Home Depot and Lowe's install services sell the window or door and the installation as one package, and the store assigns the job to an independent installer it contracts with. Hiring your own installer means you buy the product yourself and hire a licensed contractor for the labor. Both can turn out a good install. The difference is who you deal with, what the written scope includes, and how much control you have over the schedule and the details.
This is for a Twin Cities homeowner standing in the aisle with a window or door picked out, deciding whether to check the install box at the register or call someone. What the stores sell and what brands they carry is covered in a separate post; this one is about the installation.
How a store install program works
The store sells you a package: the product plus installation. Someone comes out to measure, the order goes in, and the job is assigned to an installer company the store contracts with in your area. The store is your contract and your point of contact for scheduling and problems. The specifics, such as whether there is a measure fee, what the install includes, and what warranty the store gives on the labor, vary by store, by product and over time, so get them in writing at the desk.
The upside is simplicity. One receipt, one phone number, and the store stands between you and the installer if something goes wrong. The trade-off is distance. You usually do not choose the installer, schedule changes go through the store, and extra work found on the day, like a rotted sill, may need a change order through the store before anyone can fix it.
How hiring your own installer works
You buy the window or door, in stock or special order, from whichever store or supplier you want, and hire a licensed installer for labor only. The installer quotes the labor, checks the order before it ships if you ask, and installs it when it arrives. You deal directly with the people doing the work, and questions get answered by the person who will be holding the drill.
The trade-off is that you own the product side. If a special-order window arrives damaged or the wrong size, the return goes through the store, and you are the customer there. A good installer checks the unit before the old one comes out so a bad unit never leaves you with an open wall, but the exchange is still yours.
Side by side
| Store install program | Your own installer | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you contract with | The store | The installer |
| Who does the work | An installer company the store assigns | The installer you picked |
| Product choice | What that store sells for installation | Anything you can buy anywhere |
| Scheduling | Through the store | Directly with the installer |
| Surprises on the day (rot, framing) | Change order through the store | Priced on the spot by the installer |
| Damaged or wrong product | Store handles it inside the job | You return it to the store |
| Labor warranty | The store's terms | The installer's terms |
What should the written scope include?
Whichever way you go, the quote should say what is included. Two installs of the same window can be different jobs. Look for each of these in writing:
- Removal and haul-away of the old unit.
- Insert or full-frame, and what happens to the old frame and trim.
- A sill pan or sill flashing, and flashing tape at the sides and head on full-frame work.
- Low-expansion foam in the gap and a sealed interior edge, not fiberglass stuffed in.
- Interior trim: jamb extensions, casing, stool and apron, and whether it is primed or finished.
- Exterior trim: brickmould, capping or new trim, and caulking.
- Hardware on doors: lockset, deadbolt, strike alignment.
- Rot repair: included, priced per opening, or quoted when found.
- The permit, if your city requires one, and who pulls it.
When each one makes sense
A store program makes sense when you want one receipt and one phone number, you are happy with what that store installs, and you do not mind the store scheduling the work. Hiring your own installer makes sense when you want a product the store does not install, you bought on sale or already own the unit, you want to talk directly with the person doing the job, or the job has trim, rot or framing work that needs decisions on site.
Either way, check the license. Minnesota requires residential building contractors and remodelers to be licensed by the Department of Labor and Industry, and the license lookup on the DLI website takes a minute.
Before you buy: measure
The most expensive mistake with a store-bought window or door is the wrong size. Special orders are built to the size on the order and usually cannot be returned. For a window, you need the frame size for an insert or the rough opening for a full-frame unit, plus the wall depth for jamb extensions. For a door, you need the slab size, the rough opening, the handing and the jamb width. If you are hiring your own installer, send photos before you order and have the installer check the numbers.
What JMB Builders does
JMB Builders is a licensed Minnesota residential building contractor (BC809005) based in Zimmerman, working across the Twin Cities metro. We install windows and doors bought at Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards or online, labor only, and we sell no windows or doors. Send photos of the opening and the product label and you get a written quote within one business day. Paid by check or direct deposit. Call 763-204-2099.
- Home Depot or Lowe's door installation, labor only — jmbbuildersmn.com/services/doors/install-door-from-home-depot-or-lowes
- Install a window you bought online or at a store — jmbbuildersmn.com/services/doors/install-window-bought-online
- Pella 250 Series from Lowe's, installed labor only — jmbbuildersmn.com/services/labor-only/pella-250-window-install-labor-only
- Andersen 100 and 400 Series, labor only — jmbbuildersmn.com/services/labor-only/andersen-100-400-window-install-labor-only
- ReliaBilt door installation — jmbbuildersmn.com/services/labor-only/reliabilt-door-install
- How to measure for a replacement door — jmbbuildersmn.com/services/doors/how-to-measure-for-a-replacement-door
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy windows at Home Depot and hire my own installer?
Yes. Buy the windows in stock or special order and hire a licensed installer for labor only. Measure first, or have the installer measure, because special-order windows are built to the size on the order and usually cannot be returned. The installer should check each unit before the old window comes out.
Who actually installs for Home Depot and Lowe's?
The stores sell the installation and assign the job to independent installer companies they contract with in each area. The store is your contract and your point of contact. Ask the store which company is assigned and whether it is licensed in Minnesota.
Is the store install program or my own installer cheaper?
It depends on the job and what each scope includes, so compare written quotes rather than totals. Check that both include removal, a sill pan, flashing, foam, interior and exterior trim, haul-away and the permit if your city requires one. A lower price that leaves out trim or flashing is not the same job.
What if a store-bought window arrives damaged?
In a store install program, the store handles the replacement inside the job. If you hired your own installer, the installer should check the unit before removing the old one and tell you what is wrong, and you exchange it with the store. Keep the packaging and the receipt until the unit is installed.
How do I check an installer's license in Minnesota?
Use the license lookup on the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry website. Search by name or license number and confirm the license is active. JMB Builders LLC holds Minnesota residential building contractor license BC809005.
