“Window replacement” covers a lot of ground, from a contractor who pops a new sash into your old frame to a crew that strips the opening back to the framing. The price and the result depend on which one you are buying. This is what a Fortress window replacement includes in a Toronto, Scarborough or Durham home, step by step, so you can compare quotes on the same basis.
Reviewed by Steve McCue and Steve Mercer, owners, Fortress Windows & Doors Inc. Updated September 16, 2026.
The measure
Steve Mercer comes to the house. He measures every opening you want done, and he checks the ones you do not, because a window that has fogged between the panes on the north side usually has a twin on the west side a year behind it. He worked as a home inspector before he focused on windows and doors, so he looks at the sill, the frame and the wall around it, not just the width and height. If there is rot, you hear about it at the measure, not on install day.
You get one written price with the style, the glass and the install spelled out, with ENERGY STAR model numbers on it for the Ontario rebate if you are using it.
The window
The windows are vinyl, built in Canada, with sealed glass units using a Low-E 272 coating and argon gas between the panes. The coating reflects heat back toward its source, so furnace heat stays in during a January cold snap and sun heat stays out in July. Argon slows heat crossing the gap. That combination is what earns the ENERGY STAR mark, and it is standard on every window we sell, not an upgrade.
Style is your choice. Casements seal tightest and suit bedrooms and living rooms. Awnings can stay open in the rain. Sliders and hung windows suit basements and traditional fronts. Bays and bows push the wall out and are a bigger job.
Full-frame replacement, not a sash swap
There are two ways to replace a window. A retrofit insert leaves the old frame in the wall and sets a new, slightly smaller window inside it. It is fast and it costs less, and it is the right call in some cases. But if the old frame is rotten, out of square, or leaking behind the trim, the insert hides the problem instead of fixing it.
Full-frame replacement takes the old sash and frame out, checks the opening, and sets the new unit into the rough opening. That is how you end up with a window that is level, square and sealed to the wall rather than to a 40-year-old frame. Steve Mercer will tell you at the measure which of the two your openings need. Steve McCue has installed windows and doors for 37 years and is in charge of the installation side. When an opening is unusual, he works out how it goes in before the crew arrives.
Install day
Our own crew does the work. We do not subcontract installs, because a good window installed badly leaks like a bad one. On the day:
- Furniture near the windows gets moved back and floors are covered.
- The old window comes out, sash and frame. The crew checks the opening for soft wood and water staining and deals with it.
- The new unit is set level and square and fastened.
- The gap around it is insulated and sealed inside and out.
- Trim goes back on and the exterior is finished.
- The crew tests every window and cleans up.
The house is closed up every night. You are never sleeping with a hole in the wall.
The walk-through and the warranty
Before the crew leaves, you go over every window with them. Cranks, locks, screens, tilt latches. Then the True Fortress Exclusive Lifetime Warranty starts. It covers the product and the labour to fix it. If a sealed unit fogs in year twelve, you should not be paying for the service call, and with us you do not.
What is not included unless it is on the quote
Enlarging an opening, for a basement egress window for example, is a separate job because it involves cutting the foundation and usually a permit. Structural repair to a wall behind a window that turns out to be badly rotted is quoted when it is found. Interior painting of new trim is yours. Everything else, from the measure to the clean-up, is on the one price.
To see a whole-house job with entry door, patio door and eavestrough included, read the Oro-Medonte project.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between full-frame and retrofit window replacement?
A retrofit insert leaves the old frame in the wall and fits a smaller new window inside it. Full-frame replacement removes the old sash and frame and sets the new window in the rough opening, which fixes rot and out-of-square frames instead of hiding them.
How long does window replacement take?
Windows are made to measure after the in-home visit, so allow weeks rather than days from measure to install. The install itself is measured in days, and the house is closed up each night.
Does Fortress use subcontractors?
No. Installs are done by Fortress crews, overseen by owner Steve McCue, who has installed windows and doors for 37 years.
Where does Fortress replace windows?
From the Scarborough office at 4725 Sheppard Ave E we cover Toronto and Durham Region, including Pickering, Ajax and Whitby, and York Region through Markham. The Barrie office covers Barrie and Simcoe County.
Book a measure
Call (416) 291-5795 in Toronto and Durham or (705) 294-2345 in the Barrie area. One visit, one written price.
