Window Replacement Day: What to Expect From Start to Finish

The short version

Window replacement day is calmer than most people expect. The crew arrives in the morning, protects the ground around each window outside, and replaces your windows one opening at a time, so your home is never left open to the weather. Ten to fifteen windows on a single story typically take one to two days, and the old windows leave with the crew the same day.

You can stay home. Your part is small: clear the paths outside, keep pets inside, and park cars away from the house. Here is the whole process, step by step.

Before the day

A smooth installation day starts earlier, at the estimate. At a free in-home visit we walk the outside of your home, measure every opening and talk through your options. You then get a written, line-item scope with the materials named and each window priced per opening, and there is no pressure to sign.

That scope is your plan for the day. Before installation, it should already answer these questions:

• Which windows are being replaced, and which style and material each one gets.
• Whether each opening is an insert replacement, where the new window fits inside the existing frame, or a full-frame replacement, where everything comes out back to the rough opening, the framed hole in the wall that the window sits in. Our guide to insert vs full-frame replacement explains the difference.
• What happens if rot turns up once an old window is out.
• Whether trim, disposal and cleanup are included.

Once you decide to go ahead, the windows are ordered to the measured sizes for your home. Replacement windows are typically made to order, so installation is scheduled once they are ready.

A simple checklist for the night before

You do not need to move out, and the crew works from the outside of your home. A few small things on your side help the day go smoothly:

1. Park cars away from the house. Leave the driveway and the space near the walls free for the crew's truck, ladders and the old windows coming out.
2. Clear the paths outside. Move grills, planters, hoses, patio furniture and anything else sitting under or beside the windows on the list.
3. Plan for pets. Keep dogs and cats inside, in a room away from the windows being worked on, since each opening is briefly open while its window is swapped. Keep them out of the yard where the crew is working.
4. Clear the inside sills. Lift plants, photos and keepsakes off the inside sills of the windows being replaced, so nothing gets knocked over when the old window comes out.
5. Unlock gates. Make sure the crew can reach every side of the house, including a fenced back yard.
6. Point out anything delicate. Mention flower beds you care about, sprinkler heads, outdoor lighting or a soft patch of lawn.

When the crew arrives

We work Monday to Saturday, 7 AM to 7 PM, and the crew arrives in the morning ready to start. Each of our two crews stays on one job until it is finished, so the people who start your windows are the people who finish them.

The first job is protection, and all of it happens outside. Drop cloths go down on the ground around each opening. Shrubs and flower beds near the windows are covered, and walkways and the drive are protected where old material will be carried out. This is a good moment to confirm the plan, window by window, and point out anything you want handled with extra care.

One opening at a time

We replace windows one opening at a time. We do not strip a whole side of the house and leave it open while we work. If a summer storm blows in at mid-afternoon, one open window is a manageable problem, and eight would not be.

At each opening the work follows the same order:

1. Remove the old window. The old sash, the framed glass panel that opens and closes, comes out first, followed by the frame on a full-frame job.
2. Inspect the opening. The sill and framing are checked for soft wood or water damage.
3. Repair if needed. Damaged framing is dealt with before anything new goes in.
4. Manage water. On a full-frame opening, a sill pan, a sloped and sealed tray at the bottom of the opening, goes in with flashing lapped so any water that gets past the window drains back outside.
5. Set the new window. It is placed plumb, level and square, shimmed and fastened.
6. Seal and trim. The gap around the frame is sealed against air and water, and the exterior trim is finished.
7. Check that it works. The sash should open, close and lock smoothly before the crew moves on to the next opening.

If we find rot

Sometimes the old window comes out and the sill or framing underneath is soft. It is worth expecting on older houses, especially under original aluminum windows on mid-century ranches and on the side that takes the most wind-driven rain.

When that happens, we photograph the rot before anything is covered. You see exactly what was found and how it was repaired, and you keep a record for the future. Your written scope should already explain how hidden rot is handled, so it is not a surprise conversation on the day.

How long does it take?

Ten to fifteen windows on a single story typically take one to two days. A few things can stretch that:

• Frame repair where rot is found.
• Second-story windows, which need ladders or staging set up safely.
• Special-order sizes or shapes.
• Weather. Heavy rain or lightning can pause the work, and because only one opening is open at a time, your home stays protected while it waits.

On a two-story home, upper windows are reached from ladders or staging outside. Keep children and pets clear of that side of the house while the equipment is up.

Can I stay home during the work?

Yes, and you are welcome to. The crew works from outside, so you can go about your day. Expect some noise as old windows come out and new ones are fastened, and expect each room to be briefly open to the outside while its window is swapped.

A few things make the day easier. If you work from home, take calls in a room on the far side of the house from the crew. In spring, a little pollen can drift in while an opening is open, so closing the doors to rooms being worked on helps. If someone in the house is sensitive to noise, an outing during the busiest hours may be welcome.

If an exterior door is part of the job

Some projects pair new windows with a new entry, patio or storm door. The same approach applies: protection outside, old material out the same day, and the opening checked before anything new goes in.

Every exterior door we install gets a sloped, sealed sill pan, so water that finds its way past the threshold drains back out instead of soaking into the floor framing. A door opening is wider than a window, so plan to use another entrance while it is being swapped.

Cleanup at the end of the job

Old material leaves with us the same day. You should not be looking at a pile of old frames in your driveway a week later.

Before the crew leaves, walk around the outside together. A good final check covers:

• Every new window opens, closes and locks smoothly.
• Exterior trim and sealant look neat and continuous, with even gaps.
• Landscaping, walkways and the drive are clear of debris, glass and fasteners.
• You have seen the photos of any rot that was found and repaired.

Glass and small fasteners are the things most worth looking for, especially where children or pets play. If you spot anything the next morning, let us know.

After the job

New windows ask very little of you, but a few habits help them last in this climate:

• Photograph the labels before you peel them off. Certified windows arrive with a temporary NFRC label listing their energy ratings. The National Fenestration Rating Council tells buyers to look for its temporary and permanent labels, and a photo keeps the ratings on record. Our guide to Low-E glass explains what those numbers mean.
• Rinse off pollen in spring. Pollen and grit build up in sliding tracks and on sills, and a soft brush with plain water keeps them clean.
• Keep drainage holes clear. Many windows have small weep holes along the bottom of the frame that let water out, so keep pollen and debris from blocking them.
• Check the outside sealant. Look over the caulk around each window once a year, especially after a hard summer, and have any cracked sections redone.

If something does not feel right, such as a sash that sticks or a lock that will not catch, call us rather than forcing it.

Ready to plan your window replacement?

If you live in Madison, Huntsville, Harvest or elsewhere in North Alabama, we are happy to walk you through the process at your own home. Learn more about our exterior window replacement service and our window replacement work in Huntsville, then request a free estimate or call (256) 585-6817. We will measure every opening and send a written scope, with no pressure to sign.