Window Replacement in Seattle
Replacement windows for Seattle and Eastside homes, measured, ordered and installed by one licensed team.
- We measure every opening and check the frame and sill for rot before we quote.
- We tell you which windows fall under the egress, safety glass and energy rules.
- You approve a written, itemized price before any old window comes out.
By appointment. Limited start dates.
- Over 200 projects
- 4.9 on Google
- 20+ years building
- WA license VOLCABI792C6
When old windows start working against the house
Most calls about window replacement in Seattle start with one of these three.
Fog you cannot wipe away
When the seal of a double pane unit fails, moisture gets between the panes and clouds the glass from the inside, where no cleaning can reach it.
Single pane glass and drafty sashes
The state energy code gives an unlabeled single pane window a default U-factor of 0.95 in a wood or vinyl frame and 1.20 in a metal one. A replacement window has to reach 0.30 or lower, so the gap is large.
A bedroom window nobody could climb through
In an older house a bedroom window can be small or painted shut, yet it is also the room's emergency exit. Seattle expects a replacement to meet the escape size, so the new window is sized for that from the start.
Replacement windows we install
One team measures, orders and installs, from one fogged sash to every window in the house.
Vinyl windows
Vinyl frames in double hung, slider, casement, awning and picture styles. Before you choose, we compare the U-factor on each unit's NFRC label with the 0.30 the state code sets.
Fiberglass, wood and aluminum
Fiberglass frames, wood frames for older houses where trim and proportions matter, and aluminum where the design calls for a thin frame.
Insert replacement
Where the old frame is sound, square and dry, a new window can go inside it and the interior trim stays in place. We check the frame at several points before we suggest this route.
Full frame replacement
Where the frame or sill is soft or out of square, the whole unit comes out to the rough opening, so rot in the framing is found and repaired.
Egress and safety glass
Bedroom windows sized to the escape minimums, and safety glazing where the code calls for it: next to doors, tubs and showers, beside stairs and in large panes close to the floor.
Larger openings and permits
A wider window or a new opening means cutting into the wall, so it needs a permit. We file it, schedule the inspections and order the window once the size is settled.
Replacing windows as part of a bigger project? New windows often go in during whole home remodeling and home additions. See all of our residential remodeling services.
Homeowners on how we run a job
We were nervous about hiring a contractor because we were first-time homeowners, but Volcano Builders made it easy to understand. They made everything clear and helped us stick to our budget. I'm very happy with how everything turned out.
Volcano did a master bath remodel for us. The project was completed efficiently and on time. All of their workman were courteous and hard working. When we had a couple of material delivery delays they kindly adjusted their schedules. Their pricing was fine and the terms of the contract were fulfilled. We highly recommend Volcano Building.
Bar and the team at Volcano Builders did a great job! Professional service, great communication throughout the whole process, and everything was done with care and attention to detail. Highly recommend!
Just completed my inital meeting with Volcano Builders about my bathroom remodels and couldn't be happier with the interaction. On time, professional and extremely knowledge. Highly recommend you invite them out to see your next home improvement project!
How your window installation runs
Three steps, one team, and a written price before anyone picks up a tool.
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Measure and inspect
We measure each opening, check frames and sills for rot or leaks, and note the bedrooms, the panes near a tub, door or stair, and the year the house was built.
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Written scope and price
Each window is listed with its size, style, frame material, rated U-factor and installation type, plus any permit, and you approve the price before anything is ordered.
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Install and walkthrough
One project manager runs removal, installation, flashing, trim and cleanup, then tests every new window with you.
What sets the price of window replacement in Seattle
Four things drive most of a window quote. Your written estimate prices each one on its own line.
How many, how big, what style
Every opening is priced separately. Large picture units, casements and custom shapes cost more than a standard slider.
Frame material and glass
Vinyl, fiberglass, wood and aluminum frames differ in price, and so do glass packages. Every unit still has to meet the 0.30 U-factor, and panes in hazardous locations need safety glazing.
Insert or full frame
Keeping a sound frame saves trim and wall work. Taking the unit out to the rough opening adds labor, and any rot in the sill or framing is repaired before the new window goes in.
Access, age and permits
Upper floor windows need ladders or staging. A house built before 1978 brings the EPA lead rule into the job, and a larger opening adds framing and a permit.
Replacing in stages? Start with bedrooms that lack a working escape window and panes that have lost their seal.
Seattle and Bellevue Remodeling Cost Guide
Financing is available: Home Renovation Financing in Seattle.
Permits and local rules for replacement windows
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The Seattle rule
A bedroom window is still an escape window
Every sleeping room needs an emergency escape opening: at least 5.7 square feet of net clear opening (5 at grade floor), 24 inches of clear height, 20 inches of clear width and a sill no more than 44 inches above the floor. The model code excuses some replacement windows from those sizes; the 2021 Seattle Residential Code marks that section, R310.5, as not adopted.
What we doWe measure the clear opening of each bedroom window before you pick a style, because a slider or double hung opens only part of its frame.
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The state rule
Replacement glass has an energy target
Under the Washington State Energy Code, a new window, sash or glazing that replaces an existing one must meet the fenestration U-factor in Table R402.1.3, which is 0.30. Where several windows are replaced, an area weighted average may be used (section R503.1.1.1, repeated word for word in the Seattle Energy Code).
What we doWe read the NFRC label of every unit we quote and put its rated U-factor on your estimate.
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The Bellevue rule
Same size and place, no permit
Bellevue Development Services requires no permit for a replacement window of the same size in the same location. Installing or moving a window, or making an existing window wider, needs a permit with plan review.
What we doIf you want a larger opening, we tell you at the first visit and file the Bellevue permit before any window is ordered.
In a home built before 1978, the EPA lead rule applies to window replacement regardless of how many square feet of paint it disturbs (EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Program).
Homeowners on camera
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Paul & Burley
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Michelle
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Mr. Will
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Rebecca
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Stephanie
Replacing windows across Greater Seattle
Our main office is in Bellevue, and we replace windows in Seattle, across the Eastside and in the cities around them. This page covers every city we serve.
Permits come from the city the house is in: the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections, or for window replacement in Bellevue, Development Services. We check the rule for your address and file when one is needed.
Planning more work on the house? See our remodeling pages for Seattle and Bellevue, or all 132+ cities we serve.
Window replacement questions
Do I need a permit to replace windows in Seattle?
Possibly, so check before you order. The permit exempt list in section R105.2 of the Seattle Residential Code, chapter 1 does not include window replacement, and its siding exemption leaves out any alteration to doors and windows. We confirm the permit path for your address and file it when needed; see Permit and Project Management in Seattle, WA.
Do I need a permit for window replacement in Bellevue?
Not for a window of the same size in the same location. Bellevue Development Services handout P-3 says installing or moving a window, including making an existing window wider, needs a permit with plan review. Planning more than windows? See home remodeling in Bellevue.
What U-factor do replacement windows need in Washington?
A U-factor of 0.30 or lower. The Washington State Energy Code applies the new construction value in Table R402.1.3 to replacement windows, sashes and glazing, and allows an area weighted average when several are replaced. The U-factor must be rated to NFRC 100 and labeled; an unlabeled window is given a default value, 0.95 for single pane glass in a wood or vinyl frame.
Does the lead paint rule apply to window replacement?
Yes, in homes built before 1978. The EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule covers paid work that disturbs paint in that housing, and the EPA states that window replacement is always covered, however little paint is disturbed.
When does a replacement window need safety glass?
When it sits in a hazardous location under section R308.4 of the Seattle Residential Code: a pane over 9 square feet whose bottom edge is under 18 inches and top edge over 36 inches above the floor, near a walking surface; glass under 60 inches high within 60 inches of a tub or shower; and glass under 36 inches above a stair or landing.
How do I get a price for new windows?
Book a consultation. We measure every opening and send a written, itemized price with the style, frame and U-factor of each window. For background, read the Seattle and Bellevue Remodeling Cost Guide.
I'm Bar, founder of Volcano Builders. I have been building for 20+ years, and our main office is in Bellevue. Most remodeling problems start before any work does: a vague price, a missed permit step, nobody answering the phone. So every project we take on gets a written, itemized price before work starts, a design and permit plan built around your city's rules, and one project manager you can actually reach.
Bar UngerFounder, Volcano Builders
Licensed, bonded and insured · CC VOLCABI792C6 · UBI 604-700-955
Book your window replacement consultation
Tell us about your project, investment range, and timeline. We’ll review the details and reach out to discuss your project and see if we’re the right fit.