Windows that pay you back every month
Paragon Exteriors replaces drafty, fogged, and failing windows across Ocean County, Monmouth County, and the Jersey Shore with energy-efficient vinyl and composite units rated for coastal wind and salt air. Most windows run $450–$1,200 installed, whole-home projects finish in one to two days, and every free estimate is itemized per opening — including an honest call on insert versus full-frame for each one. Licensed (NJ HIC #13VH13814500) and fully insured.
The 1980s opening problem
A huge share of Shore-area housing went up in the 1970s and 80s, and most of it still has the windows it was born with: single-pane sashes, aluminum sliders that sweat all winter, or first-generation double-panes whose seals gave out years ago. The symptoms are predictable — curtains that move on a windy day, fog trapped between panes, sashes painted shut or held up with a stick, and a furnace that runs constantly while the rooms facing the water never feel warm.
Those windows aren’t just annoying. Around here they’re often the single biggest hole in your home’s thermal envelope — and the first thing wind-driven rain finds in a nor’easter.
Insert vs. full-frame: the decision that actually matters
Most window salesmen skip this conversation. It’s the one that determines whether your new windows perform for 30 years or leak in five.
| Insert (pocket) | Full-frame | |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | New unit fits inside your existing frame | Old window comes out to the rough opening |
| Best when | Frame is square, dry, rot-free | Rot, out-of-square frames, any water history |
| Glass area | Slightly smaller than original | Full original size |
| What gets fixed | Sash and glass only | Rot, flashing, insulation, exterior trim |
| Cost | Lower end of the range | Typically adds $150–$300 per opening |
On coastal homes we open up a test unit before committing the whole job to inserts — hidden rot behind a tired frame is common east of the Parkway, and burying it under a new window is money wasted.
What every Paragon window install includes
- Per-opening assessment — insert or full-frame decided window by window, not by whichever is easier to sell
- Low-E, argon-filled double-pane glass as the baseline, not an upgrade
- Foam insulation around every frame — the draft-killer most installs skip
- New exterior trim or aluminum capping, sealed with the right caulk for salt air
- Interior stops and casing restored, not caulked over
- Old windows and debris hauled away same day
- Itemized written pricing per opening — swap sizes or styles without renegotiating the whole quote
Spec’d for salt air and sideways rain
Windows are tested to design-pressure (DP) ratings, and near the water that number matters more than any brand name. We match the rating to your exposure: a Howell colonial doesn’t need what a Lavallette bayfront needs. For barrier-island and bayfront homes we quote higher-DP units with reinforced meeting rails and corrosion-resistant hardware, and laminated impact glass where it earns its cost — it also happens to make a house on a windy block noticeably quieter. Frames are welded vinyl or composite because salt air eats bare aluminum and paint-hungry wood for breakfast.
Whole-home packages: the math favors doing it once
Replacing windows two at a time is the most expensive way to buy them — every visit carries the same setup, disposal, and trip costs. A whole-home package spreads those across 10–20 openings, drops the per-window price, and gets your entire envelope tight in one shot instead of over five years. It’s also the right moment to fix the openings themselves: if you’re planning new siding, doing windows first (or together) lets us integrate flashing and trim properly instead of caulking around the old stuff — here’s how the siding options compare. Same logic applies to entry and patio doors, which we’ll fold into the same visit and the same quote.
Get your per-window number
Window pricing is where homeowners get played — vague “whole project” quotes, fake discounts, four-hour sales pitches. We measure, we price each opening in writing, and we leave the quote with you. Read what window replacement really costs in NJ, then request your free estimate. If you’d rather keep it as a monthly payment, financing is available on both partial and whole-home packages.