New windows and doors improve comfort, cut energy bills and add long-term value to your home. Sightline Windows & Doors Fort Lauderdale pairs proven product lines with our own installing crews for lasting performance - and a price we put in writing.
1. Choose your installer
The unit is half the job - the install is the other half. Our own background-checked crews measure, set, seal and insulate every opening, and they know the lines we quote inside and out because they install them every week.
2. Select the right products
Compare styles, materials and glass packages side by side until the fit is right for your rooms, your budget and your goals. The product-line comparison below is the place to start.
3. Prepare your home for install
Before install day we walk you through a short checklist - furniture pulled back, treatments down, a clear path to each opening - so install day is watch-it-happen, not scramble.
Compare the Lines We Quote
Every project is priced on the same lines, side by side - the price indicators below are relative, and your consultant shows exact numbers on your actual openings.
PGTThe line Florida homeowners arrive naming - the most Miami-Dade certifications in the industry$$$
- More Miami-Dade NOA certifications than any other line we quote
- WinGuard, EnergyVue and ClassicVue Max systems built for every wind zone
- 99% on-time delivery keeps your install date on the calendar
CGIThe heavyweight impact line$$$$$
- Large-missile impact ratings for the strictest wind zones
- Architectural-grade aluminum with commercial-depth frames
- The line we quote when protection is the whole point
CWSThe Florida value pick$$
- Vinyl systems built in Florida for Florida codes
- Strong energy packages at the friendliest price point
- The smart start for whole-home replacements on a budget
ESWSlim lines, big glass$$$$
- Narrow-sightline aluminum for modern elevations
- Oversized openings and floor-to-ceiling glass
- Impact-rated without the bunker look
ECOThe aluminum impact workhorse$$$
- Miami-built aluminum impact systems
- A strong price-to-protection ratio for coastal homes
- Proven inventory lines with short lead times
Therma-Tru Door Installation: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide
Therma-Tru door installation in Fort Lauderdale typically runs $1,800 to $4,200 for a complete entry system replacement, depending on whether you’re keeping the existing frame or replacing the full rough opening. We stock Therma-Tru-compatible frames, sills, and jamb components for same-day installation on most Classic-Craft and Fiber-Classic series units. Most Fort Lauderdale homeowners discover their Therma-Tru door is failing when the fiberglass skin delaminates near the sill, the composite jamb swells at the lock stile after a heavy rain, or the adjustable sill stops sealing and they notice water tracking across the tile inside.
Which Therma-Tru Models This Applies To
Therma-Tru organizes its entry door lines by substrate and performance tier, and the installation approach differs materially between them. We regularly install and replace units from the Fiber-Classic series (the original fiberglass door, 6’8″ and 8’0″ heights, smooth or wood-grain skin), the Classic-Craft premium line (thicker fiberglass skin with deeper embossing, available in mahogany, oak, and canvas textures), and the Smooth-Star paint-ready series (preferred by Fort Lauderdale homeowners who want a custom color match to Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams specifications).
To identify your exact model, check the hinge stile for the white adhesive label applied at the factory in Butler, Indiana. The label carries a 6-digit SKU beginning with the series prefix (FC for Fiber-Classic, CC for Classic-Craft, SS for Smooth-Star) followed by the door size, skin type, and fire-rating code. If the label is painted over or missing, measure the slab thickness - Fiber-Classic runs 1-3/4″, Classic-Craft runs 1-3/4″ with a denser core, and Smooth-Star is available in both 1-3/8″ and 1-3/4″.
On the OEM-versus-aftermarket question: Therma-Tru sills and weatherstrip kits are proprietary to the jamb profile, so we source factory sills and compression seals directly. For hinges, multipoint locking hardware, and sweep assemblies, we stock Baldwin and Emtek equivalents that meet or exceed the original spec at lower replacement cost. We are an independent service provider with no affiliation to Therma-Tru; we specify what the opening requires.
Before
AfterSigns Your Therma-Tru Door Installation Is Failing
- Water intrusion at the sill after rain. The composite or aluminum Therma-Tru sill uses an adjustable cap that compresses against the door bottom. In Fort Lauderdale, salt air corrodes the adjustment screws and the cap loses contact, letting sheet water run under the slab during our summer downpours. We find this most often on east-facing doors within two miles of the Intracoastal.
- Door sticks at the top corner in summer, gaps in winter. This seasonal swing means the composite jamb is absorbing moisture and expanding, then contracting in dry season. The root cause is almost always a breach in the exterior sealant joint between jamb and frame, which lets humid air reach the engineered wood core.
- Fiberglass skin bubbling or separating near the lock stile. Water has reached the internal stile and the MDF substrate is swelling, pushing the skin outward. This is not cosmetic; the structural integrity of the slab is compromised and the lock hardware will eventually misalign.
- Multipoint lock bolts not engaging smoothly. The shootbolts rely on precise alignment between the door edge and the jamb keepers. Jamb settlement, common in Fort Lauderdale’s sandy soils after heavy rain cycles, shifts the keeper positions by fractions of an inch and causes the mechanism to bind.
- Visible daylight around the perimeter when closed. Compression weatherstrip degrades faster in UV and salt air than inland specs predict. Therma-Tru’s Q-Lon foam-filled gasket, while superior to standard vinyl, still loses rebound after 6-8 years of direct south exposure in Fort Lauderdale conditions.
Replacement Cost & What’s Included
| Scope | Price Range | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Slab replacement (reuse existing frame) | $1,800 - $2,800 | New Therma-Tru slab, hinge mortising, lock bore and strike, hardware transfer, sealant |
| Prehung unit (new frame, standard opening) | $2,400 - $3,600 | Complete door, jamb, sill, weatherstrip, installation, trim interface, disposal |
| Prehung with sidelite or transom | $3,200 - $4,200 | Above plus sidelite slab, transom glazing, mullion assembly, integrated flashing |
| Sill-only replacement | $380 - $620 | OEM adjustable sill cap, sub-sill inspection, sealant, water test |
What drives the range: the condition of the rough opening when we remove the old unit, whether the exterior finish (stucco, Hardie, or wood trim) needs repair after the swap, and whether the homeowner is upgrading from a single-point lock to a multipoint system. Every quote we write in Fort Lauderdale is line-itemed and fixed; the measured survey we complete before ordering is the same document that governs the final invoice. Haven Clause 1 - Have it in writing - means the price cannot change once work starts unless the scope changes and the homeowner initials the revision.
The 365-Day Done Right Promise covers all Therma-Tru installations: if the door doesn’t operate, seal, or lock as specified, we return and correct it at no charge. The promise is written into the Haven Standard, not offered as a courtesy.
DIY or Call Us?
There is no dangerous tension component in a standard entry door installation, but there are several places where DIY goes wrong and the mistake is expensive to reverse. An owner can safely check whether the sill cap adjusts with a Phillips screwdriver, whether the weatherstrip is cracked or missing, and whether the hinge screws are tight. These three checks take ten minutes and tell you whether the problem is maintenance or structural.
Where DIY fails: hanging a prehung unit requires shimming the jamb plumb in two planes while maintaining the manufacturer’s specified reveal between slab and frame - typically 1/8″ to 3/16″ on Therma-Tru units. Get this wrong and the multipoint lock won’t align, the weatherstrip won’t compress evenly, or the door will swing open or closed on its own. We have reinstalled three Fort Lauderdale homeowner attempts in the past eighteen months, each costing more than our original quote would have because the frame had to be rebuilt.
Sonia Raman’s rule from her glazing days in Burbank still governs how we work: measure it right the first time or measure it twice on someone else’s dime. Call (754) 666-7478 to schedule your free estimate. We’ll bring the measured survey, the written price, and the photo record - Haven Standard, every time.
FAQs
The fiberglass slab itself is rated indefinitely; the installation components fail first. In Fort Lauderdale’s salt-air, high-UV environment, expect 6-10 years from weatherstrip, 8-12 years from the adjustable sill mechanism, and 12-15 years from the composite jamb before swelling or delamination appears. East- and south-facing doors without porch cover age 20-30% faster. Call (754) 666-7478 for an exact quote on replacement - estimates are free.
Sometimes. A delaminating slab cannot be repaired structurally; the MDF core is compromised and the skin will re-bubble. A swollen jamb can be addressed if the damage is limited to the lower 12 inches and the rough opening is dry, but this is a temporary fix. Sill cap replacement and weatherstrip renewal are straightforward repairs that extend service life 3-5 years. We document the condition with photos and give you both options in writing. Call (754) 666-7478 for a free second opinion on any estimate you’ve already received.
A standard prehung Therma-Tru replacement in an existing opening takes 4-6 hours for our two-person crew. If we’re rebuilding the rough opening due to water damage, adding a sidelite, or upgrading to a multipoint lock with new bore locations, expect a full day. We pull permits when required by Fort Lauderdale building code and schedule inspection before final trim. Call (754) 666-7478 to schedule your free estimate with a written timeline.
We stock Classic-Craft and Fiber-Classic slabs in the most common Fort Lauderdale sizes - 3’0″ x 6’8″ and 3’0″ x 8’0″, left and right hand - along with OEM sills, jamb kits, and Q-Lon weatherstrip. Less common sizes, custom glass inserts, or Smooth-Star paint-ready slabs require 2-3 weeks from order to delivery. We verify stock against your measured survey before scheduling. Call (754) 666-7478 to confirm availability for your specific model.
Written by Sonia Raman, Owner, Sightline Windows & Doors Fort Lauderdale at Sightline Windows & Doors Fort Lauderdale, serving Fort Lauderdale and nearby areas.
Six Reasons Homeowners Choose Sightline Windows & Doors Fort Lauderdale
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.
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