Custom shaped and picture windows, Duncan to Qualicum Beach
The big fixed window with the view, the round-top over the door, the trapezoid in the gable. Built to order in Cobble Hill for the opening you have, and installed by a crew that templates it first.
Picture windows
A picture window is a single fixed pane of glass in a frame. No sash, no hinges, no rollers, so nothing to leak air and the largest clear glass for the opening. It's the window that frames the strait, the mountains or the garden, and on an older house it's often the one that has fogged, because a big sealed unit has a lot of seal to fail.
Two things matter more on a picture window than on any other. The glass: because the surface is large and you sit near it, this is where triple pane or a stronger Low-E coating pays off most. And the structure: a large unit is heavy, and the frame and sill under it have to be sound, which we check with a probe at the measure.
Picture windows that still breathe
If the room needs ventilation, we pair the fixed unit with casements or awnings beside or below it, in one frame or as separate units. You keep the clear view and get the air. We draw the combination for you at the measure.
Custom shaped windows
Round-tops and half-rounds over entry doors, trapezoids and triangles in vaulted gables, octagons in a stairwell, and plain rectangles in sizes nobody stocks. Every one of them is built to order for your opening, and because the factory is in Cobble Hill, built to order means weeks, not a season.
- Templating: for anything that isn't a rectangle, we template the opening at the measure so the window fits the first time
- Matching: frame colour, grille pattern and glass coating matched to the rest of the house, so the shaped window doesn't look like an afterthought
- Opening or fixed: most shapes are fixed; where the shape allows it, an awning or casement version gives you air
- Glass: Low-E on all of them, tempered where the code or the location calls for it
Retrofit or full-frame?
Shaped and oversize windows are usually set in frames that have been there a long time, and the trim is often the detail of the house. Where the frame is sound we keep it and set the new unit inside it; where the sill has taken water we take it all out. We decide window by window and tell you which, with the reason. More on the retrofit versus full-frame page.
Built in Cobble Hill
Thermoproof has built windows and doors on the Island since 1977 and builds every unit to order, in uPVC, uPVC-aluminum hybrid or thermally broken aluminum frames with Low-E sealed glass. Shapes and sizes are confirmed with the factory from our template before you order, so what arrives is what was measured. More on the Thermoproof page.
FAQ
Common questions
Can you replace a custom shaped window?
Yes. Round-tops, half-rounds, trapezoids, triangles and odd sizes are built to order for the opening you have. The old window is templated at the measure so the new one fits the first time. Some shapes can't open, so we pair them with an opening window where the room needs air.
How much does a picture window cost?
It depends mostly on size and glass. A picture window has no moving parts, so per square foot it's often the better value in the house; a very large unit costs more because of the glass weight and handling. We price it line by line after the measure. The online estimate gives you a ballpark within one business day.
Can a picture window open?
No, by definition it's fixed. If the room needs ventilation we combine it with casements or awnings on either side or below, which keeps the big clear view and gives you the air. We'll draw the combination at the measure.
Do large windows need triple pane?
Often worth it, because the cold surface is large and you sit near it. We quote both where it's a real choice. See our page on triple pane versus double pane.
Do custom windows take longer?
A little longer than a standard size, because they're templated and built to order. The windows come from Cobble Hill, not from another province, so the wait is weeks, not months. You get the install date when you order.