Window Quotes all over the place

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badgerx23
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Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 9:32 pm

Window Quotes all over the place

#1 Post by badgerx23 »

I am in the process of getting quotes for replacement windows and the first two have not been close whatsoever. I don't know if something was miscommunicated, but the high one just seems so way off.

I have 13 window openings and a patio door.

5 of the window openings I would like twin double hungs (70.5 x 58)

4 openings would be sliders(70.5 x 58)

1 opening slider (31x46.5}

3 picture windows (35x29)

1 Patio door - 70 x 78

For okna 500 windows I got one quote for $14,000 (double pane) waiting for a triple pane quote
The other quote for same window with triple pane was roughly $35,000

If I do rough math (dont know if you can really do calculations this way but it makes sense) I get a square footage price of 0.26 for the low quote which matches average for what I got on a rental property 5 years ago. The high quote comes in at 0.65

Going to price out some other companies with different windows, but just couldn't believe how different these two quotes for a similar window are.

masterext
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Re: Window Quotes all over the place

#2 Post by masterext »

Who in the world quotes by square ft ??? No company quotes that way.
When you say you have 13 openings that doesnt translate to 13 windows. How many windows are in each opening?
You can have one opening but its a twin window ( 2 windows ) or a triple window ( 3 windows ).
If each opening is a twin, that would be 26 windows.

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Windows on Washington
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Re: Window Quotes all over the place

#3 Post by Windows on Washington »

Using a square footage comparison rarely applies in windows unless we are talking about the pricing for a specialty sort of glass like laminated or the like.

When you are talking about double and triple units, they need to be counted incrementally as Masterext indicated above. They are 2 or 3 separate units (i.e. all the manufacturing processes associated with that) that are put together to form a single assembly.

badgerx23
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Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 9:32 pm

Re: Window Quotes all over the place

#4 Post by badgerx23 »

I understand that square footage isn't a real measurement tool, but when the old cost and one of the new quotes match then mathematically it is an acceptable comparison. I laid out exactly what I was getting quoted for. We can disregard openings it would be 10 double hungs(5 twins), 5 sliders, 3 picture windows and a patio door. My old house had, 5 double hungs, 2 sliders. 3 picture windows, 1 large window with a picture in the center and a slider on each side(i dont know what the official term for that one is.) and a patio door. So it would be 18 windows and a patio door compared to 11 windows and a patio door. My work 5 years ago cost $8300 with an 8800 patio door and okna 500 triple pane. So I think since this is all apples to apples then the new job should cost roughly $16000 and not $36,000. If there is something else I am not understanding that is fine, just trying to figure out what a good quote would be. I am not looking for the cheapest quote, just don't understand how it could be more than $1200 a window

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Windows on Washington
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Re: Window Quotes all over the place

#5 Post by Windows on Washington »

Was your old house in the same area or somewhere else?

badgerx23
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Re: Window Quotes all over the place

#6 Post by badgerx23 »

Same area but different companies now. I completely understand that costs are going to be costs, but 14k quote and a 35k quote for the same exact window And brand is hard to reconcile. The 14k quote falls perfectly in line with the pricing from the first job. Once I get quotes from some different brands with similar specs I think I will have a clearer picture. I just want to know what a true middle ground is so I don’t pay to little and get a bad job, but don’t way over pay.

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Windows on Washington
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Re: Window Quotes all over the place

#7 Post by Windows on Washington »

Seems like you have price validation in the 14K quote. I am not sure what the question is from there?

masterext
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Re: Window Quotes all over the place

#8 Post by masterext »

Bear in mind, prices went up considerably in the past 5 years, most significantly this past year due to supply issues.
Again, no company I know uses sq ft for pricing. Any direct correlation you came up with should be chalked up to coincidence.
I can tell you 14k is very good prices.
The 35k quote may be from a company in Finland and they need to pay for flights and hotel accommodations? Either that or the salesman needs to pay off a loan shark.

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Windows on Washington
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Re: Window Quotes all over the place

#9 Post by Windows on Washington »

Badger...Where are you located?

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HomeSealed
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Re: Window Quotes all over the place

#10 Post by HomeSealed »

+1 on the costs. Materials have gone up steadily and labor has skyrocketed in recent years, although your market/location can have some bearing on that latter part.

As the other pros have stated, the "cost per sq ft" aspect is more likely an interesting coincidence. Even if the window sizes worked out, with increased costs over 5 years ago this would put the new pricing at a lower rate overall.

What are the other particulars? Pocket install vs full frame? Any other options or installation specs?
At a glance, the $14k seems low and $35k seems high, but again, making sure that things are apples to apples is very important. For instance, comparing basic pocket installs to full frame tear outs with new interior woodwork could be a $10k swing on a project of that size, even through the same dealer. Details are crucial.

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