How Much Do Window Well Covers Cost?

What Is a Window Well Cover?

As the name suggests, a window well cover fits over the top of a window well. It lets light filter through but helps to prevent debris, animals, and moisture from getting inside. Window well covers also improve safety, helping ensure someone doesn't accidentally fall into the window well. Additionally, some models add an extra layer of security, locking in place, and only opening from the inside, to help deter would-be intruders. 

Window Well Cover Cost by Type

There are a few different types of window well covers, with plastic being the least costly and metal the most expensive. Lightweight plastic is affordable but the least robust, while metal may cost more but lasts much longer.

Lightweight Plastic

Lightweight plastic window well covers cost between $70 to $200, with most people spending around $135 per window well, including parts and labor. This is a popular option for those working on a tight budget, with basic small window wells starting at just $30. The biggest issues with these window well covers are that they aren't able to hold a person's weight and have little to no UV resistance, so they have a comparatively short lifespan. 

Polycarbonate

Heavy-duty polycarbonate window well covers cost between $200 and $300 each, all in, with an average price of $250 per window well cover. These models are usually rated for holding the weight of an adult human, making them a safer option. Plus, if installed correctly, they're usually watertight and lockable. Plus, the polycarbonate is generally UV resistant

Metal

Metal window well covers cost between $300 and $700, with most people paying $500 per window well, including all parts and labor. Metal window well covers are generally metal bracing or grating with heavy-duty polycarbonate over the top. 

You can also find metal window well covers with a robust metal frame filled with metal mesh or grating. These are good for allowing plenty of airflow and are super strong, but they're not waterproof and won't stop all debris from filtering through. Metal or metal and polycarbonate combinations are the most costly but strongest, longest-lasting window well covers, and they're the most secure, too.

Window Well Cover Cost Breakdown

Labor costs make up a small percentage of the project total, with standard fees per window well, regardless of size. Materials make up the bulk of the cost. 

Materials

Materials cost between $30 and $500 per window well. A small, budget-friendly window well cover made from lightweight plastic will set you back around $30, while a large metal or metal-poly combo can cost $500. A custom unit can cost even more. 

Labor

Labor for window well installation costs between $40 and $100 per window well. You may get a lower price per window well cover when you have multiple products installed at the same time. Additionally, the price may be bundled into the cost of installing window wells or the cost of installing egress windows, saving you time and money. If you're handy with power tools, you may save on the cost of labor by completing the installation yourself.

Other Window Well Cover Cost Factors

The material you choose is the biggest determining cost factor, but there are a few other key considerations that can increase the project price. 

Size and Shape

Naturally, the bigger the window well cover, the more it costs, as the more material it consumes. Larger window wells won't cost any more to install, but they will cost more to purchase. 

Standard flat rectangular or half-circular models cost less than dome covers or fancy shapes. 

Custom Window Well Covers

If your window wells are particularly outsized, have an unusual shape, or you require more than a standard cover, you'll pay extra for expert custom work. You can spend up to $2,000 per window well for high-end custom metalwork. This is particularly true if you're paying for highly decorative window well covers rather than purely functional ones.

Installing Angled Risers

Installing angled risers can add up to another two hours to your labor costs. Angled risers add to or increase the slope of the window well cover. This helps prevent snow and ice buildup, making an escape in an emergency safer and easier. It's also necessary if your window is higher than the lip of the window well, unless you want to add a window well extension. Remember, though, that if you still want an impervious window well, you'll need to have custom sides cut and added to cover the gap created by installing the cover at an angle.

Multi-Task Project

If you need other work in or around your window wells, it might save you money if you have all the tasks taken care of simultaneously. For example, you could roll window well cover installation into the price of installing window wells or making repairs to existing ones. If you're installing new window wells, you may also need to think about the cost of installing a drainage system to make sure moisture buildup doesn't become an issue. 

All of these projects can be part of the cost to install egress windows in your basement. This large project will cost more overall, but each of the smaller projects, like drainage, windows, window wells, and window well covers, will cost less when tackled together.

DIY Window Well Cover vs. Hiring a Pro

If you have the right tools and a little skill, you can perform simple window well cover installations yourself, saving you the cost of hiring a pro. However, your local handyperson can likely do the job better and faster and may be able to get better prices on the window well covers themselves. And, if you've gone to the cost of installing new windows and window wells, or you've paid for replacement windows and the cost of repairing your window wells, you may as well let a pro handle the cover installation, too. 

Remember, correct installation is critical to ensure safety if you're going with a heavy-duty option. A handyperson may also do a better job of ensuring the covers are flush with the wall, snugly fit over the window wells, and, where necessary, having flashing or other forms of weatherproofing to keep water, debris, and wildlife out.