Frequently Asked Questions
Most window and door questions come down to three things: what it costs, who’s doing the work, and what happens if something goes wrong. Below are the questions we field most often from homeowners across Los Angeles, answered the same way we’d answer them at your kitchen table. If yours isn’t here, call (817) 686-2228 and a live person will pick up.
Pricing & Estimates
How much does window and door service cost in Los Angeles?
Most single-window replacements in Los Angeles run $600-$1,400 installed, and exterior door replacements typically land between $900 and $2,800 depending on size, material, and hardware. Patio door installations generally fall in the $2,200-$5,500 range. Those numbers move based on three things: the product line you choose, whether the opening needs reframing, and whether we’re working on a second-story wall that needs extra staging. We put an exact written price on paper before any work starts, and that price doesn’t move at the door.
Why do window prices vary so much between companies?
Window pricing varies because the product lines vary, not because one company is cutting corners behind your back. We carry eight manufacturer lines – PGT, CGI, CWS, ES Windows, ECO Window Systems, Mr-Glass, Therma-Tru, and ViewLux – and a builder-grade vinyl unit and a high-performance impact unit can differ by $700 on the same opening. The other variable is labor: a straight swap on a first-floor wall is a two-hour job, while a rotted frame that needs sill repair and new flashing is most of a day. The right question to ask any contractor isn’t “what’s your price,” it’s “which product and what’s included in labor.”
Do you offer free estimates?
Yes, estimates are free and there’s no obligation to book. We come out, measure the actual openings, check the frame condition, and hand you a written price that itemizes product and labor separately so you can see where the money goes. If you’re comparing bids, that breakdown makes it easy to spot the one that quietly left out flashing, trim, or disposal.
What are typical line-item cost ranges for a window job?
Here’s how a standard replacement breaks down so you can self-qualify before calling.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Single-hung vinyl window, installed | $600-$950 |
| Double-hung or casement, installed | $850-$1,400 |
| Impact-rated window, installed | $1,100-$2,200 |
| Exterior entry door, installed | $1,400-$2,800 |
| Sliding patio door, installed | $2,200-$5,500 |
| Reframing / sill repair (if needed) | $150-$600 per opening |
Call (817) 686-2228 for an exact quote – estimates are free and the written price is locked before we touch a screwdriver.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major credit cards, checks, and standard financing on larger projects. Payment is tied to the written agreement, so you know the schedule before work begins rather than getting surprised by a deposit request at the doorstep. For full replacements, we typically collect a deposit to order materials and the balance at final walkthrough.
Service, Scheduling & Response
How fast can you respond to a call?
For urgent calls in Los Angeles, we work to get a technician out the same day when scheduling allows, and our phones are staffed by a live person around the clock, every day of the year. You won’t hit a voicemail loop or wait until next business day for a callback. If a broken window or door is leaving your home open to the weather or a security concern, tell the person who answers and we’ll prioritize it.
Do you offer emergency window and door service?
Yes, we handle emergency calls including broken glass, failed locks, and doors that won’t secure. Not every situation is a true emergency, though, and we’ll tell you honestly on the phone which category yours falls into. A cracked pane that’s still sealed can wait for a scheduled visit; a sliding door off its track with no way to latch it cannot. Either way, someone answers when you call.
What areas do you serve?
We serve Los Angeles and the surrounding communities, from the San Fernando Valley down through the South Bay and into the neighborhoods where housing stock swings sharply from 1920s bungalows to new construction. That range matters because the right window for a Craftsman in Highland Park is not the right window for a mid-century home in the Valley – the framing, the wall depth, and the exposure to sun are all different. If you’re unsure whether we cover your block, call (817) 686-2228 and we’ll tell you straight.
Can you come today?
Often, yes – same-day visits are available depending on the day’s schedule and how urgent the job is. Live-person phone coverage means you can call at 7 a.m. or 9 p.m. and get an actual answer, not a ticket number. If we can’t get out the same day, we’ll give you a firm window rather than a vague “sometime this week.”
Who will show up at my house?
A background-checked, uniformed technician will show up, and you’ll know who’s coming before they arrive. Every crew member is vetted, badged, and expected to follow The Garrison Code on the job site – which covers everything from drop cloths and shoe protection to how we leave the property when we’re done. Homeowners who’ve been burned by an unmarked truck and a stranger at the door tend to appreciate that part more than the window itself.
How long does a typical installation take?
A single window replacement usually takes one to two hours once we’re set up, and a whole-house job of eight to twelve windows typically runs one to two days. Door replacements are often a half-day to a full day depending on whether the frame is sound. We’ll give you a realistic schedule in writing, not an optimistic one, so you can plan around it.
Licensing, Trust & Guarantees
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes – Meridian Windows & Doors is part of the Garrison Partners family and operates as a licensed, insured contractor. We won’t rattle off a license number on a web page, because what matters more is that we’ve been held to The Garrison Standard since 2009 and every job carries a written guarantee. If you want to verify credentials before booking, ask and we’ll walk you through it.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes – every installation and repair is covered by our written 365-Day Done Right Promise. If the work fails within that period, we come back at no charge, and there’s no fine print carving out labor exclusions. That’s the whole point: the guarantee covers the work we did and the labor behind it, for a full year. If it’s not done right, we make it right.
What happens if the repair fails within the guarantee period?
You call us, and we schedule a return visit at no charge. The 365-Day Done Right Promise includes a free second visit if the repair or installation fails inside the guarantee window. No argument, no diagnostic fee, no hearing about how it was probably something you did. A guarantee that isn’t honored quickly isn’t a guarantee, so we treat the callback as the actual measure of the promise.
What is The Garrison Standard?
The Garrison Standard is the operating code that every Garrison Partners business follows, and it’s been in place since 2009. In practice, it means a written price before work begins, background-checked crews, a live person answering the phone around the clock, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise on every job. A meridian is a fixed line you measure everything against – that’s the name and that’s how we run every install. Competing bids will undercut us on price sometimes; the written guarantee is where we don’t move.
Do you use subcontractors?
No, the crews that show up are our people, background-checked and uniformed, working under The Garrison Code. That’s a real difference in a market where a low bid often means a rotating cast of subs who’ve never met each other. When the same lead installer walks your door frame on day one and your walkthrough on day two, problems get caught before they get caulked over.
Window Services
Do you handle window replacement?
Yes, window replacement is a core service, and we approach it as a full-opening job rather than a glass-only swap. That means checking the frame, sill, flashing, and trim – because a new window set into rotting wood will fail within a season no matter how good the unit is. We work with eight manufacturer lines so we can spec the right window for your wall depth, exposure, and budget. For a deeper walkthrough of the process, see our page on Window Replacement in Los Angeles.
Do you handle window installation on new openings?
Yes, we handle new-opening installation, which is a different job from replacement because there’s no existing frame to work into. New construction, additions, and converted garage spaces all fall here, and they require proper header sizing, flashing details, and rough-opening dimensions that meet code. This is where having multiple product lines helps – we’re not forcing one brand into a wall it wasn’t made for.
What’s the difference between window replacement and window installation?
Replacement means removing an existing window and setting a new unit into the existing frame, while installation means creating a new opening from scratch. Replacement is faster and less invasive; installation involves framing, sheathing, and finish work on both sides of the wall. Knowing which one you actually need is the difference between a $900 job and a $3,000 job, so we confirm it during the estimate rather than guessing.
Can you replace just the glass instead of the whole window?
Sometimes – if the frame is sound and the failure is limited to a cracked pane or a fogged insulated glass unit, a glass-only replacement may work. Most fogged windows, however, are a sign the seal failed, and by the time the glass is replaced the sash or frame is often compromised too. We’ll tell you honestly which one you’re looking at instead of selling you a full window when a pane would do.
What should I know about impact-rated windows?
Impact-rated windows use laminated glass and a reinforced frame designed to resist wind-borne debris and forced entry. In Los Angeles, they’re most relevant for homes in wildfire-exposed areas and for homeowners who want an added security layer. They cost more than standard units – typically $1,100-$2,200 installed – but they can also affect insurance considerations. We carry multiple impact-rated lines, so you’re not locked into one manufacturer’s version.
Door Services
Do you handle door installation?
Yes, we install entry doors, patio doors, and interior doors, primarily through the Therma-Tru line for exterior units. Entry door replacement typically runs $1,400-$2,800 installed, and patio doors start around $2,200. The frame condition drives a lot of the final price, so we check the rough opening and the header before quoting.
Do you install patio doors?
Yes – sliding and hinged patio doors are a regular part of our work, especially in homes where the original door has been dragging for years. A patio door that won’t slide usually means the track is worn, the rollers are shot, or the frame has shifted, and a new unit solves all three at once. If you have a home with a failing patio door that lets in air or water, that’s a job worth pricing sooner rather than later.
Can you replace a door without reframing?
Often, yes – if the existing frame and header are solid, a door replacement is a straight swap that takes half a day. If the frame is rotted, out of square, or the header has sagged, reframing adds $150-$600 to the job. We measure the actual opening, not the door you’re replacing, because a 30-year-old door may not have been installed square to begin with.
Do you handle impact doors and windows together?
Yes – if you’re upgrading to impact-rated glazing, doors and windows should be spec’d as one system so the ratings and the aesthetics match. Doing them piecemeal usually means a mismatched look and a second mobilization charge months later. We’ll price both together so you can see the combined number against doing them separately.
How the Process Works
Here’s the sequence from first call to final walkthrough.
- Call (817) 686-2228. A live person answers, day or night, and takes down the basics – what’s failing, where it is, and how urgent it is.
- Free on-site estimate. We measure the actual openings, check frame and sill condition, and identify anything that will affect labor.
- Written price. You get an itemized number on paper before any work starts. It does not change at the door.
- Scheduled installation. A background-checked, uniformed crew arrives in a defined window and works to The Garrison Code on site.
- Final walkthrough. We test the operation, check the seals, clean up, and hand you the written 365-Day Done Right Promise.
- Twelve months of coverage. If anything fails inside the year, we come back at no charge – no labor exclusions.
Key Takeaways
- Single-window replacement in Los Angeles runs $600-$1,400 installed; entry doors $1,400-$2,800; patio doors $2,200-$5,500.
- Every job gets a written price before work starts, and it doesn’t move.
- All work is covered by the 365-Day Done Right Promise, including a free return visit if it fails.
- Eight manufacturer lines – PGT, CGI, CWS, ES Windows, ECO Window Systems, Mr-Glass, Therma-Tru, and ViewLux – so the product fits the opening.
- Phones are staffed by a live person 24/7, every day of the year.
- Background-checked, uniformed technicians on every call – no subcontractor roulette.
Talk to a Person, Not a Form
If your question isn’t answered above, or you’d rather just describe the problem out loud, call Meridian Windows & Doors at (817) 686-2228. Someone answers around the clock, the estimate is free, and the price you’re quoted is the price you’ll pay – in writing, before any work begins. Elliot Vance and the crew have been running jobs to The Garrison Standard since 2009, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise backs every one of them for a full year.
Have a question we didn’t cover? Call Meridian Windows & Doors at (817) 686-2228.