Window repair: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering window repair

You repair windows, replacing cracked glass and failed seals, fixing balances and sticky sashes, and renewing weatherstripping. Customers judge the work on a window that opens and closes smoothly, seals against drafts and matches the glass they had.

What customers ask

  • Why is my window fogged between the panes?
  • Can you replace just the glass?
  • Why won't the sash stay up?
  • Is my window leaking air?
  • Will the new glass match my old windows?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask the window type, the size, the fog location and whether the sash drops, then give a likely cause.
  • Measure the glass and the glazing before you order, and bring the spacers and seals that match the unit.
  • Check the frame for rot and water damage before you replace a glass unit, and tell the customer about any frame repair.
  • Replace balances in pairs and set the tension so the sash holds at any height.
  • Test the lock, the sash travel and the weather seal before you leave, and show the customer the result.
  • In the quote, name the glass specification, the balance type, the seal and the warranty term.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of replaced glass units, new balances and renewed weatherstripping
  • The window types you repair, such as double-hung, casement and sliding, listed by name
  • Whether you handle glass replacement, balance replacement and frame repair

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Suggest cleaning the sash tracks and lubricating them once a year
  • Recommend checking the weatherstripping every few years, before drafts return
  • Remind the customer to clear the sill drain holes so water does not sit in the frame

Licenses and permits

Window repair is often not licensed as a trade, but some areas require a contractor registration for paid work, and window replacement that changes the opening or framing can need a permit. Check state and local rules with your licensing agency and building department before taking this work.

Questions

Do I need a permit to replace a window?

Replacing a window in the same opening often needs no permit, but changing the size of the opening or the framing often does. Check with your local building department first.

How do I get leads on infinibell?

Pros join free and pay only for the leads they accept. You can decline any lead for free. We review profiles before they go live, and the Insured badge shows once we have checked your current insurance.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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