Phased Apartment Window Replacement — Same Spec Every Year
Replacing every window at once does not fit the budget, so the work goes in pieces over several years.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-204-2099.
Phased apartment window replacement splits the building or complex into pieces, by building, elevation or vertical stack of units, and orders each piece to the same written spec so year three matches year one. JMB Builders sets up the phases, re-measures and re-checks the product before each order, and tells you if a line or color has changed. Twin Cities metro to St. Cloud, priced per unit. Photo reply within one business day, or a free estimate and walkthrough.
- Phases by building, elevation or stack
- One written spec for every phase
- Product checked before each reorder
There are three common ways to cut an apartment window job into phases. By building, on a complex with several. By elevation, starting with the side that takes the weather. Or by stack, the units one above the other, which keeps each phase's exterior work in one vertical line. The right split depends on where the worst windows are and how the money comes in.
The risk in phasing is the reorder. Manufacturers change lines, colors, glass packages and grille patterns between years. If the second phase is ordered from memory, a white frame can come back a slightly different white, or the grille pattern changes. We write the spec down once: brand, series, interior and exterior color, glass, grilles, screen color, install method, and the capping and trim details. Every phase is ordered from that page.
Before each phase, we re-measure every opening in it and check the spec against what the manufacturer still makes. If something changed, you hear about it before the order, with the closest match and a sample if one is available. On a building of five or more units, we also re-check the city's contractor licensing and permit rules for each phase, since they can change between years.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
What you supply
- The phasing you prefer, or the budget per year so we can suggest one
- Approval of the written spec before the first order
- Tenant notices and unit access for each phase
- Any building standards for screens, hardware or trim color
What JMB supplies
- Two or three phasing options with units and openings in each
- One written spec: brand, series, colors, glass, grilles, install method
- A re-measure of every opening before each phase is ordered
- A check of the spec against current product before each reorder
- Notice before ordering if a color or line has changed
- A firm bid per phase, each opening listed
- Permit pulled for each phase when the city requires one
How it is priced: per unit
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- How many units and openings are in each phase
- Manufacturer price changes between phases
- The window line, glass and color in the spec
- Insert vs. full frame at each opening
- Upper-floor exterior access for the phase's elevation or stack
- Extra mobilizations: more, smaller phases cost more to set up than fewer large ones
Each phase is priced when it is ready to order. Earlier phase prices are not carried forward because manufacturer prices change.
How long it takes
Each phase runs on its own schedule. Lead time depends on the brand and is written on the quote; installs typically take one to two working days per unit.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
By building
Simplest to explain to residents and owners. Each building is finished and matched before the next starts.
By elevation
The weather side first. Good when one face of the building has the rot and the failed seals.
By stack
Units stacked one above another in one phase. Keeps exterior access and capping on one vertical line per phase.
Phased Apartment Window Replacement — Same Spec Every Year: questions, answered
Can apartment windows be replaced in phases over several years?
Yes. Split the work by building, elevation or stack, write one spec, and order every phase to it. Each phase is re-measured and priced when it is ready, because sizes need checking and manufacturer prices change.
Will windows from a later phase match the first phase?
They should if every phase is ordered from the same written spec and the manufacturer still makes it. Lines and colors do change between years. We check before each reorder and tell you before ordering if anything is different.
Is it cheaper to do one building at a time or the whole complex at once?
One large order and one mobilization usually costs less to set up than several small ones. Phasing spreads the cost over budget years instead. We can price both so you see the difference before deciding.
Which units should go first in a phased window replacement?
Usually the units with leaks, rot, broken glass or bedroom windows that do not open as they should. After that, the weather side of the building. A walkthrough shows where those are.
What if the window line is discontinued before the last phase?
We tell you before the order and show the closest current match in color, sightlines and grilles. You decide whether to switch the remaining phases or the whole spec. Planning the later phases close together lowers this risk.
Does each phase need its own permit?
Often, yes, because each phase is its own job in the city's eyes. Buildings of five or more units fall under the commercial building code, and we check the city's licensing and permit rules before each phase is bid.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and the builders we work with. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Related jobs we do
Replace Windows in Phases — A Written Multi-Year Plan That Matches
The budget does not cover every window this year. Plan the whole house now so phase three matches phase one.
Read moreStandardize Windows Across Rental Properties — One Spec, Every House
You own several rental houses with a mix of old windows, and every repair call is a different brand, a different screen and a different part to hunt down.
Read moreApartment Capital Improvement Windows and Doors — Plan, Budget, Bid
Windows and patio doors are on the five-year capital plan, and the line in the spreadsheet is a guess. A walkthrough and a priced spec turn it into a number you can defend.
Read moreApartment Window Replacement Bid — What Ours Includes
You have asked for bids on the building's windows and want to know what a complete one looks like before they start coming in.
Read more1960s Apartment Building Window Replacement — Aluminum Sliders Out
Your building went up in the 1960s or '70s, and the original aluminum sliders sweat, frost, rattle and leak in every unit.
Read moreAccessible Apartment Door Upgrades — Levers, Thresholds, Wider Doors
A tenant uses a wheelchair or walker, or you are updating common-area doors, and you want levers, low thresholds and wider doors done right in an occupied building.
Read morePage reviewed October 9, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All apartment buildings pages
Where we work
Apartment & Multifamily Window and Door Projects near you
Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: