A replacement project is not a new-build project with old windows. The openings, the wall structure and the surrounding finishes all vary from house to house, and the site check is what turns a brochure size into a manufacturable one. This guide sets out what is checked, what is quoted, and what sits outside the standard scope.
Updated: 15 October 2026On a replacement or renovation project, the existing openings are the starting point. Existing windows, wall structures and surrounding finishes can carry size deviations, ageing or decorative returns, and those conditions are confirmed on site before the order is finalised rather than assumed from a measure-up.
Quick answer
Site check first. On projects that include installation, a site measurement or site condition check verifies the opening dimensions and installation conditions before production.
Replacement projects check more. Existing windows, wall structure and surrounding finishes are considered, because conditions vary between buildings.
Drawings follow the deposit. Drawings are prepared after the quotation is confirmed and the deposit is received. The confirmed dimensions, operation, glass and configuration become the basis of production.
Removal is a separate line. Removal of existing windows is quoted separately on replacement projects. Repair or reinstatement of walls, architraves, wallpaper or tiles is not provided by RS and sits outside the standard installation scope.
Waste handling has conditions. Where waste removal is included on a replacement project, it covers the old windows and the packaging waste. If it is not included, packaging waste is handled by the client.
How this guide was put together
This guide is compiled from the delivery and installation process notes used on live projects, the quotation and terms explanation used for project pricing, and the replacement-scope notes covering removal, waste handling and make-good items. The figures quoted here — timeframes, storage periods, delivery ranges, warranty periods and size limits — are the ones used in project quotations and warranty documents rather than marketing estimates. Where a figure depends on the individual project, such as final pricing, site conditions, or warranty conditions for coastal and custom projects, the guide says so and points to the signed document that governs it.
1. What the site check covers
For projects that include installation, the site check confirms the opening dimensions and the installation conditions. On a new-build project, the opening schedule and drawings drive the confirmation. On a replacement or renovation project, the check also considers:
- the existing windows and how they are fixed;
- the wall structure around each opening;
- surrounding finishes and any decorative returns;
- access for delivery and for the installation team;
- whether equipment such as a lift or a crane is needed, which is a buyer cost.
Because conditions differ from building to building, the check happens before the order is confirmed, not after the windows arrive. Windows and external glazed doors are treated as part of the building fabric under the National Construction Code, which is why the opening and its interface with the surrounding wall are verified on site rather than assumed from a plan.
2. From measure to drawing to production
The sequence on a replacement project runs: project briefing and quotation, then the site measurement or condition check, then drawing confirmation, then production. Drawings are prepared after the quotation is confirmed and the deposit is received. The confirmed dimensions, operation type, glass and product configuration become the basis of production.
One commercial detail is worth knowing early. Windows are custom products, and the final price follows the confirmed drawing dimensions and configuration. Where the final drawing dimensions differ materially from the dimensions used for the preliminary quotation, the final price may be adjusted; a difference in area of roughly two square metres is used as the reference point for recalculating the final price, with the difference settled in the final payment.
3. What a replacement quote covers, and what it does not
| Item | Standard treatment on a replacement project |
|---|---|
| Product and configuration | Quoted per the confirmed schedule and configuration |
| Removal of existing windows | Quoted separately, by quantity and site conditions |
| Local standard installation | Included where the order includes installation |
| Internal architrave installation, repair or repainting | Not provided by RS; outside the standard scope |
| Repair or reinstatement of walls, wallpaper or tiles | Not provided by RS; outside the standard scope |
| Equipment hire, such as a lift or crane | Buyer cost, where site conditions require it |
| Waste removal | Included only where quoted; covers old windows and packaging waste |
| Packaging material disposal | Buyer responsibility unless waste removal is included in the scope |
| Changes after the order is confirmed | Quoted as an additional item |
4. What to have ready for the site check
- the opening schedule, or a room-by-room list of what is being replaced;
- photos of each opening from inside and outside;
- any drawings or a previous quotation you are comparing against;
- the intended operation for each opening, if already decided;
- access details: parking, building access, and whether the site is occupied;
- whether the project is strata-managed, since approvals may sit outside the window scope.
5. Where replacement projects usually go wrong
Three patterns account for most of the friction on a replacement project, and all three are avoidable at the site-check stage.
- Assuming the opening matches the catalogue size. Existing openings deviate. The site check is what reconciles them.
- Leaving the finishes out of the conversation. Standard installation does not reinstate walls, architraves, wallpaper or tiles, and RS does not provide that make-good work. If those items matter, arrange them with a separate trade before the work starts.
- Not deciding who removes and who disposes. Removal and waste handling are separate lines with their own conditions.
Who measures the openings on a replacement project?
On projects that include installation, a site measurement or site condition check is carried out to verify the opening dimensions and installation conditions before production.
What is checked on a renovation project?
Existing windows, the wall structure and surrounding finishes are considered, along with access for delivery and installation, because conditions vary between buildings.
When are drawings prepared?
Drawings are prepared after the quotation is confirmed and the deposit is received, based on the confirmed project requirements.
Is removal of the old windows included?
Removal of existing windows is quoted separately on replacement projects, based on quantity and site conditions.
Are the walls and architraves made good afterwards?
No. Standard installation does not include repairing or reinstating walls, architraves, wallpaper or tiles, and RS does not provide those make-good items. Where they are needed, they should be arranged with a separate trade before installation starts, and raised at the site check so the programme accounts for them.
Who pays for a lift or crane?
Where the building structure, installation height or other site conditions require equipment such as a lift or crane, the rental cost is a buyer cost.
What happens if the final size differs from the quotation?
Windows are custom products, so the final price follows the confirmed drawing dimensions. Where the area differs by more than about two square metres from the preliminary quotation, the final price may be adjusted, with the difference settled in the final payment.
Can the final price change after the order is confirmed?
Yes, for changes requested after confirmation, and where the final drawing dimensions differ materially from the preliminary quotation. Those changes are quoted as additional items.
Version history
- v1.1 — 15 October 2026: client review revisions. Make-good items (walls, architraves, wallpaper, tiles) are now stated as not provided by RS, with a pointer to arrange them with a separate trade; the same clarification is carried through the quick answer, the scope table and section 5.
- v1.0 — 13 October 2026: first published as a draft for review.
About the publisher
This article is published by RS Doors & Windows, the customer-facing brand of Australia RS Doors & Windows Pty Ltd (ABN 59 629 271 227). RS is an Australian-registered aluminium window and door supplier with showroom and service locations in Sydney (Belmore), Melbourne (Clayton) and Adelaide (Marleston). Local consultation, measurement, delivery, installation and after-sales services are provided in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide; for other Australian locations RS supplies product only, and installation can be discussed on a project basis.
Our published AS 2047 evidence — StandardsMark certificate SMK40453 and the scope set out in its Schedule — is available on our certification page, and completed projects across Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide are listed in our project showcase.
Last updated: 15 October 2026.