We ended up getting 5 or 6 quotes, which was a bit overwhelming but enlightening. It was interesting to see the differences:
Some companies were super professional, sent a written quote by email with all details.
Others scribbled a number on a business card or on the back of a flyer (no thanks).
Prices varied a lot, from around $10k to $18k for our 11-window project (non-impact quotes mostly, in our case).
The recommended window brands varied (we heard PGT, Simonton, CWS, and some off-brand).
I made a spreadsheet to compare things like: window brand/type, whether quotes included permits, stucco, disposal, warranty terms, timeline, etc. It helped keep it straight.
One surprising thing: two quotes recommended slightly resizing a couple of my windows to fit standard sizes. Like one bathroom window was an odd width and they suggested making the opening a bit bigger to fit a more common window to save money. Another company said they'd order custom size to fit exactly, which costs more per window. So there are different approaches - neither is wrong, but it's something to clarify. We ended up going with custom-sized for all to avoid any additional carpentry/stucco work resizing an opening (even if it might have saved a few bucks, we didn't want the extra alteration).
In the end, we chose a mid-priced quote from a local family-run business. They weren't the cheapest or the most expensive, but we felt most comfortable with them (good references, detailed quote, no pressure). So my advice: definitely compare multiple quotes, but also compare the details and intangibles, not just the bottom line price.
And yes, be prepared to spend a few evenings doing quote comparisons and reading fine print. It's a big purchase, so the homework was worth it for us.
@jcoder32 We had a similar quote comparison journey. In our case, one of the quotes was from a very pushy national company (rhymes with "SchmewSouth" 😉). The guy literally camped at our dining table for 3 hours doing his presentation and then gave us a whole song and dance when we said we needed to think about it. He had a "manager" call with a special discount if we signed right then. It was so over-the-top that it was almost comical. We did not sign, obviously.
In contrast, we had a quote from Karoly Windows where the owner Karoly himself came out, measured everything quickly, and had a straightforward conversation about options, then emailed us a detailed quote the next day. That quote was actually slightly higher than the pushy company's "today only" price, but guess what? Two days later, that pushy company called back and offered even less. It just showed how much padding they had initially.
We ended up going with Karoly’s offer because it was transparent and we felt we could trust them. The peace of mind was worth a bit extra. And after installation, we definitely knew we made the right call.
Point is, don't fall for those pressure tactics. They might have a decent product, but if someone won't let you compare or think overnight, that's a red flag. Every window company can come back and "honor" a quote later if they really want your business; the whole one-day-only thing is usually a tactic.
We did a somewhat custom change during our window project – we turned what used to be a window into a door opening. Specifically, in our kitchen we had a short, wide window looking out to the backyard. We wanted to have direct access to the backyard, so we decided to put in a single French door in that spot.
This obviously went beyond a standard "replace window with window" job. It required cutting down the wall (removing brick and stucco below the window), adding a header support, and then fitting a door. The window company we hired coordinated with a structural engineer to get the plans for the new opening, and we had to get a different permit (structural alteration). It added significant cost: the door itself was ~$2,500 and the construction work to modify the opening was another ~$2,000, plus some extra permit fees for that. So about $4,500 extra to create a new door opening.
It also added time – about 4 weeks extra for engineering drawings and permit approval for the structural change. The work itself took an extra day during installation (so 3 days total install instead of 2 for just windows).
In the end, we love having the new door. It changes how we use our space in a good way. But for anyone thinking of altering sizes of windows or turning a window into a door (or vice versa closing up a window), just be aware it's a whole additional mini-project. It's absolutely doable, just needs proper plans and skilled labor. Make sure your contractor has experience with structural changes. We were lucky that ours could handle it all in-house.
If you're just sticking to same-size replacements, you won't have to worry about any of that. But I thought I'd mention this since some folks with early 2000s homes might be considering design changes while upgrading windows.
@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 alteration requiring different trades. So we took the simpler path for the moment (same-size window replacement everywhere).
But hearing your success, I'm a bit jealous! I might revisit that idea down the road, maybe when we save up for a phase 2 renovation.
For most folks reading, if your goal is just replacement, there's no need to complicate it with structural changes. But if you have the budget and desire to, say, open up a wall or change the look of your home, it can be done alongside window replacements – just plan for that extra cost and time.
I'll admit, I dragged my feet on replacing my windows for years because of the cost. My house is a 2001 build in Pinellas, and the old windows were "okay" so I kept putting it off. Then in 2024 we had a close call with a tropical storm and one of my old windows actually cracked (not sure if it was from wind pressure or some debris, but a crack appeared in one pane of a double slider window). It didn't shatter, but it spurred me into action.
I finally got the windows done (all 8 of them) in early 2025, and honestly I wish I had done it sooner. Aside from the storm safety aspect, all the everyday benefits everyone mentioned are so true – quieter, less draft, etc. Plus I was worried about that cracked window failing completely in the next storm.
I ended up spending about $8,800 for 8 impact windows, which was painful to write the check for, but now that it's done, the anxiety I used to have every hurricane season is gone. I used to board up two of the larger windows with plywood because I didn't have proper shutters, which was a huge hassle and looked awful. Now I just lock the impact windows and I'm done preparing.
So, if you're like I was, procrastinating this project until "later", consider the potential risks of waiting. If your windows are old and especially if they have any issues (leaks, cracks, etc.), it's better to tackle it before it becomes an emergency. Also, I noticed a little bit of water damage on the wall where that window cracked (probably from rain seeping through the crack) – had to repair some drywall. Could have been worse.
Lesson: I should have acted sooner, but at least it's done now, and I'm quite relieved and happy with the result.
@cyclist20 Glad you got yours replaced before it got worse. I had a similar water leak issue but caught it earlier. One of my old windows had a bad seal and water would occasionally seep in during heavy wind-driven rain, leaving a water stain on the drywall below. That was one of the main reasons I finally bit the bullet on replacements in my 2000-built home in Odessa.
After replacement, no more leaks at all. The installer made sure to properly flash and caulk everything. We had some big storms afterward and bone dry inside. It really reinforced that while windows are expensive, they are critical to keeping your house envelope secure.
If anyone is seeing water intrusion around windows, don't ignore it. It likely means something is failing (could be the window frame, seal, or caulking). New windows plus proper installation will solve that and save you from more costly damage later.
Living on the coast in Tarpon Springs (Pinellas), impact windows weren't just a luxury, they were basically required. Our home is within a mile of the Gulf, so it's in the wind-borne debris zone. When we went to replace our windows (house built 2003), code said either impact or shutters. We opted for impact windows and also replaced an old set of sliding doors with impact French doors.
We had 12 windows and 1 set of French patio doors. Total damage: about $30,000. Yeah, coastal work with high-end impact products is pricey. We used PGT WinGuard for the windows and custom fiberglass impact French doors. One reason it was high is a couple of our windows are really large picture windows (fixed glass, about 6 ft by 6 ft each). Those were a few thousand each themselves due to size and laminated glass thickness.
The project took almost 5 months from start to finish. We signed in January and they finished by May. The manufacturer lead time was long for those big pieces of glass, plus being near the coast required some extra engineering paperwork for the permit (the installer had to provide design pressure (DP) ratings for each window to show they meet the required wind loads).
After install, the house felt immediately more secure. Also, I was pleasantly surprised by how much quieter it was inside. We get a lot of wind noise and some traffic noise from a nearby road – the laminated impact glass dampens a lot of that.
Insurance-wise, our company was actually threatening non-renewal unless we upgraded our openings (Florida insurers are getting strict on older homes). Once we did, not only did they keep us, they gave a sizable discount for having all impact. It offset maybe 10-15% of that $30k in terms of present value, which is something.
It's a big chunk of money, but given our location, it's basically part of the cost of owning a home here. I sleep better knowing the next hurricane that comes, at least our windows and doors are ready for it.
@kennethr33 Being in an inland part of Hillsborough, I didn't have to get impact by code, but I still chose them for similar peace of mind. My costs were a bit lower (around $18k for 10 windows) since I didn't have those gigantic ones or new doors to do.
I absolutely agree on the noise reduction. People often don't realize that laminated impact glass acts like a car windshield – there's a plastic layer inside that really cuts noise. We live near a busy street and after impact windows, it's noticeably quieter inside. It was an unexpected bonus for us too.
Your point about insurance is a sign of the times in FL; many insurers want those mitigations. I'm sure your house is not only safer but likely more valuable with those upgrades (if you ever sell, it's a big selling point in coastal areas).
For those inland or on a budget, non-impact is fine, but on the coast like you, I'd say impact is almost a must nowadays. Glad to hear your project went well even if it took a while. 5 months can feel long, but when you break it down (manufacture, permit, install, inspect), it's understandable with those complexities.
A practical consideration during and after install: window treatments and alarms. No one mentioned this yet, so I will. Before the install day, we had to remove all our blinds and curtain rods. The installers need clear access to the window openings, so anything like blinds, shades, curtains, valances have to come off. We took photos of how our curtain hardware was set up to make re-installation easier (and good thing, because in a couple rooms we forgot which bracket went where).
Also, if you have a security system with sensors on your windows, those have to be dealt with. We had the wireless stick-on type sensors on our old windows. We removed them before the install (and put fresh adhesive to re-mount after). If you have wired sensors embedded in the windows, that's trickier – you'd likely need your alarm company to come out and redo sensors, or switch to wireless.
After install, putting back all the blinds and curtains took almost as long as the window install itself (at least it felt like it, ha!). And as @cars575 mentioned earlier, some of our old blinds didn't fit the new frames well (the frame depths were different), so we ended up buying new window treatments. Just factor in that you might have some extra costs if your old blinds/fixtures don't go back perfectly.
So, factor in a little time and maybe money for re-hanging or possibly replacing some window treatments. We were fine with most, but just a heads up.
The alarm sensors we had, we tested after re-sticking them to the new windows – all good. If you have an alarm, don't forget to put it on "test mode" or turn it off during install days, because they will be opening/closing windows constantly.
Minor stuff in the grand scheme, but thought I'd share so folks remember to plan for it (remove them beforehand, etc.). My installer mentioned it the day before, but if they hadn't, I might not have been prepared.
@cars575 Yes! We went through the same thing with blinds and sensors. In our case, we had one of those older ADT systems with wired sensors in the windows, which we knew would be an issue. We actually coordinated with our alarm company to come out the same day the windows were being installed to at least cap off the wires and later put surface sensors.
Ultimately, we upgraded to a newer wireless system after the window job, because reconnecting all those old wires was more trouble than it was worth.
On window treatments: we had mostly inside-mount blinds. We found that on a few windows, the depth of the new vinyl window frame was less (or more) than the old one, so the blinds either stuck out a bit or had to be adjusted. We also took the opportunity to replace some of our really old blinds with new ones since we had them down anyway. One tip: label your blinds or curtain hardware by room when you take them down (we used masking tape) – it made re-installing the right pieces in the right places much easier.
All in all, re-hanging window treatments and reattaching alarm sensors took us an extra day after the windows were in. Not hard, but time-consuming. Just something to be prepared for, on top of enjoying the great outcome.