Two impact window quotes can show similar-looking windows and very different prices.
That doesn’t necessarily mean one contractor is overcharging.
The products may have different glass packages, design pressures, frame materials, installation requirements, permits, finishing work, warranties and approved configurations.
For Florida homeowners, learning how to read an impact window quote can make the difference between comparing two equivalent proposals and comparing two completely different projects.
Before signing a contract, work through these 15 items.
1. Exact Window and Door Manufacturer
Your proposal should make it clear what products are being supplied.
“Impact windows” is not sufficiently specific for a major home-improvement project.
Look for details that identify the product being proposed, including the manufacturer and applicable series.
This allows you to compare quotes accurately rather than comparing one company’s premium configuration with another company’s entry-level system.
2. Exact Product Series or Model
The manufacturer alone isn’t enough.
A single manufacturer may offer multiple product lines with different:
- frame materials;
- profiles;
- glass packages;
- maximum sizes;
- design-pressure capacities;
- aesthetic options; and
- performance characteristics.
Ask:
What exact series am I receiving?
When comparing quotes, make sure you’re comparing the same class of product.
3. Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade NOA
This is one of the most important items on the list.
Florida regulates building products used in hurricane-prone conditions, and approved window and door systems come with documentation describing where and how they may be installed.
Miami-Dade requires product approval information for replacement windows and glass doors and instructs permit applicants to identify product approval numbers for the products being replaced.
Ask the contractor:
- What is the Florida Product Approval number?
- Is there a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance?
- Is the exact product configuration impact rated?
- Is the approval current?
Don’t assume every product made by an impact-window manufacturer has the same approval.
Impact and non-impact products can have separate approvals.
4. Design Pressure Rating
Design Pressure, commonly referred to as DP, tells you how much positive and negative wind pressure a particular window or door configuration is approved to resist.
You may see values such as:
+50 / -60 psf
The positive and negative numbers represent different pressure directions acting on the building envelope.
Miami-Dade permit requirements specifically reference the required positive and negative pressures associated with window and door openings.
Do not choose a window simply because another homeowner has the same model.
The pressure required for your opening can differ.
5. Exact Window Sizes
Product performance is often size-dependent.
A larger version of the same window may not have the exact same allowable design pressure as a smaller configuration.
Miami-Dade product approval tables demonstrate that permitted design pressures can change as window dimensions change.
Your quote should therefore identify actual opening or unit dimensions rather than listing only the quantity of windows.
6. Impact Rating
Confirm that the proposed configuration is actually impact resistant where impact protection is required.
Relevant documentation may identify products as large-missile and/or small-missile impact resistant.
Some Miami-Dade approvals explicitly identify systems as both large- and small-missile impact resistant and approved for use in the HVHZ.
The important phrase here is proposed configuration.
The glass, frame, size and installation combination matter.
7. Glass Configuration
Ask exactly which glass package is included.
Options can vary considerably and may include:
- laminated glass;
- insulated laminated glass;
- Low-E coatings;
- different tints;
- different interlayers;
- different glass thicknesses; and
- different insulating configurations.
Two contractors can quote the same manufacturer and frame series while providing different glass packages.
That can create a meaningful price difference.
8. Frame Material
Your quote should state whether the proposed windows are:
- aluminium;
- vinyl; or
- another approved construction.
There is no universally correct frame material for every Florida property.
The right choice depends on factors such as the opening, product design, architectural preferences, environment, budget and required performance.
Ask the installer to explain why the proposed system fits your home rather than simply telling you one material is “best.”
9. Installation Method
This part of an impact window quote deserves more attention than it usually receives.
You are not purchasing glass and frames alone.
You are purchasing an installed window system.
Approval documentation can specify:
- anchor types;
- anchor spacing;
- edge distances;
- embedment;
- substrate requirements;
- shimming;
- buck conditions; and
- other installation limitations.
One Miami-Dade approval, for example, specifically notes that anchorage methods are designed to resist loads corresponding to the required design pressure and addresses requirements for substrates and bucks.
Ask:
How will these windows actually be attached to my house?
10. Removal and Disposal of Existing Windows
Never assume this is included.
Your contract should clarify responsibility for:
- removing old windows;
- removing old doors;
- hauling materials away;
- disposal charges;
- removing shutters when necessary; and
- preparing openings.
An inexpensive quote can become much less attractive when necessary work appears later as a change order.
11. Permits
Ask explicitly:
Does this price include permits?
Miami-Dade, for example, requires building-permit documentation for window and glass-door replacement projects and identifies product approval information among the required details.
Your quote should clarify:
- who obtains the permit;
- whether permit fees are included;
- whether plans or documentation are included;
- who coordinates required inspections; and
- who closes the permit.
Do not treat permitting as meaningless paperwork.
It is part of a compliant installation process.
12. Engineering Requirements
Some projects require more than a standard installation.
Engineering may become necessary because of:
- oversized openings;
- unusual structural conditions;
- new openings;
- modified openings;
- high design pressures;
- custom assemblies; or
- site-specific conditions.
Miami-Dade’s guidance for new window and door openings allows custom details prepared and signed by a design professional when appropriate.
Find out whether engineering is:
- included;
- excluded;
- unnecessary; or
- charged separately when required.
13. Stucco, Drywall, Paint and Finish Repairs
Window replacement can involve more than removing one frame and inserting another.
Ask specifically who is responsible for:
- stucco repair;
- drywall;
- plaster;
- paint;
- trim;
- tile;
- interior returns;
- exterior finish matching; and
- damaged surrounding material discovered after removal.
The phrase:
“Installation included”
doesn’t necessarily tell you whether all finishing work is included.
Get the scope in writing.
14. Manufacturer and Workmanship Warranties
There are potentially two different warranty issues:
Product warranty
Provided by the manufacturer and covering specified product components under stated conditions.
Workmanship warranty
Provided by the installer and covering specified installation work.
Ask:
- What does each warranty cover?
- How long does coverage last?
- Who handles warranty claims?
- Does labour have separate coverage?
- Are there exclusions?
- Is registration required?
Do not rely solely on a salesperson saying:
“You have a lifetime warranty.”
Ask to see what that actually means.
15. Payment Schedule and Change Orders
Finally, understand exactly how payment works.
Your contract should identify:
- deposit;
- progress payments;
- final payment;
- financing arrangements where applicable;
- what happens if unexpected structural work is discovered; and
- how change orders are approved.
A professional proposal should make the financial scope understandable before work begins.
Red Flags in an Impact Window Quote
Be cautious when a proposal contains vague statements such as:
“Hurricane-rated windows”
Without giving enough information to identify the actual product.
“Permit included”
Without explaining responsibility for submission and inspection.
“Impact glass”
Without identifying the window system or configuration.
“Standard installation”
Without defining the installation scope.
“Lifetime warranty”
Without providing the applicable terms.
No product approval information
You should be able to identify what system is being installed.
No window dimensions
Size matters to both price and product performance.
Why the Cheapest Impact Window Quote Isn’t Always the Best Value
Impact window pricing can differ because contractors are proposing genuinely different systems.
One quote may include:
- insulated Low-E laminated glass;
- permits;
- engineering;
- opening preparation;
- removal;
- finish work; and
- a stronger installation warranty.
Another might contain only the basic product and installation.
Neither price makes sense until you understand the scope.
Questions to Ask an Impact Window Contractor
Before signing, ask:
- What exact window series are you installing?
- What product approval applies?
- What impact rating does it carry?
- Does the proposed product meet the required DP for each opening?
- What glass package is included?
- Are permits included?
- Is engineering included if required?
- How will the windows be anchored?
- What repairs are included after removal?
- What is excluded from the quote?
- Who handles inspections?
- What manufacturer warranty applies?
- What workmanship warranty do you provide?
- How are unexpected repairs handled?
- What will cause the final price to change?
A contractor should be able to explain the answers in language you understand.
Get a Clear Impact Window Quote From Guardian Shield Windows and Doors
Comparing impact window quotes can become confusing when different contractors are proposing different manufacturers, glass packages, design pressures, installation methods and scopes of work.
Guardian Shield Windows and Doors helps Florida homeowners understand exactly what they are purchasing before installation begins.
Contact us today to request an impact window and door consultation and receive a clearer understanding of the options available for your Florida home or commercial property.
