making decision-

[npmadsen]

I am coming down to making a decision

We think we are going to go with Okna 800 deluxe triple pane.
I think the price we got is very good.
24 double hung with grid in glass 16200
2 pw 48 x48 1700
2 pw 35x49 1600
5 lite bow 4800
custom slider 2200
This is from a company on Angies list with great reviews Window King in bronx ny, we live in CT but they are only 30 minutes from our house , we live on the border of NY
No pressure at all very responsive

We also have a local contractor that we liked, however is trying to sell us Harvey tribute, triple pane . He initally was thousands higher now is saying he does not want to loose the deal to the other guy and with his spring incentive and harvey's spring incentive he can come within 500 dollars. He is saying Harvey is a much higher quality
, he said that Okna has placed plants , and that they have had a lot of trouble

Please comment as to which you would go with
Thanks
Eileen

[Delaware Mike]

Could you define "placed plants?" I don't understand what that means. One of the reasons we dealers are very fond of the OKNA products is their construction and quality control. I personally wear a tool belt almost every day and sell and install a bit of everything. I tell you first hand that I have fewer issues with OKNA than any other product that I've ever carried.

It's been a very long time since I've seen the Harvey lines so I can't help you with a direct installers review and comparison, sorry.

[HomeSealed]

I tell you first hand that I have fewer issues with OKNA than any other product that I've ever carried.

+1. Same here... I'm thinking that the "placed plants" is regarding the move to the new facility?

I won't comment on dealers that I'm not familiar with, but on product, the Harvey guy must be a helluva salesman. The Okna 800 is better in every measurable way, and not by a small margin. Assuming that the Okna dealer is solid, this decision is the definition of "no-brainer"... FWIW, I don't think that the Harvey is a bad window, just not any special.

[npmadsen]

Thank you
What the harvey person was referring to , is that okna is having people place great reviews on the internet and they are not true.
The Okna dealer has been in business for 25 years and great reviews.
So what I plan to do is ask to see some of the jobs the Okna dealer has done and that should solidify my decision

[masterext]

The guy selling Harvey is telling you that because he wants to sell you his windows. Dont fall for his routine. He is already being extremely dishonest about why Okna is moving into a new plant.
Okna just moved into a brand new ( much larger) manufacturing facility thats state of the art. Thats what he means when he said " changed plants". If thats a bad thing, i dont want to be good.lol moving into a newer, much larger plant because they are expanding is a bad thing? That harvey guy needs to do stand up comedy in the catskills.
There are numerous reviews on okna because they are true. That guys notion is ludicrous.
I know the Harvey Tribute very well and its average at best.
Very simple- compare performance and structural numbers, they dont lie. The Ufactor on the Okna is lower while Okna is only using Argon gas whereas Harvey needs to use krypton( heavier gas) and their number is still high ; im talking about their triple pane.
Okna gets a .19 or .20 on their triple pane argon. harvey only gets a .22 and they need to use krypton. okna's triple pane krypton is a .15 which is MUCH better than harvey.
Harvey also uses a tin plated spacer which is a very outdated design whereas Okna utilizes a non metal ( non conductive) polycarbonate spacer system to help ensure there are never any seal failures. In fact, Harvey wont even qualify for the new energy star criteria next year which mandates a .27 or lower ufactor on double pane glass, they only get a .30 or .29. Okna already get below the .27 and thats using double pane glass. Further, the okna is designed and engineered better/ more solid and air tight. The harvey is basically a builders window, im sorry.
You are getting a good price by the way.

[npmadsen]

You have really helped me.

I am going for the Okna , my husband and I were reviewing everything, and though we initally liked the local contractor, we are now second guessing him. He is bad mouthing other windows and all of sudden he is coming down in price around 5000 dollars. Looking not much better than the renewal salesman, he was the worst, was more than double the Okna dealer and not the same quality.

The Okna dealer is going to give me references so I can see their work.

I'll let you know how the references pan out
Thanks again

[npmadsen]

Do you have any reomendations for okna dealers in fairfield county
I think I found a great installer
just checking

[HomeSealed]

There is a fine line between having an objective discussion about other products and mudslinging about competitors. I find the latter distasteful. The "planted" reviews thing is laughable as well. Ask him for specific links to see for yourself.

On installer, I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend sourcing the windows and install through one company. Way too much room for finger pointing and lack of accountability when you buy the windows and then hire an installer... And I will say that 8.5 x's out of 10, any issue is the installer's fault in those situations.

[Windows on Washington]

There are window spies everywhere....

[masterext]

Most dealers will not sell the window without the install, it also voids the warranty.
Any time a home owner hires their own installer, there is usually a problem with plenty of finger pointing leaving the home owner caught in the middle with unresolved issues.
The issue is almost always install related. Go with one company, it will wind up costing you a lot more in the long run if you dont.

[npmadsen]

Thank you guys so much
I told the one contractor that I really liked that I wanted the okna and if he could obtain them and install them for the same price as the other contractor , I would hire him
This was his response

]"Thank you for the update.

The point which is very telling is that I have had this same exact discussion half a dozen times and it is always, only Harvey vs Okna. There are dozens of other competitors but this conversation never comes up with them. All the reviews read Harvey us ok but Okna is best, just not true. If you did deeper and look at Okna's other conpetition the reviews read the same way.

Can you verify who owns those sites and writes those reviews? Those are the sites(with word replacement windows in them) which I was referring to. There is no way to authenticate any of those reviews. Anyone can setup a site then pay someone to setup all kinds of fictious users and write whatever they want. I guarantee you that there is nothing subpar about Harvey. You can't trust anonymous things you read online.

The suspicion of these bogus reviews was reported by numerous contractors to Harvey and they were able to confirm that Okna was behind the reviews. These negative reviews started when Harvey moved into Their PA territory.

I am confident that the Harvey Tribute triple pane stands stonger than OKNA. Look at Harveys performance ratings on the Tribute whi h gave been verified by independent testing organizations. The best way to gauge quality is for you to speak with actual customers who have the windows.

Good luck with your project."
[/color]

Thank you again

The Okna dealer was absolutely no pressure, was here max 30 minutes and even tried to save us more money with other configurations. They have sent us jobs nearby to look at and 95% of the angies reviews are spot on. They have been in business 25 years

We have been told we qualify for our equity line. just waiting for the final approval and we will go with the okna, also they only want 10% down, the rest on installation. and they stand by the installion.
I am so happy I found you and your sister site.
Eileen

[masterext]

Okna owns those websites?? Thats complete nonsense . How in the world does Harvey have numbers that come close to Okna when the NFRC ratings say otherwise. All windows are tested by the same independent agency ( Nfrc ). Compare numbers.
Rather than make false statements, the harvey contractor may want to consider offering another window which will make him more competitive.

[npmadsen]

i am so glad I found your site. You have saved me a lot of money and headaches
Eileen

[Delaware Mike]

While the Harvey product looks like a fine window, I would have to question why someone would argue with statistics? The Tribute lacks behind OKNA in every single performance category. This is from Harvey's own website and brochures.

We don't see too many perceived "high-end vinyl" products still touting Intercept spacing these days. Most manufacturers prefer either stainless or non-metal composite spacing technology.

The accusations by this dealer/contractor regarding the board being run by OKNA is out of sheer frustration and a "Hail Mary" attempt to save a deal.

[HomeSealed]

Great response from Mike.

1) I agree with the Harvey guy that you SHOULDN'T base your decision purely on one or two sources' opinions. Look at all sources. Is the overwhelming sentiment positive, negative, or 50/50? Weight the feedback appropriately based on the credibility of those providing it.

2) Performance ratings: Every window is independently tested for thermal and structural ratings, including u factor, shgc, air infiltration, and design pressure (structural) among others. These ratings are supremely telling as to how you can expect the window to actually perform (assuming a good installation), and they also speak to the quality. You won't find a great vinyl window with mediocre ratings, nor a poor window with great ratings.

The Okna window has a significant advantage in EVERY measurable area where performance is concerned, assuming apples to apples options. The Harvey line is pretty average. That is my professional opinion, and the performance ratings are in line with that as well.

Regarding this guy's continued accusation that this site (and/or others) are somehow controlled by Okna, again, that is ridiculous. I would encourage you to research the owners of this site if you have any doubt in that regard. There is no connection whatsoever, nor is there any connection in any window-related forum or blog that I know of. Furthermore, there are not even any contributors to my knowledge that have any connection to a manufacturer other than being a customer of that manufacturer among others. Many of us contributors can pretty easily be found via a simple search, as transparency begets credibility.
Lastly, I'd question the logic of such an assertion given the fact that there are numerous other products that are regularly recommended and highly regarded in these sites.... What you have is a salesperson working hard to sell you an inferior product. Not only would I recommend that you move on due to the product alone, but his deceptive tactics (ironic given his accusations) are an even bigger red flag at this point. Whether you choose that Okna dealer or not, I'd recommend moving on from this guy to find someone with more integrity.