Replace Upstairs Windows First — Bedrooms Now, Main Floor to Match
The bedrooms are cold, the kids' windows stick, and the budget covers one floor this year.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-204-2099.
To replace upstairs windows first, JMB Builders measures every window in the house but orders only the second floor now: the bedrooms, the bath and the hall, each priced per opening. The brand, series, frame color, glass and grille pattern are written on the quote so the main floor matches later. Twin Cities metro and north to St. Cloud. Photo reply within one business day, or a free in-home estimate.
- Second floor first, priced per opening
- Whole house measured once, line written down
- Lift or ladder setup used once for every upper window
When a house is done in phases, most people start with the front because people see it. Starting upstairs is the other common choice, and the reasons are practical. Bedrooms are where drafts and cold glass are felt at night. Bedroom windows are the ones that need to open, latch and meet egress for sleeping rooms. And upstairs windows are the ones that need ladders, roof brackets or a lift, so doing all of them in one setup is efficient.
Phase one is the second floor as a finished floor: every upstairs window, set, flashed and trimmed inside and out. Doing only half the bedrooms leaves a mismatch you see from the yard and inside the hall.
The main floor and basement are measured on the same visit and listed on the plan. The quote records the brand, series, frame color, glass package and grille pattern. When you are ready for phase two, it is ordered from that list so the downstairs matches the upstairs.
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
- A photo of each upstairs window from inside, labeled by room
- Photos of the outside showing what is below each upper window: roof, deck, landscaping
- Your choice of line, color and glass for the whole house, not just this phase
- Bedrooms cleared back from the windows on install days
- Paint or stain color if you want it: painting is quoted as a separate line, or leave it primed and caulked
What JMB supplies
- One in-person measure of every window in the house, upstairs and down
- A line-item quote for the upstairs openings, priced per opening
- The main floor and basement listed on the same plan for later phases
- Brand, series, color, glass and grille pattern written on the quote
- Access setup for upper windows: ladders, roof brackets or a rented lift
- Bedroom windows that open to the egress range when the opening allows it
- Floors and furniture covered, each room closed the same day, haul-away
How it is priced: per opening
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- How many upstairs openings and their styles
- Access: windows set from inside vs. worked from ladders, a roof or a rented lift
- Insert or full frame, opening by opening
- Bedroom windows that need a different style to meet egress
- Siding, stucco or brick around the upper openings
- Rot at sills on the weather side, found when windows come out
A photo of what is under each upper window (roof, deck, flower bed) tells us how it is reached and whether a lift is needed.
How long it takes
Lead time depends on the brand and is written on the quote. A floor of four to eight upstairs windows usually installs in one to three 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
Bedrooms only
When the budget is tight, the sleeping rooms go first and the upstairs bath and hall window join the next phase. Each line is priced, so you can see the trade.
Whole second floor
Every upstairs window in one phase. The lift or ladder setup is used once, and the upper floor looks finished from outside.
Upstairs plus the patio door
Some owners pair the upstairs windows with the main-floor patio door in phase one, because the slider is the other opening people feel in winter. It goes on the same order.
Replace Upstairs Windows First — Bedrooms Now, Main Floor to Match: questions, answered
Should I replace upstairs or downstairs windows first?
Start with the floor that is failing or uncomfortable. Upstairs goes first when the bedrooms are cold or drafty, bedroom windows will not open or lock, or the upper windows are in worse shape from weather. Downstairs or the front goes first when appearance or a sale is the priority.
Will the downstairs windows match if I do them later?
They can, if the brand, series, frame color, glass package and grille pattern are written down at the first phase and the line is still made when you order phase two. JMB Builders measures the whole house at the first visit and records all of it on the plan.
Is it cheaper to do all the upstairs windows at once?
Usually the access setup is the reason. Ladders, roof brackets or a rented lift get set up once for every upper window instead of once per phase. Each window is still priced on its own line so you can see the difference.
Do new upstairs bedroom windows have to meet egress?
A sleeping room needs a window that meets egress, and a replacement is the time to check it. If the existing opening allows it, a casement or a different style can reach the code range without cutting the wall. We check each bedroom at the measure.
How long does it take to replace the upstairs windows?
Lead time depends on the brand and is written on the quote. Once the windows are on site, a floor of four to eight upstairs windows usually takes one to three working days. Each room is closed up the same day.
Can upstairs windows be replaced from inside?
Many inserts can be set from inside the room, then finished outside from a ladder. Full frame windows and windows over a roof are worked from outside with ladders, roof brackets or a lift. The quote says which method each window gets.
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 whole-house projects pages
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