Insurance Window Replacement Timeline — Board-Up to Final Invoice
The storm was Tuesday. Here is what happens Wednesday, what happens in the weeks the windows are being built, what install day looks like and when the last check comes.
An insurance window replacement timeline has four stretches: the first day, when broken windows are boarded or get temporary glass; the claim, which runs on the insurer's schedule from filing to approved scope; the order, since windows are made to order and the wait after a big Minnesota storm is weeks; and the install, several windows per visit, then a final invoice that releases depreciation. JMB Builders handles all four across the Twin Cities metro. Priced per window.
- Board-up or temporary glass first, the same visit
- Claim approval runs on the insurer's clock
- Windows are made to order; the wait is weeks
- Final invoice to you the day the install is done
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Send photos and hear back within one business day — or book a free in-home estimate.
Nobody on a window claim controls the whole clock. You control how fast the claim is filed and the photos are taken. The insurer controls the adjuster's visit and the approval. The window maker controls the lead time. We control the board-up, the scope, the measuring and the install. Knowing which stretch you are in, and whose clock it is on, is most of what keeps a claim from feeling stuck.
The first stretch is the day after. Broken glass gets photographed and then covered: plywood over a blown-out opening, or a temporary pane in the sash when the frame is sound and the house needs light. A temporary pane is plain glass cut to the opening and glazed in; it is not the repair, it is what keeps the weather out while the real glass is built. Photograph before covering, because the adjuster will want to see the damage, and keep the broken sash. The second stretch is the claim. You file, the adjuster comes, the estimate is written, we send our scope, and the two get reconciled. That stretch has taken anywhere from a week to a couple of months in our experience, depending on how busy the insurer is after the storm and how much is disputed.
The third stretch is the order, and it starts only after approval, because a window ordered before the scope is settled is a window you may own. Insulated glass units, sashes and whole windows are built to size. The lead time is the maker's and it stretches after a storm that hit the whole metro at once. The fourth stretch is the install. Glass and sash swaps go several to a visit; full-frame units run about half a day each; a whole house is a few days to a week. We photograph the finished windows and hand you the final invoice, matched to the approved scope, the day the work is done. On a replacement-cost policy that invoice is what you send to release the depreciation the insurer held back, and how long they take to release it is theirs to say.
What you supply
- Photos of every broken window before anything is covered
- The claim filed and a claim number, as early as you can
- The adjuster's approved scope, since the order waits for it
- Decisions on any upgrades before the order, since a built window cannot be changed
- Rooms cleared at the windows on install days: blinds down, furniture back, a path to the window
- Your paint color for new casing — painting is quoted as a separate line, or paint it yourself
What JMB supplies
- Board-up or a temporary pane on the first visit, with the damage photographed before it is covered
- A line-item scope with numbered photos for your adjuster
- Measuring and order confirmation once the scope is approved, with options such as the maker you had
- Lead-time updates from the maker as the order moves
- Install: old units out, openings checked, new units set with sill pan, flashing tape, foam and sealant, trim reset
- Daily cleanup and haul-away of old units and glass
- Finished photos and a final invoice matched to the approved scope, handed over the day the work is done
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Board-up or temporary glass as its own line, separate from the permanent repair
- Glass only, sash or whole unit per window, which also sets the lead time
- Rush glass from a local shop for a temporary pane versus made-to-order insulated units
- Full-frame units in siding, brick or stucco, which take longer to install than inserts
- Second-story access and staging
- Whether the whole house installs in one stretch or in phases as orders arrive
Send photos of the broken windows and tell us where the claim stands. We reply within one business day with where you are in the timeline and what comes next.
How long it takes
Board-up: the first visit. Claim approval: the insurer's schedule. Order: weeks, longer after a wide storm. Install: several glass or sash swaps per visit, about half a day per full-frame unit, days for a house.
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
The first day: board-up or temporary pane
Plywood over an opening the sash is gone from. A plain glass pane glazed into a sound sash where you need light and a view until the insulated unit is built. Both are photographed first and listed on the scope.
The claim: filing to approval
File with the storm date and photos. The adjuster inspects and writes an estimate; we send a scope that matches their lines. Reconciling the two is where time goes, and supplements add to it. Ask your adjuster for dates at each step.
The order: lead time
Glass units and sashes are built to size; whole windows are built to order. After a metro-wide hail event, every maker's lead time stretches. We give you the maker's date when we place the order and update you if it moves.
Install day
Rooms cleared at the windows. Old units out, opening checked and repaired if needed, new unit set, flashed, foamed and sealed, interior trim reset. Several windows a day; the house is closed up every night.
Final invoice and depreciation
The day the work is done you get finished photos and a final invoice matched line by line to the approved scope. You send it to your insurer. On a replacement-cost policy that is what releases the held-back depreciation.
Insurance Window Replacement Timeline — Board-Up to Final Invoice: questions, answered
How long does an insurance window claim take from storm to new windows?
Add four stretches. Board-up or temporary glass happens on the first visit. The claim, from filing to an approved scope, runs on the insurer's schedule and has taken anywhere from a week to a couple of months in our experience. The window order is weeks and longer after a storm that hit the whole metro. The install is several windows a day. Most of the calendar is the claim and the order, not the carpentry.
Can I get temporary glass while I wait for the insurance windows?
Yes, when the sash and frame are sound and only the glass is gone. A plain pane is cut to the opening and glazed into the existing sash so you have light and a sealed window while the insulated unit is built. It is listed on the scope as temporary repairs. When the frame is broken out too, plywood is the temporary cover instead.
Why can't the windows be ordered before the insurance approves the scope?
Because a made-to-order window cannot be returned, and the scope can still change. If the adjuster approves glass only and a whole unit is on order, or approves a different size or glass makeup, you own the difference. We measure and confirm options as soon as the scope is approved so the order goes in the same week. The one exception is a window open to the weather, and we board that one up rather than rush an order.
What happens on window install day?
The crew arrives with the units, the rooms are already cleared at the windows, and work goes one window at a time. The old unit comes out, the opening is checked for rot or wind damage and repaired if needed, the new unit is set in a sill pan, flashed, foamed and sealed, and the interior stops and casing are reset. Several windows go in per day. Every opening is closed and locked before the crew leaves.
When do I get the final invoice for the insurance company?
The day the install is finished. It lists the same lines as the approved scope, with any supplement lines added, and comes with finished photos of each window. You send it to your insurer; on a replacement-cost policy it is what releases the recoverable depreciation. We do not control how long the insurer takes to release it, so ask your adjuster when you send it.
Why is the window lead time so long after a hailstorm?
Because every house in the storm's path is ordering at once from the same makers. Insulated glass units, sashes and whole windows are built to size, not pulled from a shelf, and a metro-wide hail event fills the production schedule for weeks. Filing promptly and getting the scope approved quickly puts your order ahead of houses that waited. A temporary pane or board-up keeps the house tight in the meantime.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners, builders and dealers. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
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 763-333-4066.
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Read morePage reviewed October 2, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All insurance repairs pages
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