Unexpected Issues and Lessons Learned During Window Replacement in Tampa Bay

@dwhite46 Thanks for the detailed perspective. Sounds like a DIY install is more than I bargained for – I think we’ll stick to the professionals for the house windows and maybe just tinker on something minor like you did in the garage. I really appreciate you sharing all those details (especially about the warranty and inspection – I hadn’t even thought about that). You probably saved us from a big potential mistake!

I’d like to share an insight about project planning: doing the job in phases versus all at once. We decided to replace our windows in two phases – half the windows last year, and the other half we planned to do this year – and I kind of regret that approach now.
Our thinking was to spread out the cost. We did the front and one side of the house first, and left the remaining old windows (mostly in the back bedrooms and kitchen) for a later time. While phase one went fine, a few things happened:

Costs crept up: By the time we went to do phase two, the window prices had increased (thanks to material cost hikes in between). So the quote for the second half ended up higher than if we had just done them all in one contract initially. We also had to pay the permit fee again for the second phase. In Hillsborough County, the permit for our first half was about $200; doing a second permit for the rest was another $200. If we had done it all under one permit, we would have paid that fee only once.

Inconvenience lasted longer: Doing it in two rounds meant we went through the disruption twice. Two rounds of scheduling, two rounds of having installers at the house, two rounds of inspection visits. It extended the overall window-replacement saga over more than a year. In hindsight, compressing that inconvenience into a single period would have been preferable.

Aesthetic mismatch: After phase one, the house had a mix of new and old windows for a while. From the curb, the front looked great with new windows, but on the sides and back you could clearly see the old ones (they were aluminum frames, while the new ones are vinyl). It looked a bit odd in the interim. Neighbors even asked why we didn’t do all of them because it was noticeable.

Lost negotiation leverage: We realized later that doing all the windows at once might have given us a little more bargaining power on price. The window company gave a small discount for the larger first phase, but overall, breaking it up likely meant we didn’t maximize any bulk discount on labor.

We did complete phase two recently, and everything looks and functions nicely now. But going through it, I’d advise: if you can manage it financially, it’s worth considering doing the entire project in one go. It simplifies permitting and scheduling, and you get the full benefit of the upgrade immediately. If you must phase it due to budget, just be aware of the potential downsides I experienced. Maybe lock in pricing for both phases upfront (if a company is willing) or do it in as short a succession as possible. In retrospect, I would have found a way to do all 20 windows at once rather than 10 and 10 separately.

@data750 Thank you for that insight. I was actually considering splitting my project, but after reading your experience I’m rethinking it. One of the companies quoting me (in Tampa) even mentioned they give a better price per window if you do the whole house at once. Your point about the permit fee twice is a great call-out too – that’s basically money wasted if I can avoid multiple permits. I’ll likely try to get everything done in one go now. Really appreciate you sharing the pros and cons of phasing it!

I haven’t seen anyone mention this yet, and it caught us by surprise initially: dealing with lead paint in older homes. Our house in Dunedin was built in the 1950s, and when we started looking for window contractors, one of the companies asked if we knew whether the existing paint around our windows had lead in it. I had no idea at the time, but it turns out any home built before 1978 could have lead-based paint, and contractors are required to follow special safety procedures when disturbing it (per EPA rules).
In our case, when the installers removed the old windows, they treated it as a lead paint situation. They did additional prep work – like putting up plastic sheeting to catch debris and wearing protective gear – to ensure that no harmful lead paint chips or dust contaminated our house or yard. It also meant they had to dispose of the old materials in a certain way. The window company was certified for lead-safe practices, which is something I didn’t even know was a thing before this.

This lead-safe procedure added a few hundred dollars to the project (they had a line item for the extra labor and materials needed for lead containment). It also added a bit of time, because they were extra careful and did more cleaning after removal. Honestly, I’m okay with that – better safe than sorry, especially since I have young kids. But if your home is older, it’s something to be aware of. Some contractors will test the paint beforehand or just assume it’s lead and take precautions. It’s good to ask how they handle older homes. If you DIY on an old house, definitely educate yourself on lead safety too, because the last thing you want is toxic dust around.

For us, the process was handled well, it just was an unexpected factor we hadn’t budgeted for initially. So, to anyone with an older Tampa Bay home: keep lead paint in mind as another “hidden” aspect of window replacement.

@bmoore98 Good point about the lead. Our house was built in 1979, so thankfully we just missed that era of paint – the contractors didn’t have to do the lead-safe protocol. But I wouldn’t have even thought of that either. Valuable info for anyone with an older home!

I have a confession that ties into the permit discussion: I replaced two windows in my previous home a few years ago without pulling a permit. (This was in unincorporated Hillsborough County.) At the time, I didn’t realize how important it was – a handyman friend did the install on the side for cheap, and we kind of just... went for it under the radar. The windows were the same size as the old ones and we didn’t have an HOA, so nobody official was checking. They actually turned out fine, no leaks or anything.
Fast forward to now: after reading all these posts, I’m a bit nervous about what I did. That house is currently a rental property I own, and I’m planning to sell it in a couple of years. I’m wondering what kind of trouble I could be in for not having a permit or inspection on record for those window replacements. Has anyone dealt with “after the fact” permits or selling a house with unpermitted work in Tampa Bay? Part of me thinks it might slip through unnoticed, but I also don’t want it to become an issue during a home inspection or appraisal when I sell.

I feel a bit dumb about it now, but back then I really didn’t know better and was trying to save some money. The windows themselves are solid and meet hurricane ratings (I made sure to buy ones with the proper impact glass), but officially the county has no record of them being installed. Do I just keep quiet and hope for the best, or should I be proactive and try to get it properly documented now (which might mean calling the county, which could open a can of worms)? I’m kind of sweating about this after-the-fact. Any advice would be welcome.

@golfplayer86 I’m glad you brought this up. You’re definitely not the first person to have done unpermitted work, but it’s good that you’re thinking about it now. In Florida (and our area specifically), unpermitted work can indeed come back to bite you, especially during a sale. Here’s what I know from experience and working with a realtor friend:
When you go to sell your house, the buyer’s title company or their insurance might do a permit search on your property. If they see that window permits (or final inspections) are missing for work that looks recently done, it could raise flags. Some buyers might insist you get a permit after the fact or even replace the windows again under a permit, or they could walk away.

Also, if, heaven forbid, something like a storm causes damage related to those windows and an insurance adjuster finds out they were installed without permit, the insurance company could potentially deny related claims. It’s an outside chance, but a risk nonetheless.

The good news: You can get an after-the-fact permit to legalize the work. It typically involves applying for a permit as if the work is about to be done, paying whatever the permit fee is (sometimes a doubled fee as a penalty), and having an inspector come out to check the installation. You might need to expose some parts of the window framing or provide documentation on the windows (like the product approval and maybe photos of install if you have them). If everything was installed correctly with proper impact-rated windows and anchoring, they’ll approve it and close it out. If something isn’t up to code, you’d be required to fix it to meet code.

It might be a bit of a hassle, but personally, I’d lean toward getting it sorted now rather than waiting until you’re in the middle of a sale. If you approach the county permitting office proactively, they’ll work with you to legalize it (with some fines, yes, but it’s better than a buyer discovering it later). Every county is a little different in how they handle after-the-fact permits, but it’s a common process.

At the very least, if you decide not to do anything now, be prepared to disclose it to potential buyers and possibly escrow some money for them to pull a permit and get it inspected themselves. Keeping quiet and hoping for the best is rolling the dice.

So, bottom line: Mistakes happen, and plenty of people have done what you did. The system provides a way to make it right. I’d recommend biting the bullet and getting those windows permitted properly. It’ll save you future trouble and give you peace of mind (and likely will be cheaper/easier to handle now than under the pressure of a sale contract timeline). Good luck!

@marketing_becky Thank you for the honest advice. It’s not what I was hoping to hear (haha), but I know you’re right. I’ll reach out to the county and see about getting an after-the-fact permit. It’s better I handle it now than scramble during a sale. I appreciate the guidance (and the nudge to do the right thing). 😅

This might be a niche issue, but worth mentioning for folks on the Gulf coast: sea turtle nesting regulations can affect your window choices. We have a home on Indian Rocks Beach, and when we were replacing a large set of windows facing the beach, we learned that our town (and many coastal areas) require “turtle glass.” Essentially, it’s a special low-transmittance tint on the glass (usually a very slight amber or gray tint) that reduces the amount of light visible from the beach at night, so as not to disorient turtle hatchlings.
We actually didn’t know about this at first. Our initial window order was for standard clear impact glass. When we submitted for the permit, the county reviewer flagged that since our windows face the shoreline, they must meet the marine turtle protection ordinance. We had to switch to glass that complies with that ordinance. It wasn’t a huge deal — the manufacturer offered the turtle-compliant glass option — but it did add some cost and a bit more lead time to get the tinted versions made. And if we hadn’t caught it during permitting, we might have had an issue after installation (worst case, being asked to retrofit or replace the glass).

So, if you live on the beaches (Pinellas barrier islands or similar coastal areas in Pasco/Hillsborough), be aware of any wildlife lighting rules. The window company we worked with was familiar with it once it came up, and they guided us through selecting the right product. But it was definitely an “oh, interesting” moment for us. Just another example of how location can introduce unique requirements for window projects!

@donaldevans5 That’s really fascinating – I had no idea about turtle glass. I’m not on the coast, but I’m curious: does that special tint make your windows noticeably darker or more colored during the day? In other words, did it affect your view or the natural light in your home? I imagine they try to keep it subtle, but just wondering if you noticed a difference with the turtle-compliant glass compared to normal clear glass.