Replacement Windows in Middle Tenn

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brina1123
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:28 am

Replacement Windows in Middle Tenn

#1 Post by brina1123 »

We need to replace the following windows in our 32 year old house:
6 - Double Awning (wood, single pane)
3 - Single Hung (wood, single pane)
2 - Fixed panes with a casement on either side (wood, single pane)
1 - Two Lite Slider (vinyl, double pane but condensation problem)
We want to replace all the wood windows with vinyl, double hung, double pane and put a better quality slider in.
We had the first salesman out yesterday from Thermal Industries. What an experience! He showed us his window sample, bragged about his product and put down all others, which is what we expected. He breaks out the calculator and starts writing, then hides his paper while he shows us higher estimates from other companies. His quote consisted of the full price, minus the 4 "free windows" (buy two get one free), minus a first time offer of 10% (only if we sign NOW). His price ended up being just under $7200. The windows were all triple pane with krypton. When we asked for a price on double pane with argon he quoted about $1000 less. I explained to him that we had just started getting estimates and that we had someone coming out on Monday. This is a big purchase and we intend to shop around as much as possible. I stepped out of the room to take a quick phone call, when I came back in he was already packing up. In minutes he was gone. As he was walking away, I asked about a copy of the quote, he said one would be mailed to me. He didn't even leave a brochure. The salesman coming out on Monday will be bringing samples of Simonton, Dove, and Sugarcreek (I've only heard of Simonton). I already like this salesman, when he called to make the appointment, we spent about 30 minutes discussing windows and my concerns.
We only have about $4500 cash on hand for this project, any more will need to be financed or put on credit card, etc. (I know it's not much.)
As stated above, we live in Mid Tenn. We don't have the extreme cold like in the Northeast. The house is well insulated and we have new heating and cooling and ceiling fans (the only place we notice any temp change is when we're in front of a window, and that comes off the glass, not around the frame). As for noise reduction, we sit far back off the road. The only thing we hear is the dog barking at the door to come in.

Now some questions for you pros:
Do we really need to go as far as triple pane?
Do we really need the krypton?
Will a double pane with low e and argon and the super spacer be sufficient?
What are some brands and options we should consider?
I was looking at the Simonton Prism Platinum with optional super spacer and argon. How does that compare with the Impressions 9800 - features and costs?
And, possibly next year, we will be looking to replace: 2 - 6' sliding doors, 1 - 9' sliding door and replacing a hinged atrium door with a 6' sliding door. Any suggestions on these?
Thanks in advance for any and all input.

ANOTHER WINDOW GUY
Posts: 243
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 3:28 pm
Location: WISCONSIN

#2 Post by ANOTHER WINDOW GUY »

Where your living would be taken care of by the Simontons dual glazed windows. Triple glaze becomes a better solution in colder climates. Low-e argon and 1" glass with SS is a good choice. There are quite a few windows that well suit your needs that are quite similar. Price quality and reputation of the window dealer are all important. Do your shopping compare closely and check out the dealers references . all things being equal then you can negotiate price.

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