Free in-home measure and quote - PGT, CGI and CWS impact lines compared on your actual openings, style by style
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AfterPicture & Fixed Windows in Miami, FL
Picture windows and fixed windows are single-pane units that don’t open – no sashes, no hardware, no moving parts. That simplicity is exactly what makes them the clearest, most energy-efficient glass you can put in a Miami home. Because there are no weatherstripping gaps or operational seals to wear down, a properly installed fixed unit holds its thermal envelope and its structural integrity longer than any operable window in the same wall. If you’re looking at this page, you’re probably replacing a fogged, cracked, or undersized unit that’s been bothering you for longer than it should have, and our Window Installation team can help.
TruePane Windows & Doors has been setting fixed glass in South Florida homes since Dale Kessler opened the doors in 2008, building on a glazier heritage that stretches back over 42 years. We’re authorized installers for manufacturers including PGT, CGI, and ES Windows – lines specifically engineered for Miami-Dade’s wind-load and impact requirements – and every job leaves the driveway with both warranty layers registered in writing. Call us at (561) 489-4036 any hour of the day; a live person answers.
This page is part of our Window Installation in Miami service, where you’ll find information on every window type we handle across the metro area.
When You Need Picture & Fixed Windows
Fixed windows don’t announce their problems the way a sticking casement does. The symptoms tend to be quieter – a gradual haze, a utility bill that keeps climbing, a draft you feel only on the east wall in December. Here’s what actually sends Miami homeowners to the phone:
- Fogging between panes: The insulated glass unit’s seal has failed. In Miami’s heat and humidity, failed IGU seals are the most common fixed-window complaint we field, particularly in Coral Gables and Coconut Grove homes built in the 1980s and 1990s where dual-pane retrofits were installed without laminated glass. Once the argon fills with moisture, no amount of cleaning recovers clarity – the unit needs replacing.
- Cracked or shattered glass: A single-point impact from a wind-driven object, a lawn crew, or a child’s errant baseball can crack a fixed pane that has no give. In Miami-Dade County, a non-impact-rated crack is also a code compliance issue if you’re in a High-Velocity Hurricane Zone – which most of the county is.
- Visibly bowed or warped frames: Older aluminum frames in Hialeah and Westchester regularly show bowing after decades of direct west-afternoon sun. A bowed frame breaks the seal at the perimeter, lets conditioned air out, and is one of the hidden drivers behind inexplicably high FPL bills.
- Planning a remodel or addition: Homeowners in Pinecrest and South Miami who are opening up a living space frequently want a floor-to-ceiling picture window installed where a wall or a pair of smaller units used to be. That’s structural rough-opening work, not just a glass swap, and it calls for a glazier who reads blueprints and coordinates with your GC.
- Non-impact glass in a storm-rated opening: If your home was re-permitted after Hurricane Andrew and your fixed windows are still clear annealed glass, you are out of compliance with Miami-Dade’s current product approval requirements. ES Windows and CGI both manufacture fixed units with Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance, and we carry both lines.
- Condensation on the interior surface: This is different from inter-pane fogging. Interior condensation on a fixed window usually means the frame’s thermal break has failed or the unit was installed without proper perimeter sealant. In Brickell and the upper floors of older Aventura condos, we see this regularly after a unit has been re-glazed by someone who skipped the backer rod step.
Our Picture & Fixed Windows Process
A fixed window looks like the simplest thing in a house. It isn’t. The frame is structural in ways an operable window is not, and in Miami-Dade’s HVHZ designation, the product approval number on the unit has to match the opening’s design pressure rating before a permit can close. Here’s how we work through it:
- Measure twice, quote on paper. Our technician takes rough-opening dimensions in three places – top, middle, and bottom – because Miami homes settle and older CBS construction is rarely perfectly square. We note the wall thickness, the head and sill conditions, and whether the existing frame is nail-fin or block-frame. Then we put manufacturer options side by side on paper, with product approval numbers noted, so you see exactly what you’re comparing before anything is ordered.
- Permit and product approval verification. In Miami-Dade County, fixed window replacements typically require a permit when the opening is structurally altered or the new unit exceeds a certain size threshold. We pull the permit, we verify the Miami-Dade NOA for the unit being installed, and we don’t skip that step because it’s inconvenient. A permit-closed job protects your homeowner’s insurance and your ability to sell the property.
- Frame removal and rough-opening prep. Old frames are cut out carefully – not pried – to protect the surrounding stucco and block. We inspect the rough opening for moisture intrusion, soft wood, or failing flashing tape before anything new goes in. If we find rot in a Doral home that sat wet after a storm, we tell you before we order glass, not after.
- Setting the unit. Fixed windows are shimmed plumb and level, anchored per the manufacturer’s installation instructions and the NOA’s structural fastener pattern. The perimeter is flashed with compatible sealant, backer rod is set before the final bead, and the interior is trimmed to match the existing finish. If the pane is not true, the job is not done – that’s not a slogan, it’s the measuring standard Dale Kessler put on the whiteboard when he opened this company.
- Clean-up and warranty registration. We don’t leave until the glass is clean, the jobsite is clear, and both warranty layers – the manufacturer’s product warranty and the glass/seal warranty – are registered in writing with durations stated. That’s The Keystone Standard, and it happens before the truck leaves your driveway, not sometime later when you follow up.
- Final walkthrough with the homeowner. We walk you through what was installed, show you the warranty documents, and give you a copy of the permit sign-off. If anything is not exactly right in the next 90 days, the 90-Day Done Right Promise covers it – no paperwork fights, no fine print, no arguing.
Picture & Fixed Windows Pricing in Miami
Picture and fixed window costs in Miami vary more than most homeowners expect because the Miami-Dade HVHZ impact requirement adds material cost that doesn’t apply in most other markets. A standard dual-pane fixed unit that might cost $400 installed in Atlanta will cost more here because it has to carry a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance – which means laminated, impact-resistant glass and a tested frame system. That’s not markup; it’s compliance.
Here are the honest ranges we see on Miami jobs:
| Unit Type | Typical Installed Price Range (Miami) |
|---|---|
| Small fixed window (up to 24″ x 36″), impact-rated, aluminum frame | $650 – $950 |
| Mid-size fixed window (up to 48″ x 60″), impact-rated, aluminum frame | $950 – $1,600 |
| Large picture window (up to 72″ x 72″), impact-rated, aluminum or vinyl frame | $1,600 – $2,800 |
| Oversized custom picture window (above 72″ x 72″) or structural rough-opening modification | $2,800 – $5,500+ |
| IGU seal failure / glass-only replacement (same frame, no structural change) | $350 – $750 per unit |
What moves the number: glass size and thickness (thicker laminate adds weight and cost), frame material (aluminum is standard in Miami for durability; vinyl runs slightly less but has fewer color options for historic districts), whether the rough opening needs modification, permit fees (Miami-Dade permits typically run $150-$350 depending on valuation), and the manufacturer line selected. PGT and CGI tend to run mid-market for impact product. ES Windows often comes in slightly below on comparable specs without sacrificing Miami-Dade approval.
We do not add surprise line items after the job starts. The quote you get on paper before we order anything is the number on your invoice, barring conditions genuinely hidden inside the wall – and if we find something, we show you before we proceed.
Seniors and veterans receive a permanent 5% discount on every job. If the repair portion of your project exceeds $250, ask about our $50 Off Any Repair Over $250 offer when you call.
Call (561) 489-4036 for a free, no-obligation estimate. We’ll send a uniformed technician to measure the opening and put manufacturer options side by side on paper – no pressure, no vague ballparks – for your Window Installation Near Me in Miami, FL.
FAQs – Picture & Fixed Windows
Do picture windows in Miami have to be impact-rated?
Yes, in virtually all of Miami-Dade County. Miami-Dade is designated a High-Velocity Hurricane Zone under Florida Building Code, which requires any fixed window in an exterior opening to carry a current Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance for wind-borne debris impact. This applies to new installs and to replacements when the permit triggers a product approval review – which most replacement projects do. Non-impact glass that was grandfathered in under older permits does not give you ongoing code compliance; it just means no one has caught it yet. Every unit we install in Miami carries the required NOA, and we verify the design pressure rating against the opening before we order. Call (561) 489-4036 if you’re unsure whether your existing windows meet current requirements – we’ll tell you straight.
How much does it cost to replace a fogged picture window in Miami?
A glass-only IGU replacement in the same frame typically runs $350-$750 per unit in Miami, depending on glass size and whether the existing frame is structurally sound and still code-compliant. If the frame is bowed, corroded, or the unit no longer holds a Miami-Dade NOA, a full unit replacement is the right call and will run $650-$2,800 depending on size. We’ll tell you which situation you’re in before anything is ordered. Call (561) 489-4036 for a free estimate.
How long does a fixed window installation take?
Most single-unit replacements in an existing, structurally sound opening are completed in a single visit – typically two to four hours from arrival to clean-up. Larger picture window installs that involve modifying the rough opening, or jobs requiring a city inspector’s visit before we set the glass, may span two days. We’re direct about the schedule before the job starts so you’re not left waiting on a second appointment that was never clearly communicated. Most Miami homeowners are back to a finished window the same day we arrive.
Can a picture window be installed where a wall currently is?
Yes, but it requires structural work that goes beyond window installation alone. Opening a load-bearing or partially load-bearing wall to accept a large picture window or 3-Panel Sliding (3-Lite Roller) Windows means a header calculation, possibly an engineer’s stamp for the permit, and coordination with drywall and stucco trades to close the opening cleanly around the new frame. We handle the window and frame portion of that work and can coordinate with your general contractor on the structural and finish sides. In neighborhoods like Coral Gables and South Miami where homeowners are updating 1960s ranch houses into more open floor plans, we do this kind of project regularly. Call us to talk through what your specific wall and opening situation requires before you commit to a scope.
Key Takeaways
- Fixed and picture windows in Miami must carry a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance for wind-borne debris – non-impact glass is not a code-compliant replacement option in most of the county.
- Installed costs for impact-rated fixed windows in Miami typically run $650-$2,800 for standard sizes, with oversized or structural projects going higher.
- Fogged seals, bowed frames, and interior condensation are the three most common reasons Miami homeowners call us for fixed window service – all three are correctable, but only if the right diagnosis happens first.
- Every TruePane installation leaves with both manufacturer warranty layers registered in writing before the truck moves, and the 90-Day Done Right Promise backing the workmanship.
- A live person answers our phone at (561) 489-4036 around the clock – no voicemail, no callback queue.
If you’re on our home page looking for a place to start, or you’ve already decided you want fixed windows installed right and registered properly, call (561) 489-4036. We’ll schedule a free measure, bring manufacturer options on paper, and give you a straight number before anything is ordered. That’s how we’ve worked in Miami for over 42 years, and it’s not changing.
Written by Dale Kessler, Owner at TruePane Windows & Doors, serving Miami.
Six Reasons Homeowners Choose TruePane Windows & Doors
Impact systems engineered to design pressures up to +/-100, matched to your wind zone - your openings hold when the storm arrives.
Low-E insulated impact glass from our manufacturer lines commonly cuts monthly cooling bills 20-30%.
Laminated impact glass shuts out up to 40% of outside noise - traffic, neighbors, weather.
Monitoring services run $30-90 a month. Laminated impact glass resists forced entry around the clock, with no subscription.
Florida homeowners average around 25% savings on the windstorm portion of their policy after protecting every opening - some homes qualify for more.
A full impact package upgrades curb appeal, buyer confidence and appraised value in one project.