Don't forget for anyone doing windows this year: hold onto your receipts and get the manufacturer certificates if you plan to claim the tax credit on your taxes. As mentioned, up to $600 federal credit is available. Also, something I haven't seen mentioned: some utilities or local governments occasionally have energy efficiency rebate programs. For example, TECO (Tampa Electric) had a rebate a few years back for window upgrades, but I think it's discontinued now (they focus more on A/C rebates currently). Still, worth checking their websites or asking. Another angle: if your windows are impact, you might qualify for a wind mitigation insurance credit (which folks discussed above). Just make sure to get a wind mitigation inspection after the install; it's usually ~$100 for an inspector to come certify your new openings. That report is what you send to insurance. It might save you a bit each year on premiums.
I’ve been quietly following this thread and just want to say thank you to everyone. I'm in the early stages of considering window replacements and this thread has been an education in itself. The transparency here (people sharing actual numbers, experiences, do's and don'ts) is so valuable. It's like having dozens of neighbors who've already done it giving you advice. Please keep the updates coming. And @fashion378, thanks for starting this conversation — it's going to help a lot of us, especially here in Tampa Bay where we have our own quirks (hurricane season, humidity, etc.) to consider.
I’ll share our story too in case it adds any additional perspective. Our home is from 1985 with original aluminum single-pane windows. We finally replaced them last year after one literally fell out of the frame (don't worry, it was a small bathroom one, but still). We chose non-impact double-pane vinyl windows (white frames, single-hung style). We had 10 windows total. The cost was just about $7,000, which we felt was reasonable. We used a small family-run company based in Pinellas. They were actually a father and son team doing the install. We couldn’t afford impact glass at the time, so we did the windows and separately bought fabric hurricane panels for each window (those cost us about $1,200 for the set, not included in the $7k).
The difference after replacing the windows was immediate: the A/C runs less and the house stays cooler, and outside noise reduction was very noticeable. We live near a main road and it went from hearing every loud truck to just a dull sound if anything. One thing I’ll note: even though we didn’t get impact glass, the new windows are still up to current code for things like egress and design pressure, etc. So any upgrade you do, you're still getting safer windows than those old 1980s ones. We feel much better this hurricane season even with just the fabric panels, because at least the windows themselves are strong and well-sealed. Maybe in a decade or so, if we change our minds, we could swap in impact glass sashes (if the frames allow) or something. But for now, it's a huge improvement in comfort and I think it added value to our home well above what we spent.
A strategy for those on the fence with impact vs non-impact: you can mix and match if needed. My house has some windows that are sheltered and some that are very exposed. I ended up doing impact glass on the big window and the sliding glass door (which face the direction storms usually come, and would be the hardest to shutter), and did non-impact on smaller bedroom windows where it’s easy for me to put up plywood or shutters if needed. This approach saved me some money. The contractor was fine with it; they just ordered different glass for different openings. It might complicate the insurance credits (since not all openings protected means no credit), but in my case I wasn’t too concerned about that. I mostly wanted the most critical ones to be impact for convenience. So remember, it's not always all or nothing—tailor it to your needs and budget.
As someone in the insurance industry, I wanted to clarify the wind mitigation stuff a bit (I see it’s been touched on). In Florida, to get the wind mitigation credits for opening protection on your homeowner's insurance, you indeed have to have all openings protected. That means every window, exterior door, skylight, garage door, etc., must be either impact-rated or have an impact-rated covering (shutters, panels, etc.). If you do, it can reduce the windstorm portion of your insurance premium. The discount varies by insurer and how much of your premium is wind risk, but it can be a few hundred dollars a year in some cases. If you only do some windows impact and not others, you typically won't qualify for that particular credit. However, you still benefit from having stronger windows in a storm obviously. Also, some folks forget to send the updated wind mit report after getting new windows—so be sure to do that to get your credits! End of insurance PSA. 😁
(Final Update) Hi all! I wanted to circle back and close the loop on my window project. We had our new windows installed by Károly Windows & Doors, and we are thrilled with the result. It took about 3 months from signing the contract to installation day (the wait felt long, but they had said 8-10 weeks, and it ended up just around 12 weeks due to a manufacturing delay). The installation itself took 2 days for our 12 windows. The crew was fantastic: on time, courteous, and they really knew their stuff. They had to knock out our old crusty aluminum frames which made a bit of a mess, but they put down drop cloths everywhere and cleaned up nicely. We did have one bit of wood rot under a sill (as I feared), but Károly's guys replaced the wood on the spot with new pressure-treated wood and didn't even charge extra because it was within the scope we discussed. 😃👍
All our windows passed inspection first try. The county inspector even commented on the good installation work (he said some jobs he sees aren’t flashed properly, but ours were done right). We ended up with PGT Winguard windows, and they look great. I already notice the house is quieter and the A/C runs less. We also got our insurance to apply the impact window credit—saving us about $200 a year. And we plan to claim the federal tax credit at tax time.
I just want to say thank you to everyone in this thread. Your advice helped us avoid pitfalls and made us confident in our decision. Hopefully this thread stays up to help others in the future. Good luck to everyone working on their homes, and thanks for sharing your journeys!
@fashion378 So happy to hear your project went well! I've been following your updates closely. It sounds like you did everything right—research, multiple quotes, asking the right questions. Enjoy those new windows (just in time for summer heat). And thanks for coming back to update us; it's really satisfying to know the outcome.
Bookmarking this thread for my own project later this year. This has been incredibly helpful and filled with real-world info. Appreciate everyone who contributed. It's like having a friendly neighborhood discussion archived for reference. 😊
I agree with @politics906. This thread has been an amazing resource. Big thanks to @fashion378 for starting it and to everyone who chimed in. I feel way more prepared to tackle my window replacement now than I did before. When the time comes, I'll be sure to pay it forward and share my experience here too.
This discussion is pure gold for Tampa Bay homeowners looking into window replacements. Thanks to all the contributors, we have a realistic benchmark of costs and a collection of lessons learned. If you're new here and considering window work, read through these posts carefully. It'll save you time, money, and headaches. Good luck with your window projects, everyone! 🏠💬All Sources