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AfterCGI Window Installation: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide
TruePane stocks and installs CGI-compatible window installation hardware across Fort Lauderdale, with most complete window installs running between $900 and $2,800 per opening depending on size, series, and mounting conditions. We carry replacement parts and full units on our trucks for most CGI lines, and a single visit handles the swap in most cases. The usual way Fort Lauderdale owners discover a failed CGI window installation is not dramatic: a latch stops seating, a corner shows daylight, or a crank spins without moving the sash. Humidity gets in, the frame shifts, and what was once a snug fit becomes a slow leak.
We are an independent installer and service provider, not affiliated with CGI. What we are is an authorized dealer for their product lines, which means we order factory parts directly and know which series they belong to.
Which CGI Models This Applies To
CGI builds a few distinct window families you will see across Fort Lauderdale homes: the Estate Collection, the Estate Entourage, and the Targa series, plus specialty lines for high-rise and coastal-exposure work. The mounting hardware, balance systems, and corner joinery differ between these families. An Estate window sash will not sit right in a frame built for a Targa unit, even if the glass dimensions match. That is the compatibility mistake we fix most often when another contractor has guessed.
To identify your CGI window, open the sash and look for the AAMA certification label or the CGI sticker on the frame edge. It will list the series, the manufacture date, and the impact rating. If the label is painted over or missing, we can identify the unit by pulling the sash and reading the stamping on the hinge or balance arm. Aftermarket mounting brackets exist and are fine in dry, inland openings, but on the canals and within a mile of the ocean in Fort Lauderdale, we will always recommend OEM CGI hardware. Salt air finds the cheap zinc casting in an aftermarket bracket inside two years.
Signs Your CGI Window Installation Is Failing
- Sash drop or sag at the latch corner. The roller or balance has worn, and the sash no longer seats evenly against the weatherstripping. The result is a gap at the top or bottom corner that lets in salt-laden air and lets out conditioned air.
- Crank or lever binds mid-turn. The operator gear inside the frame has started grinding against a worn pivot. In Fort Lauderdale humidity, a corroded operator arm is the usual cause, and forcing the crank is how striplands become toothless.
- Daylight visible around the perimeter when the window is closed and locked. The frame has racked, the weatherstripping has compressed permanently, or the corner gussets have loosened. None of these correct themselves.
- A rattle when the wind gusts, or the whole sash shifts when you lean on the lower rail. The mounting points have loosened from the framing. In block construction homes in neighborhoods like Sailboat Bend and Victoria Park, undersized anchors vibrate out of the CMU over time.
- Fog visible between the glass panes. The insulated glass seal has failed and moisture is now inside the unit. Water vapor inside the IGU means you are looking at glass replacement, not just hardware work.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
For a standard CGI single-hung or casement window in Fort Lauderdale, you are looking at $900 to $1,500 installed. A picture window with impact glass runs $1,200 to $2,200. Larger openings, second-story work, and units in high-rise buildings where we stage from a balcony push toward $2,800 and above. The price includes the window or hardware, all installation labor, perimeter sealing, and a written line-item quote so you see exactly what each part costs.
| Service | Typical Installed Cost |
|---|---|
| Single CGI window, standard size | $900 - $1,500 |
| CGI picture window with impact glass | $1,200 - $2,200 |
| Hardware-only repair (latch, operator, balance) | $180 - $450 |
| Second-story or high-rise install | $2,800+ |
What drives the range is the series, the size, and the condition of the existing rough opening. A rotted buck or a rusted lintel means additional framing work before the window goes in. We will show you photos of what we find and a fixed number before we touch anything. Every install carries our Done Right Promise, and both manufacturer warranty layers are registered in writing before the truck leaves your driveway.
DIY or Call Us?
CGI windows are heavy, and impact-rated glass does not forgive a bad lift. A full-frame window removal involves working a unit out of a wall opening while keeping the water barrier intact, and that is where most DIY jobs turn into water intrusion claims. If you are replacing a simple latch or a crank handle, that is a job a careful homeowner can handle with a screwdriver and the right part. If the sash is out of the frame, if the opening shows moisture damage, or if you are pulling the whole unit out of the block wall, call (954) 280-4413 before the window comes out. The consultation is free, and we will tell you plainly if the job is too small to be worth our minimum.
FAQs
A properly installed CGI window in Fort Lauderdale should last 20 to 30 years before the insulated glass unit or frame shows meaningful failure. Hardware components like operators, balances, and rollers typically last 8 to 12 years in coastal air before they need replacement. The salt that comes off the Atlantic accelerates corrosion on exposed metal parts, especially on canal-front and beachfront homes.
Yes, if the failure is in the hardware: latches, operators, balances, roller assemblies, and weatherstripping can all be replaced without pulling the whole window. If the IGU is fogged, the glass assembly is typically replaced as a unit while the frame stays put. If the frame itself is racked or the corner welds have failed, replacement is the honest answer. Call (954) 280-4413 and we will tell you which path applies to your window.
A standard single-window installation takes our crew between two and four hours from start to cleanup, including removal of the old unit and sealing the new one. Multiple windows in a single visit, or second-story openings that require staging, extend that. The shorter the window is open to Florida weather, the better, and we work in one continuous visit.
We carry the most commonly failed CGI hardware on the truck: latch assemblies, operators, balance cartridges, roller assemblies, and corner gussets for the Estate and Targa lines. If your window needs a non-standard size or a full factory IGU, we order the part from CGI directly and bring it to your door when it arrives. For most Fort Lauderdale homes, the first visit is the last visit.
Written by Dale Kessler, Owner, TruePane Windows & Doors at TruePane Windows & Doors, serving Fort Lauderdale and nearby areas.
Six Reasons Homeowners Choose TruePane Windows & Doors
Impact systems engineered to design pressures up to +/-100, matched to your wind zone - your openings hold when the storm arrives.
Low-E insulated impact glass from our manufacturer lines commonly cuts monthly cooling bills 20-30%.
Laminated impact glass shuts out up to 40% of outside noise - traffic, neighbors, weather.
Monitoring services run $30-90 a month. Laminated impact glass resists forced entry around the clock, with no subscription.
Florida homeowners average around 25% savings on the windstorm portion of their policy after protecting every opening - some homes qualify for more.
A full impact package upgrades curb appeal, buyer confidence and appraised value in one project.