Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
CGI Windows & Doors: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide
We stock and install CGI-compatible window and door parts across Fort Lauderdale, with most hardware swaps running $200–$1,800 installed depending on the component, and full impact window replacement between $8,000 and $25,000. Most owners discover a problem when a sash won’t stay open, a lock won’t throw, or the weatherstripping starts peeling away after a few hard hurricane seasons. You don’t always need a new window — but you do need someone who knows which CGI series you have before ordering a single part.
CGI builds its impact windows and doors in Miami, so a lot of Fort Lauderdale homes from the last 25 years have them. The parts that fail first are almost always the ones that move: balances, rollers, locksets, and the vinyl glazing that takes the brunt of salt air and afternoon sun. If your window still drains water and the glass isn’t cracked, a parts replacement usually beats a full tear-out on both price and downtime.
Which CGI Models This Applies To
CGI’s main product lines share a lot of hardware DNA, but there are compatibility traps we see on service calls all the time. The Sentinels Series is the one most common in older Fort Lauderdale homes — often from the early 2000s — and its balances and keepers don’t always swap cleanly with parts from the newer Estate Collection or Targa Series. The Estate Collection is CGI’s high-end aluminum line and its hardware is precise: hinge pins, rollers, and multi-point locksets are machined to tighter tolerances and off-the-shelf box-store replacements rarely seat correctly.
To identify what you have, look for a small silver or white label on the interior frame rail — it lists the series name and manufacturing date. If the label is gone, a tape measure tells us more than any guess: CGI sashes run specific thicknesses (usually 1-5/8″, 1-3/4″, or 2″ depending on the series), and that dimension narrows the parts catalog fast. We carry OEM CGI parts where they matter most — locks, keepers, and balances — and we’ll tell you honestly when a quality aftermarket weatherstrip or roller does the same job for less.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your CGI Windows & Doors Is Failing
- Sash won’t stay up or drops hard when released. That’s a failed balance, usually a spring or block-and-tackle assembly. CGI windows are heavy because of the impact-rated glass, and a dead balance puts that full weight on your hand — and eventually on your fingers.
- Lock won’t throw or the handle spins without engaging. On CGI’s multi-point doors, the gearbox inside the handle assembly strips over time, especially after years of salt-air exposure. You’ll feel it before you see it: the handle turns too easy or binds halfway.
- Water stains or damp drywall under a window after rain. This is rarely the glass. More often it’s degraded exterior weatherstripping or a clogged weep hole that’s meant to drain the track. Fort Lauderdale’s afternoon downpours find those openings in minutes.
- Window is harder to slide or lift than it used to be. Rollers and jamb liners wear down and pick up grit, especially near the beach or any street with heavy construction. Forcing it makes the problem worse and can bend the frame channel.
- You hear the window rattle during wind or when you close the door. That’s loose weatherstripping or a keeper that’s no longer gripping the lock correctly. On impact-rated units, that rattle is also your warning that the seal isn’t sitting tight against wind-driven rain.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
Here’s what CGI parts replacement actually costs in Fort Lauderdale, installed:
- Window balance or coil spring replacement: $200–$450 per window, including parts and labor.
- Sliding door roller replacement: $350–$700 per panel, including new rollers and track cleaning.
- Multi-point lockset or handle replacement: $300–$800 depending on whether it’s a single-point or full multi-point gearbox.
- Weatherstripping and glazing replacement (per window or door): $150–$400 per unit.
- Full impact window replacement: $8,000–$25,000 depending on the number of openings, size, and whether you’re in a high-rise requiring extra engineering.
The range comes down to what failed and how deep the damage goes. A balance swap is thirty minutes. A roller replacement on a floor-to-ceiling slider can take a couple of hours once the panel is off its track. Every quote lands in writing before work starts — parts and labor separated so you see exactly what you’re paying for — and the number on the invoice is the number you approved. No change orders, no surprises. And every repair carries our 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right, we make it right.
DIY or Call Us?
Some things you can check yourself. A clogged weep hole will drain after you clear it with a thin wire. Dirty tracks clean up with a vacuum and a cloth. Loose screws on a keeper are a two-minute fix with a screwdriver. If that solves it, you’re done — no charge, no visit.
What I’d never suggest you tackle alone: balances, which are under spring tension behind that sash, and door rollers on a panel that weighs more than you do. A CGI impact-rated sliding door is a two-person lift with real risk to your back, your floor, and the panel itself. Same caution applies to any multi-point lockset — the hardware binds to the frame and it’s easy to strip the gearbox if you don’t know the release order. That’s the part where the “save a few bucks” math goes backwards fast. If you’re in Fort Lauderdale and you’re not sure, call (754) 354-7423. Luca will walk you through what you’re looking at and tell you honestly if it’s a phone fix or a truck roll.
FAQs
Most hardware lasts 10–15 years here, though coastal homes within 2 miles of salt water often see failures in 6–9 years. Balances, rollers, and locks take the hit first; the glass itself is usually the longest-lasting component. If you’re replacing a part today, that same part could be due again in a decade — so ask for the upgrade options when we come out.
Sometimes, yes. Locksets that bind can often be cleaned and lubricated rather than replaced. A balance that’s sticking may just need a track adjustment. But when a spring is snapped or a gearbox is stripped, no amount of adjusting brings it back — and we’ll tell you that on the spot, not after ordering parts you didn’t need. Call (754) 354-7423 and we’ll help you figure out which situation you’re in.
Most single-part replacements are done in 30–90 minutes once we’re on-site. A full sliding door roller replacement takes longer, usually 1–2 hours because the panel has to come off the track. We carry common CGI hardware on the truck, so if it’s a balance, roller, or lockset, it’s likely a one-visit fix in Fort Lauderdale.
We keep the common failure parts in the truck — balances, rollers, locksets, keepers, and weatherstripping for the CGI series we see most often in Fort Lauderdale. Oddball or series-specific pieces get ordered direct, which usually adds 3–5 business days. We’ll always tell you upfront if your part is one we need to order, along with the exact lead time.
No. Sawyer Remodel Fort Lauderdale is an independent contractor that works on CGI products — we’re not a CGI dealer and we’re not a factory service center. That actually helps on pricing, because we’re free to quote the best option for your window: OEM where it matters, quality aftermarket where it doesn’t.
If your CGI window or door is getting harder to ignore, call (754) 354-7423 and we’ll schedule a free estimate. We’ll confirm which series you have, price the fix in writing, and tell you exactly who’s coming and when. The work either holds up or it doesn’t — we make sure it does.
Written by Luca Romano, Owner & Lead Contractor, Sawyer Remodel Fort Lauderdale at Sawyer Remodel Fort Lauderdale, serving Fort Lauderdale and nearby areas.
