I have a 1978 contemporary-styled house with 33 old aluminum frame, single pane windows and three sliding doors. I am going to replace them and have become overwhelmed with information and claims. Does anyone have suggestions on what brand is best for the Pacific Northwest?
I called Puget Sound Energy (local electric & gas co.) for contractor referral. They gave me two names. One recommends CertainTeed and the other uses Empire Pacific Industries. Meanwhile I have read about Pella, Renewal by Anderson and many others. Most of these are low E, double-paned, argon-filled, coated glass with white vinyl frames. The Renewal by Anderson windows have a frame made of a wood product-vinyl composite which comes in more colors and is paintable.
Any recommendations or warnings would be appreciated.
Replacement Windows in Seattle
If you want to deal with a local manufacturer, might want to consider Milgard as well. They are made right in Fife and Marysville, and have been for over 40 years. They offer a great lifetime warranty that is transferrable. Make sure to get referrances from the installer you choose, because a great product can turn into garbage in the wrong hands. Maybe ask if they are AAMA/Instalation Masters certified. Good luck.
WINDOW GEEKS UNITE!
The two installation companies recommended by Puget Sound Energy were Puget Sound Insulation and Windows (from Tacoma) and Capitol Home Improvement (Tacoma and Spanaway). Puget Sound Insulation and Windows offeres Milgard and CertainTeed. Their sales guy said CertainTeed was better for my house because it offers a thinner profile window. He clearly seemed to prefer CertainTeed anyway but did not bash Milgard or other brands. He carefully measured every window and door and then sent me a bid for $15,400.
The Puget Sound Insulation and Windows guy just asked for a window and door count on the phone and then gave me a ballpark estimate of $10,000. He said he'd drive by later and refine it. He did and then mailed the refined estimate, which was $14,000. He will come in and measure if we give hime the deal. He is the one that sells Empire Pacific. His pitch was essentially that they do more replacements than anyone else in the region and they use Empire Pacific because they think it offers the best value for the customer. I am suspicious of someone who offers bids without even coming into the house.
I currently have three more companies coming in to bid. One is Renewal by Andersen. Another is Jay's Siding and Windows from Kent. He is a local contractor who handles several brands. The last one is Signature from Auburn. They also offer several brands but are one of the recommended dealers on the Milgard site.
If anyone has info on any of these installation contractors/companies please post it here. Thanks!
The Puget Sound Insulation and Windows guy just asked for a window and door count on the phone and then gave me a ballpark estimate of $10,000. He said he'd drive by later and refine it. He did and then mailed the refined estimate, which was $14,000. He will come in and measure if we give hime the deal. He is the one that sells Empire Pacific. His pitch was essentially that they do more replacements than anyone else in the region and they use Empire Pacific because they think it offers the best value for the customer. I am suspicious of someone who offers bids without even coming into the house.
I currently have three more companies coming in to bid. One is Renewal by Andersen. Another is Jay's Siding and Windows from Kent. He is a local contractor who handles several brands. The last one is Signature from Auburn. They also offer several brands but are one of the recommended dealers on the Milgard site.
If anyone has info on any of these installation contractors/companies please post it here. Thanks!
Sounds like you are doing the right thing by looking into a couple more installers. Get some more options for windows and have them bring samples to your home so you can see the profile of the window and make sure you like the design and operation. Sounds like you are making a significant purchase. Take your time.
I think I am getting close to a decision. I talked to five contractors and got four bids. I previously mentioned the Empire Pacific Windows offered by Capitol Home Improvement. Their bid was about $14,000. There were too many bad reviews on this product and I didn't like their sales approach so I decided to eliminate them. I also talked to Renewal by Andersen. On top of the fact that their product has not been available long enough to have good durability data, their cost was out of sight at about $45,000. I eliminated them.
Puget Sound Insulation and Windows (referred by the power company) offered CertainTeed (slim line design) for $15,400. They also handle Milgard but said that CertainTeed is better and backs its product better. I didn't get much info on exactly how they do their installations or their clean-up procedures.
Signature (local window and door company) carries most of the well-known brands and showed me CertainTeed and Milgard, both in a slim-line design. They said they are about the same in quality and guarantees. When I asked them about Simonton they said that the quality and guarantees of Simonton were the same as Milgard but that customer service might be slower because Milgard is right here in town and Simonton is in Vacaville, CA. They also said that Simonton would cost more for essentially the same window. Between CertainTeed and Milgard, I preferred the look of the Milgard so they wrote me a bid for about $24,000.
There was one other small operator (Jay's Siding and Windows) I liked who said CertainTeed and Milgard were good but that he preferred Simonton. He thought that Simonton had the the best product, warranties and customer service overall. When I called him back to say that I wanted to talk seriously and get a bid he told me he had booked himslef up too far ahead and would not be able to take the business. He said he knew the guys at Signature and told me they would do a good job. He also said that his bid would have been pretty close to theirs. (Remember, Signature said Simonton would cost more.)
So, now I have one guy who says CertainTeed is better than Milgard, one who says they and Simonton are the same and and a third one who says Simonton is to be preferred. (Further, someone on this forum said that Simonton's Vacaville plant was not producing products equal in quality to its eastern plants.) I also have a big difference between $15,400 and $24,000. Frankly, I'm suspicious of the low bid and am leaning toward taking the Milgards installed by Signature for $24,000.
Comments?
Puget Sound Insulation and Windows (referred by the power company) offered CertainTeed (slim line design) for $15,400. They also handle Milgard but said that CertainTeed is better and backs its product better. I didn't get much info on exactly how they do their installations or their clean-up procedures.
Signature (local window and door company) carries most of the well-known brands and showed me CertainTeed and Milgard, both in a slim-line design. They said they are about the same in quality and guarantees. When I asked them about Simonton they said that the quality and guarantees of Simonton were the same as Milgard but that customer service might be slower because Milgard is right here in town and Simonton is in Vacaville, CA. They also said that Simonton would cost more for essentially the same window. Between CertainTeed and Milgard, I preferred the look of the Milgard so they wrote me a bid for about $24,000.
There was one other small operator (Jay's Siding and Windows) I liked who said CertainTeed and Milgard were good but that he preferred Simonton. He thought that Simonton had the the best product, warranties and customer service overall. When I called him back to say that I wanted to talk seriously and get a bid he told me he had booked himslef up too far ahead and would not be able to take the business. He said he knew the guys at Signature and told me they would do a good job. He also said that his bid would have been pretty close to theirs. (Remember, Signature said Simonton would cost more.)
So, now I have one guy who says CertainTeed is better than Milgard, one who says they and Simonton are the same and and a third one who says Simonton is to be preferred. (Further, someone on this forum said that Simonton's Vacaville plant was not producing products equal in quality to its eastern plants.) I also have a big difference between $15,400 and $24,000. Frankly, I'm suspicious of the low bid and am leaning toward taking the Milgards installed by Signature for $24,000.
Comments?
Certainteed is a good window. I am not sure about the product coming out of the washington plant. I am really good freinds with the QC manager at the West Sacramento, CA plant. The product there looks good, but they basically hvae problems controlling lead times. This time of year, lead times are not an issue though.
I like the Certainteed product. Can't go wrong with them product. The warranty is NOT the same as Milgard in writting. Many manufactures live up beyond the warranty, but not in writting. Jeld-Wen for years has not offered labor on glass unit change out on paper. But if you ask, they do it for free. Now it is in writting. This always gives the manufacturer the legal way to back out if they get overloaded. If it is not in wriiting in a warranty, consider it not there. Also, if a company is purchased (certainteed was in talks with Anderson), the compnay who purchases the company only has to live up to the existing warranty if they keep the name and such. Local law may vary on corporation purchases and implied warranties and liabilities.
Making the long short. I like the Milgard warranty better. Both products are good. If warranty is "REALLY" important to you. Buy the Milgard. If you are OK with a good product with a good warranty, but not the best. Buy Certainteed. Simple. You will not go wrong either way.
I like the Certainteed product. Can't go wrong with them product. The warranty is NOT the same as Milgard in writting. Many manufactures live up beyond the warranty, but not in writting. Jeld-Wen for years has not offered labor on glass unit change out on paper. But if you ask, they do it for free. Now it is in writting. This always gives the manufacturer the legal way to back out if they get overloaded. If it is not in wriiting in a warranty, consider it not there. Also, if a company is purchased (certainteed was in talks with Anderson), the compnay who purchases the company only has to live up to the existing warranty if they keep the name and such. Local law may vary on corporation purchases and implied warranties and liabilities.
Making the long short. I like the Milgard warranty better. Both products are good. If warranty is "REALLY" important to you. Buy the Milgard. If you are OK with a good product with a good warranty, but not the best. Buy Certainteed. Simple. You will not go wrong either way.
So which brand of windows did you end up going with and how much?
I had a sales person from Evan's glass come out and give me a bid for 16 windows and two sliders, he started his bid around $64,000 and after lmao, he left the finale bid was $22,500 if I agreed to have the work done today. if not best price he could do would be $39,000.
yea right!
I really really like the windows(eurocraft) but labor was $5,000 and window and sliders $17,000 for final bid.
seems a little high in price.
If it was $15,000 total maybe I would have done it, lowes has window for appox $200 ea, 48x48 installed for $189 ea most of my windows are about that size, a few bigger and few smaller. so maybe $9000 total sound like a good deal, until I started researching the brand lowes sells and it is pella. From the reviews I have read I will not be using this brand.
any thoughts?
Ed
I had a sales person from Evan's glass come out and give me a bid for 16 windows and two sliders, he started his bid around $64,000 and after lmao, he left the finale bid was $22,500 if I agreed to have the work done today. if not best price he could do would be $39,000.
yea right!
I really really like the windows(eurocraft) but labor was $5,000 and window and sliders $17,000 for final bid.
seems a little high in price.
If it was $15,000 total maybe I would have done it, lowes has window for appox $200 ea, 48x48 installed for $189 ea most of my windows are about that size, a few bigger and few smaller. so maybe $9000 total sound like a good deal, until I started researching the brand lowes sells and it is pella. From the reviews I have read I will not be using this brand.
any thoughts?
Ed