I TOTALLY AGREE WITH einmn!! I google searched trying to find OBJECTIVE REAL LIFE EXPERIENCES with these windows. I am a young widow with 5 kids and a house to remodel since the one we dreamed of building is not going to happen since my husband died last year. It frustrates me to spend an afternoon reading all this back and forth crap. Has ANYONE put in these windows??? Are you happy?? Can you justify the cost?? I will start now so ralph does not accuse me of being a Andersen rep when this is all said and done.
Sears came out several years ago. They wanted $12K for not even half the windows. Here is my experience so far with Bee Windows here in Indiana who are an authorized franchise for Renewal by Andersen. '
They called from a card I turned in at a county fair. The lady was very nice and worked around my schedule. There was no issue about "both of us" being home. Yes, I have had people that will NOT come out even though they know the reason my husband in not able to make the sales meeting is because he is DEAD! The rep sat down and asked what I wanted done and what I was expecting the product to do. There was a lot we talked about my personal situation that is not up for public discussion, but I will try to tell what I think might help others. He walked around the house measuring and making notes on what I did and did not like in each room. Then he told me about the product. He told me the pros and cons to different kinds of windows, installation, etc. He said that the Renewal would help the extreme conditions I was facing with bad 1972 duct work which causes huge AC/Heat nightmares for this house. The dining room is built on a crawl at the opposite end of the house from the furnace. He grabbed the Menard's sale paper I had on my table and showed me some products on sale that would help with insulating the duct work, etc. Then he told me NOT to buy new storm doors for some of the doorways from him. Again, he pointed to the Menard's add and said, "This is the one I have. Save your money and buy this for the one area." Then we flipped through the ad and he told me what the difference was between their windows and Menard's and some of the doors I had marked to go look at. He was very honest about the money I would save but told me what to ask at Menard's to make sure the core of the door would be best to help and what to stay away from. He pointed out a few options that could do the job if I couldn't afford everything from him. He knew my concern is the window problems... cold, frosting over, wind penetrating, wood rotting etc. Doesn't sound like someone worrying about their commission, does it? He told me about the training the installers have to go through, how they put them in a hotel so they know they are hear for the duration, no sense rushing. He said they would wear booties in the house, clean up after themselves and leave it better than it was. He explained the warranties and all that stuff. He helped me sort out the color choices and even said at one point "I didn't show you that {choice of hardware} because it is expensive. These will look nice to update your house. If you ever build or buy something newer, invest in the nicer finishing touches. But for now, this will keep the price where you need it to be and your home will look very nice and update. You can get the better windows for the weatherizing and still have something to be proud of when the rest of the remodeling is done." I just fail to see the cheap sleezy salesman here!! I saw one picture window I liked better, but figuring it was more money, I didnt ask until later. When I did ask, he said, "That is actually $2506 cheaper than the one you DON'T LIKE! I just recommended it because it is what you have in there already (Living Room). But this one is cheaper so if you REALLY LIKE IT, take it! YOU HAVE TO BE HAPPY!" I also needed some really odd size ones in the garage. He said they would be $250, but if I went with the cheaper window, he would just include them and the company would take the $42 difference. No big deal." And this was AFTER the original quote, as he was walking out the door, so NO it was NOT a scheme on his part. He came back in and went through it all again and we even changed front door styles and other things. He was TOTALL fine with the 3 hours he spent here. Never pressured me to decide then. Just today, he called to see what I was thinking and I told him I was still dealing with the finances. He was perfectly polite and fine. Offered to send me an itemized breakdown of each window and door so I could pick what to leave off if I need to.
As far as discounts, he told me that they were running a special Buy 3 get 1 free {or something like that} but I had an odd number of windows so he gave me the 25% discount off the whole job since I had so many door too. Call it whatever, it sounded fair to me. He also had references from clients up on Lake Michigan who have used them in million dollar homes to deal with the wind. One guy told him to send people up to his house if they are not sure about the windows and want to see a finished project. I might just take him up on that offer!!! I guess seeing them installed for myself might be the only way to know for sure. These were going to be about $13K instead of the $12k from Sears. I would be getting: Patio Door, Kitchen window, 5 bedrooms windows (2 of which will be Gliders on the front of the house), a big picture window with 2 Gliders on each side, Front Door w/etched glass (again, one I liked was cheaper than the one he picked, no attitude, he was happy I was happy!), Back Door, 2 screen doors, and the 2 weird garage windows. I also qualify for the tax credit and if I need any of the windows or doors moved around for the remodeling, they will come out and do that for free and work with the builder to make sure they all fit and work right. They will do the reinstall if needed.
I THINK THE REALITY IS... it is WHICH FRANCHISE YOU GET. This one has A+ on the BBB. Found out a day after he was here that my parents used them years ago. She said the extra was worth the service and great installation and polite no pressure salesman. They did wonderful and she was excited to tell me to go with them. I was excited that I did not know that until I decided what to do.
But now, all the crap I have been reading on the internet about these windows is really getting to me. I am not sure if I found the best out there or if I am about to get ripped to the max!!!
Thanks for the confusion. Jimmy, just because Ralph jumped in and trashed you with no seemingly good reason, I would tend to think HE is the one that is trying to pull something.
Integrity is everything to me. I will deal with someone more respectable and honest who treats me fairly than the cheapest person out there who is scamming me and sleezy. |
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