Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

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Alphaadept
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Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:08 pm

Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

#1 Post by Alphaadept »

Hello,

So I am having a hard time finding window brands that have gotten good recommendations in the Nashville, TN area. I want vinyl, double-hung. Wife is interested in a garden window. Any pros or cons to those?

I found one soft lite dealer and one sunrise dealer, but the soft lite dealer got bad reviews and the sunrise dealer specializes mostly in patio enclosures and doesn’t have any online window reviews so that makes me a little hesitant.

Anyway, all the contractors that have good reviews use small window companies that don’t have any reviews or online presence. I’ve only had one quote so far and they use a window company called Master windows systems. masterwindowsystems.com/Master2800/DoubleHungWindow.htm

The quote I got was 20 windows and 3 doors for just over $10,000. It’s an itemized quote and labor is about $1300 with the rest going to the doors and windows.

Are those windows going to be garbage/ is there a way for me to know that?



Another contractor uses interstate windows.

The last contractor I plan to reach out to carries Pella, alside, Andersen, atrium, Ellison, jeldwen, Simonton, pgt, plygem and Quaker. Out of those are there ones I should avoid?

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Windows on Washington
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Re: Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

#2 Post by Windows on Washington »

Looks like a pretty basic vinyl window in the small pictures.

What are the "bad reviews" on the soft-lite dealer? If a company does business long enough, they are bound to have a bad review here and there. Just a part of doing business in the "new" age of the internet.

Alphaadept
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Re: Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

#3 Post by Alphaadept »

The bad reviews are that they are hold to get ahold of and don’t complete jobs on time. A few said they had issues with windows and they could never get anyone out and their phone line rang and rang. I tried to call the company a few times over the last month just to get someone to come out and no one ever answered the phone (just a weird clicking sound). It makes me hesitant to use them if they are that hard to get in contact with before I even have them out for an estimate.

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TheWindowNerd
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Location: SE PA & NJ; DFW/Metroplex

Re: Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

#4 Post by TheWindowNerd »

I hear ya.
But I am terrible with the phone and VM. I am wonderful with email. Additionally everyone is super busy, no reason for bad customer service, just the facts.
If he has the product you would like, and he will complete you project timely once it is started, then I think that is okay, depending on the payment agreement. Payment is the ace of trump for the homeowner.
As far as service goes, if it is a part from the mfg, we can not control that. Sometimes it takes months to get parts.
Just my thoughts.
Do you have a Okna/HiMark dealer near you?

wayne theWindowNerd.com

Alphaadept
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Re: Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

#5 Post by Alphaadept »

No okna/hi mark.

I actually just emailed them based on your suggestion and got a response within an hour, so I’ll see what happens. Thanks for that tip!

Alphaadept
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Re: Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

#6 Post by Alphaadept »

One other question with this: on the soft-lite website I entered in information to find a dealer near me. The only dealers that pop up are zen windows. So the company I contacted that carries soft-lite isn’t listed as a dealer: should that be a red flag or does it not matter?

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HomeSealed
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Re: Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

#7 Post by HomeSealed »

Alphaadept wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:35 pm

Are those windows going to be garbage/ is there a way for me to know that?
Yes and yes. The price. Low-end window with zero markup is not a recipe for success.
Alphaadept wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:35 pm The last contractor I plan to reach out to carries Pella, alside, Andersen, atrium, Ellison, jeldwen, Simonton, pgt, plygem and Quaker. Out of those are there ones I should avoid?
Yes. Depends what you are looking for. You have vinyl, wood, and fiberglass windows all mixed within that group. Andersen makes a decent wood window and the fibrex unit is generally respected if not loved by most pros. Pella has some wood options that might be worth consideration. On the vinyl side, PGT makes decent window that is popular down south and Simonton, while not a top performer, has been making a decent window for a while. Personally I'd drop the rest of the list.

Alphaadept
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Re: Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

#8 Post by Alphaadept »

A little update: we had a Sunrise dealer out this weekend. Their website says they are a soft-lite dealer, but he said he felt the quality of the window has declined in recent years, and that sunrise is better for price, although he could still get us soft lite if we truly wanted that.

He quoted 20 double hung vinyl sunrise verde windows at $15,400 for windows and install. Is that about right?

Thanks!

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toddinmn
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Re: Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

#9 Post by toddinmn »

The price seems to be right in there. If they can upgrade to sash reinforcement I would want it. Soft-Lite is good Especially if it is the Element or LS. Model.

Alphaadept
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Re: Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

#10 Post by Alphaadept »

From what I’ve see the sash’s bowing is more common for windows longer than 40 inches. Should I just ask for upgrades on windows longer than that or is it an all or nothing sort of thing?
toddinmn wrote: Mon Mar 01, 2021 12:24 pm The price seems to be right in there. If they can upgrade to sash reinforcement I would want it. Soft-Lite is good Especially if it is the Element or LS. Model.

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TheWindowNerd
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Re: Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

#11 Post by TheWindowNerd »

It is good insurance.

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toddinmn
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Re: Replacement windows Nashville (unknown brands)

#12 Post by toddinmn »

With Sunrise I. Say all, With Soft -Lite I’m not concerned unless it is the Barrington line.

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