Single-Hung or Double-Hung Replacement: Which to Order
The quote can go either way and the windows look the same from the curb.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-250-3621.
Single hung or double hung replacement, which to order: double-hung where you will tilt both sashes in to clean or vent from the top, which is most second-floor rooms and bathrooms; single-hung where the bottom sash does the work and you can reach the outside glass, which is many main-floor and garage openings. JMB Builders installs either across the Twin Cities metro, priced per window. Send photos and we reply within one business day, or book a free in-home estimate.
- Double-hung: both sashes move and tilt in
- Single-hung: bottom sash moves, top is fixed
- Same look from the street; mix by room
A single-hung window has a bottom sash that slides up and a top sash that is fixed in the frame. A double-hung has two sashes that both slide, and on a modern window both tilt into the room for cleaning. From outside they are nearly the same window: same frame, same glass line, same grilles. The difference is what you can do from inside the room.
That makes the choice a room-by-room one rather than a whole-house one. Upstairs, where the outside glass is a ladder job, a double-hung lets you tilt both sashes in and wash them standing on the carpet. In a bathroom or a bedroom with a crib, venting from the top sash lets air in without an opening low on the wall. On the main floor, in a garage, a basement or any window you can reach with a hose and a squeegee, a single-hung does the job with one fewer moving sash and one fewer set of balances to wear.
Most lines carry both in the same frame and colors, so you can order single-hung on the main floor and double-hung upstairs and the house reads as one set. We go opening by opening at the measure and write the choice on each line of the quote.
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 763-250-3621.
What you supply
- A list of rooms, and which windows you cannot reach from outside without a ladder
- Photos of the windows from inside and from the street
- Your frame color, grille pattern and screen choice
- Paint color for new trim, or leave it primed
What JMB supplies
- A room-by-room recommendation on the quote: single-hung or double-hung for each opening, with the reason
- The windows, ordered through ABC Supply in the same line and color so the mix matches
- Install with sill pan, flashing, foam and sealant, trimmed inside and out
- A walkthrough where you tilt, lock and open every sash with us
- Photos of the finished windows in your job folder
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Double-hung costs more per window than single-hung in the same line; the gap varies by line
- Where you can reach the outside glass, which decides how many windows need to tilt in
- Window size, grilles, glass package and frame color, which price the same either way
- Insert vs. full frame, and any sill or framing repair
- Screen type: half or full on either style
Label each photo with the room and whether you can reach the outside of that window from the ground. That is most of the decision.
How long it takes
Either style installs the same: about half a day for one window, several a day for a house. Lead time runs with the line.
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
Double-hung upstairs, single-hung down
The common mix: tilt-in cleaning where a ladder would be needed, and the simpler window where you can reach the glass. Same line and color on both floors.
Double-hung throughout
For owners who want every window to vent from the top and tilt in, or a two-story house where most glass is hard to reach.
Single-hung throughout
A rambler, cabin, garage or rental where every window is reachable and fewer moving parts matter more than top venting.
Single-Hung or Double-Hung Replacement: Which to Order: questions, answered
Which rooms should get single-hung instead of double-hung?
Rooms where you can reach the outside glass from the ground: most main-floor rooms on a rambler or split, garages, basements and three-season porches. The single-hung opens from the bottom like a double-hung does, and the fixed top sash is one less thing to adjust. Rooms where you would need a ladder to wash the outside are the ones to make double-hung.
Does a single-hung seal better than a double-hung?
A little, in principle: the fixed top sash has no meeting-rail gap to seal and no balances to loosen over the years. In practice a well-made double-hung from a current line seals well, and the difference is small. The install, the foam and the flashing matter more than the sash count.
Can I clean the top sash of a double-hung from inside?
Yes. On a modern double-hung both sashes tilt into the room, so the outside of the top and bottom glass is washed from inside with your feet on the floor. On a single-hung only the bottom sash tilts; the fixed top sash is cleaned from outside.
Do single-hung and double-hung windows look the same from outside?
In the same line, yes. The frame, the sash profiles, the glass line and the grilles match, and on most lines the meeting rail sits at the same height. A visitor would have to try the top sash to tell. That is why mixing them by room works.
Is single-hung a good choice for a rental?
Often. Fewer moving parts means fewer balances and tilt latches to fail, and most tenants only ever raise the bottom sash. For bedroom windows that serve as the fire exit, either style works as long as the opening meets the size needed; we check that at the measure.
Do single-hung windows come in the same sizes as double-hung?
Yes. Both are built to your measured opening in the same line, so any size you can get as a double-hung you can get as a single-hung. The frame depth, color choices and glass packages are the same. The only thing that changes is whether the top sash moves.
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 27, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All windows pages
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