I should have stated we used Renewal by Andersen. I replaced a French door on the north side of the house and they priced this custom size with a transim way out of range. I ended up using Pella (dealer, not Lowes) for half the Renewal by Andersen Cost. It pays to shop around.I sold over $2,000,000 of replacement windows in existing structures for major manufacturers in the Triangle area, so I'm speaking from experience from inside the business.
The best window is the Marvin Infinity. It is an extruded fiberglass frame that never shrinks or expands with weather. The Infinity is sold through local dealer/installers. You can't buy the windows and install them yourself. Marvin windows are sold through a limited number of retailers who may or may not offer installation. I don't have direct experience with the retail line, but factory training emphasized the Infinity is the best window Marvin manufactures.
Andersen windows can be bought for you to install through Home Depot, but they only sell stock sizes. HD will offer an "authorized installer" to put them in, but the entire HD authorized installer system has a real spotty record. No authorized installer is an HD employee; they are all independent contractors with their own businesses who are purchasing leads from HD. The best Andersen window is the Fibrex line that has an extruded sawdust and resin frame. It is strong, stable, and has a good warranty. The catch: it is only sold through a separate national company--Renewal by Andersen--that has a large network of local dealer/installers. You can't buy the windows without the installation. Renewal prices generally will be the highest, sometimes significantly more, because it is not a factory-direct purchase, and you're paying for a lot of slick advertising and merchandising . Seriously, do you really need everybody on the crew wearing matching shirts.
Vinyl windows have significant pluses and minuses. They are weather resistant and don't expand and contract, but the frames are obviously thicker and bulkier because the basic frame material is the same stuff that's inside your refrigerator and on its own it is flimsy. They will never be the highest priced; they will always be the lowest price if you put yourself through the meat grinder of getting multiple bids. FYI if this is your preferred shopping method you have to get at least 5 bids to be able to make a self-benefiting decision and protect yourself. Remember you always throw out the highest and lowest bids, and you need the remaining 3 to give yourself a sensible selection.
Any reputable dealer/installer is going to do a good installation using quality materials on standard size windows. Many dealers don't want complicated jobs with custom window designs and sizes. If that is what you need and you sense any hesitation from the salesman about doing custom orders, don't give them your business. For custom sizes start with Marvin, then fall back on Renewal by Andersen; you will still be in good shape. Start your research by making sure they have been in business at least 10 years repping the same brand. A red flag for me is a local contractor who claims he represents multiple manufacturers. He will start with the most expensive and drop and drop and drop until he finds your price point, and at the end you will be so confused you won't know what you're getting in the window.
Last thoughts: Be prepared for sticker shock if you go with a reputable brand with a reputable local dealer, especially if you have an older house (pre 1960) with lead paint. With top of the line products, you will find the prices pretty close brand-to-brand. Resign yourself that you get what you pay for in replacement windows. The old joke is "every homeowner wants 3 things--the best window, the best installation, and the lowest price. Pick two." You can't get all 3 in one job.
Well written and informative. Thanks for sharing this with us.I sold over $2,000,000 of replacement windows in existing structures for major manufacturers in the Triangle area, so I'm speaking from experience from inside the business.
The best window is the Marvin Infinity. It is an extruded fiberglass frame that never shrinks or expands with weather. The Infinity is sold through local dealer/installers. You can't buy the windows and install them yourself. Marvin windows are sold through a limited number of retailers who may or may not offer installation. I don't have direct experience with the retail line, but factory training emphasized the Infinity is the best window Marvin manufactures.
Andersen windows can be bought for you to install through Home Depot, but they only sell stock sizes. HD will offer an "authorized installer" to put them in, but the entire HD authorized installer system has a real spotty record. No authorized installer is an HD employee; they are all independent contractors with their own businesses who are purchasing leads from HD. The best Andersen window is the Fibrex line that has an extruded sawdust and resin frame. It is strong, stable, and has a good warranty. The catch: it is only sold through a separate national company--Renewal by Andersen--that has a large network of local dealer/installers. You can't buy the windows without the installation. Renewal prices generally will be the highest, sometimes significantly more, because it is not a factory-direct purchase, and you're paying for a lot of slick advertising and merchandising . Seriously, do you really need everybody on the crew wearing matching shirts.
Vinyl windows have significant pluses and minuses. They are weather resistant and don't expand and contract, but the frames are obviously thicker and bulkier because the basic frame material is the same stuff that's inside your refrigerator and on its own it is flimsy. They will never be the highest priced; they will always be the lowest price if you put yourself through the meat grinder of getting multiple bids. FYI if this is your preferred shopping method you have to get at least 5 bids to be able to make a self-benefiting decision and protect yourself. Remember you always throw out the highest and lowest bids, and you need the remaining 3 to give yourself a sensible selection.
Any reputable dealer/installer is going to do a good installation using quality materials on standard size windows. Many dealers don't want complicated jobs with custom window designs and sizes. If that is what you need and you sense any hesitation from the salesman about doing custom orders, don't give them your business. For custom sizes start with Marvin, then fall back on Renewal by Andersen; you will still be in good shape. Start your research by making sure they have been in business at least 10 years repping the same brand. A red flag for me is a local contractor who claims he represents multiple manufacturers. He will start with the most expensive and drop and drop and drop until he finds your price point, and at the end you will be so confused you won't know what you're getting in the window.
Last thoughts: Be prepared for sticker shock if you go with a reputable brand with a reputable local dealer, especially if you have an older house (pre 1960) with lead paint. With top of the line products, you will find the prices pretty close brand-to-brand. Resign yourself that you get what you pay for in replacement windows. The old joke is "every homeowner wants 3 things--the best window, the best installation, and the lowest price. Pick two." You can't get all 3 in one job.
I sold over $2,000,000 of replacement windows in existing structures for major manufacturers in the Triangle area, so I'm speaking from experience from inside the business.
The best window is the Marvin Infinity. It is an extruded fiberglass frame that never shrinks or expands with weather. The Infinity is sold through local dealer/installers. You can't buy the windows and install them yourself. Marvin windows are sold through a limited number of retailers who may or may not offer installation. I don't have direct experience with the retail line, but factory training emphasized the Infinity is the best window Marvin manufactures.
Andersen windows can be bought for you to install through Home Depot, but they only sell stock sizes. HD will offer an "authorized installer" to put them in, but the entire HD authorized installer system has a real spotty record. No authorized installer is an HD employee; they are all independent contractors with their own businesses who are purchasing leads from HD. The best Andersen window is the Fibrex line that has an extruded sawdust and resin frame. It is strong, stable, and has a good warranty. The catch: it is only sold through a separate national company--Renewal by Andersen--that has a large network of local dealer/installers. You can't buy the windows without the installation. Renewal prices generally will be the highest, sometimes significantly more, because it is not a factory-direct purchase, and you're paying for a lot of slick advertising and merchandising . Seriously, do you really need everybody on the crew wearing matching shirts.
Vinyl windows have significant pluses and minuses. They are weather resistant and don't expand and contract, but the frames are obviously thicker and bulkier because the basic frame material is the same stuff that's inside your refrigerator and on its own it is flimsy. They will never be the highest priced; they will always be the lowest price if you put yourself through the meat grinder of getting multiple bids. FYI if this is your preferred shopping method you have to get at least 5 bids to be able to make a self-benefiting decision and protect yourself. Remember you always throw out the highest and lowest bids, and you need the remaining 3 to give yourself a sensible selection.
Any reputable dealer/installer is going to do a good installation using quality materials on standard size windows. Many dealers don't want complicated jobs with custom window designs and sizes. If that is what you need and you sense any hesitation from the salesman about doing custom orders, don't give them your business. For custom sizes start with Marvin, then fall back on Renewal by Andersen; you will still be in good shape. Start your research by making sure they have been in business at least 10 years repping the same brand. A red flag for me is a local contractor who claims he represents multiple manufacturers. He will start with the most expensive and drop and drop and drop until he finds your price point, and at the end you will be so confused you won't know what you're getting in the window.
Last thoughts: Be prepared for sticker shock if you go with a reputable brand with a reputable local dealer, especially if you have an older house (pre 1960) with lead paint. With top of the line products, you will find the prices pretty close brand-to-brand. Resign yourself that you get what you pay for in replacement windows. The old joke is "every homeowner wants 3 things--the best window, the best installation, and the lowest price. Pick two." You can't get all 3 in one job.
Sorry to be the one to clarify things for you. You bought Andersen factory french doors through a Renewal by Andersen dealer/installer. These are the same doors that Andersen sells throughout its retail outlet network, including Home Depot. It is still a good product. The Renewal by Andersen window, made with Fibrex frames, is made at a separate factory and is only available through Renewal by Andersen dealers. Any other products--front door sets, french doors, patio doors--is Andersen factory made. The local dealers just neglect to inform the homeowner of the difference.I should have stated we used Renewal by Andersen. I replaced a French door on the north side of the house and they priced this custom size with a transim way out of range. I ended up using Pella (dealer, not Lowes) for half the Renewal by Andersen Cost. It pays to shop around.
Now that is cool...and beautiful. Sure beats those wooden quilt patterns you see all the time.Kind of off subject...but along the lines of replacing windows, my sister had all the windows replaced in her house. She has 4 large (40"x50") picture windows that she saved when the old ones were removed and she's been storing for a project. Well, just last week she completed the project. She painted on the windows some flowers then clear coated then hung them on their barn/garage. Now when they eat breakfast and look out at the birds and deer, they have these big beautiful paintings of the flowers she made!
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My pleasure. All part of being a contributing member of NCWW.Well written and informative. Thanks for sharing this with us.
If you choose to do your own installation, 2 important points: 1) Use the highest grade silicone caulking, and have a few cans of expanding foam handy if you run into gaps that are so big they bother you. 2) Do the installation from the outside, not the inside. This will require putting a wrap on the exterior frames, but it sure beats pulling off interior trim. Nobody can take off all the interior window trim and not split or otherwise wreck a few pieces, and now you're into a whole new project replacing them. Plus, you will have so many misfitting miter joints and old and new nail holes in the interior trim you are going to have to spackle and repaint every set of interior frames. It is easy to rationalize that the installation will be easier from the inside because you just kneel on the floor instead of climb up and down ladders lugging heavy windows, but it never works out that way.Excellent to have this cross-brand knowledge. That is hard to gain as a consumer.
Thanks for the write-up - as we consider this project, for our home, and while this is something I expect I can do myself, this is VERY helpful info.