How long does a typical custom window replacement job take once work starts?

A handful of windows can usually be done in a day or two. A whole-house replacement with custom-sized openings typically runs several days to just over a week, depending on how many units are involved and whether any rot repair turns up once the old windows come out.

What should I ask a contractor before hiring them for a job that crosses the US-Canada border?

Ask directly whether they've handled cross-border scheduling before, how they account for permit requirements on the Canadian side, and whether their estimate and invoice are clear about currency and any crossing-related costs. A contractor who hasn't thought through these questions ahead of time will likely run into delays you end up absorbing.

Are you tied to installing one specific window brand?

No — we work with several manufacturers and choose based on what fits your opening, budget, and the performance you need in this climate, rather than pushing a single product line on every job.

What's the real difference between double-pane and triple-pane windows here?

Triple-pane windows insulate better and reduce condensation risk in a climate with big temperature and humidity swings, but they cost more and are heavier, which matters for larger custom openings. For most homes here, a good double-pane unit with a quality low-E coating performs well; triple-pane makes the most sense on north-facing walls or rooms that run cold.

Does moss or algae growth on window frames mean the windows need replacing?

Not necessarily — moss and staining on a frame or sill are often just surface growth from the long damp season and can be cleaned. But if it keeps returning quickly in the same spot, that's usually a sign moisture is sitting there longer than it should, which is worth having checked rather than ignored.

Custom Windows for Aldergrove, BC Homes — Local Crew

Windows Built for a Border-Country Climate

Aldergrove sits close enough to Lynden, Washington that we treat it as part of our regular service area, but the climate doesn't care where the border line runs. Homes on both sides deal with the same weather pattern: long stretches of driving rain pushed in off the Pacific, damp shoulder seasons that barely dry out before the next front rolls through, and a moss season that can run from October well into April in shaded, north-facing spots. Add in the marine-influenced air moving inland off the Salish Sea, which carries more moisture and a mild salt content than people expect this far from open water, and you've got a climate that is hard on window seals, frames, and finishes if the original install wasn't done right.

Custom windows aren't just about matching an odd-shaped opening or getting a specific grid pattern — though we do plenty of that. In this climate, "custom" also means specifying the right frame material, glazing, and flashing detail for a house that's going to sit in wind-driven rain for months at a stretch, year after year.

What Local Homes Actually Need From Their Windows

We've replaced enough failed windows in this area to see the same problems repeat themselves. They're almost never about the glass itself — they're about water and air finding a way in around the frame.

Wind-driven rain

Rain here rarely falls straight down. Storms off the coast push it sideways, which means water gets tested against vertical seams, sill pans, and the top of the window head far more aggressively than in drier climates. A window that's rated fine on paper can still leak if the flashing sequence underneath it wasn't installed correctly.

Sustained dampness and moss

Shaded walls, especially north- and east-facing exposures under mature trees, stay damp for weeks at a time during the long moss season. Wood sills and trim that aren't properly sealed or back-primed will hold moisture against the frame, which is exactly the condition that leads to soft spots, paint failure, and eventually rot.

Temperature swings and condensation

Cold nights against warm, humid interior air can cause condensation on the inside of poorly insulated glazing. That's usually a sign of an aging double-pane unit losing its seal, or a frame that isn't thermally broken — both things we check for during an assessment.

Cross-Border Realities: Working Both Sides of the Line

Aldergrove is a Canadian community, and homes there fall under BC building requirements and local permitting rather than Washington State or Whatcom County code. We're upfront about this: our crew is based out of Lynden and licensed to work as a Washington contractor, so any Aldergrove job needs to be scoped with the homeowner's local permit requirements in mind from the start, not as an afterthought. In practice that means:

Confirming whether the scope of work (number of openings, structural changes, egress requirements) triggers a permit on the Canadian side before we schedule anything.
Working with the homeowner if a local building authority sign-off or inspection is needed, rather than assuming U.S. code satisfies it.
Scheduling material and crew border crossings with enough lead time that a slow crossing day doesn't stall your project mid-install.
Pricing and invoicing clearly in the currency and terms the homeowner expects, with no surprise cross-border fees added after the fact.

This isn't a reason to avoid hiring a Lynden-based crew — it's exactly why local experience matters. A contractor who's never worked a cross-border job will either skip these steps or find out about them halfway through your project. We'd rather flag it up front during the estimate.

What a Correct Custom Window Installation Involves

The window unit itself is maybe a third of the job. The rest is what happens around it, and it's where most leaks and failures actually start.

Opening prep. Remove the old unit, inspect the rough opening for rot, soft sheathing, or prior water damage, and repair before anything new goes in. Installing a new window into a compromised opening just hides the problem for a few years.
Sill pan flashing. A properly sloped, sealed sill pan is the single most important detail for keeping wind-driven rain out. This is non-negotiable in our climate.
Window-specific flashing tape and house wrap integration. Flashing has to be layered correctly with the house wrap — shingle-style, top piece over the one below — so any water that does get behind the siding drains out and away from the frame, not into it.
Setting and shimming. The unit gets leveled, plumbed, and squared with proper shims so it operates smoothly and seals evenly for the life of the window, not just on install day.
Insulation and air sealing. The gap between the frame and the rough opening gets filled with a low-expansion foam or backer rod and sealant — never packed tight with fiberglass insulation, which does nothing to stop air movement.
Interior and exterior trim and caulking. Final seal points, checked for full, continuous beads with no gaps — especially at corners, where most caulking failures start.

Skip or rush any one of these steps and the window can still look fine for a year or two before the real problem shows up as a soft spot in the wall, a musty smell, or peeling interior paint below the sill.

Signs your current windows are already failing

Fogging or moisture trapped between panes — the seal has failed and the unit needs replacing, not just re-caulking.
Soft or spongy wood at the sill or bottom corners of the frame.
Visible daylight or a noticeable draft along the frame edge on a windy day.
Paint bubbling or peeling on interior trim near the window, especially on north-facing walls.
Moss or dark staining building up on the exterior sill or frame that keeps coming back after cleaning.

Choosing a Frame Material for This Climate

We install several frame materials and don't push one option on every homeowner — the right choice depends on your home's style, budget, and how much upkeep you want to take on.

Material	Moisture behavior	Maintenance	Best fit
Vinyl	Won't rot; performs well in sustained damp conditions	Low — occasional cleaning	Most homes, best value
Fiberglass	Very stable, minimal expansion/contraction in temperature swings	Low	Larger openings, higher-end remodels
Wood (clad exterior)	Good if the exterior cladding is intact; interior wood needs protection from condensation	Moderate to high — exterior clad protects it, but any breach needs prompt attention	Homes prioritizing a traditional wood interior look
Aluminum	Prone to condensation without a thermal break; can feel cold to the touch	Low	Limited use — we typically steer homeowners toward better-insulating options here

We're honest that in a climate with this much sustained damp weather, we lean toward vinyl and fiberglass for most projects because they don't give moisture anything to work on over time. Clad-wood windows can look great and perform well, but they ask more of the homeowner in terms of upkeep and are less forgiving if a caulking joint fails and goes unnoticed for a season.

What Drives the Cost of a Custom Window Job

Factor	Why it matters
Opening size and shape	Standard sizes are stock; anything oversized, arched, or non-rectangular is built to order and costs more
Frame material	Vinyl is generally the most budget-friendly; fiberglass and clad-wood cost more upfront
Glazing package	Double-pane vs. triple-pane, and any low-E or gas-fill upgrades, affect both price and long-term energy performance
Condition of the existing opening	Rot or water damage found during removal adds repair time before the new window can go in
Number of openings	Doing a whole house at once is more efficient per window than one-off replacements over time
Cross-border logistics	Permit coordination and scheduling on the BC side can add lead time, though not typically material cost

We don't quote a whole-house number off a phone call — every home and every opening is different, and giving you a made-up ballpark before we've seen the actual condition of your walls doesn't do you any favors.

Our Process, Start to Finish

We keep this simple and don't pad it with extra visits that don't add value:

Assessment. We walk the exterior and interior with you, check current window condition, and note any opening or structural issues.
Written estimate. Clear scope, materials, and pricing — no vague allowances you have to chase down later.
Permit check. We confirm what, if anything, needs sign-off from your local building authority before work starts.
Scheduling. We plan crew and material timing with border logistics built in, so a slow crossing day doesn't delay your install.
Installation. Full flashing and sealing sequence on every opening, not just the ones that are easy to reach.
Final walkthrough. We check operation, seals, and finish work with you before we consider the job done.

Why Hire a Crew That Already Works This Area

A lot of window companies will take an Aldergrove job once and never again — they don't know the permitting differences, don't plan for border scheduling, and treat it like any other job on their list. We work this area regularly enough to know what actually trips up a cross-border project, and we build that into the estimate and schedule instead of discovering it mid-install. That familiarity also means we've seen how homes here specifically hold up — or don't — against the driving rain and long damp stretches this region gets, and we specify flashing and materials accordingly rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Get a Free, No-Pressure Estimate

If your windows are fogging, drafty, or just original to a home built decades ago, it's worth having someone look before winter's rain sets in again. Fill out the form below and we'll set up a time to walk the property, answer your questions, and give you a straightforward written estimate — no pressure, no obligation.