Impact glass on a Key Biscayne condo: the association made the decision easier
1997 oceanfront condo, Key Biscayne, 6 openings + sliders
When the association ran a building-wide impact glass program, opting in was the right call — pricing, permitting, and warranty all benefited from scale.
What worked
- +Association coordinated bulk pricing across 40+ units
- +Salt-grade aluminum frames — no pitting at 2 years
- +Tropical Storm Eta and Hurricane Ian both passed with zero water intrusion
What didn't
- −Lost the unit to renters for 9 days during install
- −Slider had to be re-shimmed twice before tracking properly
Rating breakdown
- install
- ★★★★★
- performance
- ★★★★★
- value
- ★★★★★
- service
- ★★★★★
Our building on Crandon Boulevard ran a coordinated impact-glass replacement program through one Miami-Dade contractor, with NOA-rated frames and laminated glazing across every oceanfront unit. Individual pricing would have been roughly $34,000 for our line; through the building it came in just under $24,000. The contractor staged the work floor by floor over six months, which meant we lost the unit for nine days but never had to deal with the permit office ourselves. The west-facing slider needed two follow-up visits to track smoothly — annoying, but handled under warranty. Two storms in, the unit has stayed completely dry. For anyone in a Key Biscayne or Sunny Isles condo, push your association to consider a coordinated program before going solo.
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