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Great follow-ups. On the company stability: you hit the nail on the head. I gauged it by how long they’ve been in business, their reputation (online reviews, BBB, word-of-mouth), and even the vibe I got during the sales process. For example, Karoly windows has been in the Tampa Bay area for decades and has a lot of positive feedback; that gave me confidence. A pop-up company with only a few years under their belt – even if they offer a 10-year warranty – might be a risk if they’re not around in 5 years when you need them. You can’t predict the future, but lo ...

A home security angle to window replacement: If you have a security system with window sensors, factor that into your project. I learned this the hard way when my alarm system started beeping the day after our windows were replaced 😅. Our old windows had those wired sensors (little magnets) that detect if a window is opened. When the installers removed the old frames, those sensors got removed too. We hadn’t realized that would completely break the circuit for our alarm system. That first night, we actually couldn't arm our alarm because it thought ...

Welcome to the window replacement club, @golfplayer86! I’m also in Pinellas County (Clearwater area) and went through a full-home window replacement last year. We replaced 12 windows in our 1970s ranch home. I can share our experience and costs: We got three quotes: A smaller local contractor quoted about $9,000 total for 12 windows (non-impact, basic double-pane vinyl). A larger well-known company gave us a much higher quote around $15,000 for similar work (probably because of higher overhead and a fancy sales presentation). Karoly windows &a ...

@slewis17 That's a great point. We contemplated turning a small window in our den into a patio door for more access/light, but when we got the quote for it, we decided to hold off. They quoted about $5k extra for that modification (very similar to your cost). We decided to just replace the window as-is for now and maybe do a door addition later. Our window contractor advised it might actually be cheaper to have a general contractor do a door addition separate from the window project at a later date, rather than bundling it, since it was a significant alterat ...

Hi everyone! I just finished replacing all the old single-pane windows in my Tampa Bay home, and wow, what a learning experience 😅. I wanted to start this thread to share things I wish I knew before I started my window replacement project. Hopefully, this helps others. Here are a few big lessons I learned: Get multiple detailed quotes (and compare apples to apples): My first quote almost gave me a heart attack, but then I got 4 more from different companies and realized how much prices and approaches vary. Make sure each quote is for the same number ...

I’m comparing an interior storm panel with removable shrink film for one drafty replacement window: a roughly 36-by-60-inch double-pane vinyl window in a cold-winter climate. The noticeable air movement seems to be around the sash and frame, not through the glass. I’m planning to check the latch, weatherstripping, and perimeter seals first, since neither option will repair a failed insulated-glass seal. If the window itself is sound, I’m wondering which approach makes more sense: - **Removable shrink film:** inexpensive, quick to install, and easy to remov ...

Double-check everything! That's my advice. I wish I had been more detail-oriented when reviewing the order contract for our windows. In our case, we wanted one bathroom window to be obscure (frosted) glass for privacy, and somehow that detail got missed on the initial order. When installation day came in 2022, the bathroom window arrived as clear glass like all the others. Our installers (who were great overall) pointed out the error right away and ordered a replacement sash with frosted glass. But that meant that one window wasn’t fully finished for a few ...

We ran into an installation mishap that I haven’t seen mentioned yet. During our window install, one of the brand-new windows actually broke before it could even be secured in place. 😖 In our case, it was a large upstairs window, and as the crew was maneuvering it into the opening, the corner of the glass hit the edge of the frame or wall and the entire pane cracked and spiderwebbed. It was a cringe-inducing moment watching our brand-new (and not cheap) window shatter during install. The installers immediately boarded up that opening to secure the ho ...

We ran into an installation mishap that I haven’t seen mentioned yet. During our window install, one of the brand-new windows actually broke before it could even be secured in place. 😖 In our case, it was a large upstairs window, and as the crew was maneuvering it into the opening, the corner of the glass hit the edge of the frame or wall and the entire pane cracked and spiderwebbed. It was a cringe-inducing moment watching our brand-new (and not cheap) window shatter during install. The installers immediately boarded up that opening to secure the ho ...

@astrology616 Good question. In my case, the installers did what’s often called a "full replacement" (new construction style) for most windows, meaning they took out the entire old window frame down to the rough opening. However, on one window that had a good aluminum frame still intact, they did an "insert" (retrofit) where they put the new window inside the old frame. It really depends on the condition of your existing frames and what you discuss with the contractor. If you have rot, they will need to address that. My contract had a clause that said any wo ...