Updated July 2026 · American Impact Windows & Doors Orlando
Most Orlando whole-home impact window projects take 6 to 12 weeks from signed contract to final inspection, with just 1 to 3 days of on-site installation work. If you're getting quotes for hurricane impact windows in Orlando, the biggest surprise usually isn't the price — it's the process: impact window installation is a permitted construction project, not a same-week handyman job, and knowing what actually happens between "yes, let's do it" and your final inspection makes the whole thing far less stressful. Here is the process we follow at American Impact Windows & Doors Orlando on every project, step by step, with honest timelines.
Key Takeaways
Everything starts with a measure visit at your home, and it matters more than most homeowners realize. Impact windows are custom-manufactured to your exact openings — there is no "standard size" sitting in a warehouse that fits your 1987 Conway ranch or your Lake Nona new build. During the visit, a specialist will:
You should leave this visit with a line-item quote — window by window — not a vague lump sum. If you want to understand what drives those numbers, we break it down in our impact window cost guide for Orlando.
Once you approve the quote, your windows go into manufacturing. This is the part of the timeline nobody can shortcut: because each unit is built to your measurements, lead times from Florida manufacturers typically run several weeks — commonly 4 to 8 weeks, and sometimes longer for specialty shapes, custom colors or busy season (spring and early summer, when everyone remembers hurricane season is coming). Any company promising custom impact windows "next week" is either keeping generic stock or overpromising.
During this stage you'll finalize glass packages (laminated impact glass with Low-E coatings is the norm for energy efficiency), frame material and color, and hardware finishes. If you're comparing options first, our hurricane impact windows page covers the styles we install.
Replacing windows in Florida legally requires a building permit — full stop. Impact windows are a structural, wind-load-rated component of your home's envelope, and both the City of Orlando and Orange County require permitted, inspected installation. Here's how it works on our projects:
When your windows arrive and the permit is issued, we schedule the install. For each opening, the crew will:
A trained two-to-four person crew typically completes 8 to 15 openings per day depending on size, access and floor height. That means a typical whole-home window replacement in Orlando takes 1 to 3 days of on-site work — one day for smaller homes, two to three for larger homes or projects that include sliding glass doors and entry doors. If your project includes doors, see our window replacement page for how we sequence combined jobs.
After installation, the city or county inspector visits to verify the work matches the permit and product approvals. Passing final inspection closes the permit — and it's also the foundation of your insurance savings. With the permit closed, you can schedule a wind mitigation inspection (a short third-party inspection, typically around $75–$150) that documents your opening protection for your insurer. That report is what unlocks premium credits on the windstorm portion of most Florida homeowner policies. Keep your permit records, product approval numbers and wind mitigation report together — future buyers and future insurers will both ask for them.
You should walk away with two warranties: the manufacturer's warranty on the windows themselves (glass, frames, hardware — terms vary by brand) and the installer's workmanship warranty covering the labor and sealing. Aftercare is simple: rinse frames and tracks a few times a year, keep weep holes clear, and lubricate hardware occasionally. Our window maintenance guide covers the details. If anything ever feels off — a sash that sticks, a seal that looks tired — call the installer first, not a random handyman, so you don't void either warranty.
Honest answer for Orlando in 2026: roughly 6 to 12 weeks from signed contract to final inspection for most whole-home projects. Here's the typical breakdown:
The takeaway: if you want impact windows in before the heart of hurricane season, start the process months ahead — not the week a storm enters the Gulf.
No. Nearly all of our Orlando customers stay home during installation. The work moves room by room — each opening is typically exposed for well under an hour — so your home is never wide open, and the crew closes and seals everything before leaving each day. Practical tips: clear a working path to each window, take down curtains and blinds beforehand, move fragile items off nearby sills and shelves, and plan for normal construction noise during the day. Pets are usually happier closed in a room the crew has already finished. If someone in the home works from home, tell us in advance and we'll sequence the rooms around your calls.
Process is half the question — price is the other half. Installed costs in Central Florida depend on window count, sizes, styles and glass packages, and honest market ranges are wider than most ads suggest. We published a full, no-fluff breakdown in our guide: How much do impact windows cost in Orlando? And if you'd rather spread the investment out, $0-down financing is available on approved credit.
On-site installation for a typical Orlando home takes 1 to 3 days — crews usually complete 8 to 15 openings per day depending on size, access and floor height. The full project, including manufacturing and permits, generally runs 6 to 12 weeks from contract to final inspection.
Yes. Window replacement in Florida requires a building permit, whether you're in the City of Orlando or unincorporated Orange County. As the licensed contractor, we prepare and file the permit for you, including the Florida Product Approval documents, and the project isn't finished until the final inspection passes.
Yes — almost everyone does. The crew works room by room, each opening is exposed for well under an hour, and the home is sealed up at the end of every workday. Expect normal construction noise, and plan a quiet room for pets or work-from-home calls.
Because every unit is custom-built to your exact opening measurements. Florida manufacturers typically quote 4 to 8 weeks of lead time, and specialty shapes, custom colors or peak pre-hurricane-season demand can extend that. Permitting usually runs in parallel, so manufacturing is the true long pole of the project.
Once the final inspection passes and the permit is closed, schedule a wind mitigation inspection — a short third-party report documenting your opening protection. Send it to your insurance carrier to apply credits on the windstorm portion of your premium. Keep the permit records and product approvals with it.
A licensed Orlando specialist measures every opening and gives you a line-item quote — no pressure, no obligation, permits handled.
