Single-Hung Window Replacement in a Stucco Home in Bonita Springs

This Bonita Springs project is a straight window replacement in an existing stucco home. The old units came out, new white single-hung windows went into the same openings, and the photos were taken in the in-between stage most companies never show: windows in, stucco patched, paint still to come.

Start with the first photo. A tall single-hung with clear glass and no grids sits in a deep stucco return, and the frame is sealed all the way around. The second and third photos tell more of the story. Above each header there is a horizontal band of lighter, fresh stucco, and short patches at both ends of the sill. You can still see a row of fastener heads in those bands. That pattern is the typical footprint of storm-panel tracks — the header and sill rails that hurricane panels bolt into. When a home moves to impact-rated glass, those tracks are no longer needed, so they come off and the wall gets patched.

Why not paint right away? New stucco has to cure before it takes paint, or the paint can blister and the color will not match. So on jobs like this we finish the patch, let it cure, and paint later — either as a follow-up visit or together with an exterior repaint. If you see a band like this on your house after installation day, it is not a mistake. It is a step.

The fourth photo is the bathroom window from inside. The glass is obscure, a textured pattern that lets in light and blocks the view, which is what you want in a bath that faces a neighbor. The label is still on the sash: PGT SH5500, single-hung, vinyl frame, ENERGY STAR certified, with a design pressure of +50.0, a U-factor of 0.29 and a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.21. That last number matters in Bonita Springs. A low SHGC means less solar heat comes through the glass, which keeps west and south rooms cooler and takes load off the AC.

A few technical points that matter in Lee County. Bonita Springs sits in the wind-borne debris region, so new windows must either be impact-rated or be protected by approved shutters. Impact units with laminated glass protect the opening on their own, and when every opening is protected they can support the opening-protection credit on a wind-mitigation inspection, which can lower your insurance premium. The exact credit depends on your insurer and on every opening, including garage and entry doors.

Before you sign with anyone, ask these questions. What Florida Product Approval or NOA covers this exact window, and what design pressure does each opening need? Will you remove the old shutter tracks and patch the holes? Who paints the patches, and when? And will the labels stay on until the final inspection? That last one sounds small, but inspectors check them.

If you are planning window replacement in Bonita Springs, we would be glad to measure every opening and give you a written price. Call Prestigious Home Improvements for a free in-home estimate.