Okay, you’ve ordered your new windows and you’re excited to get them installed in your home. The installation team shows up, they’re putting the new windows in, and then a process server drives up, tells your installers that there’s a stop work order on the installation, and then hands them a ‘cease and desist’ restricting them from continuing work on the window installation.
The installers stop what they’re doing, throw up tarps to cover up any partially-finished window openings, and are forced to leave. What happens next? Resolving the stop work demand will be up to the contractor for the most part.
A stop work order is massively disruptive to any home improvement project. But there are ways to avoid them. Let’s go over some of the most common causes of stop work orders and what you can do to avoid them during your own window replacement project:
Reason for a Stop Work Order #1: Failure to Get a Permit
One of the leading reasons for a stop work order on a new window installation in Florida is a lack of permits (or incorrect permits) for the window installation job. In most cases, a home window replacement requires a residential permit from your local government body, like the Tampa Construction Services Division or the Pinellas County permitting portal.
Note that some structures, like condominiums, may require a commercial permit rather than a residential permit, despite condos having a ‘residential’ occupancy.
If there isn’t a permit on file for a window replacement job, then state regulatory agencies may step in with a stop work order and slap fines on the contractor for failing to get a permit. As noted by Sweeney Law, “Normally the fee imposed is double the normal permit fee. A contractor who violates a second or third time will have a fee imposed that is triple or quadruple the fee of the normal permit.”
So, when selecting a window replacement company, it’s very important to choose a company that crosses all of their legal ‘t’s’ and dots all of their ‘i’s’ rather than a contractor who skimps on paperwork to save a few bucks.
Before letting your window replacement company start working on your windows, be sure to get a copy of the permit application and the state’s approval so you know you’re covered against this reason for work stoppage.
Reason for a Stop Work Order #2: Safety Concerns
A good window installation should always be a safe window installation. When there are major safety concerns on a jobsite, local authorities may issue a stop work order to protect the installation crews and the homeowner.
When safety issues are the reason for the stop work order, then work can typically resume as soon as the contractor resolves whatever safety issues regulators identified on the worksite.
However, if there’s a larger, more general hazard to public safety, it might take more time and effort to resolve. For example, Linkhorst Law Firm notes that “unstable structures or compromised infrastructure” may be “subject to a stop work order until the hazards are mitigated.”
If there’s a structural issue at the root of the safety concern, then your window contractor might not be able to resolve it for you, putting a delay on their work until that structural issue is fixed.
The best way to avoid this problem is to:
- Work with a reputable contractor. Look for window installation companies that have a proven track record of safety and success. Avoid companies that subcontract out their work to third parties who may not be properly trained.
- Perform a general inspection of your home every few years. If there’s a major structural fault in your home, it’s important to identify it as soon as possible. Consider having a building inspector check your property once every decade or after any major disasters strike. This way, you can identify potential issues and fix them early before they become a safety concern for you and your family.
Reason for a Stop Work Order #3: Building Code Violations
The Florida Building Code (FBC) is an incredibly important document that every contractor in Florida needs to know as thoroughly as possible. On top of the statewide requirements laid out in the FBC, local municipalities may have further requirements. And beyond those, some residences may be subject to HOA-specific requirements.
When a window installation job doesn’t meet FBC or local building code requirements, that could trigger a stop work order. This can be one of the worst types of stop work orders to deal with, because it can mean having to significantly alter your install job.
Remediation may require changing out the windows you were planning to install, paying for a whole new set of windows on top of the ones you were already paying for.
In the case of HOA code enforcement, you might not get the stop work order—you may not find out that there’s an issue until after installation is complete. Then, the HOA may assess penalties for noncompliance.
This is why it’s important to work with experienced and knowledgeable window contractors who know what they’re doing. They’ll know the FBC requirements and the requirements for windows in your municipality to install windows that won’t trigger a stop work order.
For HOA-specific rules, it’s vital that you check your HOA’s guidelines for new window installation. Check to see what kinds of windows the HOA allows, verify approved window frame colors and styles, and contact your HOA to get approval for your new windows before work begins.
Reason for a Stop Work Order #4: Installation Not Following the Approved Plan
When your window installation company fills out a permit application, the windows they install need to be as accurate to the approved plan and specifications as possible. If the windows are too different from what was approved, you could be hit with a stop work order (or at least some very stern questions from the inspector who checks the installation).
Also, the windows in the permit are what the contractor is billing you to install, so you want them to be the right windows.
Working with a reliable and reputable window installation company can help you avoid running into stop work orders from the incorrect windows being installed. Better yet, it helps ensure that you don’t get hit with a ‘bait-and-switch’ on the windows you order.
Reason for a Stop Work Order #5: Workers’ Compensation Violations
This is an issue that sometimes happens with less-than-reliable contractors and businesses. When a company has issues with its payroll, misrepresents employees as subcontractors, or fails to compensate employees, they may be hit with stop work orders.
Even without stop work orders, such organizations may have difficulties finding and retaining window installation experts, leading to further delays in work even without regulatory bodies intervening.
So, when looking for a window replacement contractor, be sure to pick one that doesn’t rely on tricks like subcontracting out work. Choose a reliable installer who only uses employees who are on their payroll to avoid this particular cause of work stoppage.
What Should You Do When a Stop Work Order Happens?
The above list includes just a few of the most likely causes of a stop work order. With this issue, an ounce of prevention is worth way more than a pound of cure. However, what should you do if, despite all precautions, your window contractor is hit with a stop work order?
You should also reach out to the ‘issuing authority’ (i.e., whoever sent the stop work order) to get details about the order and why it was issued.
If the order was given to you and not your contractor, contact them as soon as possible to inform them and let them know that they have to stop working until the order is rescinded (taken back by the issuing authority).
As a homeowner, the most important thing is to communicate with the contractor handling the installation. Get updates from them and have them explain their plan for resolving the work stoppage, plus how long the order will delay the completion of your new window installation.
Get your game plan in place, including how you and your contractor will deal with any penalties that the organization issuing the stop work order might assess. Get everything in writing and maintain documentation, too. Keep records of when you got the order, take photos of the worksite at the time of the order, make copies of your permits, work contracts, accrued expenses or losses, and communications with the contractor.
The more documentation you have, the better.
After the issues are corrected, be sure to ask for another inspection so you can get the stop order lifted.
At some point in this process, you may want to consult with legal counsel to help verify that you’re meeting all of your obligations or to advise you about what you should do about the order moving forward.
Avoid Stop Work Orders by Working with a Reliable Window Replacement Company
The best way to deal with stop work orders is to avoid them entirely. Work with a reliable and trusted window installation company that:
- Uses 100% In-House Labor. Karoly Windows does not use subcontractors to install windows. All of our installers are on the Karoly payroll as Karoly employees.
- Does Every Window Installation the Right Way. Karoly Windows holds our installation techs to a high standard. Every installation job is done the right way, every time. This not only helps avoid stop work orders, it helps ensure that your new windows will last you for decades to come.
- Proactively Communicates with You. Make sure that you’re always in the know regarding your windows installation job by working with an installer who proactively communicates with you. Karoly will reach out to let you know about every major step of the installation process from the permit application to approval, window ordering, planned installation date, and any issues that may happen along the way.
- Has a Long Track Record of Safe, Reliable Work. Karoly Windows & Doors has more than two decades of experience working in the Tampa Bay area, replacing windows for homeowners while earning accolades for high-quality workmanship.
When you need new windows, get them from a company you can trust to do everything the right way so you don’t have to worry about potential work stoppages. Reach out to Karoly Windows & Doors today to get started!
