Overview: Window Installers
Replacing windows in a Canadian house is mostly a fight with cold air. An insert unit slides into the old frame and costs less. A full-frame job strips back to the rough opening, so the installer can see any rot, fix the sill and insulate the gap around the window. Plenty of drafts come through that gap rather than the glass.
The ENERGY STAR label means one thing across the country. The federal government runs the program here, and its window standard is a single national requirement, so a certified unit clears the same bar in Victoria as in Winnipeg. Ask for the certified model name on the quote, along with the warranty on the sealed glass.
Older houses bring their own trouble. Pulling a window disturbs old paint, and Health Canada warns against sanding, scraping or burning off paint that may contain lead. Ask how the crew contains the dust and cleans up. Winter installs are possible, one opening at a time, so the house is never open to the cold for long.
Our listings show what each window company says on its own website about the products and jobs it handles. Start with your province, then your city, to find installers who work in your area.
Frequently asked questions
Insert or full-frame replacement?
Full-frame, when the old frame is suspect and the budget allows. An insert keeps the existing frame and sill, costs less and gives up a strip of glass. Full-frame exposes the rough opening, which in many older houses was stuffed with loose fibreglass or left hollow. That's where a lot of the cold gets in. In a basement bedroom, full-frame may also be the only way to get an opening big enough to climb out.
Can I cancel a window contract I signed at home?
In Ontario, yes, within ten days. A contract signed in your home comes with that cooling-off period, and you can cancel for any reason. Alberta gives ten days to cancel a prepaid contract, counted from when you receive your copy. Elsewhere, read the cancellation terms before the salesperson leaves. Send any cancellation in writing and keep proof that it arrived.
Why is water running down my new windows in winter?
Usually the air inside is too humid, and the window is fine. Glass is the coldest surface in a heated room, so moisture lands there first. Health Canada says to run a dehumidifier when moisture condenses on cold surfaces like window panes, and to use exhaust fans when you cook and shower. Fog trapped between the panes is different. That's a failed seal, and the glass unit needs replacing, often under its warranty.
Do bedroom windows have to open wide enough to climb out?
Usually, yes. The BC Building Code, for one, says each bedroom needs an outside window or door you can open from inside without keys, tools or special knowledge, unless the suite has sprinklers. BC's Building Code Appeal Board has ruled that a required escape window can't be fitted with an opening limiter. Replacing a casement with a slider can shrink the opening, so have the installer check it against your province's code before ordering.
Who repairs the inside once the windows are in?
Settle it in the quote. Many window prices cover the unit and the outside capping, then stop. Interior trim, drywall returns, paint and hauling away the old units are often extra. In Quebec, the contractor needs a licence from the Régie du bâtiment, and the licence number belongs on the quote, the contract and the invoice. Check it's there while you're reading the fine print.
