Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The City of Melbourne lists window, door and garage door replacement among the jobs that need a building permit, applied for through its EnerGov portal. Unincorporated Brevard County also requires one, along with product approvals and installation instructions for each product. We pull the permit as part of the job.

Around here people use the names for the same thing: a window with laminated glass in a reinforced frame that has passed missile impact and pressure testing. Ask for the Florida Product Approval number on any window sold as hurricane rated, because that is what shows it passed the testing.

Shutters cost less per opening. HomeGuide puts a typical whole-house shutter job at $2,000 to $8,000, while it lists impact windows at $400 to $1,200 each installed. Impact glass costs more but protects the opening every day without anyone having to close anything.

Yes, it can crack when something hits it hard. The difference is that the plastic interlayer holds the broken glass together, so the opening stays closed and wind and rain stay out. A cracked impact pane should be replaced after the storm.

They can. Florida insurers give credits for wind-resistant features, and opening protection is one of the items a wind mitigation inspection records. How much you save depends on your insurer and what else the inspection finds, so ask your agent for numbers before and after.

No. Many owners start with the largest openings and the side of the house that faces the ocean or open ground, then finish the rest later. Because we price each opening separately, it is easy to phase. Shutters can cover the openings you have not upgraded yet.

No. Under the Florida Building Code, the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone is only Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Brevard homes use products with a Florida Product Approval tested to the standard impact tests. Many products carry both a Florida approval and a Miami-Dade approval.

Most of the wait is the permit and the factory. Impact windows are made to the measured size of each opening, so lead times vary with the maker and the season. Once products arrive, the install itself usually takes a few days for a typical house, followed by the final inspection.

HomeGuide lists impact windows at $400 to $1,200 each installed, and $8,000 to $24,000 for a 20-window house. Large picture windows, sliders and custom shapes cost more than standard single-hungs. We give you a price per opening after measuring.

Both are made in impact-rated versions. Aluminum frames are slimmer and strong, which helps on big openings. Vinyl frames insulate better and do not conduct heat as readily. Near the ocean, ask about the finish and the hardware, since salt is hard on both.

Yes. The laminated glass and tighter seals cut road and air traffic noise noticeably, and the interlayer blocks most UV. For heat, ask about low-E coatings or insulated laminated glass, which matter most on west- and south-facing walls.

Yes. Most Brevard homes are concrete block with stucco. We cut back only what is needed around the old frame, anchor the new window into the block or wood buck, and patch the stucco so it is ready for paint.

It did its job: the interlayer kept the opening closed. The cracked glass should be replaced afterward. Many impact windows allow the glass to be replaced without changing the whole frame.

Homeyou's Melbourne-area guide puts impact-resistant sliders at about $4,000 to $9,000 depending on size, with installation labor of $500 to $2,000. Wider three and four panel doors and stacking or pocket doors cost more. We price your opening after measuring.

The panels weigh more than ordinary tempered glass, but with good rollers and a clean track they slide easily. Keeping sand out of the track is the biggest factor in how they feel day to day.

Yes. Melbourne lists door replacement among the jobs that need a permit, and Brevard County requires one for exterior doors in unincorporated areas. We include the permit in the job.

If the existing door is in good shape, an accordion shutter costs less. If it leaks, sticks or has fogged glass, an impact door fixes those problems and protects the opening without any storm prep. We can price both.

It resists water to the level shown on its approval, which is far better than an old slider. Very heavy wind-driven rain can still push some water at the sill of any sliding door, so the sill rating and keeping weep holes clear both matter.

No. The rating applies to the tested assembly, which includes the frame, hinges, latch and any sidelites. A new slab in an old frame is not a rated entry. We replace the full unit.

Yes. HomeGuide lists a standard front door and frame at $800 to $4,000 installed, and impact-rated units cost more than that. Sidelites, a transom and decorative glass all add to the price.

Outswing doors resist wind well because pressure pushes them into the frame, but they need porch clearance. Inswing doors are also made in impact-rated versions. We look at your entry and suggest what fits.

Yes. Decorative and clear glass inserts are tested as part of the door. Sidelites and transoms use impact glass too, so the entry can stay bright.

Yes. Exterior door replacement needs a permit in Melbourne and in unincorporated Brevard County. We include it.

HomeGuide puts the average whole-house shutter job at $2,000 to $8,000. Storm panels are at the low end per square foot, motorized roll-downs at the high end. Your price depends on the types and the number and size of openings.

Both can meet the code when they carry a product approval and are installed correctly. The difference is that shutters must be closed before a storm, while impact glass protects the opening all the time.

Motorized roll-down shutters, followed by accordions and manual roll-downs. Storm panels take the most effort because each one has to be carried and fastened.

In unincorporated Brevard County, yes: shutters are on the county's residential windows, doors and shutters permit. Inside a city, we check that city's building department rules and file whatever it requires.

Yes. Many owners protect certain openings with impact glass and the rest with shutters. Keep in mind that insurance credits for opening protection usually look at whether all openings are protected.

HomeGuide lists accordion shutters at $15 to $25 per square foot installed, about $105 to $175 for a 24 by 42 inch window. Fixr puts a whole home at $3,000 to $8,000. Wide sliding doors and upper floors cost more.

Yes. Each stack slides along its track by hand, and most openings close and lock in a few minutes. Keeping the tracks clean keeps it easy.

Often, yes, especially on sliders and balconies. It depends on the window type and how the shutter is mounted, which we check when we measure.

Yes, but salt is hard on tracks and wheels. Rinse them with fresh water now and then, and run them open and closed before each season so nothing seizes.

In unincorporated Brevard County, yes, with the product approval and installation instructions attached. Inside a city, we confirm the rules with its building department and handle any permit it requires.

HomeGuide lists hurricane-rated garage doors at $1,200 to $6,000 for a single and $2,000 to $10,000 for a double, installed. Impact-rated doors with windows sit at the higher end. We price your opening after measuring.

It depends on whether your home needs opening protection under the code and what you want for insurance. If the rest of your openings are impact protected, an impact-rated garage door keeps the protection complete. We check this for your address.

Some doors have approved retrofit kits, but bracing only counts if it is part of that door's approval. For many older doors, a new rated door is the more reliable fix.

Sometimes. Rated doors weigh more, and an older or smaller opener may struggle. We check it and tell you if it should be replaced.

Yes. Melbourne lists garage door replacement as permit work, and Brevard County includes garage doors on its residential permit. We file it.