Window Installation in Central Texas
Replacement windows and new openings, flashed and sealed for Central Texas sun, wind and rain.
What the work covers
Windows are where a house meets the weather, and in Central Texas the weather is mostly sun. West-facing glass on a summer afternoon can turn a room into an oven, and a window that was never flashed properly will show water damage in the wall below it years before anyone sees a drip. Good window work is part glass and part water management: what goes under the sill, how the flashing tape laps, and where the sealant is placed and where it is deliberately left out.
We install replacement windows in existing openings, full-frame replacements that include new trim and flashing, and new windows in walls that did not have one. A pocket or insert replacement keeps the existing frame and trim and drops a new unit inside it, which is faster and leaves the interior finish alone. A full-frame replacement takes the old window out to the studs, so the opening can be checked for rot, flashed from scratch and insulated, and it is the better choice when the old frame is soft or the wall around it shows stains.
Whichever way the opening is handled, the sequence is the same: a sloped sill pan or flashing at the bottom, side flashing lapped over it, head flashing lapped over the sides, the window set and shimmed square, and a continuous seal on the inside of the frame so conditioned air stays where it belongs.
Glass, frames and ratings
A window label tells you more than the brochure does. Read it before you choose.
Every rated window carries a National Fenestration Rating Council label with a U-factor, which measures heat moving through the window, and a solar heat gain coefficient, which measures how much sun comes through as heat. In a hot climate the solar heat gain number deserves as much attention as the U-factor. A lower number on a west or south wall keeps more of the afternoon out of the house. We go through the label with you when we compare options.
Bedrooms have a safety rule that affects window choice. The International Residential Code section R310 asks for an emergency escape opening with a net clear opening of at least 5.7 square feet, or 5 square feet at grade, with a clear height of at least 24 inches and a clear width of at least 20 inches, and a sill no higher than 44 inches above the floor. A window that looks right on paper can fall short once the sash is open, so we check the clear opening, not the frame size.
Glass near doors and tubs has its own rules too, because large panes close to the floor or to a wet area need safety glazing. Older homes in Georgetown, San Marcos and Bastrop often have wood windows that can be restored instead of replaced, and we will say so when the frames are in good condition.
How a windows job runs
Measure and inspect
Each opening is measured and checked for rot, movement and water stains before anything is ordered.
Choose and order
Frame, glass package, grid style and operation are set in writing, with the NFRC label values for the units.
Install and flash
Old units come out, sills and flashing go in, and each new window is set, shimmed and sealed.
Trim and test
Interior and exterior trim are finished, sashes are tested, and the old windows and debris are hauled away.
Permits and rules for windows
Austin lists size-for-size window replacement among the work its Residential Express permit can cover, with most express permits issued in about one business day, and properties in a floodplain or historic district can take longer. Kyle lists window and exterior door replacement as permit work. Buda lists structural changes such as new walls or windows on its permit page. Round Rock and Bastrop both note that a historic property needs a Certificate of Appropriateness before a building permit is issued.
Subdivisions often add their own rules. If your neighborhood has an architectural committee, ask what it requires for frame color and grid patterns before you order.
Sources: [1] austintexas.gov [2] cityofkyle.gov [3] budatx.gov [4] roundrocktexas.gov [5] cityofbastrop.org
Where we quote this work
Window Installation is quoted across four Central Texas counties. Each town page has its permit office, neighborhoods and the building context that shapes a project there.
Related work: Door Installation, Demolition, Flooring, Wood and Trim Remodeling, Interior Remodeling.
Questions about windows work
Will new windows lower my electric bill?
They can, mostly by cutting the solar heat that comes through the glass and the air that leaks around the frame. The effect is biggest on west and south walls with old single-pane or leaky windows. The NFRC label on each unit lets you compare the actual numbers instead of the sales claims.
What is the difference between an insert and a full-frame replacement?
An insert replacement keeps the existing frame and trim and fits the new window inside it. A full-frame replacement removes everything to the studs, which lets us check for rot and flash the opening properly. If the old frame is sound, an insert is faster. If there are stains or soft wood, full-frame is the safer fix.
How long does a window installation take?
Most replacement windows install in under an hour each, plus trim and cleanup. Full-frame work and new openings take longer because framing, flashing and exterior finish are involved. Custom orders can take several weeks to arrive, which is why we order only after the measurements are confirmed.
Do you replace windows in homes with stucco or limestone veneer?
Yes. Those walls need the flashing and sealant details worked out before the window goes in, because patching stucco or stone around a new unit is the visible part of the job. We plan the exterior finish at the quote stage.
Are my bedroom windows required to be large enough to escape through?
Sleeping rooms need an emergency escape opening under the International Residential Code, with minimum clear opening sizes and a maximum sill height. We measure the clear opening of the sash when it is open, which is the number that counts.
Tell us about the project
Describe the work and the town. We follow up using the phone number you provide.
Martinez & Sons Remodeling1190 Airport Blvd #214
Austin, TX 78702