Can I get a glass sub for a single bathroom?

Yes. A shower enclosure and a vanity mirror is a normal request. Send photos of the finished opening, rough sizes and whether you want framed or frameless. We'll pass it to a local shower-glass pro, who quotes you directly. Shelves and mirrors can go on the same request.

How long do Hamilton heritage approvals take?

We won't guess at a timeline. What's fixed is the process: applications are reviewed at the City's monthly subcommittee meetings, and no building permit is issued until the Heritage Permit is approved. Apply before booking trades, with drawings and photos of the windows.

Do glaziers in Ontario need a licence?

No. The provincial trade, Architectural Glass and Metal Technician, is non-compulsory, so a glazier can work without a certificate. Some hold one, and some a Red Seal. Either way, ask about insurance and who stands behind the work, and get the quote in writing.

Should shower glass be measured before or after tiling?

After. The glass is cut to the finished walls and curb, and tile, backer and trim all change the opening. Tempered glass can't be trimmed once it's made. Put blocking in for hinges and brackets before tiling, then call the pro to measure.

Does a renovation near the LRT line need Metrolinx sign-off?

It might. The City's building permit page says a Metrolinx permit may be needed before a building permit near the LRT corridor. Check early on any permit job there, especially new or bigger openings. For shop fit-outs, the commercial glass page lists what else pros handle.

For renovators

Find a glass trade for your renovation or build

Gutting a century brick house in the Lower City or fitting out a shop on a main street, the glass tends to come late and hold up the handover. We connect renovators, general contractors and small builders with independent local glass pros for the glazing: sealed units, shower glass, mirrors, storefronts. Send drawings or photos and your dates; the pro quotes you directly.

Quoted from drawings or photos
Measured to what's built
Permit order kept in view

Get a free quote 905-540-1432

In an old brick wall, glass is measured to the finished opening, not the drawings.

What we match

Work we match: sealed units, custom glass, showers, mirrors, storefronts

Sealed units and windows

New units in sound frames, or replacement windows where the frames are done.

Shower glass

Framed and frameless enclosures, measured once the tile is set. See shower glass doors.

Mirrors and cut glass

Vanity and gym mirrors, shelves and backsplash panels cut to size. See custom glass.

Storefronts and shop doors

Display glass and entrance doors on a fit-out or façade job. See storefront glass.

Heritage jobs

Heritage jobs: Heritage Permit before building permit

One line to plan around: on a designated property or in a heritage conservation district, no building permit is issued until the Heritage Permit is approved. Replacing windows or doors there needs one, removable storms included. There's no fee, and applications go to the City's monthly subcommittee meetings, so schedule for it.

Repairing broken glass usually needs no Heritage Permit, and the City's own guidance leans toward repairing original windows. Our heritage district guide covers the details.

Building permits

When a window job does need a building permit

The City's building permit page is clear: replacing windows at the same size and location needs no permit unless a fire-resistance rating applies. A new, bigger or moved opening, or a lintel repair, does. So a like-for-like swap is usually permit-free, and an enlarged basement bedroom window isn't. If a fire rating might apply, ask before ordering.

LRT corridor

Projects near the LRT corridor

Near the LRT corridor, a Metrolinx permit may be needed before the City issues a building permit; the same City page notes it. On a King Street façade, check early, so crated glass isn't waiting on paperwork.

Choosing a sub

Vetting a glazing sub in Ontario

Ontario doesn't require glaziers to be certified: the trade, Architectural Glass and Metal Technician, is non-compulsory (the Red Seal calls it Glazier). A certificate is a good sign, not a requirement, so also ask:

Who measures, and at what stage?
Is the quote written, with supply and install split?
What happens if a unit arrives wrong or damaged?
Do they carry liability insurance?
Do they know the safety-glass rules for showers, doors and guards?

We pass the job on; the contract and warranty are between you and the pro.

Getting a quote

Sending drawings and specs for a quote

Use the quote form and attach drawings, a glass schedule or photos of the openings with a tape measure in the shot. Say supply only or supply and install, and when openings will be framed or tile finished. Units and tempered panels are made to order, so book the measure as soon as an opening's ready.

Questions

Questions from renovators

Explore your options

Pros we work with take on renovation glass across the city and the former towns, including Durand, Kirkendall, Dundas, Waterdown and Ancaster.

Send drawings, photos and your dates

Tell us the address, the glass work and when the openings will be ready. We'll pass it to an independent local glazing sub, and the quote comes from them.