Full Frame Replacement in Fort Lauderdale, FL

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Full Frame Replacement in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Full frame replacement means removing your existing window down to the rough opening – frame, sill, jambs, exterior casing, and all – and rebuilding everything from scratch before the new window goes in. In Fort Lauderdale’s humid, salt-laden coastal climate, this is often the only approach that actually fixes the problem. Partial retrofits and pocket replacements leave old wood and old framing in place; when that material is already rotted or compromised by years of hurricane exposure and moisture intrusion, you’re sealing new product onto a failing foundation.

If you’ve noticed soft wood around your window frame, persistent drafts despite a “replacement” done years ago, or visible daylight around the interior casing, chances are a full frame replacement is what you actually need. It’s a bigger scope than Insert Window Replacement, but done correctly it lasts decades and qualifies your home for the full impact-rated and energy-efficiency benefits that Fort Lauderdale homeowners care about most. Ed Winslow has been leading this kind of work since 2011, and if you’d like to talk through what your windows actually need, call us directly at (904) 747-8989 – a live person answers every call, any time of day.

Full frame replacement is one of the core services under our Window Replacement in Fort Lauderdale umbrella, and it’s the service we recommend most often when homes have structural framing concerns or when the existing window system simply can’t be upgraded any other way.

When You Need Full Frame Replacement

Not every window needs a full frame pull. But in Fort Lauderdale – where humidity rarely drops, salt air corrodes aluminum and wood alike, and tropical storms put every seal and fastener under real stress – full frame replacement is the right call more often than homeowners expect. Here are the situations we see regularly:

• Rotted or deteriorated framing. In Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods like Tarpon River and Sailboat Bend, older wood-framed homes built before aluminum construction became standard often have sill plates and rough framing that have absorbed 40-plus years of moisture. When the wood is soft to the touch or shows active mold, there’s nothing sound left for a pocket insert to fasten into.
• Original single-pane or jalousie windows. Fort Lauderdale has thousands of homes still running jalousie windows – the louvered glass slat style common in 1950s-1970s construction. These cannot be retrofitted into modern impact frames. The rough opening dimensions and framing profiles require a complete tear-out and rebuild.
• Failed or missing impact ratings. If you’re upgrading to meet current Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) requirements or Broward County’s wind-load codes, a pocket replacement using the old frame often can’t achieve the required anchor points. Full frame replacement lets us set proper fasteners into solid structure and document it correctly for permit inspection.
• Visible water intrusion or staining on interior walls. When we see water staining on drywall below or beside a window in homes in Victoria Park or Flagler Village, it rarely means the glass seal failed. It usually means the flashing and weatherproofing around the original frame gave out years ago. Covering that with a new insert doesn’t fix the leak path.
• Significant size or style change. Adding an egress window to a bedroom, widening an opening for a picture window, or converting a single window to a paired unit all require removing the existing frame entirely so the rough opening can be modified.
• Prior poor installation work. We get called into homes in Coral Ridge and Rio Vista where a previous installer used non-impact windows in an impact zone, skipped the flashing tape, or caulked over the weep holes. The only way to undo that kind of work correctly is to start from the opening.

Our Full Frame Replacement Process

We don’t subcontract this work or hand it off to a crew you’ve never met. Every job follows the same methodical sequence, and Ed’s team handles it start to finish.

1. On-site assessment and measurement. Before anything is ordered or quoted, we come out and measure each rough opening in person. In Fort Lauderdale’s older housing stock, rough opening dimensions are rarely what the original blueprints say, and an accurate field measurement prevents expensive mistakes at delivery. We also assess the condition of the surrounding structure – headers, sills, and exterior sheathing – so the scope of work is completely defined before you sign anything.
2. Product selection and permit application. We walk you through the right window for each opening: size, glass package, frame color, and impact rating. For homes in Broward County, impact-rated windows must carry a current Miami-Dade NOA or Florida Product Approval number, and our installations are permitted accordingly. We handle the permit application and product documentation – you don’t have to navigate the Broward County Building Division on your own.
3. Careful removal of the existing frame. Our crew removes the existing window, exterior casing, interior trim, and the original frame assembly without damaging the surrounding drywall or exterior stucco beyond what’s necessary. In stucco-clad homes common throughout Fort Lauderdale, this step requires scoring the stucco around the frame rather than chipping it away carelessly – a small detail that saves significant repair work later.
4. Framing inspection and repair. Once the rough opening is exposed, we inspect every inch of the surrounding structure. If we find rot, we remove it and sister in new pressure-treated lumber before the new window goes anywhere near the opening. This is non-negotiable. Skipping this step is exactly how homeowners end up with a brand-new window that leaks or fails inspection.
5. Installation, flashing, and sealing. The new frame goes in with manufacturer-specified fasteners at code-required spacing. We apply self-adhering flashing tape at all four sides before the exterior casing or stucco repair goes on, creating a continuous water barrier. Weep holes are confirmed clear, and exterior sealant is applied in the correct locations – not everywhere, which would trap moisture.
6. Inspection, interior finishing, and final walkthrough. We coordinate the permit inspection, confirm the window operates correctly, and complete interior trim work so the finished opening looks like the window was always meant to be there. Before we leave, we walk every window with you and explain the operation, locking mechanism, and any maintenance the manufacturer recommends. If anything isn’t right, we make it right – that’s not a tagline, it’s the 36500-Day Done Right Promise in writing.

Full Frame Replacement Pricing in Fort Lauderdale

Full frame replacement in Fort Lauderdale typically runs between $600 and $1,800 per window installed, with most standard residential openings landing in the $750-$1,200 range. That range reflects the cost of the window unit itself, labor, flashing materials, permit fees, and any minor framing repairs as part of our Window Replacement services. Projects with significant structural damage, custom sizes, or specialty glass (laminated, decorative, or impact-rated with a higher design pressure rating) will move toward the higher end or beyond it.

Here’s a clearer breakdown of what drives the number:

• Window size: A standard single-hung 3′ x 4′ opening costs meaningfully less than a 6′ x 5′ picture window or a geometric transom. Labor time scales with size, and so does the unit cost.
• Frame material and glass package: Impact-rated laminated glass units – required in Broward County’s High-Velocity Hurricane Zone – carry a higher material cost than standard insulated glass. The performance difference justifies the gap, especially at resale and for insurance discount eligibility.
• Framing condition: If the rough opening is clean and plumb, installation is straightforward. If we find rot and have to rebuild the sill or header, that adds material and labor time. We document everything we find and give you the revised number before any additional work begins – no surprise invoices.
• Stucco repair: Full frame removal typically disturbs the stucco band around the opening. We price in a standard repair; larger gaps or custom finishes are itemized separately.
• Number of windows: Multi-window projects almost always carry a lower per-unit cost than single-window jobs, because mobilization, permitting, and setup costs spread across the full scope.

Estimates are always free, always upfront, and always given in writing before any work begins. We don’t do verbal quotes that shift when the crew shows up. Seniors and veterans receive a permanent 10% discount on all work, and if your total repair or replacement exceeds $200, you can apply our standing $40-off offer. Call (904) 747-8989 and we’ll schedule a time that works for you – no trip charge for Fort Lauderdale homes.

Why Fort Lauderdale Homes Specifically Benefit From Full Frame Replacement

Fort Lauderdale’s building environment puts pressure on windows in ways that inland Florida cities don’t see at the same intensity. The combination of salt air off the Atlantic and the Intracoastal, high average humidity, and the annual threat of named storms means that any weakness in a window assembly – an old gasket, a porous sill, a frame that wasn’t properly flashed the first time – tends to become a real problem faster than homeowners expect without proper Window Maintenance & Care.

Homes east of Federal Highway and along the barrier islands in areas like Harbor Beach and Lauderdale Beach deal with salt-spray corrosion that can pit aluminum frames within years if the original anodizing or coating wasn’t properly specified. CGI and ES Windows manufacture frames specifically rated for coastal exposure, with thicker wall sections and coatings designed for salt environments. When we do a full frame replacement on a coastal Fort Lauderdale home, we specify accordingly – not just whatever ships fastest.

Fort Lauderdale is also entirely within Broward County’s High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), which means the Florida Building Code applies more stringent wind-load requirements here than in most of the country. Windows and doors in the HVHZ must meet Miami-Dade NOA standards or carry a Florida Product Approval with design pressure ratings that reflect actual coastal wind loads. CWS and ECO Window Systems both produce HVHZ-compliant units that we install regularly – and because we know the local Broward County permit process from years of working inside it, we don’t run into the delays that trip up companies that drift in from outside the area.

Energy efficiency is another real factor here. Fort Lauderdale’s air conditioning season runs essentially year-round, and a poorly sealed window frame – even one with decent glass – lets conditioned air bleed out constantly. A full frame replacement with properly flashed and sealed framing and a low-solar-gain glass package, including Vinyl Replacement Windows, can make a noticeable difference on a monthly electric bill, which matters when the AC runs ten or eleven months out of the year.

And if you’re thinking about this work in the context of your homeowner’s insurance, it’s worth knowing that many Florida insurers now ask specifically whether windows are impact-rated and whether they were installed with a pulled permit. A permitted full frame replacement with a qualifying impact window is the cleanest documentation you can provide – and some insurers factor it into premium calculations. We’re not insurance agents and we won’t quote your policy for you, but we’ve seen enough Fort Lauderdale homeowners go through the claims process to know that proper documentation matters.

The Winslow Difference on a Full Frame Job

National window companies send a sales rep you’ll meet once, then a crew you’ve never seen. Winslow is different in a way that’s specific, not sentimental. Ed Winslow’s name is on the business, on the truck, and on the permit. He’s been working in South Florida since 2011, and the team we send to your home is background-checked, uniformed, and the same crew that does the work from the first measurement to the final walkthrough.

The 36500-Day Done Right Promise is what backs every job we do. That’s not a marketing number – it reflects the standard Ed holds himself to on every project. If the installation isn’t right, we come back and we make it right, full stop. No runaround, no “that’s a manufacturer warranty issue.” We stand behind the work.

We’re also transparent in ways that matter to homeowners who’ve had bad experiences: published address, a Florida license number you can look up, upfront written pricing before any work begins, and a live person who answers the phone at any hour. If something comes up at 2 a.m. the night after your installation and you have a question, call (904) 747-8989. Someone will pick up.

FAQs – Full Frame Replacement in Fort Lauderdale

How much does full frame window replacement cost in Fort Lauderdale?

Full frame window replacement in Fort Lauderdale generally costs between $600 and $1,800 per window installed, with most single-family home projects landing in the $750-$1,200 range per opening. That number includes the window unit, labor, flashing, and permit fees. What pushes costs higher: large or custom window sizes, significant framing rot that requires structural repair, specialty glass packages, or coastal-spec framing for homes near the Intracoastal or Atlantic. We give every estimate in writing, upfront, before any work begins – call (904) 747-8989 for a free on-site quote.

How is full frame replacement different from an insert or pocket replacement?

Full frame replacement removes everything – the existing window, frame, sill, jambs, and exterior casing – down to the rough framing opening, then rebuilds from scratch. A pocket or insert replacement leaves the existing frame in place and drops a smaller new window unit inside it. The insert approach is faster and less expensive when the existing frame is structurally sound, but it’s the wrong call when the original framing is rotted, when you need a size change, or when the installation needs to meet current HVHZ impact standards that require specific fastener patterns into solid structure.

Do I need a permit for full frame window replacement in Fort Lauderdale?

Yes. Full frame window replacement in Fort Lauderdale requires a building permit through Broward County, and in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, the replacement window must carry a current Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance or a Florida Product Approval number. Winslow handles the permit application and documentation as part of the project – you don’t need to navigate that process yourself. A properly permitted job also gives you clean documentation for insurance purposes, which Fort Lauderdale homeowners are finding increasingly important when policy renewal time comes around.

How long does full frame window replacement take in Fort Lauderdale?

A standard full frame replacement on a single window typically takes four to six hours for an experienced crew, including careful frame removal, any minor framing repairs, installation, flashing, and interior trim finishing. Whole-house projects – replacing all windows in a typical Fort Lauderdale single-family home – usually run two to three days depending on the number of openings, window sizes, and the condition of the existing framing. The permit inspection adds time to the overall project timeline, but we coordinate scheduling directly with the county so that step doesn’t create unnecessary delays on your end.

Ready to Get Started? Call Winslow Windows and Doors

If your Fort Lauderdale home has windows that draft, leak, fail to meet current impact standards, or simply look like they belong in a different decade, a full frame replacement is very likely the right answer. We’ve been doing this work in Fort Lauderdale and across South Florida since 2011, and Ed Winslow stands behind every job personally.

Call (904) 747-8989 to schedule your free on-site estimate. A live person will answer – not a voicemail, not a callback request form. Just a straight conversation about what your windows need and what it will cost. Upfront pricing, no trip charge in Fort Lauderdale, and a 10% discount for seniors and veterans. Come meet the neighbor down the road who actually shows up.

You can also learn more about the full scope of what we do on our home page, or explore all of our window services under Window Replacement in Fort Lauderdale.

Written by Ed Winslow, Owner at Winslow Windows & Doors, serving Fort Lauderdale.