Downtown Markham condos
Downtown Markham condos: glass repairs that go through the board
Markham Centre is the city's newest core. Its towers began going up in the early 2010s, south of Highway 7 between Warden and Kennedy, and many use window-wall: storey-high glass panels set between the concrete floors, with sliding doors onto the balconies. Young buildings mean the questions are less about worn-out windows and more about a dragging slider, a cracked pane and, first, who may arrange the fix. We're a referral service. We connect owners, tenants and property managers with an independent local glass professional once it's clear who should book the work.
At a glance
- Where
- South of Highway 7, between Warden and Kennedy, north of Highway 407
- Buildings
- Condo towers from the early 2010s on, with offices and shops
- Who approves
- Usually the condo board, through your management office
- Common jobs
- Balcony sliders, cracked units, balcony glass, office glass
Who owns your windows and balcony door?
In most Ontario condos, exterior windows and balcony doors are common elements. They belong to the corporation, even though they're part of your suite. Your declaration draws the line, and the management office can tell you where it falls in your building.
So start with photos, a wide shot and a close-up; they serve management, any insurance claim and the pro alike. Then ask management whether the corporation will handle it, or whether you may arrange it yourself with approval.
Section 98 approvals in plain words
When an owner wants to alter something the corporation owns, such as replacing a balcony door or swapping in a different window, section 98 of Ontario's Condominium Act sets the path. The board approves the change by resolution, and the owner signs an agreement that is registered on title, usually at the owner's cost.
We don't give legal advice, and every building's declaration differs. Read it, and ask your management office how your board handles these requests before anyone is booked. A like-for-like repair the corporation arranges may need nothing from you beyond the report.
Balcony sliders: rollers, locks and glass
- Sliding door repair: a balcony door that grinds or refuses to lock is normally a roller, track or keeper problem, fixed in place.
- Broken window glass: a cracked unit in a tower needs matching glass, sometimes outside access, and the building's rules for contractors.
- Glass railings: balcony guard panels must be safety glass, and they are normally part of the common elements.
- Balcony screens: re-meshed, or rebuilt to fit the track.
Offices, shops and the campus area
Markham Centre is also a place of work, with office buildings, street-level shops and York University's Markham campus, which opened in September 2024. Storefront doors, office partitions and display glass come up here too, often with one more question: is the unit leased, or owned within a commercial condominium? Our commercial glass page covers what businesses and managers can send us.
Working with property managers
Property managers usually hold the answers owners are still hunting for: who owns the glass and what the building asks of outside contractors. If you manage a building here, one request can cover several suites. List the units, the problem in each and your contractor requirements, and we'll hand it to a pro set up for multi-suite glass work. If we can't find one who fits your building's requirements, we'll tell you.
Markham Centre condo glass questions
Can I hire my own pro for the balcony door in my Markham Centre condo?
Only once your management office says you may. The balcony door is usually a common element, so the corporation either arranges the work itself or approves an owner's plan first; changing the door typically needs a board resolution and a registered agreement. Ask before booking anyone. If you get the go-ahead, include the approval details with your request so the pro can quote to them.
Who pays when a window cracks in a Downtown Markham suite?
It depends on your declaration, what caused the crack and the insurance involved. Because exterior glass is usually a common element, the corporation often handles it, but a declaration can make an owner responsible for damage they caused. Report it to the management office with photos straight away, and let them say who arranges and who pays. Neither we nor a glass pro can make that call.
Can a stuck balcony slider be repaired rather than replaced?
Usually. Most balcony sliders stick because of worn rollers, a track packed with grit or a lock that no longer meets its keeper. Each can be fixed in place, and none changes how the door looks from outside, which keeps approval simple. Replacement is for a bent frame, a failed glass unit or water getting in around the door. Check with the management office first, since fixing it may fall to the corporation.
I rent my Markham Centre suite. Who do I call about a broken window?
Your landlord, first. Tell them in writing, with photos, and let them deal with the management office; the owner and the corporation decide who fixes it and who pays. If the glass is shattered, keep people away from it and ask the management office whether it can be covered in the meantime. If your landlord then asks you to arrange a quote, we can connect them with a pro.
Why is there water on my condo windows on winter mornings?
Water on the inside face of the glass is almost always condensation. Newer suites tend to be tightly sealed, and cooking, showers and drying laundry add moisture that settles on the coldest surface. Run the kitchen and bathroom fans, keep air moving along the glass and watch your indoor humidity. Fog trapped between the panes that won't wipe off is different: that's a failed seal, and one to report to management.