A frameless shower door is a 100-pound piece of tempered glass hung on two hinges in the most-used room of your house. Done right, it outlasts your mortgage. Done wrong, it sags, leaks, or worse. The difference is almost never visible in the quote — it’s in the answers to twelve specific questions. Bring this list to every Orlando estimate appointment and watch how each installer responds.
Glass Questions (1–4)
1. “What glass thickness are you quoting — 3/8 or 1/2 inch?”
True frameless enclosures use 3/8″ (10mm) or 1/2″ (12mm) tempered glass. Anything thinner isn’t frameless-grade; it flexes, rattles and needs metal support. Half-inch glass swings with a luxurious weight and is the standard in higher-end Dr. Phillips and Windermere installs; 3/8″ is the workhorse spec for most Orlando bathrooms. An installer who can’t immediately state the thickness — or quotes 1/4″ — is selling you a semi-frameless kit with frameless marketing.
2. “Is every panel tempered, and will it carry the safety stamp?”
Florida building code requires tempered safety glazing in shower enclosures. Legitimate tempered panels carry a small etched certification mark in a corner. This question takes five seconds to answer and instantly filters out corner-cutters.
3. “Can I see low-iron glass next to standard clear?”
Standard clear glass has a faint green tint from iron content — noticeable against white or marble-look tile, which dominates current Orlando renovations. Low-iron (ultra-clear) glass removes it for roughly 15–25% more. You may not want it, but an installer who never offers the comparison is skipping the conversation that prevents the most common post-install regret.
4. “Is a hydrophobic coating included or available?”
Orlando’s hard water leaves mineral spotting on untreated glass. Factory-applied coatings like EnduroShield or Diamon-Fusion make water sheet off and cut cleaning time dramatically. It’s the single most-praised add-on in long-term homeowner feedback — ask whether it’s in the price or an option.
Installation Questions (5–8)
5. “What will the hinges anchor into?”
This is the most important question on the list. The correct answer involves wall studs or solid blocking behind the tile — never tile and drywall alone. A 1/2″ door weighs 80–100 pounds concentrated on two hinge points; anchors set only in tile loosen within a year. If your walls lack blocking, a professional explains how they’ll address it. A hand-wave here should end the conversation.
6. “Do you laser-template after the tile is finished?”
Orlando homes — from 1950s College Park bungalows to brand-new Lake Nona builds — almost never have perfectly plumb walls. Professionals measure with laser levels after tile completion and order glass cut to follow your actual walls, sometimes tapered to match a lean. Tape-measure-and-rectangle ordering is how you end up with wedge-shaped silicone gaps.
7. “What’s the hinge and hardware material?”
Solid brass with quality plating is the humidity-proof standard; plated zinc alloy pits and corrodes in Florida bathrooms. Also confirm finish availability — brushed nickel, chrome, matte black, brushed gold — so hardware matches your fixtures.
8. “How will the enclosure manage water without a frame?”
The right answer references door-swing direction relative to the showerhead, panel layout, and clear polycarbonate sweeps and seals — a designed water-management plan. “Frameless doors just leak a little” is a myth told by people who don’t engineer their installs.
Business Questions (9–12)
9. “What’s the lead time from template to install — in writing?”
Custom tempered glass takes 7–14 days to fabricate in Central Florida. Same-week promises mean stock panels that won’t match your walls. Get the timeline on the contract.
10. “Are you licensed and insured for glazing work in Florida?”
Ask for the certificate. Overhead glass work carries real liability, and homeowner’s insurance can dispute claims involving unlicensed contractors.
11. “What does your warranty cover — and who comes out if the door drifts in year two?”
Hinges on a heavy door may need a minor adjustment after a year of settling. That’s normal — what matters is whether the installer returns to do it. Get workmanship warranty terms in writing, separate from the glass manufacturer’s warranty.
12. “Can I see reviews and photos from installs in my area?”
Local proof beats generic portfolios. An installer working regularly in Winter Park, Baldwin Park, Lake Nona and Dr. Phillips should show you nearby projects and verifiable reviews without hesitation. We keep ours — along with current pricing and FAQs — on our frameless shower door Orlando page so homeowners can check before we ever visit.
Two Bonus Questions for Renovation Projects
If your shower door is part of a larger bathroom remodel, add two more questions. First: “When in the remodel schedule should you template?” The correct answer is after tile is fully set and grouted — never from drawings or before waterproofing. Glass ordered off plans is glass that doesn’t fit, and the 7–14 day fabrication window needs to be built into the general contractor’s timeline so your project doesn’t stall waiting on the enclosure. Second: “Will you coordinate blocking with my contractor before the walls close?” A glazier who calls your GC and specifies exactly where 2x blocking should go behind the future hinge and clamp locations is saving you from the anchoring compromises that cause sagging doors years later. This five-minute phone call is one of the strongest signals of a professional operation — and it costs you nothing to ask.
How to Read the Answers
You’re not testing for memorized specs — you’re watching for fluency. A career glazier answers questions 1, 5 and 6 instantly and usually volunteers detail you didn’t ask for. A generalist handyman stumbles on anchoring and templating, because those are the skills that separate glass professionals from someone who once hung a big-box kit. Price gaps between quotes almost always trace back to these exact line items: glass thickness, tempering, brass versus zinc hardware, laser templating and real warranty service.
How much should a frameless shower door cost in Orlando?
Expect $1,000–$2,200 installed for most configurations, with simple single panels from around $500–$900 and large custom or steam-ready enclosures above $2,500. Quotes far below that range usually mean thinner glass, zinc hardware or no templating.
Do I need a permit for a shower door replacement in Orlando?
Straight like-for-like shower door replacement generally doesn’t require a permit, but any project altering plumbing or structure does. A licensed local installer will confirm requirements for your specific municipality — Orlando, Winter Park and unincorporated Orange County can differ.
What’s the biggest red flag when hiring a shower door installer?
Vagueness about anchoring. If an installer can’t explain exactly what your hinges will be secured into, every other promise in the quote is at risk. Solid anchoring into studs or blocking is non-negotiable for a door that will still swing true in year fifteen.
Want the answers to all twelve questions from us up front? They’re on our frameless shower door Orlando page — along with homeowner reviews and pricing. Or skip ahead: call (321) 443-8502 or book a free consultation and put us to the test in person. You can also explore every enclosure style we install on our Orlando shower doors page.
Related reading: frameless shower enclosures
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