Straight Answers Before You Call

Pricing depends on the tier, the size and number of openings, the glass package and whether the work is retrofit or new construction. As a rough ordering: Elevate is our entry tier, our own vinyl line sits in the middle, and our thermally broken aluminum is the premium tier. We quote per opening after a measure rather than by the square foot, because retrofit conditions vary so much between a 1970s Friendswood brick home and a 2015 Katy build.

A thermal break is an insulating barrier inside the frame that stops heat transferring straight through the metal. Aluminum conducts heat very well, which is excellent for strength and terrible for energy performance unless the frame is broken thermally. In a climate where a west-facing frame can get extremely hot, it is the single most important detail in an aluminum window. All of our luxury aluminum uses thermally broken 6063-T5 extrusions. Independent energy numbers live on the NFRC label; ENERGY STAR is the consumer-facing program that uses those ratings.

None. UPVC is the term used in much of the world for the same unplasticized PVC material that the US market calls vinyl. We standardize on “vinyl” on this site and mention UPVC where it helps.

It depends on your county and how far you are from the coast. Requirements are set by designated windstorm areas rather than by preference, and they differ between, say, Galveston County and inland Harris County. The Texas Department of Insurance windstorm page is the public source; flood maps are at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Tell us your address and we will tell you what applies.

Elevate orders reach us quickly and we confirm the date on your quote. Our own manufactured aluminum and vinyl lines depend on the size of the package and the current shop schedule. Sunroom and glass wall conversion projects take longer because of the structural and permitting work involved.

For structural work such as a glass wall conversion or a four-season sunroom, permitting is part of the project and we will tell you what is required. Inside the city, filings go through the Houston Permitting Center. In master-planned communities an architectural review submission is often needed as well, and we can supply the drawings and specifications that submission needs.

Our products carry warranty, and Elevate products carry the manufacturer’s lifetime limited warranty. Because we install what we supply, warranty service is handled locally rather than through a distant manufacturer.

Ask us when you call, we will tell you what is currently available for projects of your size.