Window Replacement in Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill houses tend to have more windows than most, and more of them are shaped: arches over the front entry, bay and bow units in the living room, transoms above the patio door. Fortress Windows & Doors has been building and installing custom-sized windows, entry doors, patio doors and eavestrough for York Region homes since 1989. Our head office is at 4725 Sheppard Ave E in Scarborough, about half an hour down the 404. Family-owned. Call (416) 291-5795.
Reviewed by Steve McCue and Steve Mercer, owners, Fortress Windows & Doors Inc.
What Richmond Hill homes usually need
Bayview Hill and the 1990s estates
Big two-storeys with 25 to 40 openings, many of them arched, round-top or oversized picture windows. The original units are now 30 years old. We measure each shaped opening, build the replacement to match the curve, and keep the grille pattern so the front elevation looks the way the architect drew it.
Mill Pond and Old Richmond Hill
The streets around Mill Pond, Yonge and Major Mackenzie have older homes with wood windows that are past painting. We replace them full-frame, keep the sightlines, and can do wood-look vinyl or colour-matched exterior so the house still fits the street.
Oak Ridges and Jefferson
Up on the moraine it is colder and windier than the rest of Richmond Hill, and the 2000s builder windows in Jefferson and Oak Ridges are hitting the end of their sealed-unit life at the same time. Triple-pane glass is worth pricing out here; the payback is faster than it is south of Elgin Mills.
Entry and patio doors
Insulated steel or fibreglass entry systems with sidelites and transoms rebuilt as one unit, and vinyl sliding, garden or French patio doors for the backyard. Frame and threshold come out with the old door.
Eavestrough and downspouts
Five-inch seamless aluminum, formed on site. On the larger Richmond Hill lots we look at where the downspouts discharge relative to the grading; a downspout that ends beside a window well is a basement problem waiting to happen.
Why Richmond Hill homeowners call Fortress
Shaped and oversized windows are where a lot of installers get out of their depth. Fortress has been measuring and building custom-sized units for 37 years, and we are close enough, half an hour down the 404 from our Scarborough office, that a second measure or a follow-up visit is not an ordeal. The number on this page rings at our office.
Installing since 1989
Family-owned and still run by the family. York Region has been part of the route for decades.
HomeStars winner every year since 2014
Verified reviews from real installs. Read them before you book.
Canadian-made, CSA A440 certified, Energy Star
Built in Ontario, certified to CSA A440, Energy Star rated for Canada.
City of Richmond Hill permits handled
Same-size replacements need no permit. Enlarging an opening or adding a basement egress window does. We prepare the drawings and file with the City.
Financing available
A Richmond Hill house can have 30 or more windows. Flexible financing lets you do the whole house at once instead of one elevation a year.
How a Richmond Hill job runs
It starts with a measure at your house. We check every opening, including the shaped ones, the sills and the wall around them, and give you one written price for the whole job. That price includes:
- Written quote with no hidden extras
- Removal and disposal of old windows and doors
- Low-expansion foam around every frame
- Colour-matched exterior aluminum capping
- Interior trim and caulking
- Permit drawings and filing where the City requires it
- Same-day clean-up
- Warranty registered in your name
Service Steps
1. Book a measure
Call (416) 291-5795 or use the quote form. Tell us which openings and roughly when.
2. In-home measure
We template any shaped openings, measure the rest, check for rot or water damage, and go through frame colour, grilles and glass options with you.
3. One written price
One number for the whole job. It only changes if you change the scope.
4. Build and install
Custom-built to your measurements. Shaped units take a little longer to build. A large Richmond Hill two-storey is usually installed in two to three days.
5. Walk-through and warranty
We walk every unit with you, show you the hardware, and register the warranty.
Need windows, doors or eavestrough replaced in Richmond Hill?
What changes after the install
Lower heating bills
On a house with 30 openings, going from 1990s double-pane to low-E argon-filled glass is a noticeable line on the Enbridge bill.
Warmer rooms upstairs
Big shaped windows over the stairwell and in the primary bedroom are usually the coldest spots in the house. New units with foamed frames fix that.
Quieter house
Sealed double or triple glazing takes the edge off Yonge, Bayview, Leslie and the 404.
Rebates when they are open
Ontario and federal energy rebate programs change. We check what is open when you book and tell you what your job qualifies for.
Drier basement
Eavestrough pitched properly with downspouts extended away from the wall keeps water off the foundation and out of the window wells.
Resale
Buyers in Richmond Hill expect the windows to be done. New, warrantied units go in the listing; fogged 1990s glass comes up in the negotiation.
Other areas we cover
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to replace windows in Richmond Hill?
Not for a like-for-like replacement in the same opening. You need a City of Richmond Hill building permit if the opening is being enlarged or a new one cut, which covers most basement egress windows. We prepare and file the permit as part of the job.
Can you replace arched and round-top windows?
Yes. We template the opening on site and build the replacement to the same curve, with matching grilles if the house has them. Shaped units take a little longer to manufacture than rectangular ones.
How long does window replacement take?
A large Richmond Hill two-storey with 25 to 40 openings is usually installed in two to three days once the windows arrive. Lead time from measure to install depends on the season; spring and early fall are the busiest.
Where is Fortress located?
Our head office is at 4725 Sheppard Ave E, Unit 405, Scarborough, ON M1S 5B2, about half an hour from Richmond Hill via the 404 and 401. Call (416) 291-5795. We also have a Barrie office at 15 Pepin Ct.