How to Start a Window Installation and Repair Business

Window installation and repair businesses outfit residential and commercial structures with new or replacement windows and related parts. Especially for today’s energy conservative and efficient world, new windows are essential to maintaining a low carbon footprint. Either as an independent business entity or as a sub-contractor for larger window retailers, the bulk of the business will revolve around new window installs and replacements.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee.

Northwest ($29 + State Fees)

DIY: How to Start an LLC

Start a window installation and repair business by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Window Installation and Repair Business
  2. Form your Window Installation and Repair Business into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Window Installation and Repair Business for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Window Installation and Repair Business
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Window Installation and Repair Business
  7. Get Window Installation and Repair Business Insurance
  8. Define your Window Installation and Repair Business Brand
  9. Create your Window Installation and Repair Business Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your window installation and repair business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Window Installation and Repair Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a window installation and repair business?

Initial costs for opening this type of business can be relatively low. Licensing and insurance and tools and transportation are often the bulk of your costs. Much of your inventory will be ordered and delivered directly to your business or the job site, itself, eliminating a need for warehousing much product.

An average startup cost could range between $5,000- 10,000.

Some of the cost areas associated with a start-up:

  • Residential or commercial contractor’s license (check state and local requirements for your area)
  • Business insurance for yourself and any additional employees.
  • Certification courses for installs and repairs of certain company’s windows. These courses will vary, from company to company. It is also recommended that you seek national certification. Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance and American Window and Door Institute are great resources to get you started.
  • Tools and equipment for installation, basic construction and care and maintenance of windows and window parts.
  • Reliable transportation and ability to transport and deliver windows. A truck or panel van are reasonable options. Commercial auto insurance coverage may also be a strong consideration.
  • Office equipment, such as a desktop or laptop, printer/scanner/fax machine, and file cabinet, plus additional consumables.

What are the ongoing expenses for a window installation and repair business?

Maintenance for service vehicles and tools and related materials costs will be the bulk of your expenses. If you choose to rent office space or warehouse space, that will also be an additional cost.

Who is the target market?

Depending on if you choose to perform residential or commercial services, you will be targeting new construction and remodels within each sector. If you are able to become a sub-contractor for a larger building company or a window retail company, your target market may shift a bit to be more focused on the companies that are sub-contracting you. Overall, make sure you are always presenting a professional image for your business and services.

How does a window installation and repair business make money?

For each window replaced or newly installed, the customer is charged the price of the window and labor costs for installation. If working as a subcontractor for a window retailer as a repair specialist, the retailer’s warranty pays for your services, as well as the cost of the window for the consumer.

How much can you charge customers?

Depending on if you are charging the customer directly, or billing a window retailer or contractor for your services, you should be charging for the labor, transport of products, and additional fees for preventative maintenance and specialty work. Hourly rates range from $25-50 an hour. Make sure this is part of your initial market research to determine average fees in your area and overall numbers for ensuring profitability.

How much profit can a window installation and repair business make?

The national average for annual sales for a residential window business is $600,000. Earnings after taxes and business costs would average around $250,000-350,000, annually.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Offer customers a preventative maintenance service in which you regularly check window hardware, seals, and overall construction, as well as cleaning glass and servicing hinges, sashes, locks and related hardware. You may also consider a recycling and restoration service for older, hard to find sized windows. Being able to replace windows to match historical restoration specs can allow the window installer to charge considerably more than the average install.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your window installation and repair business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your window installation and repair business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a window installation and repair business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

Find out what types of insurance your Window Installation and Repair Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Window Installation and Repair Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a window installation and repair business

As mentioned before, much of your marketing will rely on the reputation you build with your clients and customers. Word of mouth is always a great method for attracting and retaining customers, but it is also necessary to spread the positive stories and experiences of your customers. Therefore, having a web page, Facebook account, or engaging in online forums gives a platform for your reputation to grow exponentially. Additionally, trade magazines, websites, and trade shows can be excellent methods for generating more business and making new contacts.

How to keep customers coming back

Offer customers reasonable pricing, never skimp on quality or workmanship, insist on professionalism from yourself and all employees, and deliver these traits consistently and reliably.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

If you have construction experience or have worked in window sales, you may be an ideal candidate to open a window install and replacement business. Having knowledge in the product, the installation process, and necessary carpentry skills, or all three, will help a new entrepreneur immensely. Good customer service and personability is also an important trait for a successful start up business owner.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a window installation and repair business?

For most window installation and replacement businesses, day to day work revolves around estimations of damage and warranty coverage, actual window installation, customer service before and after the job is complete, devising and implementing business marketing techniques, and contacting new and potential customers, either through referral, customer contact via website or email, or direct service requests from authorized window retailers.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful window installation and repair business?

Having experience in retail sales of windows will give you great insight into the types of windows available on the market and will increase customer service ability by understanding what types of windows are available and for which applications. At the very least, you should attend seminars or classes on the brand, styles, or types of windows and installation techniques for the windows you are looking to install and replace.

Experience in construction is also a bonus, as you will need to understand the ins and outs of measuring and installing windows properly. A poorly done installation can nullify the effectiveness and, in some cases, the warranty of a window. Make sure you are regularly staying abreast of industry standards and policies for window installations and repairs.

What is the growth potential for a window installation and repair business?

Window installation and replacement is a profitable and steadily growing industry. With homebuilding on an upswing, the need for qualified and licensed window specialists continues to grow. Additionally, many consumers are looking to replace older windows for more energy efficient models, which ensures window installers have multiple growing aspects within their industry.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a window installation and repair business?

As with any start up, research the number of competitors in the area, determine your niche, and advertise accordingly. You have to know what kind and how much business you can anticipate and you have to make sure people know who you are. Window installation and repair can be a saturated market, so always test the waters to see what your best options are and follow those leads.

Connect yourself with other professionals in the area, both in your industry and in related industries, such as residential and commercial contractors, insurance providers, and window retailers. A large part of successful marketing grows from networking. Attending seminars, taking training courses, and connecting to industry associations, both in person and online, will allow you to drive your business in positive directions.

How and when to build a team

Initially, your business can grow and thrive with only one or two other employees, especially if you handle all paperwork and expenses internally. Two to three workers will be able to handle most installs and repairs. As your business grows, an office manager will be a critical addition to ensure orders, deliveries, job tickets, and all other aspects of a smooth running business are being carefully overseen. Additional field techs can be added, as business remains steady or is growing.

Useful Links

Real World Examples