How to Prepare for Window Installation Day

To prepare for window installation, clear about 5 feet of space around each window inside, take down blinds and curtains, have window alarm sensors disconnected, cover furniture against dust, clear a path outside, and plan where children and pets will be during the work ¹. Andersen says that, according to contractors, blinds, curtains and alarms cause the biggest delays ¹. In a home built before 1978, add one more step: plan for the lead-safe setup the crew will use, which can close off rooms while they work ³.

On the day, expect an early start, noise and dust, and a crew that works window by window. At the end, walk through every window with the crew before they leave. The sections below take those three stages in order.

A few days before: talk to the installer

Andersen suggests contacting the contractor a few days ahead to ask how long the installation will take and whether it runs more than one day ¹. Useful questions for that call:

• Will the windows go in from inside, outside or both? Exterior work needs access to the ground under each window ¹.
• What time does the crew arrive? This Old House reports crews typically start at 7:30 a.m. or 9 a.m. ²
• Does the crew bring drop cloths and floor runners, and does it haul away the old windows?
• Who disconnects and reconnects the alarm sensors?
• Where can the crew park and stage the new windows?

If the order is still in production, window lead times covers what sets the date, and how installers measure for replacement windows covers the visit that comes before it.

Clear access inside

• Furniture. Andersen suggests about 5 feet of clear space around each window, though it varies by project, and moving furniture ahead of the day rather than that morning ¹.
• Wall items. Take down pictures near the windows and cover beds, couches and other furniture with drop cloths or old sheets, because installation makes dust ¹.
• Window treatments. Take down blinds, curtains and rods. Andersen says blinds can take hours to remove ¹. Keep the brackets and screws in a labeled bag for each window; new frames may need the brackets moved.
• A path. Clear a route from the door the crew will use to each window.

Clear access outside

Trim shrubs and move lawn furniture and decor to give a few feet of clearance around each window that is installed from outside ¹. In the job This Old House followed, the crew covered shrubs with tarps and the homeowner moved a car from the garage to the street ². Move cars from the driveway if the crew will need it for a truck or a cutting station.

Alarms, pets and children

Window alarm sensors have to come off before new windows go in, and Andersen says it is sometimes best to have your security company help disconnect them ¹. Ask the alarm company whether the sensors can be reused in the new frames or need replacing, and book the reconnection.

The house will be a work zone with dust and noise, so pick safe spots for children and pets away from the activity ¹. This Old House notes installers will be hammering, drilling and sawing, and that cutting out full frames was the loudest part ². Doors will be open often, so a pet that might slip out may be safer in a closed room or away from home for the day.

Homes built before 1978: lead-safe steps

Old paint around windows may contain lead, and window removal disturbs it. EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule covers anyone paid to do work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes built before 1978 (EPA RRP program) ⁴. EPA's Renovate Right pamphlet says federal law requires renovators to give homeowners the pamphlet before starting work, and that this applies to window replacement in pre-1978 housing (Renovate Right) ³.

For preparation, the pamphlet says work areas should not be open to occupants while the work goes on, and may be sealed with plastic until they are cleaned ³. Plan for:

• A safe place for pets, which can be poisoned by lead and track dust through the house ³.
• Furniture and belongings moved out of the work area; items that cannot move get wrapped in plastic ³.
• Turning off forced-air heating and cooling during the work so dust does not travel through the vents ³.
• A separate path for the crew from the work area to the outside, ideally not the entrance the family uses ³.

Before you sign, ask the company how its crew will contain the dust and clean up under EPA's rule, and whether the firm works under EPA's RRP rule. Lead-safe window replacement covers the rule, testing and the cleaning check in detail.

What happens on installation day

The crew usually starts by protecting the house. In the job This Old House followed, the crew laid runners through the areas it would walk and set bins at each window to keep cleanup simple ². Then the work goes window by window: the old window comes out, the opening is checked, and the new one is set, fastened, insulated, sealed and trimmed. The step-by-step is in how replacement windows are installed.

How long it takes varies with the method and the house. Andersen says a full-frame replacement on the ground floor takes 4 to 6 hours per window, and upper-story windows take longer ¹. This Old House reports that a crew typically installs 8 to 10 windows a day ². If the crew finds rot or water damage once an old window is out, Andersen says the contractor should advise you on what to do, which can pause that opening ¹. Stay reachable during the day so those questions do not hold up the crew.

Weather can change plans. This Old House says most jobs can proceed in the rain, though a clear day is better ².

The walkthrough at the end

Andersen recommends planning time with the contractor to look over the finished work, learn how the new windows work, including cleaning and taking out insect screens, and ask questions that could prevent problems later ¹. This Old House describes crews inviting the homeowner to walk through and test the windows once the work is done ². Go to every window, not a sample:

• Operation. Open, close and lock each sash. Tilt-in sashes should tilt and latch back.
• Screens. Check that each screen is in place and fits.
• Trim and finish. Look for gaps, dents and missing trim inside and out, and for caulk where it belongs.
• Glass. Look for scratches or cracks. Andersen says its windows arrive with a factory-applied film that the contractor removes after installing them ¹; check that it is off.
• Cleanup. Check floors, sills and the yard for debris and fasteners. In a pre-1978 home, EPA says the finished work area should show no dust, paint chips or debris, and must be re-cleaned if it does ³.
• Paperwork. Get the product order, the warranty and any permit sign-off.

Write down anything unfinished, with a date for the return visit. Warranties have their own clocks: Milgard's replacement warranty, for example, says owners must submit claims within 30 days of discovering the condition ⁵. More on reading the terms is in window warranties explained.

Before you book

Ask each company, in writing, how long the job will take, how it handles alarms, dust and cleanup, and, for an older home, how it follows the lead-safe rule. How to choose a window installer covers the rest of the quote, starting with one question: Is the installer licensed in your state? The window replacement cost guide covers prices. When you are ready, you can compare quotes from window installers.

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About these figures

• ¹ Reported: Andersen installation day checklist (5 feet of clear space, window treatments and alarms as the main delays, 4 to 6 hours per ground-floor full-frame window, walkthrough, factory film), checked October 27, 2026.
• ² Reported: This Old House account of an installation (7:30 a.m. or 9 a.m. starts, 8 to 10 windows a day, runners, bins, noise, rain, walkthrough), updated June 12, 2026, checked October 27, 2026.
• ³ Official record: EPA Renovate Right pamphlet (pamphlet before work, window replacement in pre-1978 housing, preparing the home, cleaning), September 2011, checked October 27, 2026.
• ⁴ Official record: EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting program page on who the rule covers, last updated June 17, 2026, checked October 27, 2026.
• ⁵ Reported: Milgard replacement product warranty, effective January 1, 2026, 30-day claim window, checked October 27, 2026.