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CGI Construction in San Francisco, CA | Bradford Remodeling Co San Francisco
Bradford Remodeling Co San Francisco provides independent CGI window and door installation, retrofit, and repair across San Francisco. We are not a manufacturer-authorized dealer, and we don’t pretend to be. What we are is a crew that has pulled CGI units out of fog-battered Victorians, soft-story Edwardians, and sand-dune ranch houses long enough to know exactly how these windows behave in this city’s specific conditions. Call (831) 610-5598 for a straight answer on your CGI project.
Why San Francisco Residents Choose Us for CGI Service
Curtis Lane has worked San Francisco construction for over two decades as a General Contractor in San Francisco, and his crew has installed and serviced CGI windows in neighborhoods from the Outer Sunset to Noe Valley. We know the Custom 700 Series, the Estate Collection, the Sentinel Series, and the 900 Series vinyl line well enough to tell you which one belongs on a fog-facing elevation and which one doesn’t. Repair is our first recommendation. When a sash balance fails or a locking mechanism binds, we default to genuine CGI replacement parts so the engineered fit and impact rating stay intact. When a frame has corroded past structural integrity, we say so plainly and quote the replacement honestly. Curtis keeps a worn California Building Code on his desk, and he reads it, because San Francisco’s permitting process punishes contractors who don’t. You’ll get a written price before any work starts, and a full-year written guarantee when the job closes.
Styles & brands we work with
Common CGI Construction Problems We Solve in San Francisco
- Pitting and finish degradation from salt-laden fog. In the Richmond and Sunset, persistent marine layer carries salt that settles on aluminum frames. CGI’s aluminum lines are tough, but ocean-facing elevations show pitting over time, especially if the original finish was not maintained. We assess the corrosion depth before recommending repair or replacement.
- Frame racking from foundation settling. Hillside homes on adobe clay soils shift, and that movement travels up through the rough opening. CGI frames rack slightly, corner welds crack, and sashes start to bind. We see this most often in homes built before 1950 with unreinforced masonry foundations.
- Soft-story retrofit threshold misalignment. When a soft-story garage gets retrofitted and the slab is leveled, the original CGI door thresholds no longer sit true. Re-shimming the threshold and adjusting the door hardware gets the door operating correctly again without replacing the entire unit.
- Internal fogging in older CGI impact glazing. Marine air infiltrating desiccant channels causes older impact glazing to fog between the panes. Once the seal has failed, the glass unit needs replacement, not a cleaning. We replace the insulated glass unit and reseal the frame properly.
- Sash misalignment on sand-dune soil. In the Richmond and Sunset, homes built on sand dunes settle unevenly. Window frames rack slightly, and sashes lose their alignment. Sometimes a balance adjustment or shim correction fixes it. Sometimes the frame has moved too far and replacement is the honest answer.
CGI Service in San Francisco: What Local Conditions Mean for Your Equipment
Here’s something a contractor from the East Bay won’t know until it bites them: San Francisco requires any window replacement in a building over 50 years old to pass Planning Department review for historic compatibility. That rule changes the math on impact windows. Many impact-rated products have thick, bulky frames that visually alter the window openings on a Victorian or Edwardian. CGI’s narrower frame profiles, particularly in the Custom 700 Series, are often the only impact-rated option that passes visual inspection in districts like the Mission or Noe Valley. We have sat through enough Planning Department reviews to know what gets flagged and what clears. If you own a 1920s home and want impact-rated windows without losing the original wood trim look, the conversation starts with CGI’s frame profile, not the glass. For homeowners considering a broader renovation, our Kitchen Remodeling in San Francisco follows the same careful approach to historic compatibility. That is San Francisco-specific knowledge, and it saves you a rejected permit and a second set of drawings.
CGI Models & Products We Service in San Francisco
Our crew works on the full CGI lineup that matters in this market: the Custom 700 Series Aluminum Windows, Estate Collection Aluminum Windows, Sentinel Series Impact-Resistant Windows, and 900 Series Vinyl Windows. For discontinued trim or hardware, we use quality aftermarket equivalents matched to the original finish. For anything structural, we insist on genuine CGI parts. We keep common replacement components staged locally so San Francisco turnaround doesn’t drag. For full CGI sales & service details, that page covers the broader picture. If you’re weighing impact windows against a coastal climate, the Sentinel Series is what we quote most often west of 19th Avenue.
See the difference
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AfterCGI Service Pricing in San Francisco
Two line items cover most of what we do with CGI in San Francisco:
| Service | Typical Range in San Francisco |
|---|---|
| Impact Window Installation | $9,440 – $29,500 |
| Window Replacement | $5,310 – $17,700 |
What drives the cost: how many openings, what CGI model you choose, whether the building is in a historic review district, and what condition the existing rough openings are in. A 1920s Edwardian near Balboa Street with settled framing and lead paint abatement requirements costs more than a 1980s stucco box in the Excelsior. Every estimate is free, written, and line-itemed. Call (831) 610-5598 and we’ll send Curtis or a senior crew lead out to measure and quote it properly.
Serving San Francisco, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Francisco area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs – CGI Construction in San Francisco
Yes, in most cases. The Custom 700 Series has a narrower frame profile than most impact-rated products, which is why it often clears Planning Department historic compatibility review when bulkier alternatives get flagged. We can also order custom bronze or dark anodized finishes that read as traditional painted wood from the street. Bring us photos of your existing trim and we’ll tell you what’s feasible before you spend a dollar on drawings. Call (831) 610-5598 for a site visit.
Yes. The persistent fog and wind-driven moisture on the west side demand stainless mounting clips, compression seals, and a properly lapped flashing detail that sheds water away from the rough opening. We don’t caulk-and-hope. Every CGI install we do west of 19th Avenue gets the same flashing sequence, documented in the written scope so you can see exactly what’s included.
CGI frames are engineered for high-wind impact loads, not seismic racking. In a soft-story retrofit, the building gets stiffer, and that’s good for the windows in the long run. What we do is install CGI units with enough clearance at the rough opening and proper shim placement so normal building movement doesn’t transfer stress into the frame corners. That’s a detail most installers skip, and it’s why you see cracked corner welds on older CGI installs in San Francisco.
The Custom 700 Series is CGI’s higher-end aluminum line with more finish options and a narrower sightline, which matters in historic districts. The Estate Collection is a solid, impact-rated aluminum window with a slightly wider frame profile and fewer custom finish choices. Within a mile of Ocean Beach, both perform, but the Custom 700’s heavier-gauge aluminum and better finish durability hold up longer against salt fog. For an ocean-facing elevation, we typically recommend the Custom 700. Call (831) 610-5598 and we’ll walk you through the finish warranty differences.
Glass replacement is usually possible if the frame is structurally sound. If the impact glazing has internal fogging, the insulated glass unit gets swapped and the frame resealed with fresh desiccant channels. If the aluminum frame is pitted through the paint layer or the corner welds have cracked from racking, full frame replacement is the honest call. We always show you the frame condition and explain the repair-versus-replace math before quoting either path.
Service Areas Near San Francisco
We serve San Francisco plus nearby communities on both sides of the Bay. If you’re in Oakland or San Mateo, we cross the bridge or head down the Peninsula regularly. We also work in Berkeley, Daly City, and South San Francisco. Our full San Francisco service area page lists every neighborhood we cover.
Book Your CGI Service in San Francisco Today
Straight number, real scope, no surprises at close-out. Call (831) 610-5598 to schedule your free CGI estimate in San Francisco. A live person answers, day or night.
Written by Curtis Lane, Owner at Bradford Remodeling Co San Francisco, serving San Francisco since 2004.
