replacement window guidance - which ones to choose?

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6005Weber
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replacement window guidance - which ones to choose?

#1 Post by 6005Weber »

I am in the market for replacement windows for my 1991 home. We currently have very drafty wood windows. I have 26 double hung windows that need to be replaced. 17 of these windows are within 12 inches of the floor but less than 9 ft2 (some installers are recommending bottom sashes be tempered glass due to small children in the home).

The following are the quotes that I have gotten from various installers around my area. I am curious is the difference in the price worth the improvement in the window quality (I have tried to list in what I think is ascending quality). We plan on living in this house for 20+ years. I live in the middle of NC.

Extreme Nornadex 3000 – (without tempered glass) - $9,750
Allside mezzo – (with tempered glass) - $10,375
Berkshire elite from window Universe - (tempered glass) - $12,987
Soft-lite Nirvana from Zen Windows (classic) – (no tempered glass) - $15,867
Sunrise – (without tempered glass) - $21,226
Okna Eco Pro-600 series – (with tempered glass) - $20,127

If there is another type of window or installer in the Greensboro Area that you recommend please let me know. I know I have a lot of quotes but this is a big purchase and I want to make sure I have all my information before I make my decision. Thanks in advance for all your help.

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Windows on Washington
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Re: replacement window guidance - which ones to choose?

#2 Post by Windows on Washington »

What is the Okna quote like without the Tempered Glass?

Have you checked local code to make sure they aren't more stringent than the national building codes?

Delaware Mike
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Re: replacement window guidance - which ones to choose?

#3 Post by Delaware Mike »

I can hear the robot's voice from "Lost in Spacer" saying "DANGER, DANGER" regarding those lower priced quotes. I'm not saying one has to spend north of $700 for a white quality standard vinyl DH window type installation. Sunrise quotes are almost guaranteed to be the high bid by the way.

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HomeSealed
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Re: replacement window guidance - which ones to choose?

#4 Post by HomeSealed »

6005Weber wrote: Tue Dec 18, 2018 11:40 am Extreme Nornadex 3000 – (without tempered glass) - $9,750
Allside mezzo – (with tempered glass) - $10,375
Berkshire elite from window Universe - (tempered glass) - $12,987
Soft-lite Nirvana from Zen Windows (classic) – (no tempered glass) - $15,867
Sunrise – (without tempered glass) - $21,226
Okna Eco Pro-600 series – (with tempered glass) - $20,127
Extreme Nornadex 3000 – If I'm not mistaken this is a relabeled, lower end Simonton/Plygem sold through builder supply. Multiple red flags IMO
Allside mezzo – Tons of info on this window and its siblings and cousins. Tempting performance numbers at what is always a low price point, but there is not much love for the quality from Pros or past clients.
Berkshire elite - See above. Same window, different name. Its not the worst window you can find by any means, but I would not put it in a high end category either. If you want an average window at a fair price it may fit the bill.
Soft-lite Nirvana from Zen Windows (classic) – (no tempered glass) - MEH. Softlite's lowest line.
Sunrise – (without tempered glass) - Solid choice when the price is right. Good window.
Okna Eco Pro-600 series – (with tempered glass) - Best window of the bunch.

Lastly, I'd recommend getting apples to apples on these. Code specifies the 9sq ft rule for tempered, but I've also dealt with municipalities that want it anyway. You may also consider it for safety especially with young kids. In that case, I probably would. Either way, get the quotes to match either with or without it for a fair assessment.

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toddinmn
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Re: replacement window guidance - which ones to choose?

#5 Post by toddinmn »

The tempered glass should Be adding no than a $100 per window.
I would not do it unless it is required or you feel the need for safety.

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HomeSealed
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Re: replacement window guidance - which ones to choose?

#6 Post by HomeSealed »

toddinmn wrote: Thu Dec 20, 2018 8:55 am The tempered glass should Be adding no than a $100 per window.
I would not do it unless it is required or you feel the need for safety.
That price point may be relatively fair in this particular situation where we know that only the lower sash could need tempering, in addition to the fact that the glass in question is known to be under 9sq ft. I'd caution other readers against using that as a general rule however. I've ordered many windows where the raw, wholesale cost for tempering was at or over that mark, and certainly most sustainable business will add a markup on top of their cost. I find anywhere between just under $100 up to around $200 or so to be a fairly common range, but certainly there are still exceptions over or under those marks.

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Windows on Washington
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Re: replacement window guidance - which ones to choose?

#7 Post by Windows on Washington »

Even using the math of $100 per window (which I think might be a bit low), the 600 series quote is only about $1,700 apart from the Nirvana quote at that point. In that comparative, the 600 is worth the extra $65 in my opinion based on the data.

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toddinmn
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Re: replacement window guidance - which ones to choose?

#8 Post by toddinmn »

Sounds like I should raise my tempered glass pricing and push it a little more.

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