When most people hear “fire‑rated glass,” they think expensive, slow, and painful to install. Our experience with Tecfire has been the opposite—and one recent project with a Northeast glazier captures why.
They didn’t pick Tecfire because of a slick brochure. They picked Tecfire because:
- They needed a system on site quickly, and
- They were curious if a new fire‑rated system could simplify installation, not make it harder.
Here’s what happened.
The starting point: lead time and price
A glazier we work with approached Tecfire for:
- Lead times on a fire‑rated glazed system
- A project quote to compare with a familiar competitor
On paper, Tecfire checked both boxes:
- Tecfire’s price came in lower than the competing system.
- More importantly, Tecfire’s lead time was faster, which helped the glazier protect the project schedule.
At that point, they had very little direct experience with Tecfire. They decided to award the job primarily on speed—and treated everything else as “let’s see how this goes.”
What happened on site: labor hours vs. reality
Because Tecfire was new to them, the glazier did something very sensible:
- They budgeted labor hours based on past projects with a competing fire‑rated system.
- They assumed Tecfire would take at least as long to install—maybe longer, given the learning curve.
The project then followed a standard sequence:
- System design and approvals
- Manufacturing and delivery
- Installation by a crew that knew fire‑rated work, but not Tecfire specifically
Only after the job was complete did they compare:
- Budgeted labor hours vs.
- Actual hours spent installing Tecfire
What they found surprised them.
Assuming the two systems were priced the same, the total installed cost with Tecfire came in about 17% lower.
The savings came entirely from reduced labor hours—not from cutting scope or lowering performance.
You can think of it this way:
- If material pricing is equal,
- And you cut install labor significantly,
- The total project cost moves in your favor—without asking the owner to compromise.
Why did Tecfire install faster?
Every project is different, but three design choices kept showing up in the installer’s feedback:
- Factory‑assembled thinking
Tecfire systems are engineered as complete glazing solutions—glass, framing, and accessories designed to work together—rather than separate pieces that need extra “field invention.”
- Simpler, lighter profiles
- The AluFire AS85 series uses true aluminum framing, not steel wrapped in aluminum.
- That means lighter components, familiar tools, and handling that feels much closer to standard storefront.
- Fewer “fussy” steps on site
Glaziers reported:
- Fewer operations around pressure caps and cover caps
- Less time spent sorting out work‑arounds for hardware and anchorage
- A smoother overall workflow compared to older fire‑rated systems
In fact, market feedback from multiple installers suggests that, on some jobs, labor time can drop to as little as one‑third of what competing systems require. The 17% savings from this case study is conservative—your mileage will vary by region, crew, and project type, but the trend is clear.
Note: The actual chart data is based on one glazier’s experience and is for illustration only. Real‑world results depend on project size, crew experience, and other variables.
What this means for architects
On the design side, Tecfire’s value is straightforward:
- You get fire‑rated glass that looks like the rest of your project—clear, large lites, slim frames.
- You can keep your open lobbies, glass stairs, and property‑line façades without sacrificing code compliance.
- And you give your glazier a system that can hit your schedule without adding friction.
Because Tecfire is now listed in MasterSpec® (AS85 Fixed Wall and AS85 Hinged Door under 08 41 13 Aluminum‑Framed Entrances and Storefronts), it’s much easier to:
- Drop Tecfire into your documents as a basis of design,
- Keep your specs aligned with tested, listed assemblies, and
- Help the contractor price and buy the right system quickly.
What this means for glaziers
If you’re a glazier, you live and die by:
- Lead times
- Field labor
- And how often the “new thing” actually makes your life harder
Tecfire is built to help on all three:
- Competitive or shorter lead times vs. legacy systems
- Simplified install sequences that can reduce hours on site
- Support from both Tecfire’s engineering team and Martineau & Co—people you can call when a detail or condition doesn’t look standard
The glazier in our case study didn’t pick Tecfire because they already loved it. They picked it because it was fast and fairly priced. After the job, they noticed the install savings and started actively looking for more chances to use it.
Bringing it back to your projects
Whether you’re an architect or a glazier, Tecfire’s value proposition is simple:
- Design freedom – More glass, cleaner lines, and modern fire‑resistive performance
- Field practicality – Systems that install faster and more predictably
- Specification confidence – Tested, listed assemblies now easier to specify through MasterSpec
If you’d like to:
- Review a live project for Tecfire fit,
- See a short installation time comparison for planning, or
- Get spec language tailored to your office standards,
reach out and we’ll walk through it with you.