Cossins Windows Ltd. has replaced windows in Calgary since 1978. We manufacture our aluminum-clad wood and premium PVC window lines in our own facility at 2908 18 St NE, and install them with Cossins in-house crews.
That matters more than it sounds. One company measures your openings, builds the windows to those measurements, and fits them. There is no dealer in the middle and no third-party order queue between the person who took the measurement and the person who sets the window in the wall.
Replacement windows in Calgary: what actually determines the result
Most replacement window problems in Calgary are not material problems. They are one of three things, and only one of them is the window itself.
1. The measurement. A replacement window goes into an opening that already exists and already has opinions. Forty-year-old framing is rarely square. Plaster and lath are not the same thickness as drywall. If the measurement is taken casually, the window will fight the opening for the next twenty years — draughts at one corner, a sash that binds in July and rattles in January.
2. The window. Aluminum-clad wood, PVC and traditional wood all perform differently, age differently and suit different architecture. The right answer depends on the opening, the exposure and the house, not on which one is cheapest that month.
3. The installation. A high-performance window installed badly is a bad window. Proper shimming, sealing, flashing and alignment is what makes the difference between a window that performs and a window that looks like it should.
We control all three, which is the only reason we can stand behind the result.
Our replacement window lines
Every window we sell, we build. Each line is available in casement, awning, sliding, picture, bay, bow, egress and special-shape configurations, built to your opening rather than trimmed to fit it.
Aluminum-clad wood — warm natural wood on the interior, low-maintenance aluminum cladding outside, and six standard exterior colours to match your home. This is the line most of our established-home work uses, because it looks right on a house with some history to it.
Premium PVC — fusion-welded frames and sashes with Low-E argon glazing. The practical choice where the priority is low maintenance and long service life.
Traditional wood — real wood, for homes where anything else would be a compromise.
Glazing options include dual- and triple-pane Low-E with argon fill. We don't publish certified performance figures, because we don't want a number on a page standing in for a conversation about your actual exposure and orientation.
Calgary is genuinely hard on windows
This is not marketing. Calgary windows have to work through conditions most of North America never sees: chinooks that swing outdoor temperature by twenty degrees in a day, deep winter design temperatures, and summer sun that punishes west-facing glass.
Frequent, rapid temperature swings are hard on seals, frames and hardware. They are also exactly the conditions a locally built window can be designed around — because we get to watch how our own product performs, every winter, and adjust.
Our windows are insulated and weatherstripped for conditions from -40°C to +40°C.
What our replacement process involves
1. Private consultation. We come to your home, look at the openings in person, and talk through what you actually need. No pressure, and no pricing until the specification is right.
2. Precise measurement and specification. Every opening measured properly, with the configuration, colour, glazing and hardware written down in a specification you can read.
3. Manufacture. Your windows are built to order in our Calgary facility, with quality control at each stage.
4. Installation by Cossins in-house crews. The crew that fits your windows works for the company that built them. Then we walk the project with you and confirm operation, locking and sealing before we consider it finished.
The Calgary homes we work on most
Calgary's housing stock is more varied than it looks, and replacement work is different in each kind of house.
Heritage and character homes — inner-city properties from the early 1900s, where the window shape and trim are part of the architecture. These almost always need custom sizing and careful profile matching, not a stock unit.
Post-war bungalows and mid-century splits — the bulk of Calgary's established neighbourhoods. Frequently re-windowed once already, often with whatever was on promotion at the time.
Older estates needing full replacement — original single-pane units, failing seals, and sometimes a whole elevation that has never been addressed.
Contemporary homes — large glazed openings, special shapes, and configurations that need real manufacturing capability rather than a catalogue.
How to compare replacement window quotes in Calgary
Two quotes for "twenty windows" are usually not comparable, because they were measured differently, specified differently, or don't include the same work. Before comparing numbers, compare these:
- Was every opening measured in person, or estimated? If the quote came from a rough figure, the final number will change.
- Who manufactures the window, and who installs it? If those are two different companies, find out which one answers a warranty claim on the frame.
- Is the specification written out? Frame material, exterior colour, glazing, hardware, interior finish, trim. A quote without a specification is an estimate wearing a suit.
- Is old window removal and disposal included? Ask. It is a real cost and it is frequently quietly extra.
- What happens in year six? Ask who services the window once it is installed, and whether the glass unit can be replaced without replacing the whole window.
Calgary neighbourhoods we work in
A large share of our replacement window work is in Calgary's established inner-city and estate neighbourhoods — Upper Mount Royal, Elbow Park, Rideau, Roxborough, Elboya, Britannia and Upper Scarborough — where houses are typically older, framing is rarely square, and the original openings deserve to be matched rather than standardised. Replacement work in these areas often needs custom sizing and operation types chosen to suit the architecture.
We also serve Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks, Chestermere, Strathmore, High River, Bragg Creek, Langdon, Banff, Canmore and Invermere.
Working with us
Every project starts with a private consultation at your home. We measure the openings properly, give you a written specification, and take it from there. We serve Calgary and Southern Alberta, including Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks, High River, Chestermere, Strathmore, Bragg Creek, Langdon, Banff, Canmore and Invermere.
Book a private consultation or call (403) 291-3960. Our showroom is at 2908 18 St NE, Calgary — Monday and Friday 7:30am–4:00pm, Tuesday to Thursday 7:30am–4:30pm.
Common questions
How much does window replacement cost in Calgary?
We don't publish pricing, and we'd rather explain why than quote a number that won't apply to your house. Window replacement cost is driven by the number and size of openings, the frame material, glazing choice, the complexity of the openings, and how much trim and finish work is involved. Two houses on the same street can differ substantially. We measure your openings, build a specification properly, and price the actual project.
How long does window replacement take?
We give you a written specification and a schedule with it. We don't publish generic timelines, because a whole-home replacement and a single special-shape window are not the same job.
Do I need a permit to replace windows in Calgary?
Replacement of existing windows in the same opening typically does not require a development permit, but the rules depend on whether the opening itself is being changed and on your property's zoning and any caveats. We'll tell you what we know and flag when your project needs a conversation with the City before we start.
Can you match the windows I already have?
Often yes. With aluminum-clad wood we can match profile and colour within our six standard exterior colour range, and we can match interior wood species and stain direction. Bring us a photo or a sample and we'll tell you honestly how close we can get.
Do you replace the whole window or just the glass?
Depends on what's failing. If a sealed unit has lost its seal but the frame and sash are sound, a glass replacement can be the sensible, lower-impact repair — and we can do it ourselves, because we built the window. If the frame is the problem, a full replacement is the right call.
How long do replacement windows last?
Service life depends most on the frame material, the exposure of the opening, and how well it was installed. Our component warranty covers 20 years against loss of air seal in sealed glass units, and 20 years on PVC profiles and aluminum cladding. Installation labour we've performed is covered for five years.
What's the difference between aluminum-clad wood and vinyl windows?
Aluminum-clad wood uses a real wood interior with a low-maintenance aluminum exterior. It's chosen for appearance and for architecture that deserves wood grain. PVC (vinyl) is entirely maintenance- free and typically the lower-cost route. Both are legitimate; the right one depends on your house and what you want to see from the inside.
Do you offer multi-point locking?
Yes, as an optional upgrade. Multi-point hardware engages several locking points at once along the full height of the window or door, which improves both security and the weather-tightness of the seal.
Which Calgary neighbourhoods do you work in?
We work across Calgary and Southern Alberta. Much of our work is on established homes where the architecture deserves to be matched rather than replaced with something generic.
Can I see the windows before I buy?
Yes — our showroom at 2908 18 St NE, Calgary is open to visitors Monday and Friday 7:30am–4:00pm, and Tuesday to Thursday 7:30am–4:30pm. Call (403) 291-3960 to arrange a visit.
Which Calgary neighbourhoods do you work in?
We work across Calgary, with substantial presence in established inner-city and estate neighbourhoods including Upper Mount Royal, Elbow Park, Rideau, Roxborough, Elboya, Britannia and Upper Scarborough. We also serve Airdrie, Cochrane, Okotoks, Chestermere, Strathmore, High River, Bragg Creek, Langdon, Banff, Canmore and Invermere.