Full Frame Replacement in Fort Myers, FL

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Full Frame Replacement in Fort Myers, FL

Full frame replacement means the entire window unit comes out – glass, sash, and frame all the way down to the rough opening – and a brand-new, fully sealed assembly goes in its place. In Fort Myers, where salt air, high humidity, and hurricane-force wind loads accelerate wood rot and frame corrosion faster than almost anywhere else in the country, this is often the only repair that actually solves the problem. If you’re seeing soft wood around the sill, failing stucco at the perimeter, or a frame that no longer holds its seal after a storm, a surface fix won’t cut it.

At Winslow Windows & Doors, we’ve been doing full frame replacements across Fort Myers and Southwest Florida since 2011. Ed Winslow leads every project personally, which means you’re not handing your home to a subcontracted crew with a laminated checklist. Call us at (239) 453-7751 – a live person picks up, any hour – and we’ll walk you through exactly what your opening needs before we quote a single dollar. You can also learn more about our full scope of work on our Window Replacement in Fort Myers page.

When You Need Full Frame Replacement

Insert Window Replacement works well when the existing frame is structurally sound and square. But Fort Myers homes – especially those built in the 1970s through 1990s with wood or aluminum frames – often have damage that goes deeper than the glass. Here are the clearest signs that a full frame replacement is the right call:

• Visible rot or soft spots at the sill or jamb. Press a screwdriver gently against the wood framing around your window. If it sinks, the rot has compromised the structural carrier and no insert will hold correctly over time.
• Water intrusion after every heavy rain. Fort Myers averages around 57 inches of rain per year, concentrated into a brutal June-through-September window. If water is tracking inside the wall cavity – not just on the glass – the frame-to-stucco seal has failed and needs to be rebuilt from the rough opening out.
• Stucco cracking or separation at the window perimeter. This is common in older Cape Coral and South Fort Myers homes where original aluminum frames have corroded, expanded, and pushed the surrounding stucco apart. Caulking over it is a short-term cosmetic fix that will fail again within a season.
• Frames that are visibly out of square. If your window no longer opens and closes cleanly – or if daylight shows at the corners – the frame has shifted. An insert product will inherit the same geometry problem and bind or leak within a few years.
• Upgrading to impact-rated products. Florida’s energy code and Miami-Dade wind-load standards require specific installation methods for impact windows. In most cases, meeting those specs means anchoring directly into the rough opening – which is a full frame replacement by definition. If you’re moving from single-pane to PGT or CGI impact glass, the frame has to come out.
• Post-hurricane damage to the opening itself. After a direct hit, we regularly find that the damage in Fort Myers homes isn’t just the window – it’s the buck frame, the sill plate, or the surrounding wall framing. A full removal lets us inspect and repair the structural envelope before the new unit goes in.

Our Full Frame Replacement Process

We treat every opening as its own situation. Fort Myers homes vary significantly – concrete block construction in some neighborhoods, wood-frame in others, and a mix of stucco systems that each behave differently in coastal humidity. Here’s how we work through a full frame replacement from start to finish:

1. On-site assessment and measurement. Before anything else, Ed or a senior technician inspects the rough opening, checks the surrounding framing for rot or damage, and takes precise measurements. We don’t send a salesperson; we send someone who will actually do the work or supervise it directly. We document the condition of the existing frame, the stucco or cladding, and the wall cavity so there are no surprises once demolition starts.
2. Permit coordination. Fort Myers and Lee County require permits for window replacements, and full frame replacements are always permit-required because they involve structural opening work. We handle the permit application, scheduling the inspection, and all associated documentation. You don’t need to call the building department or track an inspector. We do it.
3. Full removal of the existing unit. The old glass, sash, frame, and any original installation hardware come out entirely. We protect your interior floors and finishes, and we remove the debris. If we find rot in the rough framing during removal – something that’s fairly common in homes near the Caloosahatchee River or in flood zone areas around Iona – we repair the framing before the new product gets set.
4. Flashing and waterproofing the rough opening. This is where full frame replacement earns its value over a retrofit. With the opening bare, we install proper flexible flashing tape and sill pan flashing to create a continuous water-management layer. In a coastal climate like Fort Myers, skipping this step is how a new window develops a leak within two hurricane seasons.
5. Setting and securing the new frame. The new unit – whether it’s a PGT impact series or a CWS product, depending on what fits your opening and budget – gets set into the prepared opening, shimmed plumb and level, and anchored according to the product’s Florida Product Approval requirements. Fastener patterns and anchor depth matter here; we follow the specs because that’s what keeps the window in the wall during a Category 3 storm.
6. Finishing, sealing, and cleanup. We apply exterior sealant at the perimeter, patch or rebuild the stucco return, and paint-match or caulk to the interior trim. The job isn’t done until the opening looks finished from both sides and every seam is waterproofed. We schedule the Lee County inspection, and once it passes, you get your permit card closed out and your documentation for the insurance discount.

Full Frame Replacement Pricing in Fort Myers

Full frame replacement in Fort Myers typically runs between $650 and $2,200 per window, all-in. That range covers labor, materials, permit fees, and stucco patching. Here’s what moves the number up or down:

A few things worth understanding about Fort Myers specifically: Lee County permit fees add to the project cost, but they also produce the documentation your insurance carrier needs to process the wind mitigation credit – which frequently offsets a meaningful portion of the installation cost over a few years. We’ve seen Fort Myers homeowners knock $400 to $1,100 off their annual premium after upgrading to impact-rated product with a closed-out permit. We can’t guarantee your insurer’s math, but we can give you the paperwork they need to run it.

We give you upfront pricing before a single screw turns. No surprises on the invoice. If we open the wall and find rot that changes the scope, we stop, show you exactly what we found, and get your approval on any additional work before we proceed. That’s not a policy we invented – it’s how Ed has run jobs since we started in 2011.

Seniors and veterans receive a permanent 10% discount on all work, no expiration date. Any repair over $200 gets $40 off. And if you have a written estimate from another contractor, we’ll give you a free second opinion. Call (239) 453-7751 to schedule your free on-site estimate.

Why Fort Myers Homes Demand Better Installation Standards

Southwest Florida’s building environment is genuinely different from most of the country, and full frame replacement done to generic standards falls short here. A few things we see consistently in the Fort Myers market:

Salt air corrosion is faster than most homeowners expect. Homes within a mile or two of the Gulf, Estero Bay, or the Caloosahatchee see aluminum frames oxidize and pit within 10 to 15 years. By the time a homeowner calls us, the frame may look intact from inside the room but be structurally compromised at the perimeter. Full removal is the only way to know what you actually have.

Florida’s building code sets a real floor on installation quality. The Florida Building Code requires that replacement windows in high-velocity hurricane zones meet specific wind-load ratings and be installed to the product’s Florida Product Approval specifications. Cutting corners on fastener patterns or flashing isn’t just sloppy – it’s a code violation that can void the product warranty and create liability during a storm claim.

Thermal performance matters year-round here. Fort Myers doesn’t get cold winters to offset summer cooling loads. A poorly sealed full frame replacement leaks conditioned air 12 months a year. Proper flashing, quality sealant, and a product with a low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) work together to keep your AC from running constantly. The brands we install – including PGT and CWS – are rated for Florida’s climate specifically, not just tested in a lab somewhere in Ohio. Proper care through Window Maintenance & Care helps them perform for years.

Stucco patching is part of the job, not an afterthought. Most Fort Myers homes have stucco exteriors, and the perimeter of a window is a common failure point where stucco cracks away from the frame over time. When we do a full frame replacement, we rebuild the stucco return properly so the repair looks complete and the water seal is continuous. We don’t leave a visible gap and call it done.

What Sets Winslow Windows & Doors Apart

There are national window chains and big-box installation programs operating in Fort Myers. They’re not bad people, but they work on volume. You get a call center, a sub, and a warranty that lists about nine reasons it doesn’t apply to your situation.

Ed Winslow’s name is on the door – and on every job we do. We’ve been locally owned and operating in Southwest Florida since 2011, which means we’ve replaced windows in Fort Myers homes that have since gone through multiple hurricane seasons and are still holding. We know what the installation failures look like here, because we’ve been called in to fix them.

Every technician we send is background-checked and arrives in uniform. You know who’s at your door before the truck pulls up. Every job is backed by the 36500-Day Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right, we come back and make it right. That’s not a warranty fine-print paragraph – it’s Ed’s word, and it’s the only standard we hold ourselves to.

We’re also an authorized installer for PGT, CGI, and CWS, among others, which means we have direct access to product support, correct installation specs, and manufacturer-backed warranties that stay valid when you choose Vinyl Replacement Windows or other products from our lineup. You don’t get that from a contractor who buys whatever’s on sale at the supply house that week.

FAQs – Full Frame Replacement

How long does a full frame replacement take in Fort Myers?

Most single-window full frame replacements take one day on-site, including removal, installation, and exterior patching. Larger projects – say, six to ten windows across a home – typically run two to three days. The permit process in Lee County adds lead time before the installation date; we submit the permit application as soon as the product is ordered, which is usually within a week of signing a contract. For a complete timeline specific to your project, call us at (239) 453-7751 and we’ll give you straight numbers.

Is full frame replacement always required for impact windows in Fort Myers?

Almost always, yes. Florida Product Approval for impact-rated windows specifies that the product be anchored directly into the rough opening framing or masonry, which means the existing frame needs to come out. There are a small number of impact-rated insert products approved for specific applications, but in the Fort Myers market – where most homes have older aluminum frames that are partially corroded or out of square – a full frame removal is nearly always the safer and more durable approach. We’ll tell you if your opening is a genuine exception after we inspect it in person.

What happens if there’s rot behind my existing window frame?

We stop, show you the damage, and give you a written description of what needs to be repaired before the new window can go in correctly. We don’t proceed without your approval, and we don’t pad the scope. Rot repair in Fort Myers is common – especially in homes in the Iona, McGregor, and South Fort Myers corridors that were built before 1990 with wood framing exposed to coastal humidity for 30-plus years. Addressing it properly at the time of replacement is the right call; ignoring it means the new window will fail at the same point within a few years.

How much can I save on insurance after a full frame replacement with impact windows?

That depends on your insurer, your current coverage, and the specific products installed, so we won’t quote a number that isn’t ours to guarantee. What we can do is give you a closed permit, a copy of the Florida Product Approval, and a completed wind mitigation report form – the documents your insurance carrier needs to evaluate your discount. Fort Myers homeowners who upgrade from single-pane to impact-rated product with a permitted installation frequently see meaningful reductions in their wind premium. Call your carrier after the job closes and ask specifically about the opening protection credit. Call us at (239) 453-7751 if you need help understanding what documentation you’ll need.

Ready to Replace the Frame the Right Way?

If you’ve got a window that’s leaking, rotting, or simply not up to what Fort Myers weather demands, our Window Replacement services provide a long-term solution – not a patch job you’ll be revisiting in three years. We’ve been doing this work in Fort Myers since 2011, and we stand behind every installation with the 36500-Day Done Right Promise.

Call (239) 453-7751 today to schedule your free on-site estimate. Someone will actually answer – any hour, any day. Ed’s team will come out, inspect the opening honestly, and give you upfront pricing before any work starts. No trip charge, no pressure, no surprises. For more on the full range of replacement options available to Fort Myers homeowners, visit our home page or explore all the details on our Window Replacement in Fort Myers service page.

Written by Ed Winslow, Owner at Winslow Windows & Doors, serving Fort Myers since 2011.