windows -- Pella, Anderson, or other???
mythreesonsnc
14 years ago
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pps7
14 years agomythreesonsnc
14 years agoRelated Discussions
Exterior French Door brand Jeldwen, Pella, Anderson, other?
Comments (4)If you are this concerned about the minute details of your doors (and you should be; they are costly and you do not want to be disappointed upon installation or years down the road), I highly suggest that you should dump the idea of buying them from HD or Lowes. It is rare that a big-box retailer will have someone that REALLY knows what they are dealing with. And you're right... their subcontract installers are not of the caliber that you'll want... HD/Lowes sets a very low unit price for installs, and their subs will just want to get it in the hole and get out to have any chance of making money. Go to a window & door specialty store, or local millwork supply that deals in the various higher-end products that you want. They will give you good information, and most have in-house installers or offer expert contractor referrals. Pella has their own stores; Marvin, Andersen, Jeld-Wen have excellent dealer networks; contact the manufacturers directly to find out about dealers in your area. I would like to reiterate that this is not ALWAYS the case... some HD/Lowes have really excellent and knowledgeable folks... although most are generalists, and know just enough more than you about the product to make you feel like you're dealing with an expert. You may be pleasantly surprised to find, also, that the big box prices are not always the lowest! Good Luck! Here is a link that might be useful: AskMason...See MorePella 450 vs Andersen 200 series windows or other?
Comments (9)See I really don't get comments like yours winkster. First of we are not claiming Pella or Andersen 200s are top of the line. My folks have Andersen 200s in their custom $650k home and never had issues with air leakage (living in MD so fairly cold winters and pretty hot/humid summers) from the windows. A couple of the windows did fog/glaze up, but Andersen sent out replacements in a matter of days. I got a quote on the 400 series and they are about $950 each. I'm sorry but I don't have $12k to blow on some top of the line window. There is a rational to buying quality windows, but there is a point of diminishing returns when you just end up paying for options you don't need. The average customer just wants a good solid window that won't blow the budget. I ended up buying the 200 series windows and putting them in myself, was careful to properly seal and insulate around windows while installing. Paid about $3000 for 10 windows (Model # DH3049), with grille and bug screens (had a 10% off coupon HD honored and used my 5% discount with card). temps have been in the mid/upper 90s for two weeks and we just had a MASSIVE rain storm a week ago with winds up to 50 mph. No discernible water or air leakage. AC is running noticeably less too, and I don't notice a temp difference when I pass by a window like I could before! Its early still but I'm very happy with my Andersen 200s. I have to replace a double exterior french door and am thinking about trying the 200 series for that too....See MoreReplacement windows
Comments (10)Not sure if it’s too late to chime in here but as a new homeowner who also knew nothing about windows, figured I’d share what I learned: About Anderson windows: we have 3 old Anderson wood windows in our bay window area. To their credit, they are 30-something years old and still function ok (compared to the old vinyl windows throughout the house that we have been slowly replacing). However, to their detriment, they are hard to service in our area; one of ours is cracked and I think we are better off replacing it entirely versus just getting the cracked panel removed. The reason I say it’s better to replace is because these windows are already pretty drafty, which leads to my next point. Someone previously commented about vinyl windows and, based on my research and what I learned from various vendors, it’s a great cost effective option because (a) they are reasonably priced and often have good warranties and (b) the vinyl frames are full of insulation so they are more energy efficient. We ended up finding a vendor in our area that sells Okna windows but we weren’t particularly looking for that brand (we told them our needs, and they came back with that suggestion). We went with a Deluxe mid-range option that cost us something in the neighborhood of $400-$500 per window (including carting away of old window and installation of new). Most of these windows include screens which is super helpful if you hate bugs like I do. So far, we are happy with the new windows. Our master bedroom had 2 really terrible drafty windows and the new ones make a tremendous difference in our comfort (keeps in the warmth generated by our old cast iron radiator). There’s also a bit of a dampening on outside sounds as well with the more energy efficient windows. As for dealing with vendors, it might be good to assess what you have and the reason why you are replacing — is it for style? Or is it because the windows don’t function (won’t stay open, fall out when opened for cleaning, etc)? For us, the reason for replacing was more so the latter and so when we discussed with vendors we emphasized longevity and matching the style of the existing windows, while also reaping the energy savings of new products. Good luck!...See MoreQuestion on Windows - Pella Architect, Marvin Ultimate, Anderson E
Comments (20)Yes this is high. I have had quite a for all thirteen windows in my house from all vendors. Marvin came out at $8500 for the Elevate which I got from the local hardware store. I’m getting them installed for $300 a window which is a steal, $600 is more avg. I’d take competitive quotes in, they try to beat them. I was deciding between Marvin and Milgard Ultra Series. Milgard only has wood grills not the entire inside of the window....See Morepps7
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