I went to a contractor supply company this morning and looked at some different brand windows. I looked at them very closely and I will not mention the brands but will explain a few things I did not like.
When raising the bottom half of the window all the way up it springs back down probably an inch or inch and a half on all three different models from this company . They had the system like a tape measure which I believe is constant force. I may be being picky but that is a feature I don!t like and the same system on other windows does not do it so I am wondering if something is put together wrong to cause that. Other brands stay up and do not spring back down at all. It seems the window still opens about the same anount as different brands though.
Another thing about this window when you look at the back that will be facing outside there is some weatherstripping on the top of the top half of the window that is showing when the window is all the way up. It looks like the window is made and a separate strip is attached across the top edge of the top half window where the releases are to tilt the window and it has a lip on the back(outside) that faces down and it extends down about 1/4 inch and the weather stripping is attached to the window starting at the bottom of the lip. The problem is that when you close the top half of the window because of the position of the weatherstripping it barely starts to go up into the window frame housing if at all when the window is fully closed. Even the cheaper models for this company do not do that and it makes me wonder if it is just this one window or if they all come that way.
The other thing is that you can grab the lift rail on the bottom half and work the window side to side so that you can actually see a space between the weatherstripping and where the window meets the side of the frame. The cheaper one does not do that either, maybe it is just the sample, I would hate to think the window would do that after being installed in the house.
One other brand was a very nice looking window but the lip that extends up in the front and hides the bottom of the window when closed is a separate piece that runs across and there is a space on the ends that is filled with it appears to be silicone sealant and you can actually flex the piece back and forth. It takes away from the rest of the window that seems to be built so nice although the plastic pieces that limit how high the window can be raised were really cheap and very loose inside the window. It was tighter on another model from this company so it seems that would not be a normal thing.
I did not mention any brands, I am hoping that I can get some comments from the site pros on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th paragraph and find if they think those situations are an issue or if I am just being picky.
Thanks
Concerns
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windowshopper
- Posts: 144
- Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2004 7:04 am
WINDOWSHOPPER
i like reading your comments and you have some good info but just had to ask and dont take it the wrong way. i see you joined the board on oct. 8 2004, have over 95 posts and you call yourself windowshopper. are you still looking for windows after all this time? if you are then you must have seen everything by now. if not do you sell or manufacture windows? just curious
i like reading your comments and you have some good info but just had to ask and dont take it the wrong way. i see you joined the board on oct. 8 2004, have over 95 posts and you call yourself windowshopper. are you still looking for windows after all this time? if you are then you must have seen everything by now. if not do you sell or manufacture windows? just curious
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windowshopper
- Posts: 144
- Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2004 7:04 am
I do not sell or manufacture windows. I have seen a lot of different windows since I started looking. What happened was that I expeienced a lot of frustration from the 2 different companies that came to my house selling the window that I wanted and without getting into all the details again I did not want to do business with people like that. One of those companies has since gotten rid of that guy and they will send the owner out but the guy telling me this a salesman for the company and made it sound like if they come back out it is with the intention of making a deal. If they presented me with a fair offer and I felt comfortable with the owner I probably would make a deal but when I am told you have to do this now I have a problem with that and the way he talks that is what the situation would be. So I have been looking for alternatives but in that price range I feel the windows I wanted are hard to beat.
Without making it more difficult than it has to be it is difficult because a lot of companies don!t have all their ducks in a row. Many people make statements that are totally untrue. Companies you would like to deal with don!t sell a window you are interested in or the one they do sell is so high priced that you are not interested. A couple of brands that I like are only sold through supply places and I would have to pick out an independent contractor, most of who them are very small companies. I live on the border of another state and the contractors registration board lists any violations they have had and also whether they are currently insured and you would be surprised to see how many have had their liability insurance expire.
THis is not about being ridiculous, it is trying to pick someone honest, not pushy with a good product that has all their ducks in a row and a price between 4 to 5 hundred a window (double hung). Schuco is high priced in this area, I am under the understanding it would be about 7 hundred a window with a 10% discount and the company has a bad reputation, Gorell was the window I wanted but did not like the way it was offered. Simonton and Certainteed Bryn Mawr II are sold through supply houses and difficult to hire a contractor that you can feel confident about. I don!t want Harvey, or lower end Alside or the Ultramaxx and the Sheffield is higher priced, so it does not leave a lot of choices. Soft Lite while looking impressive seems to have some problems, Thermal industries is very high priced in a comparable window. I have read about issues with Accu Weld. I have seen Great Lakes Plygem, old and new version and even their Bayshore window. I would prefer the Gorell over the Great Lakes.
That is why I have not bought windows yet.
Without making it more difficult than it has to be it is difficult because a lot of companies don!t have all their ducks in a row. Many people make statements that are totally untrue. Companies you would like to deal with don!t sell a window you are interested in or the one they do sell is so high priced that you are not interested. A couple of brands that I like are only sold through supply places and I would have to pick out an independent contractor, most of who them are very small companies. I live on the border of another state and the contractors registration board lists any violations they have had and also whether they are currently insured and you would be surprised to see how many have had their liability insurance expire.
THis is not about being ridiculous, it is trying to pick someone honest, not pushy with a good product that has all their ducks in a row and a price between 4 to 5 hundred a window (double hung). Schuco is high priced in this area, I am under the understanding it would be about 7 hundred a window with a 10% discount and the company has a bad reputation, Gorell was the window I wanted but did not like the way it was offered. Simonton and Certainteed Bryn Mawr II are sold through supply houses and difficult to hire a contractor that you can feel confident about. I don!t want Harvey, or lower end Alside or the Ultramaxx and the Sheffield is higher priced, so it does not leave a lot of choices. Soft Lite while looking impressive seems to have some problems, Thermal industries is very high priced in a comparable window. I have read about issues with Accu Weld. I have seen Great Lakes Plygem, old and new version and even their Bayshore window. I would prefer the Gorell over the Great Lakes.
That is why I have not bought windows yet.
WINDOWSHOPPER
excellent reply, you are genuinely concerned about the product and the installation and are well informed. if everyone understood the process like you do we could weed out half the bad companies and the industry would be better off. between 400-500 per window you will get a window you are happy with and the install to make it perform as it should. have you looked into local manufacturers in your area that do not use subcontractors? lifetime warranty on installation and product gives you the comfort level i think you are looking for. good luck
excellent reply, you are genuinely concerned about the product and the installation and are well informed. if everyone understood the process like you do we could weed out half the bad companies and the industry would be better off. between 400-500 per window you will get a window you are happy with and the install to make it perform as it should. have you looked into local manufacturers in your area that do not use subcontractors? lifetime warranty on installation and product gives you the comfort level i think you are looking for. good luck