Bring Fresh Air Into Hard-to-Reach Spaces
Most basement windows get overlooked. They're small, they sit low in the wall, and there usually isn't much room outside to work with. That's exactly the type of opening a hopper window was designed for. A hopper window hinges along the bottom and tilts inward from the top, so the sash never needs clearance to open. That makes it a practical choice for tight areas where a traditional outswing window just won't operate.
If you've got one troublesome basement window or a handful of openings you'd like to update at once, Gerry's Roofing & Siding will help you figure out where hopper windows make sense and get them installed with the sealing and finishing those below-grade spots need. We’re here to put those tricky low-level spaces to work with a smart, space-saving window solution.
When There Isn't Room to Swing Out
A hopper window’s design is straightforward, but it solves problems that recur in basement openings without requiring anything the surrounding space can't provide.
Besides working in spots where an outswing window simply can't, the tilt also lets air into rooms with limited ventilation. Basements, laundry rooms, and mechanical spaces often experience higher humidity than the rest of the house, and a hopper window can make a noticeable dent in that. Plus, the inward tilt puts the glass within reach from the interior, so you're not climbing into a window well with a squeegee trying to wipe the outside of the pane.
We don't recommend hopper windows across the board. The point is to match the window to the opening, not to fill every gap with the same style just because it's familiar. A hopper window earns its place by solving a specific issue, not by being an easy fallback.
A Better Material for Basement Openings
We install vinyl hopper windows from Del Windows & Doors, a Canadian manufacturer that designs its products for Canadian winters. This matters when a window sits below grade and takes on more ground moisture than most openings in the house ever will. A variety of frame colours and hardware finishes are also available, so a new hopper window doesn't have to look like a patch job next to older trim or siding elsewhere on the exterior.
Vinyl holds up particularly well in basement settings because the frame doesn't need painting and isn't bothered much by the moisture and temperature swings these spots go through. Wood trim near a below-grade opening can warp or rot over time, and metal frames tend to transfer cold straight into the room. Vinyl skips both of those issues, which is part of why it's become the standard choice for this kind of application.
The Fit, Seal, and Finish All Matter
Swapping out a basement window takes more than pulling the old one and dropping a new frame into the same hole. The condition of the opening affects how the job goes, especially in older Hamilton homes where moisture may have been getting into the frame for decades without anyone noticing.
Here's how we break down the process:
Inspect
Every installation starts with a close look at what's already there. We’ll check the current window, the surrounding frame, and the condition of the opening itself.
Basement openings in older homes often carry more history than they let on at first glance. If we find deterioration underneath, we'll address it before moving forward with the replacement, rather than sealing a new window over something that's still unresolved.
Remove
Once the inspection is complete, we’ll carefully remove the old window so the surrounding structure isn't disturbed more than necessary.
This step matters more in basements than in almost any other part of the house, because the framing around a below-grade window has often remained undisturbed since the home was built. What we find beneath the surface tells us how much preparation is needed.
Install
With the opening ready, we’ll position the hopper window, shim it, and level it so the sash operates the way it should. Then, we’ll seal the entire perimeter to prevent air and water from seeping in around the frame.
This is arguably the single most important part of a basement window installation, since below-grade openings experience greater groundwater pressure and moisture exposure than windows elsewhere on the house.
Verify
Before we consider the job finished, we’ll open and close the window several times, test the hardware and latch, and confirm the sash tilts as intended without catching or requiring extra force. A hopper window should open with a light touch and latch on the first try, every time.
We’ll also do a final check of the surrounding seal and trim to make sure everything looks finished and sits flush with the surrounding wall.
What Shapes Your Window Quote
There's no flat rate that covers every hopper window job, and homeowners are sometimes surprised by how much two seemingly similar projects can differ once the crew starts working. Your price depends on a handful of factors: how many windows you're replacing, their current condition, how accessible the openings are from both inside and outside the home, and how much preparation the frames need once they're exposed.
That's why Gerry's Roofing & Siding gives you a project-specific quote instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all price that doesn't reflect your home. And if you're replacing several windows or tackling a bigger exterior project at the same time, payment plans can help spread the cost out over a more manageable timeline. Check out our financingfinancing
More Confidence Before You Commit
Reading about hopper window installation only tells part of the story. Seeing finished projects and hearing from people who've already gone through the process fills in the rest.
Our project gallery shows completed window installations alongside other exterior projects we've handled around Hamilton, so you can see how hopper windows look once they're set into place. If you'd rather hear it directly from homeowners, our customer reviews page features feedback from people who've worked with us and are happy to share their experiences.
From there, our Transferable Lifetime Workmanship Guarantee covers the work we did, and manufacturer protection from Del Windows & Doors covers the product. Between the photos, the reviews, and the terms in writing, there's not much left to guess about before you decide.
Close to Hamilton, Close to Home
Hamilton is where Gerry's Roofing & Siding got its start back in 1980, but our window professionals regularly travel to communities within about 45 minutes of the city, so a Hamilton home base doesn't mean a limited service radius.
That includes Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, Mount Hope, Flamborough, Burlington, Oakville, Grimsby, Brantford, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Mississauga, Milton, and Caledonia. Wherever you're located in that range, you'll get the same attention to sealing, sizing, operation, and finishing that a Hamilton homeowner would. To see if our services are available in your neighbourhood, please visit our service area page.
Frequently Asked Questions
It comes down to which way they open. A hopper window hinges at the bottom and tilts in from the top. An awning window hinges at the top and swings out and away from the house.
In most cases, yes. Before we recommend anything, we'll check the size and condition of your existing opening in person. If the materials around it have broken down over time, we'll factor that into the installation so the new window has a solid base to sit in.
Not at all. Basements are the most common spot for them, but hopper windows also turn up in laundry rooms, utility rooms, mechanical rooms, and other tight areas where an inward-tilting window makes the most sense given the surrounding layout.
Most single-window replacements can be completed in as little as one day, though the exact timeline depends on the condition of the opening and how much preparation it needs once the old window comes out.
Open Up a Better Option Below Grade
A basement window shouldn't be something you paint shut, cover up because it drafts, or avoid touching because the hardware barely works anymore. If that sounds like your situation, a hopper replacement might give that opening the fresh start it's been missing.
Contact Gerry's Roofing & Siding today to request your free quote for hopper window installation in Hamilton and the surrounding area. There's no pressure and no guesswork involved, just an honest look at what your basement windows actually need.