Replacement quotes for 1960s brick ranch

[JK-TN]

Hi, I'm new to the group and it's my first post here. I've read and learned a lot so far.

I'm starting to get some quotes on replacing my aluminum windows and storm windows on my house.
I have:
31 Double Hung Windows
2 - 6 Foot Patio Doors

I'm getting quotes from a few of the best rated companies in my area - East TN. There's a wide difference in quotes between the 3 companies that have come to my house. All quotes are for windows and full installation with lifetime window warranty.

Quote 1 - Okna Eco Spec 600 (Heat Seal ; Deluxe; Thruvision plus screens)
Windows - $27,800
Patio Doors - $6,800
Total - $34,600

Quote 2 - Vinyl Kraft Legacy
Total Windows and Doors - $17,155

Quote 3 - Ultimate 2000 -(supposed to be similar to Alside / Associated Materials Ultra Maxx)
Total Windows and Doors - $25,000

After doing a lot of research, it sounds like the Okna 600 is the best window of this group. I have another company coming out Friday that uses ProVia windows. There might be a dealer that offers Sunrise windows in my area, but I haven't determined who that is.

My main question is about the wide range of prices for the window replacement. Most of my windows are 36" x 36" or smaller. The Okna dealer has a standard per window price that doesn't adjust according to the window size. It does possibly go up for larger windows. I'm not sure how the other 2 companies determine cost vs. size of window.

Is that how most window companies price windows? I understand that labor/install costs are the same for windows regardless of the size. I did think that the price would be adjusted based on the amount of glass and frame needed for the window.

I'd appreciate any feedback anyone can offer on the window options or how competitive the quotes are. I want quality windows and I'm fine to pay more to get more, but I still want good value for my money.

Thanks!

[Windows on Washington]

Unrelated question, but where in East TN are you located?

[Delaware Mike]

Quote #2 seems like mid-90's pricing. A dealer couldn't purchase a quality window, materials, disposal, and wholesale labor for that pricing now in my area. They wouldn't turn a single penny profit. The OKNA Eco is the best engineered window in that group.

[Windows on Washington]

DM is correct. Pricing raises and eyebrow to be certain. Just can't be done in our market with materials and labor prices where they are.

That said..

The VK is certainly dated and finding information on their site is a bit like trying to locate a "buried treasure", but I don't see a 2X valuation legitimization for the other product over them in this comparison. If both are good shops, you'd be hard pressed to justify that delta.

[JK-TN]

Unrelated question, but where in East TN are you located?

I'm in the Knoxville area.

[JK-TN]

Quote #2 seems like mid-90's pricing. A dealer couldn't purchase a quality window, materials, disposal, and wholesale labor for that pricing now in my area. They wouldn't turn a single penny profit. The OKNA Eco is the best engineered window in that group.

That quote really surprised me. It's a local installer that has been in business for over 15 years and has great reviews. I prefer the Okna window, but I have a hard time justifying at double the price of the Vinyl Kraft. If you have any thoughts on the specific engineering/construction differences, I'd really like to hear your opinion.

[JK-TN]

DM is correct. Pricing raises and eyebrow to be certain. Just can't be done in our market with materials and labor prices where they are.

That said..

The VK is certainly dated and finding information on their site is a bit like trying to locate a "buried treasure", but I don't see a 2X valuation legitimization for the other product over them in this comparison. If both are good shops, you'd be hard pressed to justify that delta.

I feel like the installer is very good. I can't get enough good info on the Vinyl Kraft window to really form an opinion. Do you have any ideas on how I should compare the Okna and the Vinyl Kraft other than the listed specs? I do know that I want as much glass as possible, so the the size of the frame would be important. I'm just looking for white with no grids, so I don't need special colors or anything else that is out of the norm. Even the 2nd quote for the Alside/ Associated Materials windows is significantly lower than for the Oknas.

I'm trying to get at least one more quote with a window that is engineered like the Okna 600. If you have any thoughts on that I would welcome that.

[masterext]

I can tell you Okna beats those other brands by a large margin in terms of both quality and efficiency. This is where the temptation of cheap prices come back to bite homeowners a few years down the road.
Be smart about this, it’s a large purchase and a meaningful one at that.

[JK-TN]

masterext - I appreciate that advice. My search for window companies started by finding the highest rated ones in my area. I didn't understand the difference in window quality until I found this group and started doing a lot of reading. If I were to do it again, I would start with finding the best windows and then look for the installers that offered those windows.

Does the Okna quote sound reasonable to you? I know that the Vinyl Kraft quote is much lower, but so is the quote for the Alside/Associated Materials option. Without any knowledge of the pricing models, it makes me wonder if the Okna quote is higher than normal. Thanks.

[HomeSealed]

Looking at this as trying to justify the high price as being 2x's more than the low one is not good logic. You need to know where a median price for a good window from a good, reputable, established company would fall. From there you can determine the outlier(s) and weigh risk vs reward. How can you do that? Get a few more quotes. You currently have an ultra low end price on a low end product VK, so that is covered. I don't think you'll find lower from any legit company. Look for dealers of Sunrise Restorations or Vanguard, Softlite Elements, Andersen Renewal, Infinity from Marvin, etc. Yes, there are a variety of materials here, however it will give you perspective of what "range" you can expect. You'll probably find some from that group from mid to high range.

... or, if you'd prefer to save the hassle, I can tell you right now that the Okna quote will be mid range, yet at the top of any group of windows when it comes to performance. Its a very reasonable price unless you are in a depressed area with very cheap skilled labor.

...also, to answer your question, many companies price based on a 0-101 UI price structure, meaning that the price is the same for a wide range of sizes. Even if they do smaller tiers, the price isn't that far off, that's why many find 0-101 better for its simplicity.

[toddinmn]

Maybe try pricing the Okna 500, still much better other 2. Not much info on the Legacy and there cut-away of the frame looks low end.

[JK-TN]

Looking at this as trying to justify the high price as being 2x's more than the low one is not good logic. You need to know where a median price for a good window from a good, reputable, established company would fall. From there you can determine the outlier(s) and weigh risk vs reward. How can you do that? Get a few more quotes. You currently have an ultra low end price on a low end product VK, so that is covered. I don't think you'll find lower from any legit company. Look for dealers of Sunrise Restorations or Vanguard, Softlite Elements, Andersen Renewal, Infinity from Marvin, etc. Yes, there are a variety of materials here, however it will give you perspective of what "range" you can expect. You'll probably find some from that group from mid to high range.

... or, if you'd prefer to save the hassle, I can tell you right now that the Okna quote will be mid range, yet at the top of any group of windows when it comes to performance. Its a very reasonable price unless you are in a depressed area with very cheap skilled labor.

...also, to answer your question, many companies price based on a 0-101 UI price structure, meaning that the price is the same for a wide range of sizes. Even if they do smaller tiers, the price isn't that far off, that's why many find 0-101 better for its simplicity.

That's some great advice. I usually start my large purchase shopping research with a product that I want and then find a place to buy that works for me based on price/service. Until I found this group I didn't have any real idea about the difference in windows other than the marketing I'd seen for Andersen, Pella, etc.

I'll look to see if if I can find a local dealer or 2 for the brands you mentioned. I do have a local dealer for ProVia coming out Friday. It seems like it's closer to Okna in quality. If you have any opinions on their windows, I'd be interested to know what you think.

I appreciate your thoughts on Okna and their pricing. Also, thanks for the information on the price/size issue.

[JK-TN]

Maybe try pricing the Okna 500, still much better other 2. Not much info on the Legacy and there cut-away of the frame looks low end.

I'm not sure if this dealer offers the 500 model, but I will ask so I can compare to the 600.

Thanks for your thoughts on the Legacy window. All of the cut-aways look the same to me. I wish I understood enough to compare them. I do know that I want the smallest frame possible without impacting the strength of the window.

[TheWindowNerd]

An easy place to compare is the structural test report to look at the AL, air leakage. The lower the better.
>04 or less is waht you want.

The Okna 600Dx is what you should choose.

theWindowNerd. The pricing you got is very good.

[JK-TN]

TheWindowNerd:

Thanks for the information. I was able to go by the Okna dealer's showroom today and see the 600 in person. It's a nice looking window and the patio door was very smooth sliding - so much better than my current old sliders.

I have ProVia/Marvin dealer coming out tomorrow and I did find a Sunrise dealer that might get me some quotes as well.