Install a Window You Bought Online — Labor-Only Window Installation
The window company wants to sell you their window. You already found yours online and just need it put in right: flashed, foamed, square, and trimmed by a crew that installs windows for a living.
JMB Builders will install a window you bought online anywhere in the Twin Cities metro, labor only. Before you order, send photos and measurements and we confirm the rough opening, whether you need a replacement insert or a new-construction unit with a nailing fin, and the jamb depth. When it arrives we check it against the opening, pull the old window, flash and set the new one, seal it and trim it. Priced per window, quoted within one business day.
- Priced per window, labor only
- We check your measurements before you order
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Online window prices are hard to ignore, and the catch is that nobody on the seller's end will come to your house. We install homeowner-supplied windows across the Twin Cities metro every week, most of them for window companies as a subcontractor, so a window that shows up in a crate from a website is not a strange job for us. The install is the same: old unit out, opening cleaned to the sheathing, sill pan, flashing tape, window set plumb and square, shimmed, foamed, sealed and trimmed.
What goes wrong with online windows is almost always the order, not the install. The three things to get right before you click buy are the rough opening, the window type (a replacement insert that goes inside the old frame versus a new-construction unit with a nailing fin that needs the siding cut back), and the jamb depth so the interior trim lands where it should. We check all three from your photos and measurements, no charge, before you spend the money.
What you supply
- The window: right size for the opening, replacement insert or new-construction fin, correct jamb depth
- Measurements and photos before you order, so we can confirm the size and type
- Interior trim style you want if it should match other windows (we stock standard profiles)
- Exterior trim or siding pieces if the window is a different size than the old one
What JMB supplies
- A check of your measurements and order details before you buy, no charge
- Removal and haul-away of the old window
- Sill pan, flashing tape, shims, low-expansion foam, backer rod and exterior sealant
- Interior jamb extensions and casing, or drywall returns, to match the house
- Exterior trim, brickmould or siding repair around a new-construction unit, quoted from photos
- Rot repair at the sill or framing when we find it, quoted before we go on
- Photos of the finished window in your job folder
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Replacement insert into the old frame vs. full-frame new-construction install with the siding cut back
- Size of the unit and whether it is a single window, a mulled pair or a picture window that takes two people to lift
- Second-story windows that need staging or a ladder crew
- Rot at the sill or framing under the old window, common on older wood windows
- Interior finish: jamb extensions and casing vs. drywall returns
- Siding type around the opening: vinyl and lap siding come off easily; stucco and brick take longer
- Number of windows in the same visit
Send a wide shot of each window from inside and outside, a close-up of the old frame with a tape on it, and the order confirmation. The quote covers the full install.
How long it takes
Replacement inserts: three to five in a day. A full-frame new-construction window with siding work: most of a day for one, less each for several.
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 quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 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
Replacement (insert) windows
A frame that sits inside the old window's frame after the sashes come out. No siding work, no nailing fin. Measure the old frame width and height at three points and order the smallest number minus about a quarter inch. We caulk, shim, foam and add interior stops or trim.
New-construction windows with a nailing fin
The whole old window comes out to the rough opening. The siding is cut back, a sill pan and flashing tape go in, the fin is nailed and taped, and the exterior is trimmed and sealed. This is the right choice when the old frame is rotted or you want the full glass size back.
Egress and tempered-glass rules
A bedroom window has to open big enough to climb out of, and glass next to a door, a tub or near the floor has to be tempered. Online sellers do not check this for you. Tell us which room the window is going in and we will flag it before you order.
Basement and odd-size windows
Block basement windows, hopper windows and old wood units in non-standard sizes. We measure the masonry or framing opening, tell you what to order, and build out the buck or jamb so the new unit sits square and trims clean.
Install a Window You Bought Online — Labor-Only Window Installation: questions, answered
Who will install windows I bought online?
JMB Builders installs homeowner-supplied windows across the Twin Cities metro as a labor-only job. We already install windows for several metro window companies as a subcontractor, so a window from an online seller is the same work for us. You order the window, we check the size and type before it ships, then we remove the old unit, flash and set the new one, seal it and trim it. Priced per window, quoted from photos within one business day.
What should I confirm before ordering a window online?
Three things. First, the rough opening: the framed hole behind the trim, measured width and height at three points; for a new-construction window the unit should be about a half inch smaller each way. Second, the type: a replacement insert fits inside your existing frame; a new-construction window has a nailing fin and needs the old frame and some siding removed. Third, jamb depth: a 2x4 wall with half-inch drywall and sheathing is roughly 4-9/16 inches, a 2x6 wall about 6-9/16, and getting it right means the interior trim lands flush. Send us photos and a tape measurement and we confirm all three before you buy.
What happens if the window I ordered online arrives wrong?
We check every unit against the opening before the old window comes out, so a wrong window never leaves you with an open hole. If it is slightly small we can often frame the opening down and trim it; if it is too big or the wrong type, it goes back to the seller and we reschedule. Most online sellers only take returns on undamaged, uninstalled units, which is why we do the measurement check before you order rather than after.
Do you install replacement windows I bought without doing the trim?
We can, but we would rather finish it. Every replacement window we install includes the exterior seal and the interior stop or trim so it is done when we leave. If you want drywall returns, jamb extensions and casing, or a stool and apron to match the other windows in the house, we do that in the same visit and price it per opening.
Can you install a window that is a different size than the old one?
Yes. A smaller window means adding framing inside the old rough opening and patching the siding and drywall around it. A bigger window means a new header and a bigger cut in the wall, which we quote from photos and sometimes a site visit. Either way, tell us before you order and we will tell you what the new opening will cost to build so there are no surprises.
What if there is rot under the old window?
We find it often on older wood windows, usually at the sill and the bottom of the jack studs. We show you what is there, tell you what it takes to fix it and quote the repair before setting the new window. We do not set a new unit on rotted framing and foam over it.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 24, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All doors pages
Where we work
Doors near you
Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: