Toronto Doors & Windows | Vinyl Window Replacement, Entry Doors, Exterior Doors & more

Toronto doors and windows company is the #1 provider for vinyl windows, window replacements, entry doors and more. specializing at fibregalss doors & door installation

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8 Questions to Ask When Shopping for Vinyl Windows

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Replacement windows are a big investment so you need to be sure that the company who supplies and installs them knows exactly what they are doing and that you choose the right windows for your property. Below are 8 questions you can ask the companies you approach all about vinyl windows, to help ensure that you make the right choices. There are quite a few reputable suppliers and installers that offer their services across the Greater Toronto Area so there is no need to settle for second best.

Vinyl Windows: 8 Questions You Should Be Asking

Whenever you start talking to a local company about replacement windows for your property, be sure to ask them the following questions.

1. How Long Have You Been in Business in the GTA? – A company that has been serving homeowners in the area for many years will be much better equipped to deal with any installation issues that may arise and will be able to give you accurate advice when it comes to recommending the best type of windows for properties in this part of the world. They will know which styles sell well, which type of vinyl windows stand up to the local weather conditions the best, and what other people with similar properties to yours have chosen to have installed.

2. How Long Will It Take to Install My New Windows? – Given that you will probably want to vacate the property while the work is being carried out, or at least arrange to sleep and have your meals elsewhere, it is important to know how long it will take.

3. What is the Energy Rating of the Glass in Your Windows? – The energy rating of the glass in the vinyl windows you buy will determine how much you could save on utility bills in the long term.

4. What Kind of Guarantees for Materials and Labour Do You Offer? – Given the amount of money you will be spending, you should make sure that the company you give your business to offers a comprehensive warranty for both their windows and workmanship.

5. Are You Insured? – Comprehensive liability insurance will cover any accidental damage or injuries that may occur during the installation process and is therefore essential.

6. Do You Have a Showroom? – The best way for you to get a feel for how different styles of vinyl windows will look in your home is to see them in a showroom setting. Catalogs are useful but it is much easier to judge what they really look like when you see windows installed in a showroom environment.

7. Are Your Quotations All-Inclusive? – If you are going to compare quotations from several different companies in Toronto, you need to know that each one includes all necessary installation work and materials. If there are any hidden extras, these could invalidate your comparisons.

8. Do You Have Your Own Installation Team? – Companies with their own in-house installers will be able to guarantee a higher level of service than those who leave the work to subcontractors.

To speak to a company that has helped numerous local homeowners upgrade their properties with high quality vinyl windows, call Toronto Doors and Windows now. We provide free initial consultations and estimates for customers in all parts of the GTA, and would be delighted to help you improve your home in the near future.

Windows and Doors: What Kind of ROI Can You Look Forward to?

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Although it is difficult to find accurate figures for the return on investment enjoyed by homeowners in Toronto who have recently completed home improvement projects, or indeed accurate figures for anywhere in the country, it is possible to take the figures released by a couple of respected institutes and determine some basic trends from them. We can, for example, easily see that landscaping the grounds on which your property stands can result in a return of 2.5 times your initial investment should you choose to sell up and move in the future. While replacement doors and windows may not offer quite such a staggering return, they do represent one of the better investments as far as improvements to your property rather than its grounds are concerned.

ROI for Replacement Windows and Doors

If you decide to replace either your entry doors or your exterior windows in the near future, you can expect to see a return on your investment, in the event that you should subsequently decide to sell your property, of between 50% to 100%. This is obviously a very good return, making both options a very popular choice of home improvement project in Toronto and across the country. Below are some of the reasons that property buyers place so much value on good quality replacement windows and doors.

  • Curb Appeal – First impressions are very important, as almost everybody is aware. When prospective buyers come for a viewing, the first thing they will see on their arrival is the exterior of your home. If you have recently had quality doors and double-glazed windows fitted, your property will be looking its very best from the outside and is sure to make a good impression. Potential buyers who already like your house before they go through the front door are far more likely to make an offer, and a generous one at that.
  • Lower Utility Bills – Most buyers are aware of the fact that modern windows and doors are far more energy efficient than their predecessors. What this means is that any house they view that already has modern replacement units fitted will be more attractive to them as a long-term investment because it will cost less to heat in the winter and less to cool in the summer. Lower utility bills are an especially attractive incentive for couples that are taking on a big mortgage for the very first time.
  • Lower Carbon Footprint – The same energy efficiency that results in lower utility bills will also result in a smaller carbon footprint for whoever lives in your property in the future. Environmentally concerned citizens will therefore be more inclined to make an offer on your home than on a comparable property with less energy efficient windows and doors fitted.
  • Ease of Maintenance – Modern vinyl window units and composite doors are much easier to maintain than the timber fixtures that are a feature of many older properties in the city. They will not warp or crack in the heat and humidity that are a regular feature of the summers here, nor will they rot when exposed to torrential rain for weeks on end. Timber doors and timber-framed window units need refinishing on a regular basis if they are to remain in good condition whereas vinyl and composite units only require an occasional wipe down with a wet rag to keep them looking good.

Call or email us today to find out more about the benefits of replacement windows and doors. If you would like a free estimate for your property, we will be more than happy to oblige.

How a Modern Window Replacement Leads to a Warmer Home

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Although increased curb appeal is among the most commonly cited reasons for Toronto property owners to have replacement windows fitted, there is another reason that may be less talked about but is equally, if not more, important: energy efficiency. Simply put, installing high quality modern window units could lead to a warmer environment in your home next winter. If you want to know how new windows can have such a big effect on the temperature of the air in your home, take a look at the factors discussed below.

The Factors That Make Modern Window Replacement Units More Energy Efficient

Below, we have listed the properties of modern replacement window units that make them more energy efficient than their predecessors.

  • Superior Insulating Properties – As long as you buy replacement window units with an energy star rating, you can be sure that they have excellent insulating properties and will therefore help to prevent warm air from escaping into the outside during the winter months.
  • Resistance to Humidity – If your home currently has conventional timber-framed windows fitted, these frames will expand and contract as the water content in the Toronto air increases and decreases throughout the course of each year. This expansion and contraction inevitably leads to warping, which can leave gaps in between the frame and the wall in which it is installed, or between the panes of glass in the window and the frame. In either case, warm air will escape through the resulting gaps.
  • Less Radiant Heat Transfer – The Low-E window replacement units available today restrict radiant heat transfer through the glass panels, which means more warmth is retained in your home. How efficient your new windows are in this respect will be determined by the materials used and the particular specifications followed by the manufacturer so it is a good idea to ask for further details if this is an important quality to you. Most Low-E glass has an invisible coating of metal oxide that allows light and heat in but makes it much harder for heat to travel in the opposite direction.
  • No Rotting – Traditional wooden frames are prone to rotting, especially if they are not meticulously maintained. When the frames start to rot they leave gaps through which the heated air in your home can escape during the wintertime. If you decide to purchase high quality vinyl window replacement units, rotting is not something you will ever have to worry about again.
  • Professional Fitting – Unless you decide to attempt the job yourself, the new windows you purchase in Toronto will be fitted by professional glaziers with many years of experience. While your original windows may well have been fitted by professionals as well, technology has moved on in the last few years so you can look forward to a snugger fit this time around. A better fit, as you can probably already guess, means less warm air escaping from your window replacement units next winter, and every winter from now until you eventually have them replaced.

If you are considering replacing the windows in your property in the near future, please do not hesitate to call the team at Toronto Doors and Windows to request a detailed quotation. We supply and fit high quality doors and windows across the GTA, at very competitive prices. Whatever type of window replacement units you require, we can provide you with a free estimate covering all your requirements in full.  We carry a wide range of great looking windows, have one of the best installation teams in the country, and provide an after-sales service that is second to none.

Entry Doors: How to Ensure Yours are Safe and Secure

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The doors in your Toronto home are some of the weakest points of your entire property as far as potential intruders are concerned. If you would like to make sure that your home is an unappealing prospect for local burglars, you need to make sure that your doors are as safe and secure as possible. There are a number of ways in which you can achieve this goal, the easiest of which we discuss in the next section.

Making Your Entry Doors More Secure

Some of these options are more expensive to implement than others but the more costly choices are sometimes the most effective too. What this means to you as a homeowner is that you either have to commit to spending whatever it takes to make your property more secure or you have to come to some kind of compromise between cost and safety.

  • Upgrade Your Locks – If you have old-fashioned wooden doors, you can buy and fit new locks with relative ease. Unless you are not very good at DIY tasks, this is a job that should only take a couple of hours for each exterior door in your property. However, if you do not have the right tools or you simply don’t enjoy tackling DIY jobs around the home, you will need to hire a local professional to do the job for you. In this case, there may be better options as far as return on investment is concerned.
  • Fit Metal Grilles to Any Glass Panes – If your entry doors have glass in them, you can make them more secure by fitting metal grilles across the inside of each pane. Another option to strengthen the glass is to fit security film to the glass. This type of film adheres to the surface of the glass and prevents it from shattering when hit with a blunt object. However, it is designed to make it harder for potential intruders to force an entry rather than to make it impossible.
  • Fit an Alarm – Contact alarms that are triggered when your doors are opened are a worthwhile investment as they cost relatively little money and are often enough to make casual intruders turn and run. More sophisticated alarms that consist of light beams directed at sensors, which are triggered when the sensors cannot see the beams, i.e. when the beams are broken by a person entering your home, are another alternative that you may like to consider for your entry doors.
  • Replacement Doors – With high quality composite models that are resistant to forced entries available at very reasonable prices in Toronto, replacement doors are a popular choice among homeowners who are looking to improve home security. If you do not mind spending a little extra for an even safer and more secure solution, you might like to consider investing in quality steel entry doors. In addition to providing a strong barrier that is very hard for would-be intruders to penetrate, steel doors are very fire resistant, can withstand severe weather conditions, and will remain in excellent condition for many years to come.

If you are not sure which solution is best for your property, please feel free to call us and ask for advice at any time. We stock a wide range of high quality entry doors and would be more than happy t o prepare a free estimate for you if fitting new doors is the option that you decide to take. We serve customers across the GTA and have a reputation for doing whatever it takes to ensure 100% satisfaction on every job we undertake.

Where to Look for Credible Replacement Window Quotes

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If the time has come to seriously consider replacing the windows in your home, the first thing you will need to do is to obtain a number of quotations from firms that supply and install them in Toronto. However, you will need to make sure that you are obtaining quotes from reputable firms or you may not be comparing like for like when you look at the overall cost each supplier has quoted. Below, we have compiled a list of tips that we hope will help you to zero in on the most reputable replacement window companies in the city.

Factors to Consider When Requesting Quotes for Replacement Windows

Before you ask a company for a quotation, consider the following factors and ask any questions you may need to ask, in order to ascertain whether they are a reputable, reliable supplier and installer.

  • Previous Installations – The best way to establish whether a particular company is capable of delivering on their promises is to inspect previous installations they have completed. In some cases this will require permission from the owners of the properties in question but in other cases, you may be able to simply drive slowly past the houses to see the condition of the replacement windows they feature.
  • Testimonials – A company in good standing that has been operating in Toronto and the surrounding area for a number of years is sure to be able to provide you with copies of testimonials they have received from satisfied customers. If this is not the case, it is probably best to cross them off your list and look for other suppliers in the area that can.
  • Free Estimates – A reputable firm should not charge you for putting together an estimate. When you ask them how much the replacement windows you are interested in are likely to cost, they should be happy to provide you with a free estimate that is both accurate and detailed.
  • Online Reviews – If you want to research a company before you approach them, you can search for online reviews that other customers have written. However, the absence of any such reviews is not necessarily a sign that the company in question is unreliable. If you cannot find any reviews on the internet, you may like to move on to the next suggestion.
  • Asking for Personal Recommendations – Friends, relatives, and work colleagues in Toronto are all possible sources of information when you are looking for reputable firms that sell and install replacement windows. Make a note of any they recommend and be sure to ask those companies for quotations.
  • Asking Awkward Questions – When you first get in touch with a company that you wish to request a quotation from, make a point of asking a few difficult questions to see how they respond. A reputable firm that is focused on customer service will be more than happy to provide you with any information you require whereas one that is only interested in turning a quick profit will probably be reluctant to answer all of your questions.

If you would like to obtain a competitive quotation for replacement windows from a well regarded company in the city that supplies high quality products and has a first-class installation team, please feel free to call us on 647-932-3667 during normal working hours. Alternatively, you can complete the Get a Free Quote form on our site and submit it whenever you wish. Once we have your phone number and email, we will be able to get in touch with you to discuss your needs at a convenient time.

Entrance Doors: Here’s Why You Don’t Try to Hang Them Yourself

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Many Toronto homeowners enjoy tackling minor DIY projects but when it comes to entrance doors, it really is better to pay a professional to do the job for you. If you are wondering why you shouldn’t bother trying to do the work yourself, take a look at the points in the section below. A lot of people are simply not aware of just what is involved in the task and the pitfalls that await them if they are inexperienced at hanging doors. However, after reading this article, you will know exactly why it is a good idea to pay an experienced pro instead of trying to do the job yourself.

Why You Need a Professional to Install Your Entrance Doors

If you are thinking about replacing your front or back door, below are several reasons that it is better to pay an expert to handle the job rather than going it alone.

  • Security – The weakest points of any property, as far as potential intruders are concerned, are the doors and windows. For this reason, it is essential that your exterior doors are fitted by an expert who knows exactly what he or she is doing. One simple mistake could render your property vulnerable to local burglars, which is a very good reason not to attempt the job yourself unless you have years of experience.
  • Aesthetics – If you make a bad job of installing new entrance doors, your mistakes will be in plain sight for all to see. To ensure that the curb appeal of your property is enhanced rather than spoiled, hire a professional to carry out the installation work on your behalf. There is no point in buying a high quality, stylish door and attempting to install it yourself if you don’t know exactly what you are doing.
  • Warranty – Most good quality doors come with a manufacturer’s warranty that covers defects discovered after you have purchased them. However, if you decide to install them yourself, this will almost certainly invalidate the warranty and you will have no recourse in the event that you should discover any manufacturing defects at a later date. Given the cost of quality entrance doors, it is better to play it safe than to risk your money by installing them yourself.
  • Time – It takes a considerable amount of time to hang a door properly, especially if you run into any unforeseen difficulties during the installation process. However, a professional installer will be able to complete the job far quicker than the average DIY enthusiast and will know exactly what to do in the event that any problems should arise during the installation.
  • Energy – A well-fitted quality door will help to reduce your energy costs as it will prevent warm air from escaping during the winter months and cool air during the hot Toronto summers. However, if your new door is not properly fitted and there are gaps between it and the door frame, any potential savings you could have made will have gone out the window, or the door in this case! A professional installer will make sure that there are no gaps between your new door and the frame, thereby maximizing the energy savings you can expect from investing in a door with excellent insulating properties.

If you are looking for a company that can supply and install high quality entrance doors at competitive rates, we would be delighted to tell you all about the products and services we have to offer. We will also be more than happy to provide you with a free, competitive quotation for any new doors you require.