Whole House Window Replacement in the Lehigh Valley: How the Quote Works

Whole house window replacement in the Lehigh Valley is a fifteen-to-thirty-window job, and it is the one homeowners most want a clear process for. Here is how it goes: one vetted local installer walks every room with you, measures each opening, and writes a quote with one line per window. You can phase it or do it all at once. The install takes one to three days. This page covers each stage, what your kind of house usually involves, and the mistakes that make a big job harder than it needs to be.

1. 1

   The walkthrough and measure

   Visit day, 60 to 120 minutes

   The installer walks every room with you, lists each opening by location, measures it, and checks the sill and frame. On a whole-house job this is also where style decisions get made per opening: casement over the sink, picture in the living room, double-hung in the bedrooms. Bring your list of problems and preferences.

2. 2

   The written quote, opening by opening

   At the visit or within a few days

   Each opening on its own line with style, material, series, glass ratings, and installation method, plus the finish, disposal, permit, and warranty lines that cover the whole job. A whole-house quote is long. That is the point: you can see every decision and change any of them.

3. 3

   Phasing, if you want it

   Before you sign

   Any itemized quote can be split: the worst windows this year, the rest next year, or one floor at a time. Ask the installer to show the job both ways so you can see what changes. Doing it all at once means one crew visit, matching frames across the house, and a single warranty start date.

4. 4

   The order and lead time

   After signing, four to twelve weeks

   Windows are built to order. Standard vinyl lines run shortest; fiberglass, composite, wood-clad, and custom colors or shapes run longer. The quote should state the expected lead time and the installer confirms the install date when the units land.

5. 5

   Install day (or days)

   One to three days for most homes

   A two-person crew sets eight to fifteen inserts a day; full-frame openings take longer. The crew works room by room so no opening is left open overnight. Expect noise, some dust, and a dumpster or trailer at the curb. Clear a path to every window and take down curtains and blinds the night before.

6. 6

   Walkthrough and paperwork

   End of the last day

   Walk every window with the lead installer: open, close, lock, tilt, check the caulk lines and interior trim. Collect the warranty documents, the NFRC labels or spec sheets, and any permit sign-off. Then tell us how it went.

• Quoting the whole house as a lump sum

  A single figure for twenty windows hides which openings need full-frame, which are large, and whether any were missed. Insist on one line per opening.

• The same style everywhere by default

  A casement over the sink, a picture unit in the living room, and an awning in the bath each do their job better than a double-hung would. The visit is where those decisions get made; ask the installer for a recommendation per room.

• Forgetting the basement and the patio door

  Basement hoppers and the slider to the deck are part of the envelope. Leaving them off the quote means a second crew visit later and frames that do not match.

• Not asking about phasing

  If the full job is more than you want to take on at once, phasing is normal. Ask how the quote changes when split, and confirm that the second phase can match the first in series and color.

• Skipping the lead-time question

  A whole-house order can take two to three months to build. If you need the work done before winter, say so at the visit so the installer can steer you toward lines that ship in time.