Good luck @katievolunteer! I did the same and the contractor was actually impressed that I had done my homework. He said I was one of the most prepared customers they'd met. Being informed definitely pays off.
Huge shoutout to everyone here for turning a daunting process into something manageable. 🌟
@singer12 Good to know about that insurance discount! My insurance agent didn't mention anything until I brought it up (because I read it here), and then she was like "oh yeah, you do qualify now." 🙄 Always pays to be informed!
@carolcosplayer I did my project in two phases as well (front of house, then a year later back of house). I second your advice: try to minimize the gap. That year I only had partial impact coverage, and I was anxious every hurricane season about the windows I hadn't done yet. Once it was all complete, I finally relaxed. 🙂 If you do split it up, at least cover the most vulnerable windows first (like big ones or those facing the predominant wind direction).
This thread keeps giving! I'm still in the planning phase but soaking up these extra tips (like cleaning the openings and checking for tempered glass needs). I feel like by the time I'm done reading, I'll be an expert 😄. Thanks again everyone, truly.
I want to mention window tinting as a post-install option: If you didn’t get a factory tint and you find some rooms too bright/hot, you can always apply a window film after the fact. I got a 3M sun-control film installed on a couple of west-facing windows and it helped with heat. It's not necessary if you choose the right glass options upfront, though. I skipped tint on my bedroom window order and later added film; in retrospect, I might have just gotten the grey tint glass from the factory like @nancyshadow574 did. But at least it’s an option down the road if you need it.
Another little nugget: ask about window sill options. I had wood interior sills that were beat up. I didn't realize at first that some window companies will cap or wrap the exterior sills, or even replace interior sills with marble or composite as part of the job (usually for an extra fee). My installer offered to put in cultured marble sills inside for me. I went with it and now I have nice shiny marble window sills that will never rot or need repainting. If that's something you want, bring it up. It's common in Florida homes to have marble window sills, and the best time to do it is when windows are being replaced.
We ended up doing the marble sills too! Great suggestion @pauls51. It was like $100 per sill extra, but totally worth it – no more peeling paint or worrying about water damage on the sills. Plus it looks really clean and upscale. A nice finishing touch to consider, indeed.
Okay, I've got like 3 pages of notes from this thread. 😅 I think I'm ready to get my quotes and not sound like a total newbie. Thank you all so much. I'll probably come back and share my experience once it’s done. Wish me luck!
Final decision made: I'm going with Karoly Windows for my project 😃. It was almost a coin flip, but Karoly agreed to match a small discount I asked for and I felt a bit more comfortable with their timeline. Thanks for giving me the idea to compare and negotiate. I'll update after install in a few months (if this thread is still active), but I suspect I'll just be echoing all the positive experiences here. This thread set me on the right path from the get-go. Cheers!
I think this thread just answered every question I didn’t even know I had. Thanks to all, from a future window-replacement customer. 🙏