Are Great Lakes Uniframe and CuttingEdge II the same?

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jessicac
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Are Great Lakes Uniframe and CuttingEdge II the same?

#1 Post by jessicac »

Hello!

We replaced about half our windows in Feb 2011 with new windows we bought through Penguin in Washington. They've since gone out of business. But we're very happy with the windows.

Another company told us they are now able to offer the same windows from the same manufacturer, they just don't have the Penguin logos. We were having other work done on our house and decided to replace the other half of our windows, too.

The windows were installed yesterday. I looked at them for a while and they just aren't quite the same. The sizing of parts of the frames are different. The hardware isn't the color I requested and are a different shape. They don't close as snugly. The color of the insulation on the inside of the window between the panes of glass is a different color (and missing in one window.) It's just a bunch of little stuff that could be because three years has passed and stuff changes. I looked at the warranty that the installer left, and the warranty didn't cover glass breakage from "impact of foreign objects" and the warranty on my previous windows did. It didn't feel like they ordered the right windows.

The new windows are Cutting Edge II Plus by Tribuilt. The penguin windows were made by Great Lakes Windows. I called Great Lakes and they verified that they were the Eco line, also called Uniframe, and that those windows are still sold.

I should clearly have done all the research before instead of trusting that the salesperson was telling the truth (a fool and her money, too easily parted.) Now I just want to figure out if what I've got is the same under two different names and the windows just aren't made the same way anymore, or if there are differences in quality beyond the slight difference in look that are driving me distracted and ask that the correct windows be purchased and installed.

Does anyone know where I can find that out? Or happen to know?

Thanks for reading this long post!

Jessica

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Windows on Washington
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Re: Are Great Lakes Uniframe and CuttingEdge II the same?

#2 Post by Windows on Washington »

Jessica,

The TriBuilt window is definitely a Great Lakes (Plygem) manufacturer window.

They are the same manufacturer but different lines.

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HomeSealed
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Re: Are Great Lakes Uniframe and CuttingEdge II the same?

#3 Post by HomeSealed »

+1. Tribuilt does not make windows, they simply re-label products to sell through Allied Building products. The standard Cutting Edge is made by MI (Metal Industries) if I'm not mistaken, and the CE II is plygem. That said, plygem has several models. If your previous windows were the Uniframe or EcoSmart unit, the CE II will be a few steps down the line. Same bones, but with fewer bells and whistles and lesser performance. This is probably the difference that you are seeing. The Uniframe and EcoSmart are Plygem's top offerings.

masterext
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Re: Are Great Lakes Uniframe and CuttingEdge II the same?

#4 Post by masterext »

Cutting Edge made by Metal Industries ( Mi windows) are complete garbage, they are flimsy and leak air like a sieve. MI is the window most " jack of all trades" contractors use along with silverline and excalibur; all cheaply made products.
The cutting edge II is made by plygem and is a few steps above the cutting edge made by mi windows.
Uniframe is made MUCH better than cutting edge Ii.

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