Schuco alternatives
Schuco alternatives
Now that schuco is not an option, what do the board experts think an acceptable alternative would be and why? Not trying to start a fight, but this might be a good opportunity for experts in the field to voice opinions on some of the many choices out there and also to give reasons to back up their choices. Reasons could range from product features, to the integrity of the company that makes the product, or whatever.
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Windows on Washington
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ANOTHER WINDOW GUY
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Buying USA might be the only option as German vinyl window mfrg's are becoming more scarce. The anti PVC movement has been very visible there for the last five years and probably had a lot to do with Schuco quitting. A couple of Canadian mfrg's we deal with are considering dropping all PVC parts like the balance covers and glazing stops because of what they see going on in Europe which would like to see a total ban on PVC.
"Now that Schuco is not an option" It never was an option for me couldn't get them and didn't care. The Schuco dealer close to me was so high priced that the word Schuco meant nothing locally. If fact if it weren't for this board Schuco might have folded earlier. Will their gone but there are other German extrusions still available, but the problem is none of them quite put the whole package together like Schuco using TPS and making the window cosmetically pleasing enough to sell in this country and at a very good price speaking of which why didn't they raise their prices if money was such an issue, anyway I recently saw a Uniframe job from Great lakes and the NFRC sticker said u.19 using what looked like intercept so that should be on the list but that customer told me told me they paid $1000 per oops take that off the list at that price and whats left.
Windows on Washington's list is a good start with some well known mfrg's but there are so many mfrg's well over the thousand mark the list will have to be more localized if your viewing it from a value and quality stand point.
We sell Simonton, which I consider upper middle with up-grades
Milgard ditto.
Winstrom upper middle without up-grades
Silverline lower end of the spectrum but priced accordingly.
Unlimited,a Veka extrusion with some good numbers upper middle.
Heartland mostly just their Bows & Bays a nice window very competitively priced.
ROW mostly for their new constructon wood windows.
Comfortline and Milgard for fiberglass and possibly going back to the table with Accurate Dorwin and Inline if we can find a way to get the freight down.
And Alside primarily for their premium 16' siding.
One new addition this year may be a window made locally by an Amish colony.
"Now that Schuco is not an option" It never was an option for me couldn't get them and didn't care. The Schuco dealer close to me was so high priced that the word Schuco meant nothing locally. If fact if it weren't for this board Schuco might have folded earlier. Will their gone but there are other German extrusions still available, but the problem is none of them quite put the whole package together like Schuco using TPS and making the window cosmetically pleasing enough to sell in this country and at a very good price speaking of which why didn't they raise their prices if money was such an issue, anyway I recently saw a Uniframe job from Great lakes and the NFRC sticker said u.19 using what looked like intercept so that should be on the list but that customer told me told me they paid $1000 per oops take that off the list at that price and whats left.
Windows on Washington's list is a good start with some well known mfrg's but there are so many mfrg's well over the thousand mark the list will have to be more localized if your viewing it from a value and quality stand point.
We sell Simonton, which I consider upper middle with up-grades
Milgard ditto.
Winstrom upper middle without up-grades
Silverline lower end of the spectrum but priced accordingly.
Unlimited,a Veka extrusion with some good numbers upper middle.
Heartland mostly just their Bows & Bays a nice window very competitively priced.
ROW mostly for their new constructon wood windows.
Comfortline and Milgard for fiberglass and possibly going back to the table with Accurate Dorwin and Inline if we can find a way to get the freight down.
And Alside primarily for their premium 16' siding.
One new addition this year may be a window made locally by an Amish colony.
Softlite did not have a display we need on the truck today and the show starts tomorrow. They expedited a truck 6-1/2 hours away to get the display in my hands. I will be meeting the driver in 30 minutes at 8pm. He just called. I want a good product and I want a company that will bend over backwards to do so if needed. Need I say more.
I was a uniframe dealer 5 years ago. It's a pretty good window but a bit pricey. GL has excellent CS.
Softlite has average to good products, great people and terrible CS
Schuco had great product (sometimes) lousy people and even worse CS
Gorell had a good product and great CS
I looked at Simonton generations today. I was completly unimpressed. It's quite pricey and average at best quality. The interlock is a joke and the operation was poor. I'm looking at the impressions 9800 next. One week turn around is attractive.
Sunrise seems good.
I have Okna coming next week. I will report on that window whan I see it.
Softlite has average to good products, great people and terrible CS
Schuco had great product (sometimes) lousy people and even worse CS
Gorell had a good product and great CS
I looked at Simonton generations today. I was completly unimpressed. It's quite pricey and average at best quality. The interlock is a joke and the operation was poor. I'm looking at the impressions 9800 next. One week turn around is attractive.
Sunrise seems good.
I have Okna coming next week. I will report on that window whan I see it.
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Windows on Washington
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No offense Buddy but you say that Soft-Lite has "average to good" and Gorell's products are good...?buddy110 wrote:I was a uniframe dealer 5 years ago. It's a pretty good window but a bit pricey. GL has excellent CS.
Softlite has average to good products, great people and terrible CS
Schuco had great product (sometimes) lousy people and even worse CS
Gorell had a good product and great CS
I looked at Simonton generations today. I was completly unimpressed. It's quite pricey and average at best quality. The interlock is a joke and the operation was poor. I'm looking at the impressions 9800 next. One week turn around is attractive.
Sunrise seems good.
I have Okna coming next week. I will report on that window whan I see it.
Can you find me a Gorell window that has anywhere near the performance data of an Imperial LS or Elements (Basically the same window but I will list them as two so that Window4U doesn't freak out).
When is the last time you dealt with Soft-Lite? I only deal with my sales rep and he is excellent on call backs and servicing.
It's been two years since I dealt with SL. I still have unresolved services with them. To be fair I love those guys. They always tried real hard to get it right. Roy, John and the boys are wonderful people.
When I say average to good, I refer to the barrington-Imperial lines.
As for gorell I am reffering to the 5300 line. Thier lower lines are average as well.
Gorell's DH UMIII has an overall U of .17 and R of over 11. It uses Inex spacer.
When I say average to good, I refer to the barrington-Imperial lines.
As for gorell I am reffering to the 5300 line. Thier lower lines are average as well.
Gorell's DH UMIII has an overall U of .17 and R of over 11. It uses Inex spacer.
Buddy,
Your used to the DH-7 and DH-10 which are distributor/wholesale lines. We are all talking about the DH-12(Imperial LS). You may want to relook. Gorell is a good product I agree. We offer both. We looked at Schuco recently (last 6 months) and liked the Softlite better due to the overall product line. There are several good ones out there if you choose wisely(many more bla ones). Good luck. I will give into Gorell for option pricing over Softlite but for a basic LowE double hung- DH12.
Your used to the DH-7 and DH-10 which are distributor/wholesale lines. We are all talking about the DH-12(Imperial LS). You may want to relook. Gorell is a good product I agree. We offer both. We looked at Schuco recently (last 6 months) and liked the Softlite better due to the overall product line. There are several good ones out there if you choose wisely(many more bla ones). Good luck. I will give into Gorell for option pricing over Softlite but for a basic LowE double hung- DH12.
I sold the imperial in 2005. I can't recall if it was the DH12 or not. I'll look tomorrow. Like I said, I like those guys.
I've only been selling Gorell for about three months. I have not had one issue and my installers are happy with the product. Will that last? Who knows. In the first three months with Schuco I had a boat load of issues.
I've only been selling Gorell for about three months. I have not had one issue and my installers are happy with the product. Will that last? Who knows. In the first three months with Schuco I had a boat load of issues.
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Delaware Mike
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Buddy,
The DH-12 is completely different than the DH-10. They are not even assembled with the same equipment at the plant. DH-12's were not available at the time you stopped dealing with Soft-Lite. They have been my #1 selling product lately. It's still not a perfect product, but my customers seem to love the window and I have not needed too many trips to the service kits for parts while installing.
I feel that Soft-Lite has the best sill out there right now. The weatherstripping and the balances are great also. I have mixed feelings about the locks on the LS. From what I've seen the Elements line has the better locking system. I really like the locks on the upper end Gorrel products, however I've never installed any of their windows.
Keep us posted on your meeting with OKNA. They stopped in my store about 6 months ago. I was only shown their economy line and wasn't looking along those lines. Their upper end hybrid/composite frame window is really neat.
The DH-12 is completely different than the DH-10. They are not even assembled with the same equipment at the plant. DH-12's were not available at the time you stopped dealing with Soft-Lite. They have been my #1 selling product lately. It's still not a perfect product, but my customers seem to love the window and I have not needed too many trips to the service kits for parts while installing.
I feel that Soft-Lite has the best sill out there right now. The weatherstripping and the balances are great also. I have mixed feelings about the locks on the LS. From what I've seen the Elements line has the better locking system. I really like the locks on the upper end Gorrel products, however I've never installed any of their windows.
Keep us posted on your meeting with OKNA. They stopped in my store about 6 months ago. I was only shown their economy line and wasn't looking along those lines. Their upper end hybrid/composite frame window is really neat.
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