Basement Window Replacement — Hopper or Slider, Supplied and Installed
Rusted steel frames, rotted wood bucks, single glass that frosts all winter. We supply the new basement windows and set them right in the concrete.
JMB Builders does full-service basement window replacement across the Twin Cities metro. We measure the opening in the block or poured wall, supply a new vinyl hopper or slider, cut out the old steel or wood frame, set a new treated or PVC-wrapped buck where needed, seal the window to the concrete, and trim the inside. Priced per window; quote from photos within one business day.
- Priced per window, window supplied
- Block or poured concrete walls
- In-home measure before anything is ordered
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Original basement windows in Twin Cities houses are usually single-pane steel or wood units set in a wood buck or straight into the concrete. The steel rusts, the wood buck rots where it touches the block, and the glass frosts over every winter. They also leak air all around the frame, which is why the basement stays cold.
A basement window is not set like a window in a framed wall. The opening is concrete, so the seal between the buck and the wall matters more than anything. We cut out the old frame, replace any rotted buck with treated or PVC-wrapped material, set the new unit in sealant, foam it, and seal it outside against the concrete so water in the well does not find its way in. This page is for replacing the window in the same opening. To make the opening bigger for a bedroom, see egress window installation.
What you supply
- Clear access to each window inside: storage moved back a few feet
- Your choice of hopper or slider, color and glass
- Your paint color for interior trim — Painting is quoted as a separate line — or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself.
What JMB supplies
- In-home measure of each concrete opening before ordering
- The basement windows: vinyl hoppers or sliders ordered to size
- Cut-out and haul-away of old steel or wood frames
- New treated or PVC-wrapped buck where the old one is rotted
- Sealant, low-expansion foam and exterior sealing to the concrete
- Interior trim: drywall returns, wood jamb extensions or a clean painted buck
- Photos of the finished windows in your job folder
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Steel frame cast into the wall vs. a wood frame in a buck
- Whether the buck is sound or has to be rebuilt
- Hopper vs. slider, size and glass package
- Finished basement with drywall and trim vs. an unfinished wall
- Condition of the window well: debris, drainage or a rusted well
- How many basement windows in the same visit
Send a photo of each basement window from inside and from the well outside.
How long it takes
One hopper in a sound wood buck: two to three hours. A steel frame cut out with a new buck built: about half a day. Three or four windows: a full day.
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
Hopper window
Hinged at the bottom, tips in from the top. The most common basement replacement: good ventilation, easy to reach from below, and a tight seal when latched.
Slider window
Two sashes, one slides. A fit for wide, short openings. Check egress rules if the room is used as a bedroom; a slider in an existing small opening rarely meets them.
Replacing glass block
Mortared glass block cut out and a hopper or slider set in its place. Covered on its own page for glass block swaps.
Basement Window Replacement — Hopper or Slider, Supplied and Installed: questions, answered
Can you replace a steel basement window frame?
Yes. Steel frames are often set right into the concrete. We cut the frame out, clean up the opening, build a treated or PVC-wrapped buck, and set the new window into it with sealant and foam. The concrete stays intact.
Hopper or slider for a basement window?
Hoppers tip in from the top and seal tightly when latched, so they are the usual choice for small basement openings. Sliders suit wide, short openings. Neither makes a small opening into an egress window; that takes cutting the wall.
Do new basement windows help a cold basement?
They help at the windows themselves. Old single-glass steel units leak air around the frame and frost over, and a new sealed window stops that. The rest of the basement's temperature depends on the walls, rim joists and heating.
Why is my basement window buck rotted?
Wood bucks sit against concrete that wicks moisture, and many were never treated. Water from the well sits on the sill and rots it from outside. We replace rotted bucks with treated or PVC-wrapped material and seal the exterior joint.
Is this the same as installing an egress window?
No. This page is about replacing the window in the same opening. An egress window means cutting the wall to make the opening bigger and adding a well you can climb out of. We do both; they are priced differently.
Do you trim the inside of basement windows?
Yes. Finished basements get drywall returns or wood jamb extensions with casing to match the room. Unfinished basements usually get a clean, painted buck. Painting is quoted separately, or you can paint the trim yourself.
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 for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
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.
Related jobs we do
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Thick foundation walls, a sill that sweats every winter, an egress unit sitting in a window well — basement windows need trim built for a basement, not copied from upstairs.
Read moreWindow Well Installation and Covers — Wells Replaced, Gravel and Drain
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All windows pages
Where we work
Windows near you
Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: