What Should I Ask Before Hiring a Window Installer

The window frame does one job: it holds sealed glass in the wall and sheds water away from the opening. Every teardown that window installers san bernardino cowboy santas has logged shows the same thing, that leaks start at the flashing and the rough opening, not at the glass. That holds for stucco homes in San Bernardino as much as for siding jobs, and any window install in the area gets judged on those two points before the brand name.

Retrofit or full frame

A retrofit leaves the old frame in the wall and sets a new unit inside it. A full frame job pulls everything down to the studs and builds back up. Retrofit costs less and keeps the stucco intact, but it shrinks the glass area and hides whatever is happening behind the old frame. The proposal should name the method for each opening and say why. A double hung in a sound frame may suit retrofit, while a casement with a stained, soft sill may not.

Glass package

Read the glass line on the proposal. Insulated glass with a low emissivity coating cuts heat gain on west walls, and gas fill between the panes slows heat transfer further. A double pane unit is standard, but tempered glass is needed near doors and in low sills, and laminated glass is a choice for noise or break-in resistance. Two proposals can both say vinyl window and still carry different glass.

Sealing and flashing

Water control depends on the order of the layers. On stucco, the installer should cut back to the paper, lap flashing tape over the sill first, then the jambs, then the head, so every layer sheds over the one below. Sealant is a backup, not the barrier. Ask how this is done on a slider, a picture window and a bay window, since each has different sill and head conditions.

Warranties and who does the work

Get the manufacturer warranty and the installer workmanship warranty in writing. They cover different things. One usually covers the glass seal and frame, the other covers leaks from the install. A longer term on paper says nothing about how the flashing was done. Also ask who is on site. Some sellers send their own crew and others hand the job to subcontractors, and the person holding the caulk gun should be known before the day starts.

Removal, rot and haul away

Once the old unit is out, the rough opening gets checked for rot, termite damage and rusted nail fins. Older homes in Redlands, Loma Linda and Muscoy often hide soft framing under the sill. The proposal should say who repairs it and how it is priced, whether by the foot or as a change order. Ask also how old windows, glass and stucco debris leave the property, and whether the cleanup includes the yard.

Comparing proposals

Lay the bids side by side and compare line by line. Brand, frame material such as fiberglass window or aluminum window, glass package and install method can all differ between them. Across San Bernardino County the cheapest bid often leaves out flashing or rot repair, so the gap in price is usually a gap in scope.