Free in-home measure and quote - PGT, CGI and CWS impact lines compared on your actual openings, style by style
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Before
AfterAwning & Hopper Windows in Westgate, FL
Awning and hopper windows are two of the most practical window styles for Florida homes – they open on a hinge rather than sliding, which means they seal tightly when closed and can stay open during light rain without letting water in. For Westgate homeowners dealing with tight bathroom walls, high-set openings above kitchen cabinets, or any space where ventilation matters more than a wide view, these windows solve real problems that Casement Windows and double-hungs simply don’t. Call us at (561) 468-6136 and a live person will pick up – day or night – to talk through what your home actually needs.
At Winslow Windows & Doors, we’ve been fitting awning and hopper windows across Westgate since 2011. Ed Winslow built this company on a straightforward idea: every job should be done well enough that he’d be comfortable putting his name on it. Fifteen years in, that standard hasn’t changed. If you’re already researching your options, our full Window Installation in Westgate page covers every window type and style we install – including impact-rated options from brands like PGT and CGI that hold up to South Florida weather.
What Makes Awning and Hopper Windows Different
Both window types hinge on a single axis, but in opposite directions. An awning window is hinged at the top and swings outward at the bottom – like an awning, hence the name. A hopper window does the reverse: it’s hinged at the bottom and opens inward at the top, which is why you’ll find them most often in basements and lower-wall installations in other parts of the country, though they’re equally useful in bathrooms and utility rooms here in Westgate as a Garden Windows alternative.
In Florida’s climate, both styles have a practical edge over sliding windows. When a summer storm rolls through in the afternoon – which happens most days between June and September – a sliding window has to be shut completely. An awning window can stay cracked open during light rain because the glass panel itself acts as a rain deflector. That ventilation benefit is real and meaningful in a market where humidity sits above 70% for most of the year.
For impact resistance, both styles can be built to Florida Building Code standards. We regularly install PGT awning windows in Westgate homes that are upgrading from older aluminum frames that no longer meet current wind-load requirements. The frames are tighter, the seals are better, and the energy performance difference is noticeable on your FPL bill within a season.
When You Need Awning or Hopper Windows
- Your bathroom has no real ventilation. Exhaust fans help, but a hopper or awning window that actually opens moves air in a way a fan alone can’t replicate. We see this constantly in older Westgate homes built before 1985, where bathroom windows are either painted shut or replaced with fixed glass.
- You want to ventilate during rain. Westgate’s afternoon storm pattern is practically a daily event from late spring through fall. An awning window lets you keep airflow going without soaking the windowsill – something no sliding or double-hung window does safely.
- Your opening is short, wide, or unusually shaped. Awning windows fit horizontal spaces that don’t suit a taller window style – above a kitchen sink, over a bathtub, or along a high exterior wall. Hopper windows handle similar situations in lower-wall placements.
- You’re failing energy audits or seeing high cooling bills. Older single-pane aluminum awning windows are common in 1970s and 1980s Westgate construction and are among the worst performers for thermal transfer. Replacing them with dual-pane, low-E glass units can cut cooling load noticeably.
- Your existing awning window hardware is broken or corroded. Salt air and humidity eat through cheap hardware fast. If the crank mechanism or hinge arm has failed, the window may still be savable with a repair – but if the frame itself has deteriorated, replacement is the cleaner call.
- You need impact rating for insurance compliance. Many Westgate homeowners find out at renewal time that their existing windows don’t qualify for wind mitigation credits. Swapping to PGT or CGI impact-rated awning windows is one of the more targeted upgrades that can help lower the premium.
Our Awning and Hopper Window Installation Process
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Free On-Site Estimate
We come to you. One of our uniformed, background-checked team members measures your existing openings, assesses the frame condition, and checks for any water damage or rot around the rough opening. You get upfront pricing before we leave – no vague “it depends” and no invoice surprises later. There’s no trip charge for Westgate homes, and seniors and veterans receive a permanent 10% discount on all work.
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Window Selection and Order
We’ll walk you through the Window Installation options that fit your opening and your goals – impact vs. non-impact, frame color, glass package (clear, tinted, low-E), and brand. For most Westgate awning window jobs, we’re pulling from PGT’s or CGI’s Florida-specific product lines, both of which are engineered for high-humidity environments and carry the impact ratings that Florida’s building code requires for new installations in most cases. We place the order through our authorized distributor channels, which keeps lead times predictable.
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Permit Coordination
Window replacements in Westgate fall under Miami-Dade or Broward County jurisdiction depending on your specific address, and most awning window replacements require a permit when the opening size or glazing changes. We handle permit applications, inspections, and closeout. You don’t need to track down an inspector or navigate the county portal – that’s our job.
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Removal and Rough Opening Prep
On install day, we remove the old window carefully, checking the rough opening for any wood rot, moisture intrusion, or compromised flashing. In Westgate homes with CBS (concrete block) construction, we also inspect the buck – the wood or PVC frame set into the block – and replace it if it’s deteriorated. Skipping this step is how windows start leaking six months after installation.
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Installation and Weatherproofing
The new awning or hopper window goes in level, plumb, and square. We use code-compliant fasteners and apply a continuous bead of high-grade sealant at the perimeter. For impact windows, we follow the product’s NOA (Notice of Acceptance) fastening pattern exactly – that document is the legal basis for the wind-mitigation credit, and cutting corners on fastener spacing voids it.
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Inspection, Cleanup, and Walkthrough
We test every crank, hinge, and lock before we pack up. You’ll see the window operate, confirm the seal looks right, and get a copy of the permit and product documentation for your records. That paperwork matters for insurance wind-mitigation forms and eventual resale. We leave the site clean – no debris, no foam scraps, no leftover caulk tubes on your lawn.
Awning and Hopper Window Pricing in Westgate
Awning and hopper window installation in Westgate typically runs between $350 and $950 per window, installed. That range is wide because a small bathroom hopper in a standard opening costs far less than a wide, impact-rated awning window over a kitchen sink that needs new buck work and a permit. Below is a tighter breakdown of what drives cost.
| Window Type / Scenario | Typical Installed Range (Westgate) |
|---|---|
| Small hopper window, non-impact, standard opening | $350 – $500 |
| Mid-size awning window, non-impact, low-E glass | $450 – $650 |
| Awning window, impact-rated (PGT or CGI), standard opening | $600 – $850 |
| Wide awning window, impact-rated, with buck replacement | $750 – $950+ |
| Permit fee (county-dependent, passed through at cost) | $75 – $200 per opening (est.) |
A few things that push a job toward the higher end: wood rot around the rough opening, concrete buck removal in CBS walls, specialty glass (laminated, obscure, or high-impact), and non-standard frame sizes that require custom ordering. We’ll tell you all of this upfront at the estimate – never after the job starts.
If you’ve already received a written estimate from another contractor and something doesn’t add up, we offer a free second opinion on any written estimate. No pressure, no sales pitch. And for any repair over $200, we take $40 off – if your awning window hardware can be fixed rather than replaced, we’ll say so and price it that way.
Call (561) 468-6136 for a free estimate on your Westgate home. Someone will actually answer.
Why Westgate Homeowners Choose Winslow
Westgate is a tight-knit community, and contractor reputations travel fast. Ed Winslow has been doing this work in neighborhoods like Westgate, Opa-locka, Hialeah Gardens, and throughout the broader Miami-Dade and Broward corridor since 2011. His name is on the door – and on the permit, and on the warranty, and on the truck that shows up at your house.
The Done Right Promise is our commitment that if something isn’t right about the work we did, we come back and fix it. That’s not a marketing phrase. It’s the standard Ed set when he started the company, and it’s the reason we have the kind of repeat customers who call us when it’s time to replace another window, or when a neighbor asks who did the install they’re admiring. A national chain can’t offer you that. They offer you a ticket number and a callback window.
Every technician who arrives at your Westgate home is background-checked and in uniform. You’ll know who’s coming before the truck pulls up. That matters when you’re letting someone into your home.
We’re an authorized installer for PGT, CGI, among others – meaning we order direct, install to manufacturer spec, and your product warranty stays intact. A lot of homeowners don’t realize that using an unauthorized installer can void the manufacturer’s warranty entirely. With Winslow, that’s never a concern.
FAQs – Awning and Hopper Windows in Westgate
What’s the difference between an awning window and a hopper window?
An awning window is hinged at the top and opens outward at the bottom; a hopper window is hinged at the bottom and opens inward at the top. In practice, awning windows are more common for above-counter or high-wall placements in Westgate homes – they shed rain well and are easier to operate with a crank than Bay & Bow Windows. Hopper windows are typically installed lower on a wall, often in bathrooms or utility rooms where an inward-opening sash at the top won’t obstruct anything. Both styles are available in impact-rated configurations. Call (561) 468-6136 and we can talk through which makes more sense for your specific opening.
Do awning windows in Westgate need to be impact-rated?
Florida Building Code requires impact-rated glazing or an approved storm protection system (like accordion shutters) for new window installations in wind-borne debris regions, which includes most of the Westgate area. If you’re doing a straight replacement in the same opening with no structural changes, the requirements can depend on the county and project scope – but we’d always recommend impact glass if budget allows, because it’s what actually protects the home and qualifies for wind-mitigation insurance credits. We’ll tell you exactly what’s required for your address at the estimate stage. Free estimate, no trip charge inside our home county.
How long does it take to install awning or hopper windows in Westgate?
Most single-window awning or hopper installations take two to four hours on the day of install. The longer timeline is the permit process, which can add two to four weeks depending on county workload and whether your HOA requires separate approval. We handle permit coordination, so you don’t have to monitor a county portal. From the day you sign off on the estimate to the day the inspector signs off on the permit, most Westgate jobs are completed start-to-finish in three to six weeks total.
Can awning windows really stay open during Florida rain?
Yes – within reason. An awning window’s outward-opening sash deflects light to moderate rain away from the opening, so you can leave them cracked during the typical afternoon shower without water getting in. In heavy, wind-driven rain (the kind that comes with a tropical storm), you’d want them closed like any other window. For Westgate’s daily summer rain pattern though, this is a genuine advantage over sliding or hung windows. It’s one of the main reasons we recommend awning styles for bathrooms and kitchens where you want ventilation even on rainy afternoons.
Key Takeaways
- Awning windows hinge at the top and open outward; hopper windows hinge at the bottom and open inward – both are ideal for narrow or high-wall openings in Westgate homes.
- Installed prices in Westgate typically range from $350 to $950+ per window depending on size, glass type, impact rating, and rough-opening condition.
- Most awning or hopper window replacements in Westgate require a permit – we handle that from application through inspection closeout.
- We’re an authorized PGT and CGI installer, so your manufacturer warranty stays valid and the installation meets Florida’s wind-load requirements.
- The Done Right Promise means if something isn’t right, Ed Winslow makes it right – no ticket numbers, no runaround.
- Call (561) 468-6136 any time – a live person answers around the clock.
Get a Free Estimate on Awning or Hopper Windows in Westgate
If your bathroom is holding humidity, your old awning window cranks won’t turn, or you’re trying to get your home into compliance for a wind-mitigation inspection, call (561) 468-6136 today. Ed Winslow’s team serves Westgate and the surrounding area and we’ll come out, measure your openings, and give you a written price before we leave. No trip charge. No pressure. No surprises on the invoice. Seniors and veterans get 10% off, and if you have a competing written estimate, we’ll give you a free second opinion on it.
We’ve been a fixture in this area since 2011. Our home page gives you a full picture of everything we do – from impact windows to doors to roofing. But if awning or hopper windows are what you need right now, this is the call to make.
Written by Ed Winslow, Owner at Winslow Windows & Doors, serving Westgate.
Six Reasons Homeowners Choose Winslow 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.