Frequently Asked Questions

National cost guides put a single impact window at roughly $700 to $2,875 installed, depending on size and frame, and a 10-window home at about $7,000 to $28,750. HVHZ products and large openings sit toward the upper part of those ranges. Your written estimate, priced opening by opening, is the actual number.

Yes. The City of Doral requires a building permit for window and door replacement, with product approvals, a floor plan of the openings and notarized signatures. A Notice of Commencement is needed before the first inspection for jobs over $5,000. We prepare and file the package.

A Notice of Acceptance is Miami-Dade County's approval for a building product used in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. It lists the product's tested pressures, sizes and the exact anchoring method. The city's inspector checks the installation against it.

Impact windows protect the house all the time with no setup, and they also cut outside noise. Shutters cost less per opening but must be closed before each storm; motorized roll-downs make that a switch instead of a ladder job. Many Doral owners use impact glass on most openings and shutters on a few large ones to manage cost.

Florida law requires condo and HOA boards to adopt hurricane protection specifications, which can control color and style. An association may not deny an application that follows those specifications. Get the specifications from your management office before choosing a product.

For a typical house, the install itself usually takes a few days, though large homes or many oversized openings take longer. Ordering custom-sized impact units and getting the permit approved take most of the calendar time, so plan for weeks before the install date.

They can. A wind mitigation inspector records opening protection on Form OIR-B1-1802, and insurers give credits based on it. To get the full credit, every opening, including doors and garage doors, typically needs approved protection. Ask your agent what your policy credits before you decide.

Yes. Sleeping rooms need an emergency escape opening, and the City of Doral asks for egress windows to be marked on the floor plan with sill height and opening size. We pick a casement or hung window that meets the required clear opening for those rooms.

Yes, the outer pane can crack when struck. The laminated interlayer is designed to hold the pieces in place so the opening stays closed. A cracked unit should be replaced afterward.

The laminated interlayer dampens sound, so most owners notice less traffic and aircraft noise. Units with an added insulating pane typically reduce it further.

Yes. Each opening is priced separately, so you can do the most exposed sides first. Keep in mind that insurance credits for opening protection usually require every opening to be protected.

White and bronze are the most common, with other colors depending on the product line. If you live in a condo or HOA, check the association's hurricane protection specifications before choosing.

Ask for the Miami-Dade NOA or Florida Product Approval number for each product. Both are public, and the document lists the tested pressures, sizes and anchoring method.

In the HVHZ, usually not. The approval covers the slab, frame and hardware as a tested system, so the whole unit is replaced.

Outward-opening doors are common in South Florida because wind pushes them into the frame. Inward-opening impact doors are available with the right hardware. Walkway space and steps often decide it.

Often yes, if the lock fits the tested hardware. We confirm compatibility before ordering so the rating is not affected.

Building code depends on whether it is an exterior opening. For insurance opening-protection credit, all exterior openings typically need protection, so ask your agent how they treat it.

The laminated panels are heavier, so quality rollers and a clean track matter. A well-adjusted unit should still slide smoothly with one hand.

Usually yes, following the association's hurricane protection specifications and with a permit. We confirm building access and any elevator booking with management.

Most single sliders are replaced in one day. Large multi-panel or corner units can take longer, especially when the opening needs repair.

Each unit has a tested water rating. Choosing a rating that suits the exposure, plus proper sill sealing and patio slope, keeps driven rain out in most conditions.

Often yes, if the opening width suits a French door pair with or without sidelights. Clear swing space outside is the main thing to check.

Yes. The approved system relies on its tested multi-point lock and head and sill bolts to keep the doors together under pressure.

That depends on the association's hurricane protection specifications and any rules on the exterior look. Get them before choosing a style.

Not with separate small panes. The look comes from grilles built into or applied to the laminated glass.

Installing permanent hurricane shutters generally requires a building permit with the product approval. Check with the City of Doral Building Department for your specific case; we file it as part of the job.

Both must pass the same HVHZ impact tests to be approved. Clear panels cost more but let daylight in while they are up.

Yes. Many homes use impact glass on some openings and shutters on others. For insurance credit, every opening needs approved protection of some kind.

Follow local emergency guidance, and leave time to finish before winds pick up. Panels and ladders are unsafe in gusty conditions.

Many motors have a manual crank override or a battery backup. Ask for one, since storms are when outages happen.

When closed, yes, the room goes dark. When raised, the slats sit in the box and the window is fully clear.

Often, if the association's hurricane protection specifications allow them. Many boards set the type and color.

They cost more, but they close faster and keep a cleaner look with the shutter stored overhead. For large or upper-floor openings, many owners find the extra cost worthwhile.