We needed to replace our leaky sliding patio door (Jeld-Wen) on the second floor of the house that was originally installed by our builder (Monarch/Mattamy). We found Fortress Windows & Doors through Homestars and also read about them in a 2015 article/interview with Steve Mercer of Fortress that was posted in the Toronto Sun and eieihome.com https://torontosun.com/2015/10/06/how-to-choose-a-window-installation-company/wcm/e53af161-0f7e-49f6-af26-95f9dee8f62d. The things Steve had said in the interview made a lot of sense and was very customer oriented, so we decided to add them to the list of potential companies to contact and glad that we did.
Steve set himself apart from the rest by responding very quickly to our urgent issue. He called back the same day, and came in-person to look at the sliding door the very next morning (which was also on a Saturday!). He was very patient as I described the issue, expressed my concerns, and asked him tons of questions about windows/doors and the installation process, etc. He took the time to answer all my questions completely and was very reassuring. He was honest and didn't pressure me to replace things that we didn't need to. Steve provided a very competitive quote (on the spot) and also gave the most reasonable timeframe for the installation of late Nov / early Dec (most wouldn't be able to do it until January or later), due to the manufacturer's backlog from the government rebate program. We decided to go ahead with Fortress to do a brick-to-brick replacement of our leaky sliding patio door (extra-tall), our third floor sliding patio door of the same make, and our large drafty living room window. Before leaving, Steve even fixed my front door and didn't want anything for helping to do it. Steve McCue, the installation supervisor, came the same day to get more accurate measurements for the install and ordering of the windows/doors. He was also very knowledgeable and patient in explaining likely causes as to why our original patio door was leaking (design, quality, installation).
On the day of installation, Paul and the installation team was professional, methodical, and skilled. They worked on one door/window at a time, and as each old one went out the new one was put in within a few minutes, ensuring the house was not exposed for long to the cold winter weather. They were extra careful not to damage our hardwood floors (covered with runners) or walls, which required additional care as the extra tall sliding patio door had to go up flights of stairs. In addition, they took a look at our leaky eaves-trough and patched it for us. Steve Mercer also came by on the day to drop off some materials and to see how we were doing during the install. Everything was done by the end of the day, and they cleaned up afterwards as well. The products Fortress used are far superior to what the homebuilders provided. One can tell just by looking at it, but also I can feel how little heat loss there is now compared with the old windows/doors (huge difference)!
I was initially nervous about doing a winter install, while already being stressed out from the headache of the builder's old patio door that allowed water to leak in and go down to the first floor garage (first time I've heard of or witnessed something like that). But one thing that Steve said to me that shows what type of person he is and the kind of company Fortress is, was "we've got you covered"! The entire experience was painless, and I have peace of mind knowing that if I have any future issue Steve and his team will be willing to help and stand behind their products & workmanship (also with their exceptional warranty)! I highly recommend Fortress Windows & Doors! It's a company with good old fashioned integrity and workmanship, which is very hard to find these days! Thank you Steve and the rest of the Fortress team!
