$38,000 for 8 windows?

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Wooster97
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Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2021 2:45 pm

$38,000 for 8 windows?

#1 Post by Wooster97 »

Pella quoted me $49,000 ($38k) after discounts for 8 complete impervia windows. They are casement windows which means for each window opening (8) one opens and other is fixed closed. I'm not embarrassed to say I don't know much about the window business but the sales guy said it's under 5k for each window opening.

I expected more like $22k. My house has 6 other windows which would be another almost 30k.

Please tell me I'm being robbed and 8 windows aren't 38,000.

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toddinmn
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Re: $38,000 for 8 windows?

#2 Post by toddinmn »

You are being robbed.

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HomeSealed
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Location: Milwaukee, Madison, SE Wisconsin

Re: $38,000 for 8 windows?

#3 Post by HomeSealed »

I think that there is a translation issue in the quantity here, but you are likely being robbed regardless. Even if those are all twin units that's still only 16 windows. If some are banks of 3, 4, add transoms, etc then this needs further discussion, but at one or two frames per opening that is awfully high.

Wooster97
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Re: $38,000 for 8 windows?

#4 Post by Wooster97 »

Just ordinary windows of ordinary size for a typical colonial. So yes 16 panes of glass with 8 that open and close. I paid 500k for the house last year and they're basically telling me replacement windows are 1/10 what I paid for the house. Not even touching doors or the big window in the foyer.

I know pella isn't going out of business next year and if repairs are needed they would be around in all likelihood so I was prepared to pay a little premium but $38k for 8 quite ordinary windows?

Plus they started at like $49k before "discounts"

Oberon
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Re: $38,000 for 8 windows?

#5 Post by Oberon »

I know pella isn't going out of business next year and if repairs are needed they would be around in all likelihood so I was prepared to pay a little premium but $38k for 8 quite ordinary windows?

You might consider looking around a bit more, Marvin fiberglass might be a good place to start.
Although Pella isn't likely to go out of business anytime soon, they don't generally rank very highly on awards lists for customer service if there are problems.

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TheWindowNerd
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Location: SE PA & NJ; DFW/Metroplex

Re: $38,000 for 8 windows?

#6 Post by TheWindowNerd »

Wooster97, it is clear you do not have 8 windows, it is 16 windows or 8 twins.
Depending on the full specs and scope of the project you could be $16000 to $32000.

In my region I am the best value. Just bid a historic project with aluminum clad wood and SDLS 18 units = $50,000.
my labor is the same whether I do a vinyl insert or a clad wood insert. The product spec is the difference.

theWindowNerd

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Windows on Washington
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Re: $38,000 for 8 windows?

#7 Post by Windows on Washington »

Regardless...there are better windows. I would look for another product.

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TheWindowNerd
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Re: $38,000 for 8 windows?

#8 Post by TheWindowNerd »

Marvin makes a good fiberglass window.
The Essential line is no wood.
The Elevate series is wood on the interior if you wnat and like that look.

theWindowNerd

Wooster97
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Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2021 2:45 pm

Re: $38,000 for 8 windows?

#9 Post by Wooster97 »

Point taken. I'm not a contractor and a hole in my brick house to me is one window, whether it's 2 panes or not. Its kind of a ripoff to say one one casement window and one unopening pane of glass is actually 2 windows when it plugs one hole in the house. That's a little like saying my v8 is 2 engines because it's 2 4cylinder banks. I'm a cost engineer who assigns costs to parts based on labor and materials and other variables. I calculate roughly that the cost is less than 20k to pella even with a profit margin and their tossing on about 18k in pure additional profit for no added value... again for what me an average person calls 8 windows.

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toddinmn
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Re: $38,000 for 8 windows?

#10 Post by toddinmn »

It’s not like that at all. Car analogies get used here quite a bit and usually they suck. One opening with two windows usually means you are buying two windows then paying an additional charge to mull them together. The openings are typically larger and require more work and material than a single opening. If you need the analogy, consider you are buying 2 cars one that is more expensive that has doors that open and one less expensive that has no doors that open then paying the factory to join them together. Your best bet is getting more bids

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HomeSealed
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Re: $38,000 for 8 windows?

#11 Post by HomeSealed »

Wooster, just to clarify, nobody is trying to justify what seems to be a high price. We are just offering the insight that one opening that has multiple windows in it is indeed multiple windows. When the manufacturer is producing two windows, they don't know or care whether they will be installed in one opening or two, and when it is two, as Todd alluded to, that is generally even more material and process as those pieces get mulled together. Todd is on point on the install side as well, it often takes just as long to install a twin unit as two individuals for a variety of reasons.
The flip side to your analogy would be suggesting that two 4 cylinder engines should cost the same as one 8 cylinder. Obviously that wouldn't be the case... still not a perfect analogy as two engines wouldn't be used conventionally where two windows would, but I'm sure that you get the point.

Again, not saying that your quote isn't high, but "multi-bank" window openings are not a secret profit center for window companies.

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TheWindowNerd
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Re: $38,000 for 8 windows?

#12 Post by TheWindowNerd »

You have 8 openings comprised of 8 twins which equals 16 windows.
You are buying 16 windows.
We look at the install in two ways. If these are done as insert replacements it s 16 installs, cuz that is what it is.
If this is done as full tear outs we consider each twin opening as an install and charge 1.5 x the single install fee. If it were a triple full tear/full frame we charge 2x the single rate.
For us we make more doing inserts than full tears. I personally enjoy the finish trimming on the full tears. Used to rout all our own stool out of clear pine, routed the returns too. Currently I am designing and bidding a project with Marvin Ultimates that I plan to do Maple stools. Very high end, each single supplied and installed is $3K. There is a custom two panel sliding door 112 x 82 that the door cost is $10K.
Hope that helps you digest your project.

theWindowNerd

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