Bay Area Siding Company installs replacement and new-construction windows for Fairfax homes — from the winterized cabins up the Cascades to the Craftsman bungalows near Bolinas Road and the postwar houses in Manor and Oak Manor. We're a Larkspur-based siding and window contractor, and we run the whole job: measuring, glazing and energy selection, permitting, removal, flashing and air-sealing, and the walkthrough at the end.

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

Telltale signs your windows are done

Fairfax has a lot of original single-pane wood windows still hanging on in cabins and older cottages, and in a shaded, foggy canyon they let you know it:

• Condensation or fog trapped between the panes — a blown seal on a dual-pane unit, which can't be fixed, only replaced.
• Cold air and clammy sills near the glass on a damp morning, even with everything shut.
• Sashes that stick, drop, or won't latch — swollen wood, painted-shut frames, or worn balances, common in cabin-era joinery.
• Rot or soft wood at the sill and surround, where a canopy keeps the trim wet.
• Rooms that never hold heat because single-pane glass has no Low-E coating.

When two or more of these show up, replacement tends to beat another round of repairs.

What to weigh in a replacement window

Three decisions carry the project:

• Energy performance. Look for dual-pane insulated glass with a Low-E coating. California's Title 24 energy code sets maximum U-factor and SHGC values for replacement windows, and the numbers shift by climate zone and code cycle — so the right move is to have your installer confirm the current figures at permit time rather than quote you a fixed number.
• Frame material. Vinyl, fiberglass, aluminum-clad wood, and aluminum each balance cost, thermal performance, and looks differently. Fairfax's cabins and Craftsman homes, with their wood trim and character openings, often read best with clad-wood or a profile that respects the original opening.
• Retrofit versus new-construction install. A retrofit (insert) keeps the existing frame and is less invasive; a new-construction install strips back to the framing so the flashing can be fully renewed — usually the right call where a shaded wall has let rot start. We do both.

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 the existing windows, the openings, and your goals.
2. Measure — exact field measurements for every opening.
3. Product and energy selection — glass package, frame, and finish chosen to meet Title 24 in effect at permit time.
4. Permit — Fairfax requires a construction permit for window replacement under the building code.
5. Removal and prep — old units out, openings checked for rot and water damage.
6. Install, flashing, and air-seal — set level and plumb, then flashed and sealed against water and air.
7. Finish and walkthrough — trim, caulk, an operation check, and cleanup with you.

Fairfax-specific things to know

Permits. The Town of Fairfax Department of Planning and Building Services, at 142 Bolinas Road, requires a construction permit for window replacement under the California building and energy codes, and a Title 24 energy compliance form is part of a fenestration submittal. We handle it.

Fire-zone glazing. This is the Fairfax wrinkle. Much of the town — the wooded hillsides and single-road canyons like the Cascades — sits in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and Fairfax has adopted the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (municipal code § 8.06.011). Where those rules and Chapter 7A apply, exterior glazing generally has to be dual-pane with at least one tempered pane (or a rated fire-resistive assembly). It typically comes into play when you pull a permit to replace windows or alter an opening, not as a forced retrofit of a compliant house. Exactly what's required depends on your parcel's designation and whether the work is a repair or an alteration, so we confirm it with the Town as part of scoping.

Old glass in cabins and cottages. Fairfax's cabin-era and Craftsman homes frequently still carry their original single-pane windows, which is why the jump to a modern dual-pane, Low-E unit is so noticeable here — quieter rooms, less condensation on foggy canyon mornings, and heat that finally stays put.

Working on the exterior as a whole? We also do siding replacement and James Hardie siding in Fairfax, and we serve the wider Marin area. See finished work in our project gallery.

What affects the cost

We don't post prices because every Fairfax home is different. The drivers are the number and size of openings, frame material and brand, retrofit versus new-construction, whether fire-zone tempered or multi-pane glazing is required, the condition of the existing framing (rot repair adds scope), and access — upper-story, hillside, and canyon openings take more setup.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to replace windows in Fairfax? Yes. The Town of Fairfax requires a construction permit for window replacement, and a Title 24 energy form is part of the submittal. We take care of the permitting.

I'm on a fire-zone parcel — do my windows need tempered glass? Often, if the work is an alteration. Where Fairfax's WUI Code and Chapter 7A apply, replacement glazing generally needs to be dual-pane with at least one tempered pane. The exact obligation depends on your parcel and whether the job is a repair or an alteration, which we confirm before ordering.

Can I keep the look of my old Fairfax cabin or cottage? Yes. Frame material and profile can be matched to the original openings — clad-wood and certain vinyl or aluminum profiles all work, depending on the home.

Retrofit or new-construction install — which is right for me? Retrofit is less invasive and keeps the existing frame; new-construction is the better choice where a shaded wall has let rot start and you want the flashing fully renewed. 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.