Windows · Doors · Glass walls
San Clemente
San Clemente was laid out as a Spanish village by the sea, and many of its houses still are. We replace their windows and doors in keeping with that.
01Local knowledge
Houses in San Clemente
The houses
Spanish Colonial Revival is the town’s native style: white walls, tile roofs and deep-set windows with simple, strong frames. The older neighborhoods near the pier hold original homes from that era beside careful rebuilds, and the windows need to sit back in the wall the way the architecture intends. Along the bluffs and in gated enclaves such as Cotton Point Estates, oceanfront houses open to the water with large sliding and folding doors. Inland, in Talega and the hillside tracts, newer homes are mostly two stories with association guidelines on frame color and style.
The conditions
On the bluffs and close to the beach, the marine layer and onshore wind bring salt and moisture to every elevation, and frames, finishes and hardware are chosen for that exposure. The rail line runs along the shore and Interstate 5 cuts through the town, so homes near either benefit from laminated glass for quiet. Glass facing west over the ocean takes long afternoon sun; a well-chosen coating cuts the glare and heat without tinting the view.
02Permits and approvals
Handled for you
San Clemente exempts replacement windows and doors from a building permit when the waterproofing membrane is not altered and egress is equal to or better than the original. Work that changes the membrane, the size or the egress needs a window change-out permit.
01
A retrofit that leaves the stucco and membrane intact falls under the exemption. A new-construction installation with a stucco cut does not.
02
Permit-required change-outs are minor exterior permits, handled at the city’s permit counter, by email or through its online portal.
03
California’s energy limits apply to the new glass whether or not a permit is needed.
04
For homes in an HOA community, the city’s standard application set includes an HOA confirmation form.
05
The Coastal Zone runs roughly to Interstate 5. A like-for-like replacement on an existing home needs no coastal development permit; bluff-top and beach-adjacent parcels are confirmed with Planning.
03What we install
Openings, made well
Doors & glass walls
Multi-slide, bi-fold, pivot, entry and French doors, including widened openings with the engineering and permit handled.
Windows
Wood, clad, fiberglass, aluminum and vinyl, retrofit or full-frame, chosen for the house and the salt air.
Questions
San Clemente, asked
Anything else is best answered in person, at the house.
Do I need a permit to replace windows in San Clemente?
Often not. City code exempts replacements that leave the waterproofing membrane unaltered and keep egress equal or better. If the stucco is cut or a size changes, we pull a window change-out permit.
Do the energy rules still apply without a permit?
Yes. The glass still has to meet California’s energy standards for alterations, and we keep the rating documentation for your records.
Does the Coastal Commission get involved?
Replacing windows and doors like for like on an existing home needs no coastal permit. On bluff-top or beach-adjacent lots we check with the city’s Planning Division first.
Will our HOA need to sign off?
If your home is in an association, yes. The city’s application set includes an HOA confirmation form for exactly that reason.
ZIP codes served
92672 · 92673
Consultation
A consultation in San Clemente
An unhurried walk through the house with one of our estimators. Choose a time that suits you, and we will come to you.
Or call 714-752-3407