Assiniboine South
Windows, doors and glass for Tuxedo and Charleswood
Most houses in Tuxedo and Charleswood went up in the 1960s and 70s. If yours has more windows than you want to replace in one go, you don't have to. A worn crank, a fogged unit or a patio door that drags can each be fixed on its own. We connect you with independent local pros who handle both the small fix and the whole-house job, across all the areas we cover.
At a glance
- Built
- Mostly the 1960s and 70s; Old Tuxedo older, South Tuxedo newer
- Roots
- Tuxedo planned in 1910; both joined Winnipeg in 1972
- Common jobs
- Sealed units, cranks, patio doors, shower glass
- Permits
- Same-size windows need no City permit
Olmsted-planned Tuxedo and 1970s Charleswood
Tuxedo began as a plan. In 1910 the Olmsted Brothers were hired to lay out a residential suburb west of the city, and Tuxedo became a town in 1913. Charleswood became a rural municipality the same year and filled in quickly through the 1970s. Both joined Winnipeg in 1972.
The City's census tables show an area built mostly in the 1960s and 70s, with older houses in Old Tuxedo and 1980s and 90s ones in South Tuxedo. In a house owned for decades, the windows may come from more than one era, and each era fails in its own way.
1960s–70s windows: repair, retrofit or replace
Fog between the panes usually means a new sealed unit, and the frame stays. A crank that spins or a sash that won't pull tight is often a hardware part. Drafts around the frame or soft wood at the sill point to replacement.
Replacement can be a retrofit insert, which fits inside the old frame and leaves the trim mostly alone, or full-frame, which goes back to the rough opening so rot and insulation can be dealt with. Our page on retrofit versus full-frame replacement sets out when each fits. The rebate is run by Efficiency Manitoba, not Manitoba Hydro, and a new sealed unit on its own doesn't qualify.
Room by room: phasing a bigger house
You don't have to do the whole house in one season. A sensible order:
- First: anything broken, fogged badly enough to block the view, or letting water in.
- Next: the rooms you feel in January.
- Later: windows that work fine but look tired.
Grouping by side of the house keeps each visit efficient and the frames matching on each wall. If you're counting on the rebate, read the program terms before splitting the work, since it has a cap per application and rules on timing.
Patio doors and entry doors
Whether it's the deck door or the front door, find out what's worn before replacing anything.
- Rollers, track and lock: These are separate parts. A patio door that grinds or jumps the track often needs rollers, not a new door.
- A new patio door: When the sill is rotted, both panels have fogged or the door never seals in a cold snap. ENERGY STAR triple-pane doors can count toward the rebate.
- Entry doors: A drafty front door can often be adjusted and resealed first.
Shower glass and mirrors for renovations
A frameless shower in a 1970s bathroom is doable, but houses here have had decades to settle on clay, so walls are seldom perfectly plumb. The pro measures after the tile is on and makes the glass to the real opening, so expect a template visit before anything is cut. Our page on glass shower doors covers the choices. A new vanity often wants a new mirror too, and custom mirrors can be cut around fixtures and outlets.
Tuxedo and Charleswood questions
Should 1970s windows in Charleswood be repaired or replaced?
It depends on the frames. If they're sound and only the glass has fogged, a new sealed unit fixes it, and a sash that won't close tight may just need hardware. Soft, warped or leaky frames usually justify replacement. Request a quote with a photo of each problem window.
Is a frameless shower watertight?
Not completely, and a good installer will say so. Frameless panels leave small gaps at the hinges and edges, so some splash escapes, especially with the shower head aimed at the door. Clear seals and a sweep along the bottom cut that down a lot. For no splash at all, choose a framed door or aim the head away from the opening.
Do new patio doors qualify for the Efficiency Manitoba rebate?
They can. The program covers ENERGY STAR certified triple-pane doors as well as windows, when they replace an existing door between heated and unheated space in your primary home. New glass in an old door frame doesn't count. Our rebate guide explains the paperwork; check the program page for current rules before you order.
Should a bigger Tuxedo house replace every window in one go?
Per window, a bigger order often prices better, since the pro measures, orders and sets up once. But it's more money at one time, and you may end up replacing windows that still work. Splitting the job by side of the house is a reasonable middle path. Ask for a whole-house quote and a phased one, and compare.