CWS Windows & Doors Nationwide

CWS Windows & Doors: The Fort Lauderdale Owner’s Guide

We stock, order, and install replacement parts for CWS windows and doors throughout Fort Lauderdale, with most common hardware swaps (rollers, balances, locks, weatherstripping, handles) running $120 – $450 installed depending on the part and access. The first sign something’s gone wrong is usually the same story we hear on calls every week: a slider that suddenly needs two hands to move, a crank that spins without doing anything, or a door that won’t latch after years of salt air and humidity. You don’t need to live with it, and you don’t need to replace the whole window or door to fix it. We’re an independent Fort Lauderdale contractor, not affiliated with CWS, which means we stock and install what your unit actually needs, without a sales pitch for a full replacement.

Call (754) 551-2922

Which CWS Models This Applies To

CWS (Continental Window Systems, and yes, we’ve had homeowners ask) built aluminum and impact-rated product lines that show up all over Fort Lauderdale condos, high-rise buildings, and single-family homes built from the early 2000s onward. The most common lines we work on are their Series 9000 impact casements and awnings, the 7000/8000 series horizontal sliders, and their swing-door and sliding-glass-door assemblies. Identification is usually straightforward: the CWS label or AAMA sticker sits on the frame head or jamb, often with the series number stamped right on it. If the sticker’s gone (peeled off after years of Fort Lauderdale sun), measure the visible glass width and the sash thickness, then check the corner hardware. Series 9000 casements use a different hinge and crank assembly than the 7000 sliders, and the balances are not interchangeable. That’s the compatibility gotcha we see most often: a homeowner buys a generic balance or roller online based on a photo, and it doesn’t fit. CWS units use hardware sized to the sash weight and the frame extrusion, so the part number or exact measurement matters more than the brand name. For OEM CWS parts, we order direct from their distribution network; for discontinued hardware, we source quality aftermarket equivalents that match the original spec, which keeps older Fort Lauderdale buildings serviceable for years longer than the manufacturer’s own part inventory would sometimes allow.

Signs Your CWS Windows & Doors Is Failing

• The sash drags or won’t roll easily. On CWS sliders, the nylon rollers are the sacrificial part. Salt air, sand, and humidity eat at the roller bearings, and once the wheel stops spinning, the sash grinds flat spots into itself. We see this constantly in Fort Lauderdale buildings within three blocks of the Intracoastal.
• The window won’t stay open, or drops when you let go. That’s a failed block-and-tackle or spiral balance on a single hung, or a worn-out operator arm on a casement. When the balance lets go, the sash either slams shut or floats loose, which is more than an inconvenience on a second-story unit.
• The crank spins without moving the window. On CWS casements, the operator gear is metal at the crank end and plastic at the arm end, and the plastic teeth strip after years of cranking against corroded hinges. You’ll feel the handle turn, hear nothing catch, and the sash won’t move.
• Drafts, condensation, or visible daylight at the frame edge. CWS units, like any aluminum frame in coastal Florida, rely on weatherstripping and glazing to seal. Miami-Dade heat accelerates weatherstrip compression, and once the seal’s gone, your electric bill climbs with the humidity. Condensation between glass panes means the insulated glass seal has failed, and that’s a different repair than a hardware fix.
• The lock or keeper won’t align. A door or window that sags from worn rollers or hinges will throw the lock out of alignment, and forcing it strips the keeper. Security matters more in Fort Lauderdale than in some other markets because a first-floor CWS slider that won’t lock is an unlocked point of entry.

Replacement Cost & What’s Included

For CWS replacement work in Fort Lauderdale, hardware-only repairs (a pair of sliders, a balance, a weatherstrip kit) typically land between $120 and $450 installed, including the part and our labor. Add an insulated glass unit to a CWS frame and you’re generally looking at $350 to $900 per panel, depending on whether it’s impact-rated glass and its size. What drives the number up: the specific part’s availability, whether the sash needs to come out and down for access, and whether the surrounding frame is corroded or badly out of square from years of storm exposure. We give you a written price before we touch the window, with the part cost separated from the labor, so you know exactly what you’re paying for. Every CWS repair we do is covered by our 365-Day Done Right Promise: if the part or our workmanship fails within a year, we come back and fix it at no charge, no service call, no re-inspection fee. It’s a guarantee in writing, not a handshake.

DIY or Call Us?

Some things are safe to check yourself: clean the track with a dry brush and a vacuum (not WD-40, which attracts sand), tighten the handle screws, and visually confirm whether the roller wheel turns. CWS hardware tends to be specific and unforgiving of improvisation, and the wrong part turns a $200 repair into a damaged frame. Springs and balances are under tension, and a slipped spanner wrench on a CWS balance has sent more than one homeowner to urgent care. If the part needs a part number, an impact-rating match, or more than a screwdriver, call us at (754) 551-2922. We come out, identify what your window needs, and put the price in writing before any work begins. Tell me what you need, I’ll tell you what it costs, then we’ll get it done.