New windows in Howard County, MD

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lwf
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Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 7:52 pm

New windows in Howard County, MD

#1 Post by lwf »

Due to a fire we have to replace a handful of spectrum (who was bought out by Jeld Wen years ago) windows; we weren't pleased with our Jeld Wen windows, but needed some insight into a window that would fit our needs and budget. At the moment, insurance is replacing 5 windows, but in the next 3-5 years we will have to replace 50+ windows, and want to be consistent throughout.

We are currently looking at the Andersen 400 series, and the "A" series, however I received a quote from home depot for $544 and $864 for the windows themselves without an installer and wondered if this was a fair price for just the window.

We looked into Pella, but were not happy with the reviews and we didn't like Thompson Creek Windows.

This process is all new to use so any input on wood/vinyl/aluminum/composite, along with brands you prefer and average costs I should expect would be immensely helpful.

TheWindowNerd
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Re: New windows in Howard County, MD

#2 Post by TheWindowNerd »

A regular poster who is a pro on this forum may cover your area, Windows on Washington. Eric is a great guy and a leader in our industry. They have lots of great windows to choose from and will help you to figure out which one is right for you.
The most cost efficient windows will be vinyl. Both in initial cost and in long term performance vinyl will be a great choice. Sounds like you will need to do them as full tear/full frame replacements.
If you decide you want the wood windows my suggestion is the Andersen WoodWright .

theWindowNerd.com

randy
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Re: New windows in Howard County, MD

#3 Post by randy »

I agree that Windows on Washington is your best bet - great product selection and superior installation methods.

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HomeSealed
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Re: New windows in Howard County, MD

#4 Post by HomeSealed »

The first thing that you want to do is determine your goals for the project and pick a material based on them. For instance, if you desire the beauty and richness of a real wood interior, and cost is not a major factor, wood windows are a good option. If peak performance (energy efficiency), warranty coverage, and value are bigger concerns, then vinyl is a great choice. Fiberglass and Composites are valid choices as well, but are "niche" products to some extent where it only makes sense to pay the premium for them if your circumstances happen to match what they offer (if for instance you want a stainable or paintable wood-grain interior without getting real wood). Top performing vinyl choices are Okna/Himark, Sunrise, Softlite, and a few others. Top wood windows are Marvin and Kolbe, with Andersen in there as well.

On pricing, wood will cost anywhere from 50-150% more than vinyl depending on options etc once you figure in staining, etc. For instance, the prices that you quoted above for window only would be reasonable to pay for a good vinyl window INSTALLED in an insert application.

Lastly and most importantly, I would STRONGLY agree with the pros above that Windows on Washington should be your first point of contact. Excellent company and they offer all product and installation styles and materials, so they can walk you through to determine which one actually fits your circumstances and goals the best, not just push a "one-size-fits-all" solution. Very prolific poster here, so you can find him on most threads and click his "Get a quote " button if you are interested. :D

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