Windows, doors, glass and mirrors: how to order at a good price
One category, many different jobs
This covers everything transparent and everything on hinges: uPVC and wooden windows, double-glazed units, main and internal doors, glass of different thicknesses, mirrors, window sills. So the first thing to do is say clearly what exactly you need and how many. A request for "windows" says nothing, while "4 windows 1400×1300 mm, Rehau profile, double-glazed unit" can be priced straight away.
What affects the price of windows and doors
- Profile and number of chambers — they decide heat and sound insulation.
- Glazing — single or double, energy-saving glass, tinting, toughened or laminated glass where safety matters.
- Opening type — fixed sashes are cheaper, tilt-and-turn cost more but are more convenient.
- Laminate — a coloured film changes the price compared with a white profile.
- Hardware — even identical windows work differently depending on the mechanisms.
Glass and mirrors: what to look at
Glass thickness depends on size and use: for shelves, tables and shower screens, toughened glass is used, which is safer if it breaks. A mirror can be ordered with a polished edge, a bevel or lighting. Give sizes in millimetres and the quantity, and say whether you need holes and cut-outs.
What to put in your request
- What you need — window, door, glazed unit, glass, mirror, sill.
- Sizes — width × height of each item, glass thickness.
- Quantity — for example, 4 windows.
- Construction — profile, glazing, opening type.
- Colour — white or laminate, for example oak look.
- Fitting — measuring, installation, reveals.
- Address, timing and budget.
Example: “I need 4 uPVC windows 1400×1300 mm, Rehau profile, double-glazed units, oak-look laminate outside. With measuring and fitting. Johannesburg, preferably before the rains. Budget up to R 20,000.”
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
You don't phone ten companies. You describe the job once in a request. It is checked and hints are added about what sellers still need to know. Then makers and installers reply in the chat with offers: what they propose, the price or what it depends on, lead times, and whether fitting is included. Each one sees where their offer stands, so they have a reason to improve their terms. You see the best offer by content first, with seller reviews beside it. Contacts are not published; only the seller you choose gets them. More on how it works.
How to compare, and what to avoid
Check the profile, glazing and hardware in every offer. Often one is cheaper because it has fewer chambers or simpler hardware. Ask whether the price includes measuring, removal of old windows, sills, drip caps, reveals and taking away the debris. Don't order from approximate sizes: a mistake of a few millimetres can be expensive.
For finishing the reveals you will need finishing materials, and for painting sills and frames, paints and varnishes. If you are fitting windows in a new build from scratch, also think about bricks, concrete and blocks for the walls.
