Horizontal Roller Window Types
Rollers are named by their panels as seen from outside the house: X is a sash that slides, O is a fixed pane. That code is how a quote describes the window, so it's worth reading before you sign.
Two-lite rollers (XO and OX)
A single slider has one moving sash and one fixed pane. The letters tell you which side moves, read from the exterior, so XO and OX are mirror images. Stand outside the opening when you choose, or the sash can end up on the wrong side of a counter or a wall.
- Installed, impact (HomeGuide): $600 to $2,300; the unit alone $500 to $1,500.
- Installed, impact (This Old House): $300 to $1,000.
- Installed, non-impact: $300 to $2,300 (HomeGuide), $700 to $1,500 (Fixr).
Three-lite rollers (XOX)
An XOX unit has a fixed center pane with a sliding sash on each end, so air comes in at both sides while the middle keeps a clear view. One aluminum window maker calls it a common layout for wider windows. This Old House notes that horizontal sliders can cost more than other styles because they often have larger glass areas, and the size chart above shows how fast that adds up.
Rollers in bedrooms
Only the sliding sash opens, so a roller's clear opening is smaller than its frame. In a sleeping room, that opening has to meet the egress sizes unless the new unit is the largest standard size of the same style that fits the existing opening. Ask for the clear-opening figure of each bedroom roller before the order goes in.
Why Pompano Beach homeowners call Pompano Windows
- One independent installer calls back, not a list of five
- The request costs you nothing
- Ask for approval numbers and design pressures on the quote
- Permit, removal and stucco patching priced in writing
Roller Window Cost Drivers
Size
In This Old House's chart, going from 37 x 50 inches to 53 x 76 inches more than doubles the price.Impact glass or shutters
An impact roller needs an approved, labeled HVHZ unit; a plain one has to sit behind hurricane shutters.Frame
This Old House prices hurricane window frames at $90 to $275 in aluminum and $100 to $300 in vinyl; see aluminum windows for the trade-offs.Floor
Bob Vila says second-floor windows take about twice as long to install as ground-floor ones.Labor
HomeGuide puts impact-window labor at $100 to $400 a window.
Before You Order a Roller
Slide direction
Confirm XO or OX on the quote, read from outside.Label and pressure
Each roller's design pressure and maximum tested size should match the opening it fills.Salt air
This Old House notes that coastal salt and moisture can speed up wear, so ask what upkeep the sliding track and rollers need.Permit and deposit
Pompano Beach requires a city permit for every window swap; on a deposit over 10%, ask about the deposit rule.
How a Roller Swap Usually Runs
- STEP01
Measure and configuration
Each opening is measured, and you settle XO, OX or XOX for each one before anything is ordered.
- STEP02
Written quote
Look for the approval number, design pressure and size of every roller, plus removal, trim repair and the permit.
- STEP03
Factory wait
On one Broward installer's July 2026 list, some brands shipped in 3-4 weeks and others took 12-14.
- STEP04
Install and final inspection
Bob Vila puts an impact window at about two hours to install. The temporary label stays on the glass until the city's final approval.
See Single-Hung Impact Windows for narrower openings.