ServicesWindow Replacement
Window Replacement in Edmonds
We take out tired, drafty windows and put in new ones that open easily and seal tight. Before the new unit goes in, we look at the sill and framing underneath, because older houses tend to hide old repairs and soft wood there.
New windows that start with a sound opening
Most of the windows we replace are in houses built decades ago. That means single-pane wood sashes painted shut, aluminum sliders that sweat all winter, or vinyl units from an earlier remodel that were set in with a tube of caulk and hope. Each one comes out a little differently.
The window is only half the job. The other half is the opening it sits in. We pull the old unit, look at what is really there, and tell you what we found before we close it up. If the frame is sound, an insert window can go right into it. If the sill is soft or the old flashing is gone, a full-frame install is the better call.
Not every old window needs to go. If yours only has a broken sash cord or a cracked pane, our window repair work may be all you need, and we will say so.
What a replacement job includes
Measuring every opening
Older houses settle, so openings are rarely square. We measure each one at several points instead of ordering from one number.
Careful removal
We cut the old paint and caulk lines and take the sash and frame out without tearing up interior trim or siding. Old paint is handled as if it could contain lead, with drop cloths and dust kept contained.
Checking the sill and framing
Once the old window is out, we probe the sill and jambs for rot. You see what we see, and we talk through any repair before we do it.
Flashing and sill protection
We add a sloped sill pan and proper flashing tape so water that gets behind the frame drains out instead of soaking the wall.
Setting, sealing and insulating
The new window is shimmed level, fastened, and the gap is filled with low-expansion foam that won't bow the frame. Then it gets sealed inside and out.
Trim, cleanup and haul-away
We finish the trim, vacuum up, and take the old windows with us.
Signs your windows are ready to go
- Fog between the panes
- If the glass looks cloudy from the inside of a double-pane unit, the seal has failed. Wiping won't fix it.
- Water on the sill all winter
- Old aluminum frames get cold and drip condensation through the damp Edmonds winter. That water ends up in the sill and the drywall below.
- Soft or dark wood at the bottom
- Press a screwdriver into the lower sash or sill. If it sinks in, rot has started and it will keep spreading.
- Windows you can't open
- Sashes painted shut or sliders that grind in the track are a nuisance, and in a bedroom they are a safety problem.
- Patch on top of patch
- Layers of caulk, foam or tape around a frame usually mean someone chased a leak without finding the cause.
How the job runs
- 1
A phone call
Tell us how many windows you have and what bugs you about them. We pick a time to come by.
- 2
Look and measure
We check each window inside and out, measure, and point out anything that looks like hidden damage. Then you get a written quote you can think over at your own pace.
- 3
Ordering
Your windows are made to the sizes we took. When the supplier gives us a delivery date, we call you and book the work.
- 4
The work itself
We cover floors and furniture first, then swap one opening at a time so no room sits open to the weather. Most installs are done in a single day.
- 5
Walk-through
Before we pack up, we open, close and lock every window with you. Our work is backed by a 10-year workmanship warranty.
What moves the price
You get a written quote with every item on its own line, so nothing is bundled out of sight. On an older house, the biggest swing in the total usually comes from the wood around the old frames, not the windows themselves. If paying all at once is a stretch, ask us about flexible payment options.
- How many windows, and how big
- Each extra opening adds to the total, and large picture or bay units cost more than a small bathroom window. Doing several in one visit brings the cost per window down compared with doing them a few at a time.
- Insert or full-frame
- An insert goes inside your existing frame and takes less labor. Full-frame strips the opening back to the studs, so there is more work and new trim to fit.
- Frame material and glass
- Vinyl, fiberglass and wood each sit at a different price point. Glass choices like tempered or laminated panes change it too.
- Fixing the opening
- A rotted sill or soft framing has to be repaired before the new window goes in. That work gets its own line on the quote instead of being buried in the window price.
- Getting to the window
- Second-story windows, or ones behind a deck or thick shrubs, take longer and may need ladders or staging.
Window replacement questions
- Should I get insert windows or full-frame?
- If the old frame is square and the wood is solid, an insert works well and lets you keep your interior trim. If there is rot, missing flashing or a frame that has shifted, full-frame is the honest answer. We decide after we look, not before.
- The wood under my old window might be rotten. What do you do then?
- We pause the work and show you the damage. We explain what the fix involves and how it changes the cost, and we do nothing extra until you give the okay.
- Does someone have to stay at the house while you work?
- We like to see you when the crew arrives and again at the end, so we can go over the windows together. The rest of the day, all we need is a way into the rooms we are working in. Plenty of people work from another room or run errands.
- Who covers it if something goes wrong during the job?
- We are licensed and insured. If something in your home gets damaged while we are working, you are not the one paying to put it right.
- My house is old. Is the paint a problem?
- It can be. Paint on older homes may contain lead, so we treat it that way: plastic down, dust kept contained, and a careful cleanup when we finish.
Ready to replace those drafty windows
Call and tell us what your windows are doing. We will come look, measure, and give you a written quote with no pressure to sign.