Quick answer: Choose a facade contractor who measures your site before quoting, writes the full material specification (ACP thickness, skin, core, coating, brand; glass type and fittings; sub-frame and sealant) into the quote, can show you completed work you can visit, and links payments to work done. The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest facade, because what fails first (frame, sealant, coating) is exactly what cheap quotes leave vague.
Why the choice of contractor matters so much
An ACP or glass facade is mostly hidden work. Once the panels are up, you cannot see the frame, the anchors, the routing, or how well the joints were prepared. Two elevations can look identical on handover day and age very differently. In our climate, with strong sun, monsoon rain and salt air on the coast, the hidden work decides whether you get a clean facade for years or leaks and rust streaks after a few seasons.
Step 1: Check who will actually do the work
- Is the person quoting the person responsible? Some quotes come from middlemen who pass the job to whichever team is free.
- Is there technical oversight? Someone should understand wind load, sub-frame design and glass selection, not just fixing.
- Does the team do both ACP and glazing? If your design combines them, one contractor handling the interface avoids blame between trades.
Step 2: Insist on a site visit and measurement
A serious contractor will:
- Measure the actual building, not just read the drawing.
- Check the wall or structure the sub-frame will be fixed to.
- Note access, height and scaffolding needs.
- Look at existing problems: cracks, dampness, old fixings.
- For glass, take accurate measurements, because toughened glass cannot be cut after toughening.
A rate given over the phone without seeing the site is a guess, and guesses usually grow at billing time.
Step 3: Read the quote line by line
| A good quote states | A weak quote says |
|---|---|
| ACP brand, 4 mm, 0.5 mm skins, PVDF, PE/FR core | “ACP work” |
| Sub-frame: aluminium or galvanised steel, section size | “Frame” or nothing |
| Sealant type and brand | Not mentioned |
| Glass: type, thickness, toughened/laminated, processor | “12 mm glass” |
| Fittings: SS 304 or SS 316, brand | “SS fittings” |
| Measured area and how it is measured | Lump sum only |
| Scaffolding, transport, wastage included | “Extra at actuals” |
| GST inclusive or exclusive | Silent |
| Payment schedule tied to stages | Large advance |
Step 4: Look at real, older work
Photos on a phone show work on its best day. Ask for addresses you can see from the road, ideally completed a few years ago. Check:
- Flatness: are panels flat, or wavy in the sun?
- Joint lines: are they straight and even?
- Colour: do panels match, or do some look a shade different?
- Sealant: is it intact, or cracked and blackened?
- Rust streaks under fixings or from the frame.
- Glass: clean edges, intact seals, no rust at fittings.
Step 5: Ask the technical questions
Good contractors answer these clearly:
- What sub-frame will you use, and how will it be protected against rust?
- How will you anchor the frame to my wall or slab?
- What joint detail will you use: sealed or open groove? How does water drain?
- Will panels be routed and folded into trays, or flat-fixed?
- Which glass and fittings do you recommend for my exposure (sun, coast, height)?
- When will you remove the protective film?
- How will lighting and signage be integrated without drilling later?
Step 6: Agree payment and paperwork
- Stage-wise payments: for example, an advance for material, then payments linked to frame completion, panel installation and final handover. Avoid paying most of the amount before material arrives.
- Material proof: delivery challans or invoices showing brand and specification.
- GST invoice for the work.
- Written warranty terms: manufacturers’ material warranties and the contractor’s workmanship terms, both in writing.
- Timeline with realistic milestones agreed after the site visit.
Step 7: Check site safety
Facade work at height is dangerous. Ask how the contractor will provide safe access (scaffolding, harnesses), protect people below, and handle large glass panes safely. A contractor careless about safety is often careless about other things too.
Red flags
- No site visit before quoting.
- A rate much lower than others with no explanation.
- Vague material description; refusal to name brands or thickness.
- Pressure to decide quickly or pay a large advance.
- No completed work you can visit.
- Promise of glass sizes to be “adjusted at site.”
- No GST invoice offered.
During the work: what to watch
Even with a good contractor, a few checks during the job are worth your time:
- Material on arrival: brand printing, thickness and colour code match the quote.
- Sub-frame before panels: see the frame before it is covered. Look for straight lines, proper anchors and rust protection.
- Glass on arrival: check toughening marks, sizes and holes before installation.
- Sealant work: joints should be clean and dry before sealing, not done in rain.
- Protective film: removed soon after the panels are fixed.
How Cladex helps
Cladex Elevations is led by engineers Er. Sanjay M. and Er. Aravind M., with over 10 years of experience in ACP and glazing work across Tamil Nadu. We measure before we quote, write the full specification into every quote and handle both ACP and glazing, so there is one team responsible for the whole facade. You can see our work at the Zudio store on Trichy Road, Singanallur, and the spider-glazed front with ACP fascia at the Chandra Hyundai showroom on Avinashi Road, Chinniyampalayam, both in Coimbatore. We serve Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
WhatsApp us your elevation drawing or a photo of the building for a free, site-measured quote, and ask us any of the questions above.