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Pella Architect vs. Designer: relative cost?

16 years ago

Is the Architect line more expensive than the Designer line? Or is it the other way around? Their website makes it look as if the Architect line is higher end because it's shown above the Designer, but the Designer offers the between-the-glass blind feature.

If one is more expensive than the other, by how much? 10 percent? 25 percent? More?

Is the between-the-glass blind feature standard or optional with the Designer series? If optional, how much would a typical blind add to the cost?

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Comments (4)

frankmol
16 years ago
I'm looking at double hung Pella's, in the designer triple pane with shades 42" X 50" are $1,100 each, in the arch. they are $425.
tru_blue
16 years ago
Architect series is double glazed (insulating glass with Low E and argon gas). Designer series is usually triple glazed (insulating glass Low E argon plus gas a 3rd pane) but they do have a double glazed (single glazed plus a removable 2nd layer - stick with triple in Designer). Designer series costs more than Architect series in part because it is three layers of glass instead of two. It's been my observation that Designer series triple glazed costs about $50-$100 more than Architect series double glazed. That price does not include between-glass blinds. Blinds probably add another $175-$225. Blinds, shades, grilles, are optional.

As for which is the higher end product, it depends on what you're looking for. In casements, they use the same frame, hardware, weatherstrip, etc., and only the sashes are different. So they essentially perform the same (for air/water infiltration resistence) except for insulating propertirs of double glazed vs. triple glazed. In double hungs, both are vey good, but Architect series is the higher rated of the two for air/water and Designer is higher rated for insulation because of the three panes.

Frankmol, if you're paying $425 for Architect but $1,100 for Designer there is something definately wrong there. I've put in a LOT of windows from various brands over the last 30 years, and I like Pella, but there is NO WAY the difference should be that much. You should expect to pay maybe $100 each more at most, plus the cost of blinds if you get those. It sounds like your dealer or contractor is artificially jacking the price way up on one series but not the other.
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frankmol
16 years ago
I'm sure he is trying to jack the price up, on top of it he wants $600 a window to install, what a joke. They gave me a ballpark price of $600 per window in the showroom, but when they came to my house they qouted the $1,100 per. He said the blinds are $350 per window. I've spent over $30K on Pella windows in the last 6 years and this is the way they treat a loyal customer.

I went to a different Pella store and they are going to quote me a price, should get it next week.

I'm probably going to buy Marvin double-hungs. The U factor for the Pella triple pane is only 12% better than the Marvins but the price for the Pella's are more than twice as much, no value.
frisco_ted
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi tru_blu,

Thanks for your great answer above.

Why do you recommend that people stick with triple glazed if they go with the Designer line? Is it because of better insulation from noise and temperature fluctuations? I live on a pretty quiet street in San Francisco and don't have any extraordinary noise or weather concerns.

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