What a same day glass repair actually looks like

People are usually surprised how small a job this is. Here is the whole thing, in order, so you know what your day looks like.

The call, five minutes

Have three things ready and you will get a real number rather than a shrug:

• The size of the visible glass, width then height, to the nearest centimetre or half inch.
• Single pane or double. Look at the edge, or tap it.
• A photo, ideally one wide and one close.

From that we tell you the range, whether the glass is stock or made to measure, and the earliest slot. Prices start at $150 for a single pane and $350 for a standard sealed unit, installed, before tax.

Confirming glass and time, same call

We check a few things that move the price so the number does not change later: whether it is tempered, whether it has Low-E and argon, whether the opening is upstairs or over a deck, and whether the frame is sound. If it is a sealed unit we book a measure, and if it is a stock single pane we can often bring the glass with us.

If the opening is not secure, board up comes first that day and glazing follows.

Before we arrive

• Clear about a metre in front of the window, inside and out.
• Move furniture, blinds and anything breakable off the sill.
• Keep pets in another room, both for their safety and so the door can stay open.
• Tell us about parking. On the Mountain and downtown that is the thing most likely to cost time.

The fitting, 60 to 90 minutes

1. Drop sheets down, sill and floor protected.
2. Old glass and stops or beads come out. Broken panes come out in pieces, into a bin, not a bag.
3. The opening is cleaned and checked, old sealant and glazing compound removed.
4. New pane or sealed unit set on fresh setting blocks, squared and packed.
5. Stops, beads or compound back in, then sealant where the frame needs it.
6. Glass cleaned, sill wiped, drop sheets up, old glass loaded and taken away.

Most single windows are done inside 90 minutes. A slider or a door insert can run longer because the panel comes out of its track.

Right after

Leave sealant undisturbed for 24 hours and avoid washing the new glass for a couple of days. Do not remove the setting tape early if we left any. Open and close the window normally, gently the first time.

Why a job takes longer than a day

• Made-to-measure sealed units, three to seven business days once measured.
• Tempered or laminated glass, built to order.
• Arched or specialty shapes, longer again.
• Rot in a wood frame found on the day. We repair wood window glass, and if the frame needs woodwork we tell you before we start.

What it costs

The price we give you on the call is the price on the invoice. Send a photo and the size and we will start the clock.