thermal line compozit triple paned windows

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mommie2aaa
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Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:12 am

thermal line compozit triple paned windows

#1 Post by mommie2aaa »

Hello all,

Stupidly, we signed a contract for 13 Triple paned windows from our local Thomas Construction company. Of course, they pulled the "buy now--today only-for this special price, sign in the yard BS". I really like the window, but am wondering if we really need this window. We live in St. Peters, Missouri (outside of st. louis). They did the heat lamp test..yada yada yada..thing..so here we go. Original price $23,600 THEN gave us a discount to 17907....then pulled the discount down to 15,200. Okay, last year we had a Shucho bid of 25k...so I am not really sure. I really like the window..but geez!!! Of course, we had been looking at much lower priced windows from Alside and Trim weld, so needless to say this was a big shock. Darling hubby, thought since we are going to stay here forever it is an good investment.....HELP!!!

Is it too late to cancel?? We signed on Thursday..and put 2,000 down..

Any help would be greatly appreciated..

Stacie in Missouri

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Window4U (IL)
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Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 3:58 pm
Location: Sales and Installation in Chicagoland and Central Illinois

#2 Post by Window4U (IL) »

Are they 13 double hung windows, casements, or what? That knowledge would be helpful in giving you advice.

mommie2aaa
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Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:12 am

#3 Post by mommie2aaa »

Sorry, yes, double hung for 12 and 1 is a 2 lite slider. One to recieve casements. 11 With full Colonial grids.

Thanks,,
Stacie

windowman pa
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:50 am

Cancel ASAP

#4 Post by windowman pa »

You are buying a window made by Winchester Industries out of PA & its not worth price quoted! :oops:
non-welded frames with u- value at .34 not a good buy! :oops:
Thomas Const- is owned by ThermalView Industries out of KY :oops:

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Window4U (IL)
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Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 3:58 pm
Location: Sales and Installation in Chicagoland and Central Illinois

#5 Post by Window4U (IL) »

First, you could definitely do better for price.

Secondly, I just looked up the company and see they are part of the THV group. Thermal Line is as well. They have other dealerships that have run under the names ThermalView, Primax, NuView, and others.

For me, that is enough to say run like crazy.
I once worked for a THV company with a different name (out of St. Louis and central Illinois).
Knowing how they operate, I would personally not recommend them to my worst enemy (if I had one)..... Just my opinion.

mommie2aaa
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#6 Post by mommie2aaa »

Thanks for all the help...The rep of course told us that these were welded frames, not screwed?? and talked all this gibbley gark I cannot remember. Spent more time telling us about how great his company was. These are supposedly triple paned compozit windows. Of course he put the blow dryer on the vinyl frame and then his compozit and the vinyl was bendable and plyable. My question to him was, why does everyone have vinyl and seem to have no problem and when in God's name is the frame going to get damn near 500 degrees to melt??? he really didnt have an answer.

So, what is my next best option?? and how do I go about canceling??

We want windows that we can live with for a while..we don't plan on moving for a long time.

Thanks a heap..

stacie

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

#7 Post by ANOTHER WINDOW GUY »

If your state has a recision claus for contracts signed in home, you should have three business days to exersize that option. Sign and date it today and send by registered mail tomorow. Also call the co in the morning and let them know what your intentions are. Chances are pretty good the salesperson won't take the call or that person well be conveintly missing. If you have no recision claus check with an attorney to see if one has to be an option in your state. Also stop whatever method of payment you used. If you used a credit card call the card co and they well take care of you and if a bank just stop pmt on the check. If the window co gives you a rough time, call an attorney immediately so your intentions are known and dated. All of this well allow you to be protected in a court of law should it go that far. And last but not least do not fall for the next drop in price which I'm sure well be coming, dealing with them is not in your best interest.

XSleeper
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Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:57 pm

#8 Post by XSleeper »

Thermal Line is a good company with a long history of excellence. They are a small company and were aquired by the THV group several years ago. Thermal Line is one of their best, most profitable companies. Thermal Line windows are made in Mandan, ND (not Pennsylvania) and their web site is www.tlwindows.com.

I've installed TL windows for over 15 years and have usually been very pleased with the windows they manufacture. They have a few models that I'm not crazy about (Stacie didn't mention which model she was looking at), but by and large they have good products and good dealers.

In the last 15 years I can probably count the number of failed Thermal Line IGU's we have encountered on one hand. Their quality is excellent, their management superb.

Their pricing is a little high compared to other brands, but then again Stacie has not provided many details to provide a decent answer. The triple pane + grids probably almost doubles the price.

Stacie mentioned: "13 windows".... then...."double hung for 12 and 1 is a 2 lite slider. One to recieve casements"

Something there doesn't add up? 12 double hungs... 1 two lite slider, one with casement(s)... which if casements is plural, is counted as 2 windows. So it sounds like 15 windows to me, with at least 11 of them having grids. Correct me if I'm wrong! So the price of 15,000 doesn't suprise me at all since triple pane and grids are expensive options.

harpo
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#9 Post by harpo »

Not quite sure about this , perhaps some of you Minnisota guys can help out. Didn't thermal line start out as a mpls. company called vinyl therm? I believe it did and that company went belly up in the 90's. It then popped up in North Dakota as thermal line and was sold to another company sometime around 2000. I believe they were in trouble again and were just purchased again in the last year or so.

XSleeper
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#10 Post by XSleeper »

Thermal Line was orignally started in Mandan, ND in 1984 by Al Leingang under the name North Country Thermal Line. They purchased their extrusions from VinylTherm in Minneapolis, and were assembling windows basically identical to VinylTherm's windows. As I recall from a dealer's meeting I attended many years ago, Mr. Leingang (who was operating a sucessful construction business at the time) was not satisfied with the quality of windows he was getting from other places, and thought he would start his own assembly plant, and get into the budding vinyl window business. In the early 1990's, NCTL took over the distribution area formerly held by their extrusion supplier, VinylTherm. The extrusion aspect of VinylTherm was sold to a 3rd company (I forget who- Complast?) and they, in turn, have recently been swallowed up by Royal Crown Ltd. (If I have my story straight). Somewhere along the line, I seem to recall that Al Leingang stepped down as president of the company and it continued to operate under the name Thermal Line Windows until it was purchased by the Thermoview conglomeration. www.THV.com


Thermal Line's partial history can be found at: http://www.tlwindows.com/profile.html

Details of THV's relationships with various companies, including Thermal Line and Thomas Construction can be found at: http://www.secinfo.com/dRqWm.5HSx.htm

windowman pa
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Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:50 am

THV

#11 Post by windowman pa »

Did THV file? :oops:

XSleeper
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Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:57 pm

#12 Post by XSleeper »

Yes, THV filed for chapter 11 reorganization in 2005. The biggest problem this has created for Thermal Line is that since they are currently under contract to THV and are being leased by that entity, they have also experienced problems with creditors (due to their parent company's problems), even though Thermal Line is one of THV's most profitable operations.

"You are buying a window made by Winchester Industries out of PA " :?:

windowman pa
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Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:50 am

YES!

#13 Post by windowman pa »

Winchester private labels a window just for THV! :oops:

XSleeper
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:57 pm

#14 Post by XSleeper »

That may be true, but what does it have to do with anything? You said that she is buying a window made in PA, etc etc... which is not true... she was looking at a window made by Thermal Line Windows, a company in Mandan, ND. It just happens that Thermal Line is under lease to THV, just as the company you mentioned probably is. Thomas Construction is a dealer for Thermal Line (just like my company is) and is also in cahoots with THV somehow (but we are not).

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