What Actually Happens on Window Installation Day

Published July 1, 2026

Booking new windows is easy. Knowing what the crew will actually do inside your house is the part most homeowners never see explained. Here is how a typical installation day unfolds on a Grand Rapids home, step by step, so nothing on the schedule surprises you.

The Morning Setup

We arrive, confirm the units match the order, and lay down floor protection along the work path and under each window. The old glass and sashes come out first, which is why we clear a three-foot lane inside every room ahead of time. On a full-frame job near Fulton Street, we also pull the interior stops and check the framing before anything new goes in. If you want the difference between full-frame and pocket work explained, our full-frame window replacement page walks through both.

Pulling the Old Window

Removal is careful, not rushed. We score the old caulk, free the sashes, and lift the unit out in one piece when we can so debris stays contained. Any rotted sill wood gets cut back to sound framing at this point, because covering a soft sill only hides a problem for a year or two.

Setting the New Unit

The new window goes in level and plumb, checked with a level on both the sill and the jamb. We shim it, fasten through the frame, and confirm the sashes open and lock smoothly before the opening is sealed. An energy-efficient unit gets its NFRC label checked one more time here, so you can see the U-factor you paid for.

Sealing and Insulating

Low-expansion foam fills the gap between the frame and the rough opening. Standard foam can bow a jamb, so we use the window-rated kind that will not distort the frame. Flashing tape ties the unit into the wall’s weather barrier, and a clean caulk bead finishes the exterior.

The Walkthrough

Before we pack up, we walk each window with you, show you the operation and the locks, and vacuum the work area. On a ten-window house the whole visit runs two to three days, but every evening the rooms are usable and sealed.

Ready to get on the schedule? Call Danielritchie at (616) 769-0769 or contact us for a free in-home measure.