Do I need to be home for a quote or during install?
Do I have to replace ALL my openings at once?
I can’t decide between shutters or impact glass?
Does “Hurricane Film” do the same as Impact Glass?
How long does it take from order date to install?
I have an alarm system, does that matter?
I have a wood home with cedar trim, will a carpenter be needed to finish the exterior of the home?
What are the benefits of Hurricane Impact Glass?
Does hurricane glass break?
Powder coated vs. vinyl windows, which one should I choose?
Can you remove the old shutters while installing the new windows?
When your company is finished, what do I need to do in terms of finish work?
What installation materials do you use?
Is there any discount for multiple unit installs?

Do I need to be home for a quote or during install?

Nope. To be honest, only about 20% of the homeowners are ever home when we quote or do work on their home. We have built a trust with the community and are known for the quality of our work that is second to none. We understand that customers are seasonal and while they are in town they may not want work being done on their vacation time. As long as we have a way to get in to provide an accurate quote or perform work, you do not have to be in town. Whether the homeowner is in residence or not, during install we take EVERY precaution while installing. We tarp every walkway (regardless if tile or not), cover all beds, dressers, and nightstands with plastic. During the entire install we have air movers blowing OUT to minimize on dust inside the home. After install, the tarps are picked up carefully, wrapped and taken out of the home. That particular part of the home we work in is fully cleaned to the original condition. If you would like a cleaning service to come behind us(not necessary) we are willing to work that out, just let us know!

Do I have to replace ALL my openings at once?

Nope. We understand that the replacement of the openings can be an expense that most are not able to do all at the same time. In fact, it is not uncommon for many homeowners to do ½ this season and ½ the next. We are indifferent if we do all the windows or just one, we are just happy to earn your business! We have been in business for over 40 years and we don’t plan on going anywhere so just give us a call when you are ready!

I can’t decide between shutters or impact glass?

We get this question all the time! There are pros and cons to every situation, below should help you make the most educated decision:

Does “Hurricane Film” do the same as Impact Glass?

NO, not even close. In fact, if you research hurricane film, you will quickly realize that the benefits do not hold a candle to that of impact glass. Film may hold the glass together if broken, but a large missile impact WILL penetrate the home! When you compare the cost of having someone come out to film your current window compared to just replacing the window itself with an impact product, you will realize that you really don’t save that much money and you are seriously lacking the benefits of impact products! Films also absorb heat and transfers it to the glass edges which may cause it to break. This heat added by film was not calculated initially and could potentially cause spontaneous breaking.

How long does it take from order date to install?

From the date that your products are ordered to the time of install runs approximately 3 weeks(supplier lead time). We are at the mercy of our suppliers on this part. As soon as the contract is signed and a confirmation is received from our supplier we will install the date the material comes in or the very next day!

I have an alarm system, does that matter?

Sanibel glass will remove your old window and doors from the openings and before installing the new product will leave your alarm wires so they are easily accessible by the alarm company inside the new products. Because of liability issues and the fact that the current wires are cut perfectly for the existing windows they need to be installed professionally after we are finished installing your new products. Again, this is something that we would be happy to organize with you to have the alarm people there the day we plan on finishing.

I have a wood home with cedar trim, will a carpenter be needed to finish the exterior of the home?

This is where comparing quotes becomes crucial. We do not require that a carpenter be present while installing new windows where most window companies do! Hiring a contractor to be present during install is very costly to the homeowner and take a bit of coordination to be done correctly, something most people don’t want to deal with! In the even that we realize any sort of wood rot around the opening, we will be happy to cut out and replace with fresh lumber if necessary. We recommend that if we are going to tear off the old cedar (which is usually water damaged due to exposure and age) that it be replaced with Hardee board( a cement type board that has the wood grain looks of cedar.) We will be happy to do this for you and is generally optioned during quoting. We will also be happy to paint the exterior trim while the ladders and scaffolding is up, this makes the customers life much easier and they wont need to hire a painter or do it themselves. Just specify what you would like and we would be happy to make it a “white glove” install!

What are the benefits of Hurricane Impact Glass?

Well, the obvious Benefit is that that opening is Miami-Dade certified Large Missile Impact. However, impact glass has way more benefits that are desirable. They include: 24/7 Burglary Protection, Improves energy efficiency of the home, Noise Reduction, UV protection of 99%( no more faded furniture or flooring), Insurance Premium Discounts, Updates the look of the home, Easy to operate openings compared to the old, and the list goes on!

Does hurricane glass break?

YES; a common misconception is that hurricane glass does not break, but it does! The important part is that even though it may break, nothing can penetrate the glass and make it into the interior of the glass. Hurricane glass is similar to the make up of your car windshield. It is a heat-strengthened piece of glass on the exterior, .090 plastic layer in the middle, and another heat strengthened piece of glass on the interior. Once laminated together, this makes up the hurricane glass. Even though it cracks, it’s tested to not allow any penetration into the home! Check out the impact glass testing video and you will get a better understanding of its strengths and benefits!

Powder coated vs. vinyl windows, which one should I choose?

Well, this is a tough question to answer because each install is case specific. We sell a wide variety of manufactures that use aluminum framing and vinyl framing, so we have you covered there. The best thing to do is come in, see the windows, operate them and together we will make the best decision for your job.

Can you remove the old shutters while installing the new windows?

Yes we can and we actually recommend it because the shutters are no longer necessary. We enjoy taking them off because it makes the job look that much better by getting rid of those big bulky boxes on the outside. This will clean up the look of the job and make the home look that much better! We recommend it also because we always say “nothing says “I’m not home” like the shutters being down”. Just let us know you would like the shutters down while we are quoting and we will be happy to work it into the quote. In the event that you decide you’d like them down at a later date, we can also schedule them to be take off anytime, just get in contact with us and we will organize that!

When your company is finished, what do I need to do in terms of finish work?

When we install new products in your home, we pride ourselves in being able to leave the customer with zero finish work. Very rarely will any touch up paint need to be done on the exterior or the interior. However, sometimes the inside drywall has been water damaged from a bad seal of an old window and the hard coat will be very brittle and chip off while taking out a window or door. In the event that drywall is chipped or the hard coat begins to break due to previous water damage, we will be happy to use a lightweight spackling to patch any damage done as a courtesy. If the drywall damage behind the window is severe, we will notify the customer immediately of this damage unforeseen. We have contacts with the most professional drywall and stucco team on the island we can recommend in this event!

What installation materials do you use?

This is one of the most important questions you can ask a company when installing hurricane impact products. Remember, the windows are only as good as the install! This is where Sanibel Glass does NOT go “cheap”! We use the best polyurethane sealants, pressure treated ply-woods, window tapes, stainless steel color matched Tapcons® (most companies do not want to spend the extra money to get color matched Tapcons® and will use bright blue Tapcons®), and custom color matched pans for wood structures. We understand that the products need to look just as good as the function!!!!