Window replacement costs in Des Moines

Des Moines spells out when a window swap needs no permit. Under a city policy in effect since July 1, 2023, replacing a window counts as exempt minor repair only when every one of these holds: the rough opening stays the same size, the finished egress opening doesn't get smaller, the window isn't part of a smoke control system, it doesn't need fire protection because of how close it sits to the property line, and it isn't in a spot that requires safety glass. Exempt work still has to meet current code.

Basements bring their own rule. If you finish a basement with a bedroom, the city requires an egress window in that bedroom. Its handout sets the opening at 5.7 square feet in most cases, at least 24 inches high and 20 inches wide, with a sill no more than 44 inches off the floor. A window well needs at least 9 square feet of clear space, and one deeper than 44 inches needs a permanent ladder or steps.

The city and the suburbs are different jobs. About two-thirds of homes inside Des Moines were built before 1980. Out in the rest of the metro, the houses get much newer: nearly 38 percent of the metro's housing dates from 2000 onward.