Glass questions we get asked every week

These are the questions that come up on the phone no matter which part of the business is calling: a homeowner with a fogged unit, a property manager with a broken storefront, a driver with a cracked windshield. Answers are short and direct. Where a page goes deeper on something, the link is right there in the answer, so treat this as a switchboard rather than a wall of text.

If your question is about a word you saw on a quote, we keep two plain language glossaries: window and glass terminology for buildings, and auto glass terminology for vehicles.

Getting a quote and paying for the work

How do I get a price out of you?

Call and describe the damage. For a house or a building, that usually leads to a site measure, because glass size is not the same as frame size and guessing produces a lite that does not fit. A glazier comes out, measures the opening, and the numbers go into a written quote. For auto glass we can usually price it over the phone from the year, make, model and whether the vehicle has a camera behind the mirror.

Do I pay anything before I see a price?

No. Nothing is owed until you have a written quote in your hand. The measure visit is free, the quote is free, and there is no obligation attached to either. If you read it and decide not to go ahead, that is the end of it and you owe nothing.

Why do you take a deposit?

On home and building work we collect 50% once you approve the quote, and the glass goes on order after that. The reason is simple: a lite cut to your opening cannot be sold to anybody else. Hardware and stock sliding door glass do not usually need one, because those come off the shelf. See home window replacement for how that plays out on a typical order.

Is there a deposit on auto glass too?

No. Auto glass takes no deposit of any kind. You get a written quote, we book the appointment, and payment happens once the glass is in and you have looked at it. Windshield replacement cost breaks down what drives the number.

Do you match a written price from another shop?

We offer a price match guarantee. Send us the other quote in writing, with the same glass specification on it, and we will look at it. Comparing a laminated OEM windshield against a low end aftermarket lite is not a match, so the specification matters more than the total at the bottom.

Where do you travel to?

We work a 50 mile radius across the Phoenix metro, which covers Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Avondale, Buckeye and Apache Junction. Mobile service anywhere in Maricopa County is free, meaning there is no trip charge added for us coming to you rather than you coming to us.

When can I reach a person?

Weekdays, 7:30am to 5:00pm. We are not a 24 hour operation and we do not staff weekends, so a Saturday message gets answered Monday morning. Our shop and dispatch yard is at 4202 E Elwood St #21, Phoenix, AZ 85040, and it is a working shop rather than a showroom, so please call instead of driving over.

Residential glass

My window looks cloudy between the panes. Can that be cleaned?

No. The haze is inside a sealed cavity and no cleaning reaches it. The seal has failed and moisture is in there permanently. The fix is a new insulated unit into your existing frame, which is covered on foggy window repair and in more depth on dual pane glass replacement.

Can you replace just the broken pane of a double pane window?

Not as a repair. The two lites and the spacer form one sealed unit, and opening it to swap a single face destroys the seal that made it work. We replace the whole insulated unit and leave your frame and sash in place, which keeps the cost far below a full window.

Do I have to replace the whole window when the glass breaks?

Usually not. If the frame is sound and operates, we reglaze it, which is quicker and costs far less. Full replacement makes sense when the frame is rotted, bent, corroded or so old that hardware no longer exists for it. Read window repair against window installation to see where that line sits.

My window will not stay open. What failed?

A balance. Single hung and double hung windows carry the sash weight on spiral or block and tackle balances, and when one wears out the sash drops. That is a hardware job, not a glass job, and it is covered on window balance replacement.

My patio door takes two hands to move. Is that the glass?

Almost never. It is the rollers, the track, or both, and often the track has been worn into a groove that chews up new rollers unless it is capped first. Start at sliding door rollers or the wider sliding glass door repair page.

Can I convert my single pane windows to dual pane?

Not by swapping glass. A frame built to hold a thin single lite has no room for a sealed unit that is several times thicker. Getting to insulated glass means new windows, frame and all. The trade offs are on single pane glass.

Do you do shower glass?

Yes, both framed and frameless. Tempered glass, custom measured to the opening, with hardware chosen at your house rather than from a catalog photo. See glass shower doors and frameless shower enclosures.

Auto glass

Is my chip repairable or does the whole windshield come out?

Roughly, a chip smaller than a quarter and away from the driver’s line of sight is a repair. Long cracks, damage at the edge, and anything already spreading is a replacement. A repair is a short job and it stops the crack running. Details on windshield chip repair.

Will my insurance pay for it?

If you carry comprehensive glass coverage on the vehicle, often yes, and in Arizona that frequently carries a zero deductible for glass. Under ARS 20-469 the choice of repair shop belongs to you and not to the insurance company. We bill the insurer directly and fill out the paperwork, so you are not chasing a claim. More on windshield replacement.

My car has lane keeping and automatic braking. Does anything extra happen?

Yes. The camera that runs those systems is mounted to the windshield, so the glass coming out means the camera has to be recalibrated to aim correctly afterward. Skipping it leaves a safety system pointed slightly wrong. See ADAS calibration.

Can you come to my office parking lot?

For most jobs, yes. We replace glass at homes and workplaces across Maricopa County at no extra charge, provided there is level ground, shade or shelter, and room to work around the vehicle. Calibration sometimes has to happen at the shop because it needs a controlled floor and targets. See mobile windshield replacement.

How do I tell a good auto glass job from a bad one?

By the urethane, the primer, the cure discipline and whether calibration was done and documented. Rushed installs skip steps you cannot see from the driver’s seat. We wrote out what to look for on choosing an auto glass shop, and the whole department sits under auto glass services.

Do you replace back glass and door glass, or only windshields?

All of it. Back glass is tempered and shatters into granules, which means a vacuum job before anything gets fitted. See rear window replacement.

Commercial glass

Our storefront was smashed overnight. What happens first?

Board up, then glass. We secure the opening so the space can trade or lock up, take the measurement while we are there, and order the replacement lite. Please refer to emergency board up and storefront glass for more information.

Why does storefront glass have to be tempered?

Because code treats glass next to a door, or close to the floor, as a hazard location. Tempered glass breaks into blunt granules instead of shards. What that means for a building is set out on tempered safety glass.

Who do we deal with on a multi unit property?

One point of contact for the whole scope, with the survey, the quote and the schedule coming from the same person. Property managers and general contractors run repeat work through us that way. Our commercial glass services page covers the full range, including office partitions and glass railings.

Lead times and what slows a job down

How long will I be waiting for glass?

Stock single pane glass is often same visit, because it is cut on site. Custom insulated units are built for us by fabricators here in Phoenix and take five to seven days to come back. Spiral balances and custom hardware sizes run 3 to 4 weeks, while standard balance sizes are on the van. You get the date at the point of order, not afterwards.

What tends to delay a job?

Oversized or heavy lites that need extra hands, tempered and laminated pieces that have to go through a furnace or a lamination line, obsolete hardware that has to be sourced, and weather on high work. We would rather quote you the real date than a hopeful one.

Warranty and after the job

What is covered once you have left?

Our workmanship carries a lifetime limited warranty, running for as long as the property or the vehicle stays in your hands. The glass and the hardware also carry their own manufacturer warranties, which are separate from ours. Both are explained on our warranty page.

Does the warranty cover a new break?

No. A workmanship warranty covers our installation, the seal and the fit. It does not cover fresh impact damage, vandalism, or a stone that finds your new windshield next month. Those are new jobs, and often insurance jobs on the auto side.

Who do I call if something is wrong after the install?

Us, directly, on (602) 777-3717. Have your work order number ready and proof that you still own the property or the vehicle. We would much rather come back and look at it than have you live with it.

What do you not do at all?

We do not fabricate window frames, do not do stucco, drywall or painting around an opening, do not supply solar or security screens, and do not repair power window motors or regulators. We are glaziers rather than general contractors. When a job falls outside that, we point people to trades we know, which is what our partners page is for.

Where can I read about the company itself?

Family owned, glazing in Phoenix since 2010, with the background on our about us page, including the Best of Houzz service award we won twice.

Still stuck on something? Call (602) 777-3717 on a weekday and describe what you are looking at. If we are not the right people for it, we will say so. Otherwise pick your starting point: residential glass, commercial glass, or auto glass.