Florida Commercial Glazing Buyer Guide
How to compare 3 Florida commercial glazing bids without getting fleeced
Apples-to-apples bid comparison in Florida commercial glazing requires forcing every bidder to spec the same glass, same aluminum, same NOA, and same warranty term. Without those four standardizations, you can't compare bids — you can only guess which one is closer to the truth.
How do I force apples-to-apples glass spec across 3 bids?
Include the specific glass product (Solarban 70XL, Viracon VRE-67) or specific performance criteria (SHGC ≤ 0.27, VLT ≥ 0.55, U-factor ≤ 0.32, laminated impact-rated per FBC 1626) in the RFQ. If you don't, each bidder will guess what you mean and your bids will be 20-40% apart for reasons that have nothing to do with installer quality.
How do I force apples-to-apples aluminum across bids?
Specify either the exact system (Kawneer Trifab VG 451) or call for 'aluminum thermal storefront system, 2.25 inch sightline mullion, kynar finish, approved equal acceptable.' The approved-equal language opens YKK AP, Tubelite, and EFCO as bid-comparable. Without it, one bidder may be on $25/sq ft cheaper aluminum and you can't tell.
What if one bid is dramatically lower?
Ask hard questions in writing. Anchor density (number per linear foot). Glass thickness. Specific NOA being carried (if HVHZ). Submittal package scope. Warranty term and what's covered. A bid 25% below the others is either missing scope (most common), substituting cheaper material (second most common), or proposing crew quality that won't perform (third most common). Real low bids from quality glaziers are rare in Florida commercial.
What if the bids are very close — how do I pick?
Response time on the bid itself. Submittal package preview (ask for a sample shop drawing set from a similar prior project). Reference calls to 3 GCs from completed projects in the last 12 months. The glazier whose GC references say 'they finished on schedule, they communicated, and we'd hire them again' is the right pick — even at the upper end of the bid range.
How do I evaluate warranty terms across bids?
Standard Florida commercial installer warranty is 1-2 years labor. ACG offers 2-year standard, 5-year extended. Sealant warranty 5-20 years depending on type. Glass manufacturer warranty 10 years on IGU. Aluminum manufacturer 5-10 years on finish. Get all four in writing on every bid. A bid that doesn't break warranty out by layer is hiding something.
Should I require performance bonds on commercial glazing bids?
On scopes over $250K, yes. On scopes over $1M, absolutely. Florida lien law gives subs strong recovery rights, but performance bonds protect you against schedule slip and abandonment. Bond cost runs 1-3% of contract value and is a line item in the bid — transparent and worth the cost on six-figure scopes.