My Tampa Bay Window Replacement Experience (15 Impact Windows) - Costs, Details & Installer Review

@poet45 Thank you for sharing all these details! This is super helpful. I’m also in the Tampa Bay area (Pinellas County) and looking to replace windows soon, so your post couldn’t have come at a better time. If you don’t mind, I have a couple of questions:
How did the cost break down per window for you? You mentioned 15 windows and total $21k – was that including any doors or just windows? I’m trying to gauge roughly what I might be looking at per window.

You went with all impact windows; did you ever consider mixing impact and non-impact (like impact in certain crucial rooms and non-impact in others to save money)? I’ve heard of some people doing a mix, though I’m not sure if that complicates the insurance discounts.

Now that you have impact windows, are you keeping your old hurricane shutters, or did you remove them entirely?

Thanks again, and congrats on getting it done! Your house is basically hurricane-ready now 😀.

Hi @charles_sage, great questions! Let me break it down:
Cost per window: Our total of ~$21,500 was for 15 windows, which averaged around $1,433 per window. But keep in mind, some of our windows are different sizes, so costs weren't uniform. For example, we have a large 3-panel bow window in the dining area that counted as three windows but was more labor-intensive; and a small bathroom window that likely cost less than the average. We did not include any doors in that project – it was strictly windows only. (Our patio slider is still the original, we might tackle that later.) So if you’re budgeting, I’d say for impact windows in our area, expect roughly $1,000 to $1,500 per window installed, depending on size and features. Non-impact would be a few hundred less per window perhaps.

Mixing impact and non-impact: We did consider it briefly, like maybe putting impact glass in the big openings and doing cheaper non-impact in small ones. However, we found out that to get the insurance benefit, all openings need to be protected, which means if any window is non-impact, you’d need a shutter or other protection for it anyway. We figured it was simpler to do all impact and not worry about mixing types. Also, cosmetically the windows all match. If we mixed, they'd look the same until a storm came and we put shutters on some; just seemed better to do everything consistently. Some people do mix to save money, but they might lose out on some insurance credits and convenience. So we bit the bullet and did all impact.

Hurricane shutters: As part of this, we decided to remove our old aluminum panel shutters. They were those bulky ones you have to hang manually for each window. We kept a couple of the panels in the garage just in case (old habits die hard 😅), but realistically we won’t be using them. The window installers removed the mounting tracks and hardware for us, at least on the windows they worked on. It actually makes the house look cleaner without those brackets on the walls. If you have accordion or panel shutters and go full impact, you can remove them if you want, or leave them for double protection. We chose to free up the storage space and ditch the hassle.

Hope that helps! If you need any more info as you plan your project, feel free to ask. Good luck with yours!

Jumping in to share my experience too. I live in Clearwater in a 2008-built home, and I had my whole home windows replaced last year. In my case, I went with ProTech Windoors (I saw you got a quote from them, @poet45) and chose PGT Winguard impact windows for all 10 of my openings. My total came to about $18,500 for 10 windows, which included one large slider-style window (not a door, just a big window) and 9 standard sizes.
I also got multiple quotes beforehand. Interestingly, my quote from Karoly Windows was pretty close in price (they had CWS for about $19k). I ultimately chose ProTech because I really liked the salesperson/owner’s approach – he was low-pressure and very knowledgeable. Plus, they could schedule my install a bit sooner than others (supply chain delays were a thing last year).

The install experience was great with ProTech. Took them about 2 days to do all 10 windows. They handled everything, permit and inspection just like in your case. The inspector actually commented that the installation was very solid. One thing I appreciated was that the crew lead walked me around after finishing and we checked each window operation and locking mechanism together. They even adjusted one window that was a tad stiff to lock at first.

It’s been about a year now and I echo a lot of what you said about performance: my home is quieter and the utility bills went down a bit (probably also because we did attic insulation around the same time, to be fair). This past summer, we went through a tropical storm and some nasty thunderstorm winds – the windows held up perfectly, no leaks, no vibrations. It’s such a difference from the old aluminum windows we had where I could literally feel them rattling in heavy wind.

So, whether someone goes with Karoly, ProTech, or another reputable installer, I think the key is doing the research and getting those quotes. In our area there are a few solid players. I’m happy I ended up with PGT windows; they are top notch. But honestly I think I would have been just as satisfied with CWS or Simonton as long as the install was good.

Bottom line: another success story for impact windows in Tampa Bay. 🙂 If anyone has questions about my project, I’m happy to share too.

Thanks @poet45 and @carol_campbell for sharing your stories. It’s really encouraging to hear these positive outcomes. I’m in St. Petersburg in a 2010 home and in the research phase for window replacements. One thing I’m trying to figure out is the financing/payment part. If you guys don’t mind sharing: did you pay cash for your projects, or did you finance them in some way (like through the installer or a loan)?
I ask because $15k-$25k is a big chunk of money. I’ve seen some window companies advertise financing deals (like 0% for 12 months or low interest plans). Did either of you use financing options from the installer? Or go with a home equity loan, credit union, etc.? Any tips on that front would be great.

Also, now that a few months have passed since installation, @poet45 have you seen the insurance discount kick in yet? I’m curious how much of a difference it actually makes on the premium for having all impact windows.

Lastly, have you noticed any other benefits or even downsides after living with the new windows for a while? Sometimes people mention things like windows being harder to open or close if they’re impact (because the frames can be beefier). Any observations on that?

Appreciate all the insight here. This thread is gold for folks like me planning ahead.

@food_diesel Sure, I can share what we did on the payment side and some more observations:
Payment/Financing: In our case, we actually did a combination of savings and a small loan. We paid about 50% of the cost from savings and for the rest we used a low-interest home improvement loan from our credit union. The window company (Karoly) did offer financing options (they had a 12-month same-as-cash deal or a longer-term 5-year financing at some interest rate). We considered the 12-month no interest, but we would have had to pay it off in a year to avoid high interest kicking in. Instead, we opted for the credit union loan at a fixed 5-year term with a decent interest rate, which gave us manageable monthly payments. I’d definitely suggest shopping around for financing if needed – sometimes the installers have promos, and other times your own bank might have a better deal.

Insurance Discount: Yes! We did get our insurance adjusted. Once the project was done and we had the final inspection certificate, we had a wind mitigation inspection done (basically a report that documents the impact-resistant windows). After submitting that, our homeowner’s insurance premium went down by about $600 per year. To be fair, our windstorm portion was quite high (Florida insurance 😫), so we’re happy to get any reduction. The savings will add up over time. I’ve heard it can vary, but definitely check with your insurance what kind of credits you’d get for impact windows.

Everyday use of windows: So far, no downsides really. It’s true that impact windows have beefier frames and are heavier, but the ones we got are still easy to open and close. They have good quality balances/springs in the sashes to help lift the weight. My wife can open them just fine. They actually slide smoother than our old windows (which had gotten sticky). One thing I noticed: the frame profile is a bit thicker, so the glass area is slightly smaller than before. It’s not a huge difference, but if you look closely, the new frames are chunkier (especially since they have to hold heavy impact glass). We don’t mind because we actually feel the thicker frames look sturdier and nicer. But that could be a minor “con” if someone is very sensitive about window frame thickness.

Other observations: We’re still getting used to how quiet it is – sometimes we don’t realize a heavy rain came through until we open the door and notice everything’s wet outside 😅. It’s a nice change. And so far no leaks or any issues. We did have to tweak our blinds a bit (since the new window frames were slightly different dimensions, some of our inside-mount blinds needed adjusting). But beyond that, everything’s been positive.

Hopefully that covers it, @food_diesel. Maybe @carol_campbell can chime in on how they handled financing too, since they did their project a year earlier.

@food_diesel Sure, regarding financing, in my case I was fortunate to have saved up most of the needed funds by the time I pulled the trigger on the project. I paid about 75% cash and the remaining 25% on a credit card (which I paid off quickly to avoid interest). The company (ProTech Windoors) also had a financing partner offering something like 18 months no interest, but I didn’t use it. One of my neighbors did a similar project and they went with a PACE program (Property Assessed Clean Energy) loan through Ygrene – basically it adds the cost of the windows to your property tax bill as a lien. It’s an option in Florida especially for impact windows and other hurricane upgrades, but I personally was a bit wary of that due to interest rates and potential complications when selling the house.
From what I’ve seen, a lot of window companies will have financing if you need it, but like @poet45 said, sometimes a home equity line or personal loan might be cheaper in the long run. It all depends on the deals available.

As for usability, same here – my PGT windows are heavy but they glide nicely. The horizontal sliders I got in the bedrooms move with just a finger push. Modern windows have come a long way.

And definitely check on the insurance part. For me, my insurer knocked about 15% off the windstorm premium after I upgraded windows and doors (I also did an impact-rated front door). It’s not huge, but I’ll take any savings with Florida insurance rates being what they are.

I’m in Pasco County and went through this process 6 months ago as well. Our house is a 1995 build (so much older windows originally) and we replaced all 12 windows. We ended up going with Simonton StormBreaker Plus impact windows through a small local company. They quoted us about $17,000 for 12 windows, which was the best price we got. For comparison, our other quotes for similar were $20k (for PGT from one of the big companies) and $18.5k (for CWS from another local installer).
To be honest, I was initially leaning towards PGT because of the name recognition and a lot of people recommend them. But the Simonton option saved us a couple thousand dollars, and the installer assured us that StormBreakers would perform just as well in a storm. So far, I’m happy with them. They look great and feel solid.

I did a ton of research on PGT vs Simonton vs CWS too. What I gathered is exactly what’s been said here: all are good, especially if installed correctly. Some folks mentioned Simonton had a lawsuit years ago about window seal failures in certain climates, but I believe that was an older series and it’s not a widespread issue now. Plus Simonton’s warranty is actually really strong (lifetime and transferable once). That gave us some peace of mind in choosing them.

Our installation was smooth as well, and the county inspector passed everything in one go. The inspector actually told me the Simonton windows we used are the same ones he got on his own house, which made me feel pretty good 😁.

Noise reduction and energy savings – yes, we noticed those too immediately. It’s consistent with what others have said. Our home is quieter and our A/C runs a bit less. We haven’t been through a big storm yet (just typical summer storms), but I’m confident they’ll do their job if a hurricane comes our way.

So for anyone torn on brands, I’d say don’t get too hung up on the brand name. Make sure you’re getting a quality product (all three mentioned here are quality) and a trusted installer. The rest should fall into place.

I want to chime in about installer choice – we also went with Karoly Windows for our project and had an excellent experience, just like @poet45 described. Our home is in Brandon and was built in 2005. We replaced 8 windows and one sliding glass door last year with Karoly’s team. They installed PGT Winguard impact windows for us (so yes, Karoly offers PGT as well, not just CWS). Our total for 8 windows + 1 large 3-panel slider door was about $20k. The slider alone was a big chunk of that (I think around $6k) since it’s essentially like replacing a wall of glass.
We chose Karoly after getting quotes from three companies. Karoly wasn’t the cheapest (a smaller one-man operation quoted less, but we weren’t as confident in them), and one quote was higher (from a company that kept trying to upsell). Karoly’s professionalism won us over. Karoly (the owner) actually came out for the initial consultation and he was very straightforward and honest – no pressure, just information.

The installation crew did a great job with our slider door especially, which I was worried about because it’s a huge opening. They had to remove part of the old frame that was embedded in the floor and they did it cleanly. Everything passed inspection without a hitch. One window had a misaligned latch after install, but they adjusted it on the spot when I pointed it out.

It’s been over a year now and we have zero complaints. The new slider door is a dream – it’s heavy, but it slides effortlessly and has a multi-point lock that makes us feel very secure. The windows, of course, made the house quieter and more efficient as others noted.

So, count me as another very satisfied Karoly Windows customer. I’d recommend them to anyone in Tampa Bay looking to do this. (And no, I’m not affiliated either – just a happy homeowner.)

By the way, @breezec63 I agree about not getting hung up on brand. We went with PGT mainly because we have some very large window openings and PGT’s product line fit those sizes well. But I’d have been fine with CWS or Simonton too if that’s what we ended up with through a good installer.

Reading all this, I just want to add a bit of caution from an experience my neighbor had (as a lesson for others). My neighbor tried to go with a super cheap quote from an unlicensed guy (I think it was like a side-job kind of deal). They replaced 6 windows in his older home in Largo. Well, when the city inspector came to sign off, it turned out the installer put in the wrong type of windows (they used new-construction windows not rated for impact in our wind zone, and apparently without proper permits). The inspector failed the work, and my neighbor had to basically start over, paying fines and then hiring a reputable company to rip those out and do it again properly. It ended up costing him way more in the long run.
So the moral is: definitely use a licensed, reputable installer and make sure permits are pulled. In Tampa Bay, any real company will know the code requirements and won’t cut corners. If someone offers to do it for cash without permits to save money – run the other way!

The stories in this thread show that you might pay a bit more for the legit companies, but you’re also paying for their expertise, quality product, and ensuring everything is up to code. It’s worth it.

Quick question about timeline: how long did you all have to wait from the time you signed a contract to when the windows were actually installed? I keep hearing about supply chain delays for windows in the past couple of years. Is that still an issue?
For example, @poet45, you mentioned you got quotes and then went ahead with the project – how many weeks or months did it take for your windows to come in? And @carol_campbell or @elizabethhill590, since you did yours last year, did you face long wait times? I’m trying to plan around hurricane season; wondering if I start now, would it realistically be done before, say, September? Or should I not count on that?

Also, did you all schedule installation immediately when windows arrived, or were there additional scheduling waits due to workload/backlog of the installers?

Appreciate any insights on the timing aspect. I’m eager to get new windows but also trying to set realistic expectations for how long the process might take.

@cocon47 Good question. The timeline can vary but I’ll share how it went for us. We signed the contract and put down our deposit in early January. The windows were all custom ordered right after that. It took about 8 weeks for the windows to be manufactured and delivered to Karoly. They actually offered to install as soon as they had a few of them in hand, but we chose to wait until the entire order was in so it could be done in one shot. By early March, all our windows had arrived, and we scheduled installation for mid-March. So roughly 10 weeks from contract signing to install start.
I think earlier (2021-2022) lead times were worse (some people were waiting 3-4 months or more because of supply chain backlogs). By the time we did it in 2024, it improved to around 6-10 weeks for most manufacturers. PGT and CWS were both estimating 8-12 weeks at that time. I’ve heard that by now (2025) it’s pretty steady, maybe around 6-8 weeks average, but that can depend on the exact product and any ongoing supply issues.

We didn’t have to wait after the windows came in; once they had everything, we booked the install for the following week (our installer had multiple crews so scheduling was easy). We did try to avoid the heart of hurricane season just in case of any delays – plus doing it in cooler months is nice when you have open window holes during install 😅.

So if you start now, you could possibly be done within 2-3 months. Getting it done before September is feasible if you choose a company soon. But always ask the company about current lead times for the product you’re buying; they usually have a good idea of factory turnaround.

Maybe @carol_campbell or @elizabethhill590 can add their timelines too for comparison.

@cocon47 For us (our project was done in late 2023), the timeline was as follows: We signed contract in June, our windows and slider were delivered by late August (so about 10-11 weeks wait), and installation happened the first week of September. It did slip slightly beyond the initial estimate (they initially quoted 8-10 weeks, it took 11). Part of that was the large custom slider taking a bit longer. Luckily, everything was in before the peak of hurricane season got crazy.
I think nowadays some things are faster. A friend of mine ordered windows this year (2025) and got them in about 7 weeks. So it’s improving. But definitely ask each company what their current lead time is. Some manufacturers might have more backlog than others at any given time.

Also consider that if a hurricane is looming and your windows haven’t been installed yet (like if they deliver in, say, August but a storm is coming), some installers might actually delay opening up your house until after the storm passes – just a thought. We didn’t face that, but it crossed my mind as we got into September and luckily it was a calm month that year.

In short: expect maybe around 2 to 3 months total timeline in most cases. It’s not usually a quick process like a week or two, since everything’s made to order.

I’ll add my two cents about doing all windows at once versus a partial replacement. A couple of years ago, I replaced half of the windows in my house (budget constraints at the time). I did 5 windows out of 10, all in the main living areas, and left the other 5 original ones in bedrooms. I used a smaller company for that (they installed PGT). It went fine, but I kind of regret not finding a way to do all 10 at once.
Why? Because now the second phase (the remaining 5 windows) is turning out to be more expensive per window. The original company I used isn’t around anymore, so I had to get new quotes. The new quotes for those 5 windows almost equal what I paid for the first 5, partly because prices have gone up and maybe because smaller jobs sometimes cost a bit more per unit. Also, the hassle of going through permitting and installation twice is something to consider. And living with mixed old/new windows is noticeable – the rooms with old windows are hotter and louder than the ones with new windows.

If you can swing it financially, I’d recommend doing the whole house at once. If not, maybe do it in as few phases as possible. Also, if you do phase it, try to stick with the same brand/model of window so they match. I made sure my second phase windows will be the same PGT series as the first, so at least the look will be consistent.

Just some lessons learned from my experience. Sometimes phasing seems easier on the wallet, but it can cost more long-term.

This might be a slightly different perspective: we actually chose to install non-impact windows on our home, and we kept our existing hurricane shutters for storm protection. Our situation: we have a 2007-built home in Tarpon Springs with accordion-style shutters already on all openings. When we needed to replace the original windows (they were leaking and some had fogged up glass), we got quotes for both impact and non-impact. Impact was definitely about 20-30% more expensive across the quotes.
We decided to go with high-quality non-impact, energy-efficient windows (we chose an Energy Star rated double-pane vinyl window, Simonton Reflections series, not the impact version) to save that cost. It ended up being around $12,000 for 11 windows, whereas impact quotes were coming in around $17k+ for comparable.

So far, the new non-impact windows have given us the same benefits (noise reduction, energy efficiency, looks) as discussed here. The big difference is, if a hurricane comes, we do need to close our accordion shutters for each window. We’re okay with that since it’s fairly quick to do, and we already had them. We did get some insurance credit because we have documented shutters (so our openings are protected, just not with glass alone). The discount is similar to impact-rated openings, as long as you have code-approved shutters.

Would I have preferred impact glass? Yes, it’s definitely less hassle and gives peace of mind 24/7. But the cost savings were significant for us at the time. We might consider upgrading to impact in the far future, but for now this was a budget-friendly compromise. I just wanted to share that route, since not everyone ends up going impact if they already have good shutters in place.

However, one thing I’ll note: not all areas or homes can do this. Some new builds now require impact glass or at least require you to have shutters. We already had the shutters, so it was fine. If you don’t have any hurricane protection currently, I’d definitely recommend going impact rather than installing shutters separately.

I can speak to real storm performance a bit. I had my windows done in early 2023 (all PGT impact windows, done by a local company here in St. Pete). Later that year, we went through Hurricane Idalia’s outer bands (it mostly missed Tampa Bay but we still got strong tropical storm-force gusts and tons of rain). I have to say, the new windows made a huge difference in how secure we felt. No more worrying about a tree branch or debris breaking the glass. We did not hear the wind howling nearly as much as we did in past storms with the old windows. And importantly, we had no water intrusion. Several neighbors with older windows had some rain water seeping in or even a cracked pane, whereas our home stayed tight.
After that experience, my wife turned to me and said, “Worth every penny.” 😅 So for anyone on the fence, when that big storm comes (and it will, eventually, in our area), you’ll be very glad to have impact windows. It’s one less thing to scramble to prepare for, and one less thing to worry about as the storm rages outside.

Of course, hopefully we don’t see a major hurricane anytime soon, but it’s Florida – better to be prepared.

On the topic of warranties and such: I actually had to use my window warranty already (thankfully just a minor issue). I had all my windows (CWS impact) replaced in late 2021. About a year later, one of the windows developed condensation between the panes (a seal failure on the double-pane glass). I was a bit bummed to see that fogginess, but I contacted my installer, and they handled it without any hassle. They ordered a replacement insulated glass unit from the manufacturer under warranty and swapped it out for me. It took a few weeks for the new glass to arrive, but the actual replacement took the tech only about 30 minutes and it was free of charge.
This reinforced two things for me:

Even good windows can have an issue, so it’s important to have that warranty and a responsive installer.

I was really glad I chose a company with good customer service. They didn’t give me the runaround at all when I called about the problem.

So my tip: keep all your documentation and warranty info, just in case. And when choosing an installer, consider how they handle post-install service. You don’t want someone who disappears after getting paid.

Aside from that, maintaining the windows has been easy – I just clean the glass and tracks occasionally. The impact glass is heavier, but the window components are built for it, so you shouldn’t have to do anything special. Maybe once a year I put a little silicone spray in the tracks to keep them sliding nicely. But that’s about it.

I’m still in the quote-gathering phase myself, but I wanted to share some initial numbers I’ve gotten for my project (it’s helpful to see what others are getting, so here’s mine for comparison):
Renewal by Andersen (RBA): This was more out of curiosity, since I know they’re typically pricey. They quoted me a jaw-dropping $45,000 for 15 windows (fibrex composite frames, non-impact). That includes their whole service and warranty, etc., but still – that’s about double or more what others are coming in at. I politely showed the rep the door after hearing that number.

Karoly Windows: They came in around $24,000 for 15 impact windows (mix of sizes, mostly PGT WinGuard in my case). Much more reasonable than RBA, obviously, and those are impact.

ProTech Windoors: Very close to Karoly’s price, about $25,500 for a similar setup (also PGT). The slight difference was because I have two specialty shape windows and their price on those was a bit higher.

Window World (non-impact): Just for a non-impact baseline, I had Window World give me a quote. It was around $16,000 for their basic double-pane vinyl windows (non-impact) including install. Cheap, yes, but I wasn’t too confident in the product or the long-term support. They also said they could do impact windows, but I didn’t get that quote after I saw others I liked.

Given all that, I’m definitely leaning towards the local companies like Karoly or ProTech (this thread’s recommendations pretty much reinforce that choice). The big national brands like RBA are way out of my budget, and the bargain options seem risky. It’s crazy how wide the range can be – from $16k to $45k for the same house!

Once I decide and get the project done, I’ll report back on how it goes. But huge thanks to everyone here; seeing these experiences has basically helped me avoid a costly mistake and go with a solid, reputable installer.

I’ve been following this discussion and just want to say how awesome it is to see so many Tampa Bay homeowners sharing real experiences. This thread is incredibly informative – definitely worthy of being a sticky for others to learn from.
As someone who’s been on the fence about window replacements, this gives me a lot more confidence and knowledge going into it. Big thanks to @poet45 for starting it off with such a detailed post, and to everyone else ( @charles_sage, @carol_campbell, @breezec63, @elizabethhill590, etc.) for contributing. I feel like I have a much clearer picture of what to expect in terms of cost, process, and which companies are reliable (I’ve noted Karoly Windows and ProTech Windoors from multiple recommendations here).

Looking forward to more updates and eventually sharing my own success story once I get my project done!

One aspect not heavily covered yet: dealing with HOAs or condo boards. I live in a condo building in Tampa (four-story building, I’m on the third floor). I replaced my windows last year and had to go through the condo association for approvals. It added an extra layer of paperwork: I had to ensure the new windows conformed to the building’s required exterior look (frame color, grid pattern, etc.). In my case, the association had pre-approved certain products – luckily PGT was one of them, and that’s what my installer was using. So just a heads up: if you’re in a condo or a community with a strict HOA, check if they have rules about window replacements before you sign a contract. You might need to submit the product specs to an architectural review committee or something.
Also, for us upstairs folks: the installer had to use scaffolding for the third-floor windows. That added a bit to my cost because of the extra labor/equipment. It was about $500 extra for the whole job to cover the lift. So if anyone replacing windows on a second story or higher, ask if there’s an additional charge for access. Some companies include it, others itemize it.

In the end, everything went fine. The condo board was happy since the windows matched and are better quality. And my unit is so much quieter now (street noise used to echo in). It’s absolutely worth it, just don’t forget the HOA/condo permission step if it applies to you.