Styles We Install
Not every window style fits every application. Here’s a quick overview of what we typically install and where each style makes the most sense.
- Double-hung: Both sashes open and tilt inward for cleaning. The most common style in residential homes. Works in almost any room.
- Single-hung: Only the bottom sash moves. A lower-cost option for rooms where you don’t need to open the top.
- Casement: Hinged on the side, cranks open outward. Provides a full unobstructed opening and seals tightly when closed. Good for bedrooms and living areas where ventilation matters.
- Awning: Hinged at the top, opens outward from the bottom. You can leave these open during light rain without water coming in. Often used in bathrooms or below picture windows.
- Sliding: One or both panels slide horizontally. Low maintenance and easy to operate. Common in living rooms and bedrooms where you want a wide view.
- Picture windows: Fixed, non-opening. Maximizes light and view. Often paired with operable windows on the sides.
- Bay and bow: Projects outward from the wall. Adds visual space inside and curb appeal outside. Requires more structural preparation during installation.
- Shaped and specialty: Arches, circles, octagons, and other geometric shapes for accent installations. Most are fixed.
Glass Options and Energy Efficiency
The frame is only part of the equation. The glass package has a bigger impact on energy performance than most people realize.
Florida’s climate is cooling-dominant, meaning you’re spending far more energy keeping heat out than you are keeping it in. That changes which specs matter most. In a heating-dominant climate like Minnesota, you want glass that retains interior heat. Here, you want glass that blocks solar heat gain before it enters the home.
Key specs to understand:
- U-factor: Measures how much heat the window transfers overall. Lower is better. Florida’s energy code (Florida Building Code) requires U-factor ≤ 0.40 for most residential applications.
- Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC): Measures how much solar radiation passes through the glass as heat. Florida requires SHGC ≤ 0.25 for most fenestration in Climate Zone 2 (which covers the Panhandle). This is the more important number in our market.
- Low-E coatings: A microscopically thin metallic coating applied to the glass that reflects infrared radiation. Reduces SHGC without significantly reducing visible light transmission.
- Argon fill: An inert gas between panes that improves insulation over air-filled units. Common in double-pane windows.
- Laminated glass: Two layers of glass bonded with a plastic interlayer (PVB). Doesn’t shatter into fragments on impact. Required in certain locations under the Florida Building Code’s wind-borne debris zone requirements.
Impact-rated windows use laminated glass and reinforced frames to meet Florida’s wind-borne debris requirements. If your home is within the wind-borne debris region (which covers most of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties), impact glass may be required depending on your home’s age, location, and the scope of your project. We’ll confirm what applies to your specific address before any work begins.
The Florida Building Code and What It Means for Your Project
Florida has some of the most stringent window codes in the country, shaped largely by lessons learned from Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and subsequent storms. The 8th Edition of the Florida Building Code (currently in effect) governs window installations statewide, with local amendments applied at the county level.
A few things this affects practically:
- A permit is required for window replacement in Florida. We pull the permit on your behalf.
- Windows must meet minimum performance grades for design pressure (DP rating), which accounts for wind load at your specific location.
- Escambia County falls in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) designation for the most exposed areas, with specific product approval requirements.
- Installation must be inspected and approved by a building inspector. We schedule and manage this as part of the project.
Some contractors skip permits on window replacements. That creates problems when you sell the home, file an insurance claim, or need warranty work done. We don’t work that way.
What the Installation Process Looks Like
Every project starts with a measurement visit. Window openings are not always the same size as the windows currently in them, and rough openings can vary even on the same wall. We measure each opening individually before ordering anything.
Once windows are ordered and arrive at our shop, we schedule installation. A standard single-story home with 10-15 windows typically takes one to two days. We remove the existing windows, prep the opening, install the new units, flash and seal around the perimeter, and clean up before we leave.
You’ll get documentation showing the windows passed inspection. Keep that for your records.
Pricing Context
Vinyl replacement windows in this market typically run between $400 and $900 per window installed, depending on size, style, and glass package. Impact-rated units cost more, generally $600 to $1,200 per window installed.
These ranges reflect real job costs in Northwest Florida and will vary based on your specific openings, the condition of your existing frames, and whether any rot repair or structural work is needed.
We provide written quotes with itemized pricing before any work begins. No rough estimates over the phone that change when we show up.
Why Vinyl Windows Age Differently in Coastal Climates
One thing worth knowing: not all vinyl is equal. Cheaper vinyl formulations can become brittle and discolor over time under intense UV exposure. Quality vinyl windows use titanium dioxide as a UV stabilizer in the PVC compound, which significantly slows UV degradation.
We only install products from manufacturers whose materials are rated for high-UV coastal environments. It’s a detail that matters 15 years from now, even if it’s invisible at installation.
Ready to Get a Quote?
We serve Pensacola and the surrounding areas in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. If you’re ready to talk through your project, contact us to schedule a measurement visit. We’ll confirm what’s required for your address, walk you through your options, and give you a written quote.