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ECO Window Systems Home Additions & ADU: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide
We install and service ECO Window Systems windows and glass packages as part of home additions and ADU builds across Fort Lauderdale, with full addition projects ranging from $45,000 to $130,000 depending on square footage, foundation work, and how much of the existing structure we’re tying into. Most owners call us when they’ve hit a wall: the windows they bought for an addition don’t match what the original structure has, or a failed seal on an ECO Window Systems unit has fogged up and killed the look of a brand-new space. The good news is we pull ECO Window Systems-compatible units into the job on time, and we don’t hand you a surprise number at the end.
Here’s the thing about ECO Window Systems in South Florida: these are impact-rated window and door systems built for hurricane zones, and they hold up differently than standard residential glass. That means when something fails, the fix usually involves more than swapping a pane. Salt air, humidity, and the UV load in Fort Lauderdale will find the weak point in any window system within five to seven years if it’s not seated and sealed correctly during install. Isaac Pruett has pulled failed ECO Window Systems units out of more than a few Fort Lauderdale additions where the original installer skipped a step, and the homeowner never knew until water started showing up on the sill after a heavy rain.
Which ECO Window Systems Models This Applies To
ECO Window Systems produces impact-rated aluminum and vinyl window lines, and the model numbers matter because the frame depths and glass packages aren’t universal across their catalog. If you’re tying new windows into an existing addition or an ADU in Fort Lauderdale, the first thing we do is read the label on the original unit. It’s usually etched into the glass corner or printed on a sticker along the frame edge. That label tells us the series, the glass makeup, and whether it’s a single-hung, casement, picture window, or slider. The second thing we do is measure the rough opening, because ECO Window Systems frames are not something you shim out by half an inch and call it done.
Now, the OEM-versus-aftermarket decision: for replacement glass and seals, we strongly recommend staying with ECO Window Systems-spec materials if the unit is under any remaining warranty or if the window is part of a wall that must keep its Miami-Dade or Broward County product approval documentation. For a full replacement in an addition, we can price both paths. Quality aftermarket impact units from other manufacturers sometimes cost 15 to 20 percent less, but they may not match the sightlines of the existing ECO Window Systems windows, and that matters when you’re adding on to a house and want the old and new to read as one building, not two.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your ECO Window Systems Home Additions & ADU Is Failing
- Condensation or fog between the glass panes. This is the most common failure we see in Fort Lauderdale, and it means the insulated glass unit has lost its seal. The desiccant inside the spacer bar has maxed out, and once that happens, no amount of sun will clear it. The glass package has to be replaced.
- Water pooling on the interior sill after storms. ECO Window Systems units have weep holes and drainage channels that can clog with salt scale and debris, especially in older Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods like Victoria Park where the windows have been through a decade of storms. If the water is coming over the track, not through it, the frame may have shifted out of square.
- The sash is hard to open, close, or lock. Aluminum frames in a humid coastal climate will corrode at the hardware points. If the locking cam doesn’t seat cleanly, the window isn’t doing its job as an impact barrier, and forcing it only makes the hardware worse.
- Visible rust trails or white powdery residue on the frame. Salt air is aggressive on aluminum. That powdery oxidation starts at screw heads and corner joints. Left alone, it eats into the frame enough that the glass can’t be re-glazed without a full frame replacement.
- You can feel air movement around the window on a windy day. Weatherstripping on ECO Window Systems units takes a beating from the sun. When the gaskets get stiff and crack, the window loses its seal, your AC bill climbs, and the impact rating is compromised.
See the difference
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AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
For a full ECO Window Systems window replacement inside an existing addition or ADU in Fort Lauderdale, you’re looking at $4,500 to $15,000 as a standalone window replacement job. When the window work is folded into a larger home addition, the window portion usually falls between $8,000 and $25,000 depending on the number of openings, the glass package, and whether we’re doing full-frame replacement or insert replacement. A full home addition runs $45,000 to $130,000, and ADU construction runs $90,000 to $220,000 if you’re building a detached unit and need new window packages throughout.
Every estimate from us is written out line by line before work starts. You’ll see the window unit cost, the installation labor, the flashing and sealant materials, the stucco or drywall patch work if we’re pulling a frame, and the haul-away fee for the old unit. There is no verbal price that grows on the final bill. We hold to the written price on every project, every time, which is how Isaac Pruett has run Mason Remodeling Co Fort Lauderdale since day one.
DIY or Call Us?
You can check a few things yourself: the glass label to identify your ECO Window Systems series, the condition of the weatherstripping, and whether the weep holes are clogged. Cleaning out weep holes is a safe five-minute job with a piece of stiff wire. But removing and replacing an impact-rated window is not a weekend project. These units weigh anywhere from 80 to 200 pounds depending on size, and getting the flashing, shimming, and anchoring wrong voids the product approval and can let water into the wall cavity where you won’t see it for years.
Mason Remodeling Co Fort Lauderdale is an independent service provider and remodeler. We’re not affiliated with ECO Window Systems, and that’s exactly why we can tell you straight what’s worth repairing and what should be replaced. If your addition or ADU has a failing window, call (754) 354-3720 and we’ll take a look before we quote you a number.
FAQs
In Fort Lauderdale’s salt and UV conditions, ECO Window Systems impact windows typically last 15 to 25 years on the frame, but the insulated glass seals often fail between 8 and 15 years, and weatherstripping needs replacement every 5 to 8 years. Coastal homes east of US-1 tend to hit the low end of those ranges. Call (754) 354-3720 for a condition check on your specific windows.
Yes, if the failure is a blown seal or damaged hardware, we can often replace just the insulated glass unit or the locking mechanism and keep your existing frame. If the frame is corroded or the rough opening has shifted, full replacement is the honest answer. We tell you what we found, what it takes to fix it, and what it will cost, before we touch a thing. Call (754) 354-3720 to schedule an inspection.
For a standard full-frame replacement in a Fort Lauderdale addition, expect one day per window for the removal, install, waterproofing, and interior trim work, with stucco or drywall patch following the next day. A whole-home window package inside a new addition is typically a two to four day window phase within the larger project. We’ll give you the schedule in writing before we start.
We keep common weatherstripping profiles, replacement locks, and sealant materials stocked for ECO Window Systems units, and we source glass packages and full replacement windows directly from our supplier network that also carries KraftMaid, Cambria, and Silestone product lines. When a unit needs to be manufactured, the lead time in Fort Lauderdale is usually two to four weeks. Call (754) 354-3720 to confirm availability for your window model.
Written by Isaac Pruett, Owner, Mason Remodeling Co Fort Lauderdale at Mason Remodeling Co Fort Lauderdale, serving Fort Lauderdale and nearby areas.
