Dunedin's cold, damp winters and large stock of older villas and bungalows make window performance a genuine problem, not a nice-to-have. We researched and verified the double glazing installers actually operating in Dunedin, checking Google Business Profiles, WGANZ membership, registered company details and real installation evidence rather than just who ranks highest in search.
This page highlights the top 5 double glazing installers in Dunedin, based on independent research into reputation, accreditation, service quality and overall reliability.
The top 5 double glazing installers in Dunedin are 1. Thermawood Otago, 2. Aburns Glass, 3. Otago Glass, 4. Design Windows Dunedin, 5. Custom Home Products (CHP). Below we explain why each made the list, compare them at a glance, and share how to choose.
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Thermawood Otago is a confirmed WGANZ member based at 71 MacLaggan Street, Dunedin, with a verified 5-star Google rating across 104 reviews, the strongest review evidence found for any Dunedin glazing business. Backed by 30+ years in glass and timber joinery, it specialises in retrofitting double glazing into existing timber sashes as well as aluminium frames.
Aburns Glass 2005 Ltd is a confirmed WGANZ member operating from Otaki Street, South Dunedin, and is a locally owned Dunedin glazier trading since 1898. It runs a dedicated double glazing service line and is a licensed installer for the HomePlus retrofit and secondary glazing system, alongside a large independently-reviewed track record.
Otago Glass Ltd is a confirmed WGANZ member based at 18 Otaki Street, South Dunedin, with a verified 5-star Google rating from 36 reviews. It runs a dedicated retrofit double glazing service alongside general glass and glazing work, giving it consistent, traceable identity across its website, WGANZ listing and physical premises.
Design Windows Dunedin Ltd, trading from a showroom at 6 Birch Street since 2013, manufactures and installs full-frame aluminium joinery through the Altherm/APL Window Solutions system. It has genuine industry recognition, named a WGANZ 2024 Design Awards finalist (Residential category) and contributing to a WGANZ 2025 Most Promising Apprentice winner, evidence of active involvement with the trade body beyond a basic membership listing.
Custom Home Products has manufactured aluminium joinery from a factory and showroom at 41 Timaru Street, South Dunedin, since 1987, one of the longest continuously operating window manufacturers in the city. It offers both full-frame aluminium windows/doors and a retro double glazing service that reuses existing sashes and hardware where possible.
A quick comparison of our Top 5 picks. Select up to 3 businesses above to compare their strengths side by side.
| Double Glazing Installer | Best for |
|---|---|
| Thermawood Otago | Retrofit double glazing into older timber-framed villas and bungalows |
| Aburns Glass | Homeowners wanting an established, multi-generational Dunedin glazier with retrofit and secondary glazing options |
| Otago Glass | Straightforward retrofit double glazing quotes from a locally based glazier |
| Design Windows Dunedin | Full window and door frame replacement rather than retrofitting existing frames |
| Custom Home Products (CHP) | Homeowners comparing full-frame replacement against a lower-disruption retro glazing option from one supplier |
Independent, editorial, and reviewed regularly.
TopChoice rankings are editorially curated by our New Zealand team and reviewed periodically. We don't host our own reviews. Our shortlists draw on public reputation signals from Google and other platforms, alongside our own research into each double glazing installer. We weigh up a combination of:
We don't accept payment in exchange for a place in the Top 5. Featured placements are separate and always clearly labelled. Rankings may change over time as businesses evolve.
Since May 2023, Building Code Clause H1 has required a minimum window/door R-value of R0.46 in most of the country and R0.50 in the coldest zones, up from R0.37 previously. That's still well below typical wall and roof R-values, which is why windows remain the weakest thermal point in most Dunedin homes even after other upgrades. Any installer you use should be able to talk you through the glazing standard NZS 4223 in plain terms: Part 1 covers glass selection and design, and Part 3 sets human-impact safety requirements for glazing within 2000mm of floor level, relevant in doors, low windows and stairwells common in Dunedin's older housing stock.
There are two genuinely different approaches worth understanding before you get quotes. Full frame replacement swaps out the entire window or door joinery for new double-glazed aluminium or timber units, generally the better long-term option for frames that are already tired, but the more disruptive and expensive route. Retrofit or secondary glazing, including branded systems like RetroFit Double Glazing and Magnetite, fits a second pane or magnetic panel into or alongside your existing frame, cheaper and faster with far less disruption, but it depends on the existing frame being in good condition. One thing to be clear on: unlike insulation and heat pumps, EECA's Warmer Kiwi Homes scheme does not fund double glazing or window glazing of any kind, so budget for it as a standalone cost. Ask any installer whether they're a WGANZ (Window & Glass Association New Zealand) member, and get a written quote that specifies which approach and which glass spec you're being sold.
Retrofit double glazing in Dunedin typically runs from around $350 to $800+ per pane depending on size and glass spec, or roughly $600-$800 per square metre for a standard retrofit job. Full frame replacement costs considerably more since it includes new aluminium or timber joinery, hardware and installation, not just the glass unit. Get itemised quotes from at least two or three installers, since pricing varies by frame type, access and glass performance level.
No. Unlike ceiling and underfloor insulation or heat pumps, which can be funded through EECA's Warmer Kiwi Homes scheme, double glazing and window glazing of any kind are explicitly excluded from that funding. Any installer or website suggesting otherwise is incorrect, and you should budget for double glazing as a standalone cost.
Full frame replacement removes your existing window or door frame entirely and installs new double-glazed aluminium or timber joinery, generally the best long-term thermal and structural outcome but the most expensive and disruptive option. Retrofit (or secondary) glazing fits a second glass pane or a magnetic secondary panel into or over your existing frame, keeping the original joinery. It's cheaper and faster, but only works well if the existing frame is sound.
A retrofit double glazing job on an average Dunedin home is often completed in a day or two once measured and manufactured, though the glass units themselves usually take one to three weeks to be made after measuring. Full frame replacement takes longer on-site, and can extend to several weeks for a whole-house project, on top of manufacturing lead times.
Yes, in most cases. Dunedin's older villas and bungalows were built to pre-1978 or pre-H1 standards, with single glazing that loses heat fast and encourages condensation. Retrofit systems are specifically designed to work with original timber sashes and joinery without stripping the home's character, which makes double glazing one of the more cost-effective thermal upgrades available for this type of housing stock, alongside insulation.
Editorial disclosure: TopChoice is an independent editorial platform. Some pages may include clearly labelled featured placements for additional visibility. Featured placements do not influence rankings within our Top 5 lists.
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