Window Pricing of Simonton in Bay Area California.

Hi All,

I've been shopping around for windows and getting quotes from various companies. I've gotten quotes from the following three:

Sears - $5280 - Not going with this.
Home Depot - $4980 (Simonton) - MAYBE
Window World - $2600 - Great price but Alside which I can't hardly find a positive review.

I really want the Simonton windows since they're supposed to be one of the best, and people on these boards seem to really like them. Does anyone know on average how much I would be spending per window (on average)?

I am in S. Cal. Do not know what brand of windows that Sears is using up there, so would not be able to comment. Simonton is a solid choice here on the West coast. You already know a bit of the Alside. Your question is so open ended, but to possibly get a answer you will need to tell us how many windows and the model #, types of windows(double hung, casements, ect), grids or no grids, and glass package. Who is installing? Even then, most experts will not comment on pricing due to not knowing the labor market in your area. I would search another Simonton dealer in your area for comparison pricing against the HD.

I would suggest getting another quote or two from some local outfits. Then you can compare prices more easily... Sears is traditionally very high, and HD varies depending on the market. Simonton does make a solid product though.

+1

As a general rule, you could probably sum up the three entities like this:

-overpriced

-suspect installations

-suspect installations and questionable products

Get some more local bids.

Thanks for the replies guys. I've decided to add Amerimax windows to my list of possibilities. Depending on which company I go with will determine which brand I will get.

After shopping around some more, I've gotten quotes similar to that but they're all for new construction around the windows.

I've got one offer for simonton window which does a retrofit installation, but I just had the last contractor tell me that doing retrofit installation is not going to work on my property (he said that the trim around the window is flush and there would be nowhere to put the window inside the trim and it will leak). Another contractor said that retrofit was possible by putting a thin layer of calking around the trim, sealing the window and preventing any air.

I'm not 100% sure about building codes and such, but the anti-retrofit guy was really stressing the new construction, while everyone else that lives in my complex was getting a retrofit. He pointed to the other units and was saying that they were done all wrong, which was kind of off-putting.

I'm not 100% sure what to do in this case. I can afford the new construction, but the price is much higher than the retrofit.

I live in a condo on the 2nd floor, and I have trim from an old 1970s design with aluminum windows. The windows themselves stick out from the trim a bit and I believe this is what the contractor was talking about (the one that said retrofit was impossible).

Does anyone have any advice about the installation of this? If new construction is the only way to go, I will take that route. If retrofit is just as good but only doesn't look as nice as new construction, then I would take that route for the savings.

If you can, post up some pictures of your project and a neighbor project that has new windows. That will help with advise.

The first two shots are my windows as they currently are:





The next two shots are some of my neighbor's windows:





Hope that clears some stuff up.

Holy cow!.... Two things: those retrofits WERE done improperly and are a leak waiting to happen. Secondly, based on what I see, a retrofit CAN be done effectively, just not the way those other hacks did it. It looks like you have a solid 4" (or so) drywall return. The new window can either set inside that, or the drywall can be cut back to butt against it, while keeping the window inside the opening. There is no reason at all to push a window so far out like that.
A full-tearout, new construction install would probably be ideal, but it is not necessary.
... Based on my experience, I cannot even believe that a condo assoc. let that pass.