Bay Area Siding Company installs replacement and new-construction windows throughout Corte Madera — from the century-old cottages on Christmas Tree Hill and Chapman Park to the level neighborhoods that stretch toward Corte Madera Creek. We're a Larkspur-based siding and window contractor working just minutes away, and we run the whole job: field measuring, glass and frame selection, permitting, removal, flashing and air-sealing, and a final walkthrough.

Ready to move forward? Request an estimate or call (415) 619-5167.

Signs it's time for new windows

Corte Madera's older homes still hold a great many original single-pane wood windows, and after a hundred foggy Marin winters they tend to give themselves away:

• Cold air and drafts slipping past the sash even when everything is latched.
• Fog or moisture trapped between the panes — a blown seal on a dual-pane unit, which can only be replaced, not repaired. In this marine climate, seal failures show up early.
• Sashes that stick, drop, or won't lock from swollen wood, paint-sealed frames, or worn balances.
• Rooms that never quite hold heat, driven by single glazing with no Low-E coating.
• Soft frames, rot, or water staining at the sill or the surround — common where fog and wind-driven rain work on old wood.

If a couple of these ring true, replacement is usually the smarter long-term move than one more round of repairs.

Choosing the right replacement window

Three decisions carry most of the weight:

• Energy performance. Aim for dual-pane insulated glass with a Low-E coating. California's Title 24 energy code sets ceilings on U-factor and solar heat gain for replacement windows, and Corte Madera adopted the 2025 California Energy Code effective January 1, 2026 — so the units have to meet the code in force when you pull the permit. We confirm the current figures at permit time rather than quoting numbers that shift between code cycles.
• Frame material. Vinyl, fiberglass, aluminum-clad wood, and aluminum each strike a different balance of cost, thermal performance, and appearance. On Corte Madera's cottage and Victorian-era homes, clad-wood or a frame profile that respects the original opening often looks the most at home.
• Retrofit vs. new-construction install. A retrofit (insert) keeps the existing frame and is less disruptive; a new-construction install takes the window back to the framing so the flashing can be fully renewed — often the right call on the damp bay-flat homes where there's rot or past water intrusion. We do both and recommend based on what we find.

Comparing brands? Start at our window hub, /bay-area-window-replacement/, then read the specifics for Anlin, Milgard, Andersen, Marvin, and Pella. We install aluminum windows as well.

What to expect: our process

1. Consultation — we look at your existing windows, the openings, and your goals.
2. Measure — precise field measurements for every opening.
3. Product and energy selection — glass package, frame, and finish chosen to meet Title 24.
4. Permit — we pull the Town of Corte Madera building permit and the energy documentation that goes with it.
5. Removal and prep — old units out, openings checked for rot or damage.
6. Install, flash, and air-seal — set level and plumb, then flashed and sealed against water and air.
7. Finish and walkthrough — trim, caulk, an operation check on every unit, and cleanup together.

Corte Madera-specific things to know

Permits and energy documentation. Window replacement is permitted work through the Town of Corte Madera's Community Development Department, Building Division (the Building line is (415) 927-5062). The town treats replacement windows as an alteration under the Energy Code, so Title 24 fenestration compliance documentation is part of the submittal, and Corte Madera is enforcing the 2025 California Energy Code as of January 1, 2026. We prepare the paperwork and pull the permit.

Fire-zone glazing on the hills. Christmas Tree Hill and the upper streets of Chapman Park climb through redwood, bay, and eucalyptus — genuinely fire-exposed terrain served by Central Marin Fire Department, and reflected in CAL FIRE's updated 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone and Wildland-Urban Interface maps for the town. Where a parcel sits in a designated hazard zone or the WUI, California Building Code Chapter 7A governs exterior glazing, and altering an opening in a single-family home typically calls for multi-pane windows with at least one tempered pane, among other requirements. Whether that applies to your home — and whether the work counts as a repair or an alteration — depends on your parcel and scope, which we confirm with the Town and the fire authority before ordering glass.

Older stock, big comfort gain. Because so many local homes still run their original single-pane windows, the jump to a modern dual-pane, Low-E unit is especially noticeable here — quieter rooms, fewer drafts, and far less condensation through the damp season.

Thinking about the whole exterior? We also handle siding replacement and James Hardie fiber cement siding in Corte Madera, and we serve the wider Marin service area. Recent work is in our project gallery.

What affects the cost

We don't quote windows online, because no two jobs match. The drivers are the number and size of openings; the frame material and brand; retrofit versus new-construction; whether fire-zone tempered or multi-pane glazing is required for your parcel; the condition of the existing framing, since rot repair adds scope; and access — upper-story and hillside openings take more setup. We price it after we've measured.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to replace windows in Corte Madera? Yes. The Town of Corte Madera Building Division permits window replacement, and Title 24 energy documentation is part of the submittal under the 2025 California Energy Code. We handle both.

I'm up on Christmas Tree Hill — do my windows need tempered glazing? Possibly, if the work is an alteration. In a designated fire-hazard zone or the WUI, altering an opening in a single-family home generally requires multi-pane glazing with at least one tempered pane under Chapter 7A. The exact requirement depends on your parcel and scope, which we confirm with the Town and Central Marin Fire before ordering.

Can I keep the character of my older Corte Madera home? Yes. Frame material and profile can be matched to the original openings — clad-wood and specific vinyl or aluminum profiles all work, depending on the house.

Retrofit or new-construction — which do I need? Retrofit is less invasive and keeps the existing frame; new-construction is the better choice where there's rot or water damage and you want the flashing fully renewed — a frequent situation on the older, damp bay-flat homes. We assess and recommend.

Get started

Get replacement windows sized, specced, and installed right the first time. Request an estimate or call Bay Area Siding Company at (415) 619-5167.