Glass block and stained glass windows in Fort Wayne
Glass block brings light into a Fort Wayne basement or bathroom and keeps the view out, and stained glass adds color at the stairs or front door.
Glass block for basements and bathrooms
A glass block window doesn't open, so there's no latch to force from outside. The usual candidates are small steel or wood hopper windows set in a block or poured foundation, the kind that rust, rot or rattle after a few decades.
A block window can include a small vent panel for air or a cut-out for a dryer vent. We'll ask about both before your panel is made, because neither can be added later.
When glass block is the wrong window
A basement room used for sleeping needs an emergency escape opening that a person can climb through. Glass block can't be that window. If you're finishing a basement bedroom, plan an egress window for that wall and use block elsewhere.
How much glass block and stained glass windows cost
Nationally, most glass block windows cost $600 to $1,500 installed and most stained glass windows $310 to $890.
| Window | Typical installed cost |
|---|---|
| Glass block window | $600 to $1,500 (about $800) |
| Prefab glass block basement window | $300 to $600 |
| Custom glass block basement window | $600 to $1,200 |
| Stained glass window | $310 to $890 (about $589) |
Size, a vent panel and custom glass move the price. Odd shapes such as arches, ovals and transoms cost more in stained glass because the frame is made to fit.
Stained and leaded glass
Stained glass suits entry sidelights, stair landings, transoms over a front door and bathroom windows where you want color and privacy. A new panel can be set in its own frame, or set inside a new double-pane window so the art glass sits protected between layers.
Old leaded panels with sagging or cracked pieces can usually be restored, which keeps the original glass. That's studio work, and we'll tell you up front who does the glass.
Glass block and stained glass questions
Is glass block warm enough for an Indiana basement?
Warmer than the single-pane steel windows many old basements still have, because block is thicker and seals tight in the opening. A vent panel, if you add one, is the only part that opens.
Is a glass block window a quick job?
A prefab basement unit is: it goes in like any other window once the old one is out. Custom block laid in mortar takes longer and has to set before it's sealed.
Can a stained glass window be energy efficient?
Yes, if it's set between panes of a sealed window or behind a storm. A bare leaded panel is single glass and loses heat like one.
Does lead-safe work apply to basement windows?
Yes, on a house built before 1978. EPA treats every window replacement on those homes as covered work, basement windows included.
What the quote usually covers
Usually included
- Old window and frame removed
- Opening squared and sealed
- Block or art glass set, vented panel if needed
Often priced separately
- A vent panel or dryer vent in the block
- Egress windows (block can't be an egress window)
- Restoring an old leaded panel
Confirm both lists in your written quote.
Get your free in-home estimate
A few quick questions. Here's what happens next:
- We call you backTo hear about your house and pick a time that works for you.
- We measure everythingEvery window and wall, so your price is right the first time.
- You get it in writingProduct, trim, clean-up and a start date, all on one page.
Let's take care of your house
Call us or send a few quick answers. We'll come out, measure everything and give you a clear price in writing.