This page compares installation method and site logistics. It is not a dollar guide. For Florida pricing context without method detail, see how much commercial glazing costs in Florida. For deliverables inside an install scope, see what’s included.
Definitions: pre-glazed vs field-glazed
Pre-glazed (factory-glazed) means glass is set into the framing at the manufacturing plant. Units ship as glazed assemblies. Field crews set the unit, anchor it, apply perimeter seals, and set hardware.
Field-glazed means frames and glass travel as separate packages (or on staggered releases). Crews erect framing, then set glass on site with setting blocks, stops or structural silicone as designed, and weatherseals.
Both methods can use the same storefront system family. The choice is where the glaze labor and glass risk live: plant or jobsite. Manufacturer marketing pages describe factory-glazed offers; competitor landing pages do the same. Those pages are not ACG cost evidence. Use them only to confirm the topic exists as a distinct procurement question.
Labor / handling / logistics worksheet
Fill this against one opening schedule. Score each row High / Medium / Low for your site. Do not invent a savings percentage to close the bid.
WORKSHEET TEMPLATE. Qualitative only. No dollars. No % savings. Not a project record.
| Factor | Pre-glazed (factory) | Field-glazed | Your site notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Factory QA | Glaze, bite, and gasket checks happen under plant conditions before ship. | Frame QA at plant; glaze QA depends on field conditions and crew. | |
| Glass handling risk | Glass travels inside the frame. Damage often takes the whole unit. Heavier lifts. | Loose lites need racks, protection, and more touch points. Frame can install before glass arrives. | |
| Site labor hour drivers | Set unit, anchor, perimeter seal, hardware. Less on-scaffold glaze time. | Frame set plus separate glaze pass: blocks, stops/SSG, clean-down, more weather windows. | |
| Crane / access | Heavier glazed modules. Needs clear swing path and floor capacity for staging. | Lighter frame lifts; glass may move by cart or vacuum on floor. Still needs access for racks. | |
| Weather exposure | Openings close faster once units set. Glaze quality less tied to afternoon storms. | Glaze pass waits on dry substrate and temperature windows for sealants. | |
| Schedule float | Needs locked sizes earlier. Damage replacement may mean a full unit remake. | Frames can release earlier; glass can float later. Late size change may remake glass only. | |
| Punch risk | Factory bite/gasket issues show as unit defects. Field punch focuses on set, seal, hardware. | More field workmanship variables: bite, stops, silicone, scratched lites from site handling. |
Factory QA
Pre-glazed moves glaze inspection into a controlled plant. Bite, gasket seating, and unit squareness get checked before freight. That does not remove field responsibility for anchors, perimeter seals, and opening tolerances.
Field-glazed leaves glaze QA on the scaffold or swing stage. Frame can still be factory-cut and finished. The quality of the installed lite depends on blocks, stops or structural silicone detailing, and weather during cure.
Glass handling risk
Pre-glazed units protect the lite edges inside the frame, but a tip-over or fork strike often condemns the whole assembly. Replacement lead time follows the full unit, not a single lite.
Field-glazed glass needs dedicated racks, corner protection, and a clear path from truck to floor. More touch points increase scratch and break risk. Frames can go up while glass is still in fabrication, which can help the envelope schedule if openings are ready.
Site labor hour drivers
Count the tasks, not a marketing “percent less labor” claim.
- Pre-glazed drivers: unit set, shim and plumb, anchor, perimeter sealant, hardware, clean-down.
- Field-glazed drivers: frame set and anchor, plus a second pass for glass: setting blocks, stops or SSG, temporary protection, weatherseals, clean-down.
Large modules, multi-lite ribbons, and limited swing-stage time change which column wins. Run the worksheet on the actual elevation, not a generic storefront paragraph.
Crane and access
Ask three site questions before you pick a method:
- Can the heaviest glazed unit land within crane or forklift reach without crossing finished work?
- Is there dry indoor staging for glazed modules, or only outdoor laydown?
- Can glass racks roll to the opening if you field-glaze?
Tight urban sites and upper floors often force one answer. Do not assume pre-glazed is always faster if the crane day is the bottleneck.
Weather, schedule float, and punch
Weather: Florida afternoon storms punish open glaze work. Pre-glazed can close an opening once the unit is set and perimeter-sealed. Field glaze needs a dry window for the glass and sealant pass.
Schedule float: Pre-glazed wants dimensions locked earlier because glass and frame travel together. Field-glazed can stagger releases: frames first, glass later. Late architectural changes hit differently under each path.
Punch risk: Pre-glazed punch leans toward unit defects and set/seal issues. Field-glazed punch adds lite scratches, incorrect bite, and sealant workmanship. Water test requirements (when the spec calls for them) still apply to both methods.
How to choose on a Florida GC schedule
Choose pre-glazed when openings are locked, crane access is real, and you want fewer weather-dependent glaze days. Choose field-glazed when sizes may move, when glazed unit weight exceeds site lift capacity, or when frames must go early and glass can follow.
Many projects mix methods by elevation. Put the method note on the opening schedule so buyout and freight match.
ACG prices from West Palm Beach, Naples, and Tampa. Send plans and the opening schedule. Mark material-only vs installed scope if that split also applies. (772) 486-7711. FL CGC #1531993.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pre-glazed storefront?
Pre-glazed (factory-glazed) storefront arrives with glass already set in the frame at the plant. Field work focuses on setting framed units, anchoring, perimeter sealant, and hardware, not cutting and setting glass lite by lite on the scaffold.
What is field-glazed storefront?
Field-glazed storefront ships frames and glass separately (or frames first, glass later). Crews assemble and glaze on site. That adds glass handling, setting-block work, and weather exposure during the glaze pass.
Does pre-glazed always cost less?
No. Total installed cost depends on unit size, access, freight, damage risk, and how many openings the schedule can absorb in one set day. This page does not publish savings percentages. Run both methods against the same opening schedule.
When does field glazing win?
Field glazing often wins when openings need late size confirmation, when freight or crane capacity cannot move glazed units, or when the site can stage frames early and glaze after the envelope is more protected.