The Impact Window Contractor Checklist: 10 Questions Before You Sign Anything
The impact window industry has a quality spread wider than the products themselves: the same glass installed by two different contractors can mean a fortress or a lawsuit. This checklist is the ten-question filter, the exact scrutiny we invite on our own work, published so every Florida homeowner can hold every contractor to it, including us. Print it, ask it, and watch how each company reacts; the reaction is itself the answer.
Use this on everyone, including Florida Impact Shield. A contractor who welcomes this checklist has nothing to hide; one who bristles at it just saved you a very expensive lesson.
The 10-Point Checklist
1. License, verified by you: active CBC/CGC on the state DBPR site, matching the contract name, not a photocopy, not a "partner's" license. 2. Insurance certificates: current general liability and workers' comp, issued to you by the insurer on request. 3. Product approvals in writing: NOA or Florida Product Approval numbers on the quote, matching the exact products, our ratings guide shows how to read them. 4. Permits, always: pulled by the contractor, inspections passed, no exceptions and no "save you the fee" offers. 5. Itemized quote: products, sizes, quantities, scope, timeline, warranty, in writing. 6. Payment schedule tied to milestones: modest deposit, progress payments, final on completed inspection, never large cash up front. 7. MSFH approval where grants apply: program-approved contractors are vetted and can process your grant. 8. Installation crew answers: who installs, employees or subs, and who supervises. 9. Warranty clarity: product warranty and workmanship warranty, separately stated, in writing. 10. References and record: recent local projects, review history, and years operating under the same name.
The Red Flags, Ranked
Pressure tactics lead the list, expiring prices, sign-tonight bonuses, followed by big cash deposits, permit avoidance, unverifiable licenses, and quotes that fit on a napkin. Storm-chasing out-of-state operations spike after every hurricane; the checklist filters them in one conversation, because none of them can pass items 1, 4 and 7 together.
Why We Published the Test We Have to Pass
Florida Impact Shield is a licensed CBC contractor and My Safe Florida Home approved: every quote we issue carries approval numbers, every project is permitted and inspected, every payment schedule ties to milestones, and every warranty is written. Publishing the checklist costs us nothing and costs bad contractors everything, which is exactly the market we want to compete in.
Put Us Through It
A licensed estimator visits within 48 hours with the paperwork this checklist demands, license, approvals, itemized pricing, and your insurance savings and grant eligibility calculated. Ten questions, honest answers, then your decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I verify a Florida contractor's license?
Search the license number on the Florida DBPR website (myfloridalicense.com): confirm it is active, matches the company name on your contract, and is the right license class, impact window and door work is properly performed under certified building contractor (CBC or CGC) licensure. Verify yourself; never accept a photocopy as proof.
Why do permits matter so much for window work?
Permits trigger the inspections that verify code-compliant installation, and unpermitted work voids product ratings in practice, creates insurance claim problems, surfaces at resale, and can require costly retroactive permitting. A contractor who suggests skipping permits has told you everything.
What paperwork should a legitimate quote include?
Itemized products with approval numbers (NOA or Florida Product Approval), quantities and sizes, installation scope, permit handling, timeline, payment schedule tied to milestones, and warranty terms in writing. Vague one-line quotes hide the corners that get cut later.
What is the biggest red flag of all?
Pressure. Today-only pricing, demands for large cash deposits, reluctance to show licenses or approvals, and discouraging permits are the four horsemen of window-contractor regret. Legitimate contractors welcome scrutiny, this checklist exists because we pass it.
Related Resources
- MSFH Approved Contractor
- Ratings Explained
- Permits in Florida
- Manufacturers We Install
- Impact Window Costs
- Insurance Savings
- My Safe Florida Home Grants
- 0% Financing Options
Protect your Florida home today
A licensed estimator visits within 48 hours. Know your exact costs and savings before spending a dollar.
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