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Window Replacement Rec & Advice

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Enchubben

Enchubben 5510

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Ha, yea. What labevo said.

Friend of mine replaced old windows to new high efficiency ones a year ago in a weekend home. Got quotes from all of the name brand ones, then went got a GC to quote it.

I think they got quotes as high as $50k and as low as $15k. It’s absurd.

I’m no help on who to use, but get 3-5 quotes. It’s worth your time.

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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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4 hours ago, BearSchlong said:

Subscribed.  Just bought an old house with ancient windows, and eyeing a completely new set within the next 12 months.

Are the frames, and exterior trim solid with no rot or damage ?

Replace just the window sashes, and leave the existing frames in place.  Sashpack replacements area good deal less expensive than replacing the entire window, and then having to repair the walls around it.

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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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Brand names: Weathershield, Sierra Pacific, Kolbe, Anderson, Pella (but I hate that co.). Jeld Wenn was my go to but they went public and quality suffered.

Avoid cheap vinyl windows you'll be replacing them sooner than you think.  My first choice is always alum. Clad or all wood if the co. has a strong no rot warranty.

If you have window muntin bars, and want to keep that look I also always try to go SDL simulated divided lite. The in between the glass grilles look, and are cheap as shit.

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Stella Link

Stella Link 534

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7 hours ago, WithoutAClue said:

Marvin windows are also good, same price range as Anderson and Pella.

I have Marvin Infinity fiberglass double-hung windows installed by Renaissance Windows and Doors several years ago.  While a bit more than others, I am extremely happy with them.  One thing to definitely remember...installation is very important.  If you get a sub-par installation, the windows may fail and leak over time.  I was very impressed with the installation process.  Very clean work.  

A couple neighbors installed Anderson fiberglass and seem pleased.  Agree with another post, stay away from Window World.  A few neighbors had their windows installed and have had leaks and problems.  One neighbor replaced their Window World windows.  

Can't emphasize enough that a good installation is very important.  Go with a quality window manufacturer and installer.  You get what you pay for.

 

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deadshank

deadshank 24653

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Posted (edited)

Marvin is a superior product but very expensive.   They stand behind their product.   Pella and Andersen are not on par with Marvin and quality has suffered after being bought out a few times.  Weathershield is good, too.  
 

Each of these manufacturers are oriented more to exterior clad aluminum / interior wood windows and they are expensive. 
 

If you want simple vinyl replacement windows then go with Jeld Wen.  They have only four colors last time I checked but that is usually enough.  
 

Assuming you go with vinyl replacement windows get the exterior mullions to divide the light.  You will pay a little more to get the applied mullions that are on both the inside facing glass and the outside facing glass.  Exponentially better looking window unit compared to the mullions sandwiched between the 2 panes of glass 

Edited by deadshank
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horn4life

horn4life 3763

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Replacing Windows isn't really super hard honestly, on a non-brick exterior.  Pop off the exterior trim, run a razor around the interior to cut away caulk and paint to prevent tear out,  remove the nails or sawzall the fasteners out, and pop out the old windows.  The main requirements are half a brain, another person with half a brain to remove old windows, and help hold new windows in place while fastening.  Shims, levels, nail/screws, caulk, and likely some window sill stock.

NOW here is the potential hard part... what is the depth of the new windows when installed? If they are old it's highly likely that the new windows are going to be slightly thicker because of double panes.  So then you are going to need to cut back into the interior window surround area (usually sheet rock) to give the window room to fit in flush with the exterior.  If you are going to do a bunch you can save a shit ton of money.  The first ones will be slow.  By about the third one you will know what you are doing and how much interior sheet rock you need to remove. I think the first one I did with the wife took me like two hours, the last two were like 30 minutes. 

Yes messy, and yes you need to be very careful to make the windows level and square. Mainly you need an extra set of hands. For me personally the cost savings was worth it.  You also need to reframe the exterior wood properly, with the main detail being having the side rails extend to the bottom edges of the trim.  IF the sides end on top of the bottom horizontal trim the water drips down into a dead end on top of it,  your chances of rot, leakage etc. go up dramatically no matter how much caulk and paint you put on it. 

NOT for everyone, but if you put the savings into BETTER QUALITY WINDOWS you can learn a new skill, and add even more value to your place.  

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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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18 hours ago, WithoutAClue said:

Marvin windows are also good, same price range as Anderson and Pella.

Completely forgot about them. They're better than both Pella, and Anderson. And they tend to be more expensive depending on the series you select.  I've been to both the Pella and Marvin window mfgring plants. Marvin is a 3rd generation family run business. They do it right.

 

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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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1 hour ago, deadshank said:

Marvin is a superior product but very expensive.   They stand behind their product.   Pella and Andersen are not on par with Marvin and quality has suffered after being bought out a few times.  Weathershield is good, too.  
 

Each of these manufacturers are oriented more to exterior clad aluminum / interior wood windows and they are expensive. 
 

If you want simple vinyl replacement windows then go with Jeld Wen.  They have only four colors last time I checked but that is usually enough.  
 

Assuming you go with vinyl replacement windows get the exterior mullions to divide the light.  You will pay a little more to get the applied mullions that are on both the inside facing glass and the outside facing glass.  Exponentially better looking window unit compared to the mullions sandwiched between the 2 panes of glass 

I've been a big Jeld Wenn guy for years, but my friend, a Big Jeld Went dealer has told me to use other windows he sells because Jeld Wenn went public, and their quality has suffered thru the changes.  Before that I'd use them all them time and their prices rivaled Marvin, depending on the series and features you select.

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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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1 minute ago, Bevo&Pevo said:

New Plygem windows for sale at discounted price! - materials - by... (craigslist.org)

We have bought windows from this guy 3X.  Much recommended, at go visit he has a smokin' hot daughter.  Windows in the picture would regularly be priced at 800 or more each.  Spent 800 total.

windows16.jpg

The pictorial failure here is astronomical !!

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Bevo&Pevo

Bevo&Pevo 5207

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23 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

The pictorial failure here is astronomical !!

The third trip back i had the phone in my hand the entire we were there to sneak in a pict just for the "hot or not" thread.  Timing just did not work out.  I failed.  She's been there every time.

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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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2 hours ago, deadshank said:

Another reason to like Marvin. 
 

 

 

The whole town is in the middle of nowhere. It's called Hockey town USA. When you go fishing in a boat you need your passport because you can pass in  and out of Canadian waters several times during the day.  

One of the sons has invested in classic cars. He has a museum, and another storage facility for cars that don't fit in the museum space. He's got things like 1 of 4 triple black 68 Camaros, firebirds, corvettes, cars Elvis owned, Cobras, Cadilacs, Mustangs, classic euro cars,  old broncos, Forest service Suburbans used at the national parks back in the 40's-50's.  All kinds of cool and wild stuff. The co. has a fleet of private planes and jets....

The window business has been good to the family.  They take great pride in costumer service, and quality of product.

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kmac30

kmac30 416

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A couple years ago I did a remodel and we replaced a few windows. I bought Lincoln (aluminum clad casement) windows from Detering in Houston. I’m now looking at replacing the rest. I am go back to Detering for the windows, but need an installer. Or, I can buy different brand that look the same (assuming they all look the same).

Anyone have an installer in Houston area? Or ideas on finding similar?

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Bevo

Bevo 13579

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On 1/14/2021 at 8:22 AM, Bevo&Pevo said:

The third trip back i had the phone in my hand the entire we were there to sneak in a pict just for the "hot or not" thread.  Timing just did not work out.  I failed.  She's been there every time.

Do you have their contact information? Ply-Gem makes good windows so I am curious if they can drop ship an order for new construction.

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SquishMitten

SquishMitten 10415

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I just had several replaced by this guy in Austin (just the glass). He did great work and it was only about 10 days from him coming out to measuring and finishing the install. Other companies had a 1-2 month lead time. His prices were a bit lower than the bigger companies as well.

Michael Hernandez. (512) 945-3016

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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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3 hours ago, Okie State said:

A friend got a quote for $120K from Andersen which seems absurd to me. He has a lot of windows and I think it came out to about $3K each. They offered to knock it down to $90K if he signed the contract that day.

That's high by about $1,000 a unit in my opinion.  If his quote was based on new unit, removal of old unit, and installation of new unit.  Windows aren't cheap if you're using one of the better brands, they're metal clad, or have many individual lites/panes in each unit, and are simulated divided lite units (look like old windows where the muntin bars are on the outside face, and inside face of the units not sandwiched between the 2 panes of glass which looks cheap).

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Bevo&Pevo

Bevo&Pevo 5207

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15 hours ago, Bevo said:

Do you have their contact information? Ply-Gem makes good windows so I am curious if they can drop ship an order for new construction.

Sorry for being a little late with a reply, been busy.  Bayou City Materials on Lyons.  Vato in charge is Pedro.  Cool dude.  I'll post a pict of business if I can find one.

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Okie State

Okie State 3821

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That's high by about $1,000 a unit in my opinion.  If his quote was based on new unit, removal of old unit, and installation of new unit.  Windows aren't cheap if you're using one of the better brands, they're metal clad, or have many individual lites/panes in each unit, and are simulated divided lite units (look like old windows where the muntin bars are on the outside face, and inside face of the units not sandwiched between the 2 panes of glass which looks cheap).
Yeah I know they're expensive and if I ever do it I'll go with good ones. I just couldn't believe that quote.
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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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8 minutes ago, Okie State said:
9 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:
That's high by about $1,000 a unit in my opinion.  If his quote was based on new unit, removal of old unit, and installation of new unit.  Windows aren't cheap if you're using one of the better brands, they're metal clad, or have many individual lites/panes in each unit, and are simulated divided lite units (look like old windows where the muntin bars are on the outside face, and inside face of the units not sandwiched between the 2 panes of glass which looks cheap).

Yeah I know they're expensive and if I ever do it I'll go with good ones. I just couldn't believe that quote.

Yeah, I'd have laughed, and said get fucked.  The thing is windows are one of the single biggest factors in good design, natural light, and energy efficiency.  Per sq. foot costs they're among the most expensive things in a house.

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swraith

swraith 347

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On 1/13/2021 at 9:31 AM, deadshank said:

Do not use Window World.   

I'm in Austin.  Have original early 60s aluminum frame single pane windows with brick exterior.  I've been thinking about replacing them throughout the entire house.  I was thinking about calling Window World.  Then I read your comment.  Who should I call instead of them...in Austin?  I'm thinking the old windows need to be removed, new windows installed, and any clean up on the exterior walls.  

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KuЯdt

KuЯdt 248

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19 hours ago, swraith said:

I'm in Austin.  Have original early 60s aluminum frame single pane windows with brick exterior.  I've been thinking about replacing them throughout the entire house.  I was thinking about calling Window World.  Then I read your comment.  Who should I call instead of them...in Austin?  I'm thinking the old windows need to be removed, new windows installed, and any clean up on the exterior walls.  

Following, as I'm about to go down this path in Austin as well.  I've heard recommendations for Ringer, Energy One, and Titan.  My GC who is redoing the kitchen recommended Zen Windows.  I don't know much about any of them but will probably start getting quotes soon.

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tigol

tigol 2398

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12 hours ago, deadshank said:

I don’t know.  I’m not in Austin.   I’m in Houston.   
 

Do not use Window World.  
 

Do you have any friends in the home building industry?   Suppliers for home builders? Ask them.  

I don't have any friends.  Could you please share?

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Bill Clay

Bill Clay 48

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On 1/23/2021 at 8:13 PM, Okie State said:

A friend got a quote for $120K from Andersen which seems absurd to me. He has a lot of windows and I think it came out to about $3K each. They offered to knock it down to $90K if he signed the contract that day.

I invited Renewal by Andersen of Austin to my old house to quote replacements. It's been years and I forget the quote but it seemed outrageous. Told the dude I'd think about which pissed him off and he immediately launched into high pressure sales mode. Offered a discount if I signed right there on the spot, to which I replied that I don't do business that way. He then proceeded to tell me that they didn't even really need my business and wouldn't honor the discount even if I did call him back because there really isn't anything to think about. Told him to get fucked and swore I'd tell everyone I know that their sales practices are fucked up and to never do business with Renewal by Andersen of Austin. So there you go. Fuck Renewal by Andersen of Austin.

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Okie State

Okie State 3821

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I invited Renewal by Andersen of Austin to my old house to quote replacements. It's been years and I forget the quote but it seemed outrageous. Told the dude I'd think about which pissed him off and he immediately launched into high pressure sales mode. Offered a discount if I signed right there on the spot, to which I replied that I don't do business that way. He then proceeded to tell me that they didn't even really need my business and wouldn't honor the discount even if I did call him back because there really isn't anything to think about. Told him to get fucked and swore I'd tell everyone I know that their sales practices are fucked up and to never do business with Renewal by Andersen of Austin. So there you go. Fuck Renewal by Andersen of Austin.
Ha, friend had a similar experience. The guy got all butthurt when he said it probably wasn't for him. Started talking shit saying they typically do higher end homes anyway. Just sounded like a bizarre experience even ignoring the price.
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William_Cannon

William_Cannon 86

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Do not use Window World.   

Why? I know of a dozen installs by Window World of Austin, over a decade, including new ownership of that local franchise. All owners have been happy and so I took their recommendation and just replaced all my Windows and so far so so. Install was flawless, clean, and the crew was quick. The product carries the best warranty, lifetime on everything including the glass. Most companies only warranty the glass up to 15 years which is the MTTF for the glass seal. I replaced all my windows (11 openings), 4 were oversized, for less than $6k.

Another reason to like Marvin. 
 
 


 


I don’t disagree that Marvin makes a quality Window but the authorized dealer in Austin is an a hole. If I had confidence in them, I would have happily paid more for their product. This brings me to an important point that you have to go with a reputable dealer/contractor.

I’m sure there are more options for Marvin in Houston.
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William_Cannon

William_Cannon 86

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I invited Renewal by Andersen of Austin to my old house to quote replacements. It's been years and I forget the quote but it seemed outrageous. Told the dude I'd think about which pissed him off and he immediately launched into high pressure sales mode. Offered a discount if I signed right there on the spot, to which I replied that I don't do business that way. He then proceeded to tell me that they didn't even really need my business and wouldn't honor the discount even if I did call him back because there really isn't anything to think about. Told him to get fucked and swore I'd tell everyone I know that their sales practices are fucked up and to never do business with Renewal by Andersen of Austin. So there you go. Fuck Renewal by Andersen of Austin.

Same thing here. That’s their unethical high pressure sales model.
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swraith

swraith 347

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2 hours ago, William_Cannon said:


Why? I know of a dozen installs by Window World of Austin, over a decade, including new ownership of that local franchise. All owners have been happy and so I took their recommendation and just replaced all my Windows and so far so so. Install was flawless, clean, and the crew was quick. The product carries the best warranty, lifetime on everything including the glass. Most companies only warranty the glass up to 15 years which is the MTTF for the glass seal. I replaced all my windows (11 openings), 4 were oversized, for less than $6k.



 


I don’t disagree that Marvin makes a quality Window but the authorized dealer in Austin is an a hole. If I had confidence in them, I would have happily paid more for their product. This brings me to an important point that you have to go with a reputable dealer/contractor.

I’m sure there are more options for Marvin in Houston.

The Marvin Austin dealer you referenced...is that Amazing Exteriors on Burnet?  I was just thinking about contacting them based on the upstream recommendation about Marvin.  

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deadshank

deadshank 24653

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@William_Cannon 

Window World is a franchised operation.  The Austin franchisee may be better than the one in Houston that is actually based in Baton Rouge (so when they advertise that they are a local company they are actually not and the HQ is in NC...but I digress)

We had a decent remodel contract for a house in west Houston.  The property owner had already contracted with WW to replace the windows.  Normally we don’t like that but we decided to see if WW could bring in good people and if they would be a good source for us.  
 

I knew it was going to be a problem when the next door neighbor asked if we were going to use WW after having seen their salesman’s truck in front of the house.  WW had just die his windows and he wasn’t happy and showed me the damage to his windows openings. 

The contract was signed and we were moving forward, thanks for the input.  
 

WW showed up with a crew that demo’d the existing windows and took out chunks of brick & mortar and siding with it and plenty of drywall and sill trim on the inside of the widow openings.  
 

The install crew showed up and set  the windows off plumb and installed windows with the panes already broken from the trip to the job site.  
 

3 week wait for replacement replacement windows (it took 5)...BUT can you go ahead and pay us then deal with the warranty department?  
 

Uh, negatory.  
 

WW sent their punch out guy to “fix” the damage to the bricks, mortar, drywall, paint and sill trim.   He smeared some caulk and paint on everything and called it good.  Pay us!!

Up yours.   
 

We send our guys out to actually fix the tore up stuff and back charge WW. 

 

WW no happy, pale face.  WW says we will sue.  I say bring it.  
 

WW ate crow.  

 

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