[drducat]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

That seems a bit over-simplified. After the ARC permit process, remove outdoor trim and part of siding as necessary, having the right tools to do that. (The trim may not come off cleanly and could be damaged or ruined. Matching new trim to the trim around other openings may be difficult.) Remove the indoor trim around the window. Pull the nails on the window frame fins and the old insulation and pull out window from the outside. Replace window flashing so water won’t leak in if it happens to rain in Florida. Install new window following directions. (Some may have four screws, but there are alternatives, none requiring concrete screws, as there are wood frames inside the concrete block openings.) Spray in foam insulation or some other insulation or sealant. Replace siding and exterior trim, including caulking as necessary. Replace interior trim. (In my house the sides and top are drywall, plaster, and paint, while the sill is marble, so it’s a complicated job.)

I installed storm shutters on my house this summer, myself, and it was a lot of work getting access to the window headers behind flimsy vinyl trim for driving all those big 6” structural screws. I wouldn’t try replacing a window myself here, though I’ve done it elsewhere a couple times. It’s really a professional job. Even then, going with whoever is cheapest would be a big mistake. I’d expect the contract to specify all the steps, and I’d want to keep an eye on the installers. Five years ago a friend of mine was having eight big casement windows replaced. I grilled her handyman contractor over the steps he would use and was satisfied. But I showed up the day after the new windows went in and discovered that he had used no flashing at all but simply squirted in a bead of clear silicon caulk all around. (And remember that paint won’t stick to silicon.) My friend made him pull out all the windows and do it right or no payment. The contractor said “I’ve installed windows this way for forty years, and no one has ever complained before.”

Replacement widows that fit in the old frame are the way to go instead of going all the way down to a new construction type install with the flanges.....do that only if the wood around is rotting....simple process. Take about 20 to 30 minutes a window...complete.