Good value
Entry-level film
From £60 per m²
Mostly Opalux films. Dependable privacy, glare and everyday heat control without paying for premium performance.
- 10-year warranty
- Smaller jobs, rentals and tighter budgets
Window Film Prices: What Window Tinting Costs in the North West
Window tinting is priced by the square metre of glass, and the film you choose is the biggest factor. Our entry-level films start at £60 per square metre, Solar Gard at £95 and 3M at £300. Everything else on this page is about working out where your job sits between them.
We would rather you knew roughly what you are looking at before you ask for a quote, so this page includes a calculator, worked examples and an honest account of what pushes a price up or down. These prices apply across the North West: Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria, including Manchester, Salford, Liverpool, Chester, Preston, Lancaster and Carlisle.
- From £60 per m² entry-level film, with a 10-year warranty.
- Free survey samples held against your own glass.
- Fixed written quote agreed before any work starts.
- Our own fitters employed, DBS checked, never subcontracted.
The short answer
Window film typically starts at £60 per square metre for entry-level film, £95 for Solar Gard and £300 for 3M. A pair of French doors and a side window, about 4 m² of glass, would start at roughly £240, £380 or £1,200 depending on the range. The exact figure is fixed in writing after a free survey.
Our three main starting points
Prices are per square metre of glass, supplied and fitted. They are starting points, because the survey is where the final figure comes from.
Our regular
Solar Gard
From £95 per m²
The brand we have fitted since we started. Made in the USA by a company owned by Saint-Gobain, and it usually outlasts its warranty.
- 10 years or more on most films
- Solar, privacy and safety ranges
Premium
3M
From £300 per m²
The most heat rejection for the least tint, including near-clear films for glass that has to stay clear.
- Manufacturer's warranty, term varies by film
- Period homes, showrooms and shopfronts
These three are our main starting points, not the whole range. We also have other, more economical films for simple jobs, so if budget is tight, tell us what you want the film to do and we will find the cheapest one that does it properly. More on Solar Gard and 3M.
Work out a starting price
Enter the size of your glass in millimetres. The calculator multiplies the area by the starting price for the range you pick. Change the example figures to match your windows.
Glass area
5.04 m²
Starting from
£302
A guide, not a quote. Very small jobs, access and specialist films are priced individually, and the survey gives the final fixed price.
Worked examples
These use typical sizes for illustration, with each film at its starting price per square metre. Your glass will be different, and your quote will say exactly what it is.
| Job | Glass | Area | Entry-level | Solar Gard | 3M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French doors and a side window | Two 1.0 x 2.0 m door panes and a 0.5 x 2.0 m side window, plus fixed panels | About 4 m² | £240 | £380 | £1,200 |
| A set of bi-fold doors | Folding doors about 3 m wide and 2.1 m high | About 6.3 m² | £378 | £599 | £1,890 |
| A shopfront | One window about 3 m wide and 2.4 m high | About 7.2 m² | £432 | £684 | £2,160 |
| A conservatory | Glass roof and walls of a medium conservatory | About 20 m² | £1,200 | £1,900 | £6,000 |
| A small office floor | Fifteen windows, each about 1.2 x 1.5 m | About 27 m² | £1,620 | £2,565 | £8,100 |
Starting prices only. Specialist films, awkward access and extras such as removing old film are quoted on top, and the survey replaces these figures with a fixed price.
What changes the price
Two jobs with the same area can cost quite different amounts. These are the reasons.
The film
The range and type are the biggest factor. Premium films, thick security and safety films and switchable film cost more per square metre than a plain tint.
How much glass, and how it is divided
A few large panes are quicker per square metre than lots of small ones. Georgian bars and glazing bars add time, because each section is cut and fitted separately.
Access
Glass that needs a tower, scaffold or access platform, such as a high school window or a double-height entrance, costs more to reach than glass at standing height.
The glass itself
Its condition, how dirty it is and whether it is toughened, laminated or low-e. We may need a different film for some glass, which changes the price.
Extras
Removing old film, designing and printing graphics, or the electrics for switchable film are priced separately from the film.
Where and when
Sites further from Greater Manchester include travel, and out-of-hours fitting can affect a quote. Most of our work is nearby.
How the other films are priced
The three main starting points cover solar, privacy and general-purpose film. These are the other films we fit, and how their price tends to work.
| Film | How it is priced |
|---|---|
| Solar control, one-way mirror and UV protection | Across the range, from entry-level film to premium. The three starting prices above are your guide |
| Frosted, blackout and whiteout | Priced by the film and the area. We quote after seeing the glass and the finish you want |
| Security, safety and thermal insulation | Specialist, thicker or more technical films that cost more per square metre than a standard film. Quoted after the survey |
| Decorative and branded film | By design, size and whether it is cut or printed. We quote once we have seen the artwork |
| Anti-graffiti film | Specialist film priced by the area and the number of layers |
| Switchable smart film | A good deal more per square metre, plus the electrics. Quoted after a survey |
| Removal of old film | By the area, the type and the age of the film. Often quoted from photos |
Ways to keep the cost down
The cheapest film is not always the best value, but the most expensive is rarely needed. These are the things that bring a quote down without costing you the result.
- Film the windows that matter: south and west-facing glass does most of the heat damage. Leaving a shaded window untreated can save a good deal.
- Match the film to the job: privacy and everyday glare rarely need a premium film. Save 3M for glass that has to stay clear.
- Ask about the cheaper ranges: we have more economical films for simple jobs, and we will say plainly when one will do.
- Do it in one visit: several rooms or several windows in one go saves on travel and set-up.
- Send photos and sizes: for small jobs we can often quote without a visit.
A false economy: The cheapest film on a large pane of double glazing can be a poor choice, because some absorb a lot of heat. We would rather recommend a better film than fit one that causes problems.
Window film, blinds or new glass?
Film is often the cheapest way to deal with heat, glare, privacy and fading, but not always the right one. This is how the three compare.
| Window film | Blinds | Replacing the glass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up-front cost | Low to medium | Low to medium | High |
| Works without anyone touching it | Yes | No. Needs opening and closing | Yes |
| Keeps the view | Yes, with most films | Only when open | Yes |
| Disruption | Low. Done in place, often in a day | Low | High |
| Can be changed or removed | Yes | Yes | No |
| Good for | Heat, glare, fading, privacy, safety and security | Total darkness and flexibility | Poor, failing or very old glass |
How we quote
Tell us the job
Call us or send photos, rough sizes and the problem you want solved. For small jobs that is often enough for a first price.
Free survey
We look at the glass, check what type it is and measure it. We bring samples to hold against your own windows.
Fixed written quote
You get one price in writing, with what it includes. No surprises on the day.
Fitting
Our own fitters do the work, at a time that suits you, with evenings and weekends available.
Jobs of different sizes
A sense of scale, from a bathroom window to a whole glass garden room. We do not publish what individual customers paid, but every job page shows what was fitted.
Frosted Film on a Bathroom Window in Rainhill near St Helens
Bathroom privacy.
Solar Window Tinting on Patio and Bi-Fold Doors in Timperley
Solar control film in a light neutral tint on three-panel sliding patio doors, a three-panel bi-fold set with gable glazing above, and a tall side window.
Window Tinting for a Glass Garden Room in Hale Barns
A black-framed glass veranda on a detached Hale Barns house, filmed on its sliding walls and roof so it works as a room and not a greenhouse.Prices across the North West
We quote the same way wherever you are in the North West. Most of our work is in Greater Manchester and Cheshire, and the price you are given for Lancashire, Merseyside or Cumbria is just as clear, with any travel shown separately where it applies.
Our prices are the same across the North West: from £60 per square metre for entry-level film, £95 for Solar Gard and £300 for 3M, in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria. A bay window in Manchester or Salford, French doors in Chester, a shopfront in Liverpool, a conservatory in Preston or a garden room near Lancaster are priced the same way, from the glass area.
What can differ by area is travel and access. Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside and the south of Lancashire are within our regular patch, and Carlisle and the rest of Cumbria are priced with travel built in, with grouped jobs costing less per job. In every county the survey is free and the quote is fixed. See the areas we cover across the North West.
Window tinting price questions
How much does window tinting cost?
Entry-level film starts at about £60 per square metre, Solar Gard at £95 and 3M at £300. A typical set of patio doors or French doors, around 4 m² of glass, starts at roughly £240, £380 or £1,200 depending on the range.
Is the survey and quote free?
Yes. The survey is free, we bring samples to hold against your own glass, and you get a fixed written quote afterwards.
Does the price include fitting?
The prices on this page are per square metre of glass, supplied and fitted by our own team. Your written quote shows exactly what is included and how VAT applies.
How is the area measured?
Width times height of each pane of glass, in metres. We measure at the survey, so you do not need to be precise. For a quick estimate, use the calculator on this page.
Why is 3M so much more than other film?
3M's top ranges, including near-clear films, give very high heat rejection with very little visible change to the glass. If you do not need that, Solar Gard or an entry-level film often does the job at a fraction of the price. See 3M window film.
Is there a cheaper option?
Yes. As well as the three starting points above, we have other, more economical films for straightforward jobs. Tell us what you want the film to do and we will recommend the cheapest one that does it properly.
Can I get a price from photos?
For small jobs, usually. Send photos and rough sizes of the glass. For larger jobs, or anything unusual, we survey first so the quote is accurate.
Is cheap DIY film worth it?
For a small bathroom window it can be fine. For larger glass, double glazing or anything you want to last, DIY film tends to bubble, peel and fail early, and removing it costs more than fitting it did. See film removal and replacement.
Do your prices differ across the North West?
Not for the film: the rate per square metre is the same in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria, including around Manchester, Salford, Liverpool, Chester, Preston, Lancaster and Carlisle. Access and travel can change the total, and travel is shown clearly in the quote. The survey is free in every county.
Want an exact price?
Tell us what the glass is and what you want it to do. The survey is free, and you get one fixed price in writing.
Get a free quote0161 410 0870
Fitted by our own DBS-checked team. Fully insured, with a manufacturer-backed warranty.
