Near Queen's · Kingston
Windows, screens and glass for the University District's rental houses
Most houses in Kingston, Ontario's University District went up before the First World War, and since the early 1970s many have been let to Queen's students. Old sash, hard-working window screens and yearly leases make the repair list fairly predictable. We're a free referral service: landlords, property managers and tenants describe the jobs, and we pass them to an independent local pro who handles rental work and quotes it directly.
At a glance
- Houses
- Mostly pre-First World War; newer builds rented by the bedroom
- Boundaries
- Victoria St, Princess St, Division and Barrie Sts, King St
- Common jobs
- Window screens, cracked panes, sash locks, patio door rollers
- Best time for work
- Between leases, before the September move-in
The University District's housing: pre-WWI houses and newer rentals
Beside the Queen's campus, most houses are pre-First World War brick and stone; the neighbourhood turned to student housing in the early 1970s. More recent builds lean toward higher-end houses rented by the bedroom.
That split decides the work. In the older houses it's wood sash, storm windows, old glass and glazing putty. In the newer ones it's more likely to be rollers, tracks, closet doors and fogged thermal units.
Move-out repairs: window screens, panes and locks
When a lease ends, the same few problems tend to appear: a window screen torn or pushed out of its frame, a cracked pane, a sash lock that no longer catches, a door that won't latch. Queen's off-campus guidance expects a rental to have working screens, secure locks and reasonably draft-free windows.
A torn screen can usually be re-meshed in its own frame. The photo checklist in our rental turnover guide records each window at move-in and move-out.
Tenants: if a window breaks or a screen tears mid-year, tell your landlord first. Repairs normally go through them.
Old sash windows in rental houses
Landlords are sometimes told the only answer for old rental windows is to replace the lot. Usually it isn't. Broken cords, loose putty, a split sash rail and worn weatherstripping are all repairable, and a repaired sash with a sound storm window in front is a practical setup for a rental. The wood window repair page sets out the options. The University District isn't one of the City's heritage conservation districts, but individual houses can be designated, so check before replacing anything.
Patio doors and closet doors in newer builds
The newer houses rented by the bedroom bring a different set of jobs:
- Sliding patio doors: worn rollers, a bent track or a latch that won't catch, usually fixed without a new door.
- Mirrored closet doors: panels off their track, broken rollers and chipped mirror.
- Fogged thermal units: the sealed glass unit replaced in its existing frame.
- Door glass: a cracked panel in an entry or patio door replaced on its own.
Booking work around the academic calendar
Between leases, rooms are empty and access is simple. Anything made to size, such as a new thermal unit or a storm window, is measured first and made afterwards, so book those early if they need to be in before move-in.
Landlords and property managers with more than one house here can send a single request: each address, the jobs at each, and a photo per problem. Houses in neighbouring Sydenham Ward can go in the same request. Start the list here.
University District questions
Which move-out repairs can be done on the spot, and which need ordering?
Rescreening a window screen, replacing a sash lock or adjusting a door can often be done in one visit, and so can some reglazing. A fogged thermal unit, a storm window or a large piece of tempered glass is measured first and made to size, so it needs a second visit. Put the made-to-measure jobs first on your request if they must be done before move-in.
I manage University District houses for an owner who lives out of town. Can this work by photo?
Largely, yes. Send each address, a photo of every problem and a note of who can let the pro in, and we pass the list to a pro who takes on rental work. Some jobs can be quoted from good photos, with a visit to confirm measurements, and the owner gets a written quote to approve before work starts. The property managers page explains how larger requests work.
Is it worth repairing the old sash in a rented house?
Often it is. Cords, putty, locks and weatherstripping are all repairable, and a repaired sash with a working storm window in front suits a rental well. Replacement is the better call when the frame is rotten or the sash is past rebuilding. Ask the pro to quote both, and see our repair or replace guide for how to weigh them.
Do the newer houses rented by the bedroom need different repairs?
Often, yes. Instead of wood sash and storm windows, the usual jobs are patio door rollers and latches, mirrored closet doors off their tracks, fogged thermal units and cracked door glass. Most are part replacements rather than new doors or windows, and several can go on one request. See sliding door repair for patio doors.
What should windows and doors in a University District rental provide?
At a minimum, what Queen's off-campus guidance describes: working window screens, secure locks, and windows reasonably free of drafts. In older houses that usually means rescreening, adjusting or replacing sash locks, and fresh weatherstripping or storm windows before winter. Our rental turnover guide turns that into a checklist for move-in and move-out.