Single Hung Window Replacement — Bottom Sash Opens, Top Stays Put
You want new windows that open from the bottom and cost less to build than a double hung, and you want to know what you give up.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-204-2099.
Single hung window replacement: only the bottom sash moves and the top sash is fixed, so there are fewer parts to wear. JMB Builders measures every opening in person, orders the windows through ABC Supply, sets them as inserts or full-frame, and trims them inside and out across the Twin Cities metro. Priced per opening. Send photos and we reply within one business day, or book a free in-home estimate.
- Priced per opening, windows supplied
- Every opening measured before ordering
- Photo quote or free in-home estimate
A single hung looks like a double hung from across the street. The difference is the top sash: on a single hung it is fixed in the frame and only the bottom sash slides up. That means one set of balances instead of two, one moving sash to weatherstrip, and a top rail that never moves. In many lines the single hung costs less than a double hung of the same size.
What you give up: you cannot drop the top sash to let warm air out near the ceiling, and on most single hungs the top sash does not tilt in, so the outside of the upper glass is washed from outside. On the main floor that is a hose. Upstairs it is a ladder, which is why many people keep double hungs on the second floor and use single hungs on the main floor and in a walkout.
Not every line makes a single hung. Per the makers' own lineups, Andersen offers it in the 100 Series while its 400 Series is a double hung line; Pella lists it in the 250 Series, Encompass and Impervia; ProVia in Endure and ecoLite; Thermo-Tech in Thermo-Fit. Andersen is stocked at Minnesota ABC Supply branches. For the others we confirm the line with our ABC branch before the quote is final.
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
- Which rooms get single hungs and which, if any, stay double hung
- Frame color, glass package and grille pattern (we bring samples to the free in-home estimate)
- Photos of each window inside and out if you want a photo quote first
- Furniture pulled back about three feet and blinds down on install day
- Paint or stain color for new trim, or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself
What JMB supplies
- One in-person measure of every opening before anything is ordered
- The single hung windows in one order, so color and glass match
- A quote with one line per opening, easy to compare or phase
- Removal and haul-away of the old windows, weights and balances
- Insulation in empty weight pockets, low-expansion foam, sill pan and flashing tape on full-frame units
- Drop cloths over floors and furniture near each window
- Interior stops or casing, and exterior aluminum capping or PVC trim
- Painting quoted as a separate line
How it is priced: per opening
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Single hung vs. double hung in the same line and size
- Brand, frame material (vinyl, Fibrex composite, fiberglass) and glass package
- Insert into the old frame vs. full-frame tear-out to the studs
- Rot in the sill or framing found when the old window comes out
- Exterior finish: aluminum capping, new PVC trim or a siding patch
- Upper-floor windows that need ladders or staging
- How many openings are in the same job
Tell us which windows you open from the top today. Those are the ones to keep double hung; the rest can be priced both ways on one quote.
How long it takes
Inserts: three to five openings a day. Full-frame with new exterior trim: one to three a day. Each opening is closed up the same day; lead time depends on the brand and is written on the quote.
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
Single hung insert
The old sashes, stops and balances come out and the new single hung sets inside the existing frame. Interior casing stays. A fit when the frame and sill are dry and square.
Single hung, full-frame
Out to the studs, the rough opening checked, a new flanged unit set in a sill pan and flashed into the wall, then new trim inside and out. The call when the sill is soft or the siding is coming off anyway.
Mixed house
Single hungs on the main floor and in the basement walkout, double hungs upstairs where cleaning the outside glass would need a ladder. Same line, color and grilles, so they read the same from the street.
Single Hung Window Replacement — Bottom Sash Opens, Top Stays Put: questions, answered
What is the difference between single hung and double hung windows?
On a single hung, only the bottom sash moves; the top sash is fixed. On a double hung, both sashes slide and usually both tilt in for cleaning. From outside they look almost the same. The single hung has fewer moving parts, the double hung gives you more ways to vent and clean.
Are single hung windows cheaper than double hung?
Often, in the same line and size, because there is one moving sash and one set of balances. How big the gap is depends on the brand. We can price both styles on the same quote, opening by opening, so you see the difference before you choose.
Can you clean the outside of a single hung window from inside?
The bottom sash tilts in on many single hungs, so its outside glass can be washed from inside. The top sash is fixed on most, so the outside of the upper glass is cleaned from outside. Check the specific unit; we show you on the sample at the estimate.
Is a single hung window okay for a bedroom?
Only the bottom half opens, so the clear opening is smaller than the window. A bedroom window has to give an escape opening that meets code. We check each bedroom window at the measure; if a single hung that size falls short, a casement or a bigger opening is the answer.
Which brands make a single hung replacement window?
Per the makers' published lineups, Andersen 100 Series, Pella 250 Series, Encompass and Impervia, ProVia Endure and ecoLite, and Thermo-Tech Thermo-Fit all list a single hung. We buy windows through ABC Supply. Andersen is stocked at Minnesota branches; for the others we confirm the line with our ABC branch before the quote is final.
Can I mix single hung and double hung windows in one house?
Yes. Ordered in the same line, color and grille pattern, the two styles look alike from outside. A common split is single hungs on the main floor and double hungs upstairs. Everything goes in one order so the glass and color match.
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 windows pages
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