Glass Showers, Railings & Mirrors — Common Questions.

Cost depends on glass type, panel size, hardware finish, and project complexity. Use our Build & Price estimator for an instant range, then book a free in-home measure for a firm written quote. We never quote final pricing without seeing the space — every wall, floor and ceiling in the GTA has its own tolerances.

Glass railings are priced by glass thickness, not by whether the run is interior, exterior or stair: $220 per linear foot for 10 mm tempered and $260 per linear foot for 12 mm tempered, installed, with a $1,400 project minimum. A 13-foot interior stair run at 10 mm works out to $2,860; a 25–30 foot run at 12 mm lands around $6,500–$7,800. Read our glass railing cost guide for worked examples, or use the Build & Price estimator for an instant range.

Custom mirrors are $25 per square foot installed, with no project minimum — a 36"×48" vanity mirror (12 sqft) is roughly $270–$330, and a 96"×84" full-wall gym mirror (56 sqft) roughly $1,260–$1,540. Optional safety backing — a film applied to the back of the mirror so it holds together if struck, our standard practice on gym and studio walls — adds $180. Final pricing is confirmed at the free in-home measure.

Yes. We come to your home anywhere in the GTA, laser-measure the opening, discuss hardware and finishes, and follow up with a firm written quote — usually within 48 hours — with no deposit and no obligation. If you decide not to move forward, you owe nothing.

A deposit is required only once you accept the written quote and we schedule fabrication. The deposit covers material cut to your exact specifications. Final payment is due on completion of install.

Most frameless shower installations take 3 to 5 hours of on-site work. Lead time is 10 business days while glass is fabricated and tempered to your measurements.

Interior frameless railings: typically a full day for a standard stair run. Exterior balcony or deck railings: 1 to 2 days depending on linear footage and post system. Lead time is 10 business days.

Yes. Removal and disposal of the old shower enclosure or railing is arranged in your quote as a haul-away add-on ($250 in our Build & Price estimator). We protect floors and adjacent surfaces during demo and leave the area broom-clean.

Yes. We remove the old framed or semi-framed enclosure — frame, track and door — and install a new frameless glass shower in its place. Old-enclosure removal and haul-away is arranged in your quote so demolition and installation happen in the same visit: we protect floors and adjacent surfaces, take out the old unit, laser-measure the finished opening, and set 10 mm or 12 mm tempered frameless panels with hardware in your chosen finish.

Yes. A fixed or hinged glass tub screen is one of the most popular ways to upgrade a bathtub-shower combo without a full renovation. We laser-measure the tub deck and wall, then fabricate a 10mm tempered panel — fixed, single-swing, or folding — finished to match your hardware. It is usually a same-day install, and it ends the mildew-and-replace cycle of a fabric curtain or sliding track.

Yes. A steam enclosure runs glass full-height to the ceiling with a sealed transom or an operable vent panel so the vapour stays contained. We use 10mm or 12mm tempered glass, continuous silicone seals, and steam-rated hardware, and we coordinate the vent and door swing with your steam-unit installer. Because the panels seal floor-to-ceiling, a precise laser measure after the tile is set matters even more than on a standard walk-in.

Yes. Built By Glass installs commercial glass office partitions and enclosures, retail storefronts, entry systems and vestibules across Toronto and the GTA. Single-glazed glass office partitions provide basic visual separation; for meeting rooms, executive offices, therapy rooms, or any space where acoustic privacy matters, we install double-glazed partitions with sound-rated interlayers and proper perimeter sealing to achieve STC 38–45 ratings. Commercial work is quoted per project — contact us with your drawings or site details.

10mm tempered is the residential standard for frameless showers across the GTA. 12mm is recommended for door panels over 36 inches wide, large fixed panels, or when you want a heavier, more substantial feel. We confirm thickness during the in-home measure.

Standard clear tempered glass has a faint green tint visible at the edges and through thick panels. Starphire (also called low-iron or ultra-clear) is iron-reduced for true transparency with no green cast — ideal for premium installations, dark tile, or large panels where edge clarity matters.

Yes. Smoked grey and bronze tints are available in 10mm and 12mm tempered. Tints add privacy without sacrificing natural light and pair beautifully with matte black or bronze hardware finishes.

Yes — matching the shower hardware to your faucets, towel bars, and lighting is one of the most common requests at the measure. We carry 13 architectural finishes from CRL, Richelieu, FMF and Obsidian — including matte black, brushed nickel, champagne bronze, satin brass, and polished gold — so we can match the metals already in your space or deliberately contrast them. Bring a photo or the fixture model to the in-home measure and we will confirm the closest finish.

Most interior glass railings do not require a standalone permit. Ontario requires a guard wherever a deck, balcony or landing sits more than 600mm above the adjacent level, and new or structurally replaced exterior guards usually go through your municipal building department under OBC Part 9, Section 9.8.8. We confirm the requirement at the free measure and supply the product specification and OBC compliance documentation your application needs; engineering letters and stamped drawings are available on request.

Yes. All shower glass meets OBC Section 9.6 (safety glazing). Railing systems meet OBC Section 9.8.8 for guards. We use hardware rated for the application and provide product data sheets on request.

We service all 24 cities across the Greater Toronto Area — Toronto, North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa and surrounding municipalities. See our locations page for the full list.

Typical lead time is 10 business days for showers, mirrors, and railings from the final measure; complex commercial or oversized projects may take longer. Glass is cut and tempered to your exact measurements — there are no off-the-shelf kits.

Yes — this is exactly why we laser-measure on site. Older Toronto, North York and East York homes often have walls out of plumb by 1–3 cm over a 2-metre run. We use precision shims, scribed channels and adjustable hardware to deliver a frameless look even on imperfect openings.

Our 5-year written workmanship guarantee covers installation alignment, seal integrity, hardware function, and silicone joints. See our full Warranty page for what's covered, what's excluded, and how to make a claim.

Tempered glass is engineered to shatter into small, mostly cube-shaped pieces that pose minimal injury risk. Breakage from impact, misuse, or thermal stress is not covered under warranty, but we offer expedited replacement at material cost. If a panel ever fails from a workmanship issue (improper drilling, misalignment) we replace it at no charge within the warranty period.

Squeegee after every shower and wipe down monthly with a 50/50 white vinegar and water solution. Avoid ammonia-based cleaners, abrasive pads, and anything labelled "for tile and grout" — these will etch the glass and damage hardware finishes over time. See our Glass Care Guide for full instructions.

Spray the glass with undiluted white vinegar, let it dwell 5–10 minutes to dissolve the calcium carbonate, then gently scrub with a baking-soda paste on a non-scratch pad and rinse clear. For stubborn limescale, a dedicated calcium-and-lime remover works faster — never use abrasive powders, razor blades, or metal scrapers, which permanently scratch the glass. To stop it returning, squeegee after every shower and apply a hydrophobic nano-coating; the only permanent fix is a whole-home water softener that removes the minerals before they reach the glass. See our Glass Care Guide for the full method.

Glass panels are custom-cut to your specific openings and rarely transfer to a new home. The warranty is transferable to the next owner for the remainder of the 5-year term — adding measurable resale value to your property.