Permits and HOA approval for impact windows

We pull the permit and carry the job through final inspection. If you have an HOA, you usually file the request with the board, and we give you the specs to file with it. The details vary by city and by HOA, so the first step is finding out what yours asks for.

These are two separate approvals. The permit comes from your building department and covers the work under the building code. HOA approval comes from your community and covers its own rules. One doesn't stand in for the other, and not every home has an HOA.

What we handle

We measure, permit and install every opening with our own installers, never subcontractors. In practice, that means:

• Measuring. We measure each opening ourselves, so the sizes on the paperwork match what gets installed.
• Product approvals. We gather the approvals for what goes on your job. You can read them yourself, and here is how to check a Miami-Dade NOA.
• The permit. We prepare the application, file it and follow it until it is issued.
• Specs for your board. We give you what the board needs to see about the product. Some jobs also call for us to deal with the association directly.
• Inspection. We stay with the job through final inspection.

Customers notice this part. On a job replacing all the windows in a home, Ivanna G. wrote that Derek helped "facilitate the permit process." Max L. wrote that we "walked it all the way through inspection." You can read more customer reviews about permits.

What you handle

• Find out if you need HOA approval. Ask your board or management company, and get a copy of any request form.
• File the request. This is the usual split. Captiva O. wrote that "David & Carlos were quick to respond and provided specs for me to submit to my HOA board."
• Make your choices early. Frame color, glass and window style usually go on the request, so settle them before it is filed.
• Sign what needs the owner. Some forms need your signature. We'll tell you which ones for your city.
• Give us access. We'll let you know when the inspection is scheduled and whether someone needs to be home.

Get the HOA answer before the order goes in

If you have an HOA, try to get its answer in writing before your order is placed. Boards meet on their own schedules, and some have rules about frame color, glass tint or style. A request that comes back with changes is a small problem before the order and a bigger one after it. You don't need that answer to get an estimate, though. The estimate is where the specs come from.

The usual order of events

This is a typical sequence. Your city or HOA may change it, and we'll tell you what to expect for your city.

1. Free in-home estimate, where we measure and go over the products.
2. HOA request, if you have one. We supply the specs and you file it.
3. Signed contract.
4. Permit. This typically takes a few days to a few weeks, depending on the city.
5. Order and delivery. Lead times usually grow in August, so spring is the time to book an estimate.
6. Installation, which typically takes 1 to 3 days for most homes, longer for large whole-home jobs.
7. Final inspection.

Signed contract to final inspection usually takes about 2 to 4 months, longer in late summer. A whole-home project has more openings to list and more to schedule, so settle the full plan before the paperwork starts.

Rules vary, so ask early

There's no single answer that fits every address. Permit steps differ by city, and each HOA sets its own process. Check the areas we serve across Miami-Dade and Broward. If you're unsure about your address, call your building department or ask us, and we'll tell you what to expect for your city.

Condos can add another layer, because the association may be involved in more of the job. We cover that in replacing windows in a condo or association. Some of these jobs get stuck. Dioenis P., who owns condos in Miami, went through three expediting companies on a sliding glass door before we took it on, then wrote that "They dealt with the association, pull the impossible permit and completed the job to perfection."

Questions to ask any contractor

Whoever you hire, get these answers before you sign.

• Who pulls the permit, and does the contract say so?
• Who is responsible for the job at final inspection?
• Is your license active? You can check any contractor on the Florida license lookup. Ours is CGC #1525419.
• Will I get a copy of the final inspection result?

A permit does add a step and some time at the start. You get something for it: the work is on record and it has been inspected. Hold on to that final inspection result with your contract. If anyone offers to skip the permit to save you time, ask what record you would have without it.