The full window replacement process, from your first consultation to final inspection, typically spans several weeks to a couple of months for most Florida homes, and the biggest factor is almost always manufacturing time, not the installation itself. If you're trying to plan around hurricane season, an upcoming trip, or just want to know what "getting new windows" actually looks like week to week, the honest answer isn't a single number. It's a sequence of steps, most of which happen before a crew ever touches your home. Here's what that sequence looks like from start to finish.
The Full Timeline at a Glance
| Phase | What Happens | Typical Duration |
| Consultation & Measurement | In-home visit, product selection, and precise measurements taken | Same visit for about a week |
| Manufacturing | Your windows are custom-built to those measurements | Several weeks |
| Permit Review | Runs in parallel with manufacturing in most cases | Roughly 5 to 7 working days once submitted |
| Installation Day(s) | Old windows removed, new ones installed, and sealed | Most homes are completed in 1 to 3 days |
| Final Inspection | Local inspector confirms the work matches the approved permit | A few days after installation wraps |
Step 1: Free Consultation and Measurement
The process starts with an in-home consultation where measurements are taken, and your window selections are finalized. This step is usually done in a single visit. Precise measurement matters here more than people expect. Impact windows are custom-built to the exact opening, not sized off a shelf, so getting this right the first time avoids delays later in the process.
Step 2: Choosing Your Windows and Placing the Order
Once measurements are confirmed, you finalize your product selections, and the order gets placed with the manufacturer. This is the point where the glass package, frame finish, and any energy- or noise-reduction upgrades are locked in. Changes after this step are harder to make, since the manufacturing process is already keyed to what was ordered.
Step 3: Manufacturing Your Custom Impact Windows
Manufacturing is the longest single phase of the timeline, and for impact-rated systems commonly used in Florida homes, production typically takes several weeks. Your windows aren't sitting in a warehouse. They're being built specifically for your home's openings, which is part of why impact glass performs the way it does once it's installed.
This is also the phase that matters most if you're trying to beat hurricane season. Ordering early in the year gives production enough runway to finish well before storm season ramps up, while ordering in late spring or summer means your timeline is competing with everyone else who had the same idea.
Step 4: Permit Review Happens in Parallel
Permit review moves alongside manufacturing rather than adding extra time on top of it, with Brevard County municipalities like Melbourne stating a standard approval window of about 5 to 7 working days once the application is submitted. Since your contractor generally files for the permit early, this step is often finished well before your windows arrive.
Step 5: Installation Day
Most Florida homes have their windows fully installed in 1 to 3 days, though the exact time depends on how many windows you're replacing and the type of wall construction in your home. Concrete block homes generally take longer to install than wood-frame homes, since the two construction types require different installation methods.
Expect some noise and dust during this stretch, and expect crew members working room to room rather than the whole house being torn open at once.
Step 6: Final Inspection and Closeout
Once installation wraps, a local building inspector confirms the work matches what was submitted on the permit, and that inspection usually happens within a few days of the crew finishing. This is the step that officially closes the loop between the permit pulled at the start and the windows now sitting in your walls. Once it passes, the project is complete, and your workmanship warranty is active.
What Can Extend the Timeline
A handful of factors can push this timeline out, and it's worth knowing them up front rather than being surprised mid-project. Post-storm demand surges are the biggest ones. When a hurricane moves through Florida, manufacturers and installers across the state see a spike in orders at the same time, which can extend production and scheduling well beyond a normal season.
HOA architectural review, unusually large or custom window sizes, and weather delays on installation day can each add time as well. None of these are within a company's full control, but a contractor who communicates about them as they come up makes the difference between a manageable delay and a frustrating surprise.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to replace a window?
For a full-home replacement in Florida, the entire process from consultation to final inspection typically takes several weeks to a couple of months, with manufacturing time as the largest factor. Installation itself usually takes 1 to 3 days.
What takes the longest in a window replacement project?
Manufacturing. Impact-rated windows are custom-built to your home's exact measurements, and the production phase can span several weeks, well beyond the time it takes to install them.
Can I speed up my window replacement timeline?
Ordering outside of peak post-storm demand periods, usually earlier in the year before hurricane season ramps up, is the most reliable way to avoid added delays. The measurement and permit steps move at roughly the same pace year-round.
Do I need to be home during installation?
Most homeowners choose to be home, especially for a multi-day project, though it isn't strictly required if you've made arrangements with your installer in advance for access to each room.
Will my home be unlivable during installation?
No. Crews work room by room rather than opening the entire home at once, so most homeowners continue living in the house throughout the 1 to 3-day installation window.
Why Brevard and Indian River County Homeowners Choose Sunset View
A realistic timeline only holds up if the crew running it is accountable for every step, not just the parts that are easy to schedule. Because Sunset View's installers are our own employees rather than subcontracted crews juggling multiple jobs, we control our own scheduling from consultation through final inspection, backed by a 10-year workmanship warranty most competitors can't offer with a one-year promise. As an authorized PGT Gold & Platinum Certified Dealer, this veteran-owned, family-operated company has served Brevard and Indian River County homeowners since 2006, with financing available and a no-pressure process built around giving you a timeline you can actually plan around. If you're ready to find out what that timeline looks like for your home, contact Sunset View to get started.
