Rescreen or rebuild?
If the aluminum or vinyl frame is straight and the corners are sound, rescreening is the answer: pull the old spline, lay in new mesh, roll fresh spline into the channel, trim the excess. Ten to fifteen minutes per screen for someone who does it regularly.
If the frame is bent, twisted, or the corner keys have broken, the screen will never sit properly in the window track no matter how good the mesh is. That frame gets rebuilt from new stock — still inexpensive, but a different job.
A frame that has been bent and straightened by hand usually goes back to being bent. If a screen keeps falling out of its track, look at the frame rather than the mesh.
Mesh choice makes a real difference
Standard fiberglass mesh is the default: inexpensive, easy to work with, and forgiving. It stretches and tears more easily than the alternatives.
Aluminum mesh is stiffer, more durable, and holds its shape better on large openings, though it dents rather than springing back.
Pet-resistant screen is a heavier vinyl-coated polyester that resists claws and pushing — worth the premium on any door screen or ground-floor window in a house with a dog or cat.
Solar screen blocks a substantial share of incoming heat and glare, which makes a genuine difference on west-facing windows in hot climates. It darkens the view somewhat, which some people mind and some do not.
Screens are not safety barriers
This deserves to be stated plainly because it kills children every year. A window screen is designed to keep insects out. It is held in by light spring clips or friction, and it will not support the weight of a toddler leaning against it.
Where an operable window sits above the ground floor in a home with young children, the protection that works is a window opening control device or a properly installed window guard — hardware that limits how far the sash can open, or a barrier that is actually anchored to the frame.
Any handyman doing screen work in a home with small children should raise this. It is a twenty-dollar addition that a screen cannot substitute for.
Signs you need this work
- Torn, punctured, or sagging screen mesh
- A screen that will not stay in its track and keeps falling out
- A bent or twisted screen frame
- Broken corner keys leaving the frame loose and rattling
- Insects getting in despite the screen appearing intact
- Faded, brittle mesh that tears when touched
- Missing screens entirely after a storm or previous repair
Cost by property type
| Property | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment / condo | $40 – $320 | Screens are often building-supplied and building-maintained. Ask before paying to have them done. |
| Small home (under 1,500 sq ft) | $45 – $335 | Standard-size screens rescreened in batches, low end of the range. |
| Midsize home (1,500–2,500 sq ft) | $45 – $340 | The baseline for this estimate — several screens rescreened in a single visit. |
| Large home (2,500+ sq ft) | $50 – $380 | More windows means better volume pricing per screen, but upper-floor screens that must be removed from outside add ladder time. |
| Older home (pre-1978) | $55 – $410 | Wood-framed screens and non-standard sizes are common and take longer than modern aluminum frames. Original wood screens may be worth restoring rather than replacing. |
| Rental / turnover unit | $40 – $300 | Rescreening every damaged screen at once between tenants is inexpensive and removes a common complaint. |
| Small commercial / office | $55 – $410 | Rare in commercial buildings outside of ground-floor operable windows. |
Ranges assume national-average handyman labor rates ($60–$100/hr) and mid-grade materials.
Cost by state
| State | Typical range | |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $40 – $300 | |
| Alaska | $50 – $380 | |
| Arizona | $45 – $330 | |
| Arkansas | $40 – $290 | |
| California | $50 – $400 | |
| Colorado | $50 – $350 | |
| Connecticut | $50 – $365 | |
| Delaware | $45 – $330 | |
| Florida | $45 – $340 | |
| Georgia | $40 – $315 | |
| Hawaii | $55 – $400 | |
| Idaho | $40 – $315 | |
| Illinois | $50 – $350 | |
| Indiana | $40 – $300 | |
| Iowa | $40 – $300 | |
| Kansas | $40 – $300 | |
| Kentucky | $40 – $300 | |
| Louisiana | $40 – $315 | |
| Maine | $45 – $330 | |
| Maryland | $50 – $365 | |
| Massachusetts | $50 – $390 | |
| Michigan | $40 – $330 | Find a handyman in Michigan |
| Minnesota | $45 – $340 | |
| Mississippi | $40 – $290 | |
| Missouri | $40 – $300 | |
| Montana | $40 – $315 | |
| Nebraska | $40 – $300 | |
| Nevada | $50 – $350 | |
| New Hampshire | $50 – $340 | |
| New Jersey | $50 – $380 | |
| New Mexico | $40 – $315 | |
| New York | $50 – $390 | |
| North Carolina | $40 – $330 | |
| North Dakota | $40 – $300 | |
| Ohio | $40 – $315 | Find a handyman in Ohio |
| Oklahoma | $40 – $300 | |
| Oregon | $50 – $350 | |
| Pennsylvania | $45 – $340 | |
| Rhode Island | $50 – $350 | |
| South Carolina | $40 – $315 | |
| South Dakota | $40 – $300 | |
| Tennessee | $40 – $315 | |
| Texas | $45 – $340 | |
| Utah | $45 – $330 | |
| Vermont | $45 – $330 | |
| Virginia | $45 – $340 | |
| Washington | $50 – $380 | |
| Washington DC | $55 – $400 | |
| West Virginia | $40 – $290 | |
| Wisconsin | $40 – $330 | |
| Wyoming | $40 – $300 |
State ranges reflect typical independent handyman labor rates for a midsize home.
Common questions
How much does it cost to rescreen a window?
Typically $30 to $75 per screen when several are done in one visit, and $100 to $150 for a single screen because of the minimum service call. Batching them is the way to save.
Can a bent screen frame be straightened?
Sometimes, temporarily. In practice a bent aluminum frame tends to return to its bent shape and the screen keeps falling out of the track. Rebuilding the frame from new stock is usually the better value.
Is pet-resistant screen worth the extra cost?
On any door screen or ground-floor window where a dog or cat pushes against it, yes. It costs roughly two to three times standard fiberglass and typically lasts far longer than that multiple.
Do window screens keep children from falling out?
No. Screens are insect barriers and will not hold a child's weight. Use window opening control devices or properly anchored window guards for fall protection on any window above ground level.
Related project cost guides
Sources and further reading
Primary sources behind this page. Federal safety, emissions and consumer-protection references — worth reading before you authorize any repair.
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission Recall lookups and safety guidance for fixtures, furniture anchoring, and fall hazards.
- US Department of Energy — weatherization Federal guidance on air sealing, weatherstripping, and where home energy is actually lost.
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