Standard Window Spec for Apartment Portfolio Owners — One Line
You own or manage several apartment buildings, each with a different window from a different decade, and maintenance keeps a shelf of parts that fit only one address.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-204-2099.
A standard window spec for apartment portfolio owners is one written page: brand and series, exterior and interior color, glass package, hardware finish, screen and install method, used at every building. JMB Builders writes it with the owner or asset manager, measures each building in person, and bids each one per opening under the same spec, Twin Cities metro to St. Cloud. Photo reply within one business day, or a free walkthrough.
- One written spec, carried on every bid
- Priced per opening, building by building
- Deviations listed by opening with the reason
Every window line has its own sash lock, crank operator, balance, screen frame and weatherstrip. A portfolio with four lines means four sets of parts, four ways to remove a screen and four calls to find out what is still made. One spec across the buildings means maintenance learns one window, orders one set of parts and tells tenants one way to work it.
The spec fits on one page: brand and series, exterior color, interior color, glass coating and pane count, grille choice (usually none on rentals), hardware finish, screen mesh, and the install method for each cladding type, such as insert in brick and full frame with new capping in lap siding. Sizes change at every opening; the spec does not.
Some openings have to deviate, and the bid says which and why. Before we bid, we check the city's contractor licensing and permit rules for that building. Buildings of five or more units fall under the commercial building code, so bedroom egress, window opening control devices on upper floors and safety glass near doors and stairs are checked at each building, and the building official decides what applies.
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 list of buildings and the order you want them done
- Approval of the written spec before any building is ordered
- Notice to tenants and access to units for measuring and install
- Who each building's invoice is made out to
What JMB supplies
- A one-page written spec, reviewed with you line by line
- An in-person measure of every opening at each building
- A per-opening bid for each building under the same spec
- Deviations flagged by opening, with the code or size reason
- Each building ordered as one package so color and glass match
- A parts list per building: lock, operator, screen and balance
- Certificate of insurance and W-9 on request
How it is priced: per opening
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- The line chosen for the spec and its glass package
- Number of buildings and openings ordered together
- Insert or full frame at each building, by cladding type
- Openings that deviate for egress, safety glass or size
- Exterior capping or trim work at each building
- Upper-floor access: ladders or staging
Send the addresses, unit counts and one photo of a typical window at each building. We draft the spec, then measure each building before its bid is final.
How long it takes
The spec is written before the first bid. Lead time depends on the brand and is written on each quote. Once windows arrive, a unit typically takes one to two working days.
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
Value spec
A white vinyl line in sliders and single-hungs, dual-pane Low-E, color-matched hardware. The lowest cost per opening and the simplest parts list.
Mid spec with dark exterior
A vinyl or Fibrex line with a dark exterior and white interior, such as the Pella 250 dual-color or the Andersen 100 Series. Tenants paint walls, not window frames.
Cold-side upgrade
The same line everywhere, with triple-pane on north and west elevations where the line offers it. The spec names which elevations get the upgrade.
Spec with written exceptions
One line, plus a short list of openings that use a different style for egress or a fixed unit in a stair. The exceptions are on the spec, so the next order repeats them.
Standard Window Spec for Apartment Portfolio Owners — One Line: questions, answered
Why use one window spec across all our apartment buildings?
One line means one set of locks, cranks, balances and screens. Maintenance learns one window, parts orders get shorter, and tenants get the same operation in every unit. The spec is written once and printed at the top of every bid.
What goes into an apartment window specification?
Brand and series, exterior and interior color, glass coating and pane count, grilles or none, hardware finish, screen mesh, and the install method for each cladding type. Sizes are measured at each opening and are not part of the spec.
When should a building use a different window than the spec?
When the code or the opening calls for it: a bedroom window that must meet egress, safety glass near a door or stair, an opening too large for the standard style, or a city design review. Each exception is listed on the bid by opening with the reason. The building official decides code questions.
What if the window line in our spec gets discontinued?
Window lines and colors change over time. We check the spec against what is orderable before each new building is bid and tell you if anything has changed, so you can approve the closest match before the order goes in.
Can each apartment building be bid and invoiced separately?
Yes. Each building gets its own per-opening bid under the same spec and its own invoice, made out to the owner entity you name. Payment is by check or direct deposit.
Does buying windows for several buildings at once lower the price?
Ordering more openings at once and installing buildings back to back usually helps the cost per opening. We can show the buildings priced together and separately, so the owner can decide whether to group them.
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.
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Read morePage reviewed October 9, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All apartment buildings pages
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