- Difficulty of installation
The difficulty of installation is part of the scope of a window tinting job, being a key part of the complexity of the project.
Things that influence the difficulty of window tint installation include the height of buildings/windows, how accessible windows and other glass surfaces to be tinted are, and what equipment and resources are needed to complete the project.
For example, tinting a small commercial building with only ground floor windows is much less complex than tinting a high rise office building, and would therefore ultimately be less expensive.
What’s the average cost to tint windows?
For most standard commercial window film installation jobs, the average cost typically falls somewhere in the range of $8-$12 per square foot.
That being said, the price can be significantly higher if you choose high-performance window tints, such as low-emissivity window film.
Certain Types of Commercial Window Tint Films Can Pay for Themselves
Now that you have a better understanding of what factors affect how much it costs to tint windows for commercial properties, you should know that big commercial window tinting projects can ultimately pay for themselves.
This is only true if you elect to use specific types of window films that improve the energy efficiency and climate performance of your building’s windows.
We are specifically referring to low-emissivity, or low-e, window film. This type of tinting film reduces the transmission of thermal energy through a building’s windows.
In other words, it helps retain heat during cold weather and block out heat during hot weather. This results in more efficient use of heating and cooling systems and more comfortable year-round temperatures.
How much energy do standard commercial windows waste?
In cold climates and weather, up to 30% of the energy you use to heat your facility can escape through poorly insulated, low-performance windows.
In hot climates and weather, solar heat gain (the heat from the sun that comes through windows) can account for 25-30% of your cooling costs.
With the right window tinting film, you can insulate windows and block solar heat gain to reduce your monthly utility bill by up to 25%. For large commercial buildings, this can translate into thousands of dollars in savings.
The ROI provided by low-e window tinting can ultimately pay for the cost of the window film and its installation in as little as 1-3 years, depending on how drastic the change in performance is.
Other ways window tinting pays off in the long run
Low-e window tinting can provide immediate returns, but other types of commercial window tints can provide long-term financial benefits as well.
A process called facade re-imaging is a cost-effective way to modernize and rejuvenate a commercial building’s outward appearance using various window films.
This dramatically improves your property’s curb appeal, potentially enticing more building tenants looking for a modern space to do business.
If you’re a commercial building owner, you know how important keeping office spaces full is to maintain healthy profit margins (your NOI), and tinting an old building's windows can help you do this.
You may even be able to raise your lease rates after a facade re-imaging project to improve your NOI even further.
Finally, a new commercial window tint application can help increase your property’s value, which will pay off if you ever sell your building.
Conclusion
There’s no definitive answer to the question of how much it costs to tint windows, but you should now have a better understanding of what will influence the final price.
You should also know how worthy of an investment a fresh commercial tint job can be, and how you can even make a full return on your investment in a relatively short amount of time.
Contact Campbell Corporation today for a consultation or a quote.
