Good point by @mbrown43—scope matters. I’m doing my whole house now (20+ windows) and the company told me straight up it will be around 4 to 6 months total. It’s a lot of windows, and all impact rated, so I'm mentally prepared for a long process. They did measure everything and send the order in already. Fingers crossed there are no major hiccups.
What about sliding glass doors? I need to replace two sliders and a bunch of windows. Do doors add more time? I was thinking of doing them together with the window project.
I did exactly that—8 windows plus 1 sliding glass door. The sliding door didn’t really add much extra time. It was part of the same permit and order. The only difference was installation took an extra half day to handle the door.
Manufacturing time for the door was similar to the windows. They actually installed the door first, then the windows. So if you’re doing both, it makes sense to tackle them together. No need to separate the projects.
I got quotes from Karoly Windows & Doors, Tampa Window Design, and another local company. Ended up going with Karoly Windows & Doors again for my current home because they gave me the best vibe and a solid timeline. They had done my friend’s house too.
From contract signing, it was about 3 months total. The process was super smooth. They handled all the paperwork with the county, kept me in the loop, and there were zero surprises. Quality work and on time – can’t ask for more.
Glad to hear that, @robotics445. I’m actually considering Karoly for my project too, along with maybe Renewal by Andersen (though I know they’re pricier). Timeline is a big factor for me because I have some windows that are barely functional right now. I’d rather pay a bit more to get it done right and on schedule. This thread is definitely helping me shortlist companies.
Make sure whichever company you choose, they communicate well. In my case, the windows were done on time but the company forgot to tell me when the windows arrived at their warehouse! I had to call them after 12 weeks and they were like “oh yeah, your windows are here, let’s schedule install.” 🙄
It wasn’t a huge delay, but I wonder how long they would’ve sat if I hadn’t called. So a company that updates you (like @politics575 mentioned ProTech did) can make the experience much less stressful.
Slightly off topic, but on installation day, did you guys stay home? I assume yes. I'm planning to take a day off work when mine get installed. Also, how messy does it get? I'm trying to figure out if I need to cover up furniture or move things.
I definitely stayed home during installation, or at least someone was home. You don’t have to, but I felt better being around in case the crew had questions or issues. It does get a bit messy.
There’s dust from removing old window frames, and they might need to do some caulking and touch-up. The workers put down drop cloths, but I’d suggest moving furniture away from windows and covering anything important. After they finished each room, I did a quick vacuum. It wasn’t too bad, just dusty.
My installers told me I could leave, but I stuck around and I’m glad I did—if only to provide cold water and snacks 😅. They knocked out 10 windows in one long day (with a big crew). They cleaned up well after themselves, even vacuumed where they worked. I just had to dust a bit the next day. So mess is moderate but manageable.
I had 12 windows done, but only a two-person crew. It took them 3 days. They were efficient, just fewer people. Each day they did 4 windows and then did finishing touches like trim and caulk. I stayed home all three days. It was kind of fun watching the progress.
By the final day, the difference in my home’s comfort was noticeable (less outside noise and cooler inside).