Has anyone tried Morgan Exteriors (they advertise a lot on the radio here)? I got a quote from them for 10 windows in my Riverview home. They came in around $11,000 for 10 impact windows (Simonton brand, vinyl single-hungs). That was actually pretty close to the other quotes I got (one was $10k, another was $12k).
I ended up not using Morgan only because a friend had a great experience with another installer who matched the price. But Morgan’s rep was professional and not too pushy. Just figured I'd mention their quote for reference since I don't think anyone has yet. They were right in line at about $1.1k per window installed.
Reading these numbers, I'm floored. Replacing windows can cost as much as a new car, apparently! Time to start saving...
I briefly considered trying a semi-DIY approach (buying windows myself and hiring someone just to install) thinking it might save money. For anyone else thinking of that, here's what I found: The cost of the windows alone (impact-rated) from a supplier was about 70% of the quote price I got for installed windows. Then finding a licensed installer willing to do just labor was tricky, and their labor quotes plus permit would have eaten up the rest of the savings.
In the end, I scrapped that plan and just went with a full-service company. The price difference wasn't worth the headache and risk. Maybe if you're very handy and pull your own permit it could work, but for most of us, letting the company handle it all is the way to go.
Just sharing in case someone else was considering the DIY/partial DIY route to cut costs.
Update time! First, a big THANK YOU to everyone who shared their quotes, experiences, and tips. This thread turned out more informative than I imagined.
So, I did end up getting a third quote for comparison, from a smaller independent installer who sells Simonton windows (kind of like what @jennifer_river did). That quote came in at $10,800 for the 12 impact windows (Simonton StormBreaker Plus, white vinyl). It was slightly lower than Karoly’s $11,500 with PGT.
Armed with that, I talked to Karoly Windows (I really felt most comfortable with them based on reputation and how they explained things). They actually agreed to match the $10,800 price to win the job! I also opted to stick with white frames to keep cost and lead time down (bronze would have looked cool, but added cost and 4+ weeks wait).
I signed the contract with Karoly. Final price: $10,800 for 12 PGT WinGuard impact windows, includes everything (permits, removal, stucco stops/trim, etc.). They estimate about 8 weeks to manufacture. The permit application is already in, and I'm targeting installation in early summer.
Could I have saved a bit more going with the independent Simonton guy? Maybe a tiny bit, but I feel good about having a company with a solid track record doing the work. Plus, you all gave Karoly a thumbs up which gave me confidence.
I'll post another update once the windows are in and inspected, but for now I'm calling this a success in getting a fair deal. Couldn't have done it without all your input – seriously, this thread was a huge help to me (and I’m sure to others).
Thanks again everyone, and I hope this thread keeps helping Tampa Bay folks compare and navigate their window projects!
Looks like @lindafisher438 made his decision (congrats on getting a good deal!). For anyone else reading this later, I'll add my experience too. I'm in New Port Richey (Pasco) and just signed a contract for 6 impact windows and 2 impact sliding glass doors with a local company called Absolute Windows.
6 windows (medium size single-hungs) + 2 three-panel sliding doors (each 8 feet wide) = $18,000 total.
The windows were roughly $800 each in the quote, and the sliders were about $5k each. We went with PGT WinGuard throughout, white frames, Low-E, etc.
This included permits, installation, removal, and they’re doing interior trim around the sliders because we’re converting an old French door space to a slider (some carpentry involved).
We got three quotes and Absolute was in the middle, but we liked their references. The high quote we got was $22k and the low was $17k (the low one was a smaller outfit we weren't as confident about).
Even though OP is done, I figure having more data points is never bad. This thread helped me a lot in knowing what to expect.
I replaced my windows earlier this year in Tampa as well, and I can confirm these prices and experiences are spot on. Wish I had this thread back then! It would have saved me some confusion.
For reference, my project was 10 impact windows + 1 front door (the door was separate but also impact glass). Total was $13,200 with a local company (DP Windows in Tampa). Windows alone were about $10k of that; the fancy glass front door was $3,200. We chose PGT windows and a Plastpro impact door. Everything went smoothly, just took ~9 weeks from order to install.
Anyway, kudos to @lindafisher438 for starting this conversation and to everyone for contributing. It's been a great read and learning experience.
Being the numbers nerd I am, I started averaging some of these quotes mentally. 😅 For anyone curious, it seems a typical impact window in Tampa Bay (standard size, vinyl frame) runs roughly800−
800−
1000 per window installed when part of a multi-window job. Of course, variables like big sliders, fancy options, or smaller job size will skew that.
Non-impact windows seem to cluster more in the
500−
500−
700 per window range installed.
Obviously every case is different, but I found it interesting that despite some outliers (high-end stuff or special situations), the numbers a lot of us shared do fall in those ballpark ranges.
Just an observation from reading all this!
One thing I haven't seen mentioned much is financing options. Some of these companies offer 0% financing for a period. I took a 18-month 0% financing deal from one of my quotes (in the end I didn't use that company, but it's out there). Ended up using my credit union for a low-interest loan instead.
Just throwing it out there: if you can't pay it all upfront, ask about financing deals. Sometimes they have promotions (especially the bigger companies). Just read the fine print - often the cost of financing is baked into the price, so a cash discount might get you a better deal if you don't need financing.
I'll add that even with a good installer, check everything after install. When I had my windows done (8 PGT impacts in my Town 'n' Country house), I noticed one window had a slight water leak at the corner during the first heavy rain. I called the installer and they came out and re-sealed that corner and fixed the flashing. No issues since.
Point is, don't hesitate to thoroughly inspect and test your new windows. Any reputable company will fix issues if you catch them early. It's not really a cost thing, but could save you headaches down the road.
@lindafisher438 Great outcome! Getting them to price match down to $10.8k is a win. Happy for you, and thanks for letting us all learn from your journey.