Most homeowners have replaced windows exactly zero times before they hire us, so the day itself is a mystery — and mystery breeds anxiety. Here's what actually happens, hour by hour, when a Wood Windows crew works in your home. We've included the imperfect parts too, because after 46 years we've learned that homeowners trust the company that tells them about the dust before installation day.
The Week Before
A few days out, our office calls to confirm the date, the arrival window, and the count of windows on the schedule. We'll remind you of the prep that helps us most: a clear path to each window, window treatments down, wall hangings near the openings removed, gates unlocked, and pets planned for. If the forecast looks genuinely bad — more on weather below — this is usually when we'd talk about it.
Morning: The Walkthrough
The crew lead — a Wood Windows employee, the same trade you'd have met at the measure — walks the house with you before anyone picks up a pry bar. Together you confirm the sequence of rooms, flag anything fragile, agree where the trucks and the debris trailer sit, and trade cell numbers. Ten minutes here prevents every miscommunication we've ever seen.
Then protection goes down: runners over floors along the work paths, drop cloths and plastic masking around each opening, covers over nearby furniture. Let's be honest about dust: removing forty-year-old windows makes some, no matter who does it. We can't promise zero dust. We can promise masking, containment, and a cleanup you'll be able to judge for yourself at five o'clock.
During the Day: One Opening at a Time
We work room by room, and — this matters — one opening at a time. The old window doesn't come out until the new one is staged, inspected, and ready to go in. Each opening is exposed for well under an hour, then sealed permanently. Your house is never left standing open, which is why we install year-round in Idaho, including January.
The rhythm per window: interior tear-out, opening inspection, flashing and prep, set and shim, fasten, foam, exterior seal, interior finish. Expect 30 to 90 minutes per window — inserts on the quick end, full-frame with new trim on the long end. A typical whole house runs one to three days. If a window can't be fully finished by end of day, it doesn't get started that day. Period.
About surprises: behind 40-year-old trim, surprises happen — a soft sill, framing someone "fixed" in 1988, a hornet's nest with strong opinions. When we find one, work on that opening stops and the crew lead shows you what we found, in person, with a written price for the fix before we proceed. You decide with full information and your leverage intact. Most repairs add an hour or two, not a day.
Noise, Pets, and Kids
It's construction: reciprocating saws, hammering, and the occasional satisfying crack of old trim letting go. Plan video calls away from the work, and give pets a closed room or a day at a friend's — a propped-open door and a curious dog is a combination we take seriously at the morning walkthrough. Kids find window installation fascinating; we'd rather they watch from a doorway than a work zone, and our crews are good about saying so kindly.
Weather Calls
Rain and snow don't automatically cancel — remember, one opening at a time means minimal exposure, and we tent and shield openings when needed. What does change plans: sustained heavy rain, high wind that makes carrying glass unsafe, or extreme cold that compromises sealant cure. When we postpone, it's a judgment call made for the quality of your install, we make it as early as possible, and you get the next available slot — not the back of the line.
End of Each Day: Cleanup
Every day ends with cleanup, not just the last one: debris loaded out, floors vacuumed along the work paths, a magnetic sweep outside for dropped fasteners, and old windows hauled away in our trailer — disposal is included, never a line-item surprise.
The Final Walkthrough
When the last window is trimmed, the crew lead walks every unit with you: open, close, tilt, lock. You operate each one yourself — locks should close with two fingers, and if one doesn't, it gets tuned on the spot, not "on the punch list." We show you the weep holes not to block, the cleaning dos and don'ts, and answer everything. We don't leave until you've personally worked every window in the house.
After We Leave
Within days, we register your product warranties with the manufacturer — as an authorized dealer we handle the paperwork, and you get the confirmations. Expect a call from our office in the first week to make sure everything still operates the way it did at walkthrough. New construction settles and seals seat; if anything needs a tweak, the people who come back are the same AAMA-certified employees who did the work — because in 46 years we've never handed a customer to a subcontractor, on installation day or any day after.
Have a question about your own project's timeline? The measure is free and so are the answers: (208) 376-2200, or use the form on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be home during window installation?
You should be there for the morning walkthrough and the final walkthrough at the end. In between, most homeowners work from home, run errands, or go to the office — the crew doesn't need you standing by. We just need access to every room with a window on that day's schedule, and a phone number where we can reach you if something behind the trim needs a decision.
Will my house be open to the weather during installation?
No. A professional crew works one opening at a time: the old window comes out only when the new one is prepped and ready to go in, so each opening is exposed for well under an hour. Your house is never left standing open, and every window started gets finished and sealed the same day.
How should I prepare my house for window installation day?
Clear a three-foot path to each window inside, take down curtains, blinds, and anything hanging on walls near the openings, and move fragile items off nearby shelves — hammering vibrates walls. Outside, trim back shrubs touching the house and unlock gates. We handle floor protection, plastic masking, and furniture draping ourselves.
What happens if installers find rot or hidden damage during the job?
Work on that opening stops. We show you the damage directly — not just a photo after the fact — explain what it means, and give you a written price for the repair before touching it. Minor sill repairs are common in homes over 30 years old and usually add an hour or two, not a day. Nothing gets covered up, and nothing gets billed that you didn't approve.
Last reviewed 2026-07-06 by Wood Windows Inc — (208) 376-2200