Renewal by Andersen review: Have nothing to do with The Real Anderson Windows company 77

We had Anderson Renewal windows installed and on the positive side, they are made of a composite, 2/3 vinyl and 1/3 wood. The claimed advantage of the composite is that it will not rot, and the wood in the matrix is supposed to prevent breaking up, such as replacing screws, though hopefully we'll not need to do that for quite a while. No other windows I'm aware of are a composite, including Marvin, so I'm not sure why they are being compared.
On the other hand, we had leakage in two different windows, one quite bad. They did fix them both, but it took a while to reach the rep and then time for someone to come out. In one case, where there was a stain indicating water damage under one of the windows, they replaced the stud. One problem, in our case, is that they didn't seem to have enough manpower on the site.
One last thing, we were told that we would have to caulk around the windows, which really bothers me. That is something that really should be mentioned up front.

windows are 1000, i think that renewal is junk and i went with Power Windows and Siding. Power windows and Siding have an excellent full warranty that includes EVERYTHING renewal there are too many loop holes in order for them to not replace the window. I know a older man who had issues with his renewals and they basically told him that they will give him the window, but he has to install it. for 1000 bucks, they better come wash my windows.

We had visits this week by both Pella and RbA folk. Not to discount others' experiences, but both were professional, helpful, NO-pressure, and plain-spoken in representing their products. We're seeking to match other relatively new Anderson products in our home, so RbA might have had an edge. But neither gave us extended sales presentations, and both were courteous and professional. I'm not a professional builder, but I am an experienced engineer, and while these products presumably cost somewhat more due to the marketing content a major brand always has, I found their estimates of installed product significantly lower than similar products made of similar materials as installed by local contractors (we've received quotes from the gamut). So I am inclined to agree with those above who surmise that it is the particular franchisee that makes the difference.

Renewal by Andersen IS a licensed Anderson company. The windows are exclusive to Renewal and are authentic Andersen windows. The reason they cannot be purchased through such companies as The Home Depot is because they are custom replacement windows. Except for not really cleaning up after themselves, the windows I pruchased are truly wonderful.

One common mistake I've found that most people make is identifying the Andersen Windows of yesteryear with those of today, Renewal included. I can identify personally with Renewal, and while Anderson was premier a generation ago, sadly they're standards have fallen abysmally, Renewal (although a much younger offshoot) included. As for the sales staff, they're not paid entirelly on commission, but are salary-based plus commission. They are told to use a very benign sales approach when dealing with potential customers, but with the threat of quotas constantly hanging over they're heads, that can be very difficult to do.

Replacement windows cost typically cost more than windows installed at the time of original construction. There is more involved installing it too after the fact. The most cost effective window I have seen is Champion, you will be able to purchase a double hung or a 2 panel slider under 101 united inches for about $600.00

Can someone recommend a reputable window replacement company where I can buy low E windows with a U-factor of 0.30 and solar heat coefficient of 0.30 or better without having to deal with a sleazy sales person. I hate sleazy salesmen!

Wow, this backs up my idea of an E-Book on the current sales tactics for in home sales. How much would someone pay for an E-book on the strategies these companies use once in your home? I'm thinking 10-15$? Anyway, working in sales for the last 10 years, I have alot to tell about these companies...RBA, Pella, Champion, New Pro, etc. RBA is an Andersen window by the way, it's just their replacement division. All andersens have etching on the glass. As far as sales tactics, it's simple, if you smell a rat, it's a rat! half the renewal's are franchises like a few have pointed out, they are out to make as much money as possible before they sell the franchise back to Andersen corporation. They are making 50% plus profit on these windows! These window companies thrive on 1 call closes. Make no mistake, they(salesman) are paid on commission. You should never pay more than $2-300 per window for any type of vinyl window, and never pay more than $5-650 for a quality window, such as Pella, Marvin or Andersen. That's it! Don't let some sleeze bag salesman tell you how valuable there total package is...it's a rip off. You can by a closer than close andersen replacement windows right from home depot. It's called the Woodright window, it's customed sized to fit replacement openings. I'm not advocating home depot to install, that's a whole other subject. It's time the public knew how bad they are being ripped off by these franchises! Wake up and spread the word people, your being ripped off. They are all good windows, just don't spend $700-1500 per window...are you crazy? Try this next time one of those supposed salary based sleeze bags come into your home, give him his 1-2 hour pitch, tell him to give you his best price, then sleep on it for a few days. Don't listen to the bull about today only. In a few days, most companies will send out another sleeze bag with a lower price (10-20%) lower, which is still too much to pay in most cases. That will confirm the same day bull and prove that a dishonest company just came into your home and smelled up your personal space. Hope this helps a few of you in the future. Bad Sales Tactics

Has anyone considered that there is a MUCH better window on the market? Anderson this and that. they are good windows but you are paying for a name. And btw most of the installers don't even speak english. I just got Soft-Lite Imperial tripple pane with a no metal super spacer. U factor .21 and SHGC .24. Forget all that though. these windows are made to 1/32", and lets not get started on Air infiltration. Anderson is a .21...that sucks. Imperials are a .02. 7X less air...now you tell me which is a better window

There are plenty of warnings all around the internet about the replacement window industry. The aluminum siding salesmen of the 70's must have moved on to replacement windows. Like a lot of folks, I figured a well regarded company like Andersen would be above this, but they are not. Andersen has turned a blind eye to the sales tactics and bad behavior of their franchises. There are plenty of complaints out there. Read some real reviews: http://www.replacement-windows.com/consumer-ratings/product/renewal-by-andersen

Here is what to expect from the RBA sales person: Over an hour of how wonderful only their product is. Newspaper clipping of lawsuits and complaints against their competitors. Personal attacks against the competing salesperson. Print-outs of rave web reviews for RBA (wonder who wrote them) and Complaints about their competitors. They have a great warrantee (tell that to TBloom), they will tell you in great detail how wonderful it is and how their competitor sucks. Before we started the presentation, I laid out one ground rule, we were not buying anything. We would be comparing prices and products from several companies. Of course our RBA salesman had no problem with this when we started, but totally ignored it when he was finally done. At $1, 200 a window, I'd be a fool to even look at that inferior crap the other companies sell. Of course we got the special one time take it now price. Anyone that offers a deal that you must take on the spot is huckster.

The Andersen name got the RBA salesman in my door, but I'm not buying. This guy was incredibly obnoxious, and at $1200 each, these windows are a rip-off. The complaints about RBA are mostly about the bad service of their franchises. It may be guilt by association, but I wouldn't buy any Andersen product.

We have just decided to go with Renewal by Anderson based on our own extensive research of comparable products, consumer reviews (especially Washington Consumer Checkbook), and other factors. I just want to say that we have had an excellent experience with the RbA representative. She came to my home, gave us a straight-forward explanation of the construction of the windows and the installation process, and measured the windows. She sent the estimate a couple of days later. No pressure whatsoever at any point in the process. We then went to the showroom to see the windows and ask questions. Again - lots of information, no pressure at all. Compare this to the Pella salesman, who didn't show up at the time of the appointment, called 15 minutes later, and asked if he could come by that same night. Did a high-pressure pitch, telling me things that it should have been obvious I already knew from the detailed questions I was asking. Gave us an on-the-spot estimate which was insanely high and an insult to our intelligence. I'd told him repeatedly that I'd done my homework. His price was over $2, 000 per window! I just laughed at him, and bingo, in seconds, he drops the price by $12, 000. I couldn't wait to get rid of him. Pellas would have to be the best windows in the universe for me to consider them at this point.

If the RbA windows are as good as the sales process, then I am going to have good windows!

I don't mean to criticize other posters, but based on his writing, I find it hard to believe that johnmark 52 is an architect, a profession that requires at least a five-year bachelor's degree or a four-year undergraduate degree followed by 2-3 years of graduate work. But more to the point, we looked at the Anderson 400 series very closely. There is no real difference between the Anderson 400 series and the RbA in terms of construction or design. I even called Anderson to ask them about it, and they themselves said that the only difference is the fact that RbA is installed by RbA employees. Finding a reliable contractor is a major hassle, and personally, I would rather have my windows installed by someone who does it all day, every day, and not by a jack-of-all-trades contractor.

It amazes me that the simple obvious would be to contact Andersen Corporation and ask them if Renewal ByAndersen Corporation is an ANDERSEN COMPANY. Did anyone think of that? It is illegal to represent you are if you are not. In case you are not capable of finding it at www.renewalbyandersen.com and Andersen Corporation it is

Andersen Corporation
100 Fourth Avenue North
Bayport, MN [protected]
Product & Web Questions, Brochures, Find Dealer: [protected]-4261
Service for Your Product pre-call checklist: [protected]-7020
Corporate Office: [protected]-5150

Amazing isn't it?

I am an architect who also has my builders licenseand have worked for some of the best Architects and builders in Boston. The North East prides itself in quality craftsmanship and installation of superior material that preform well and efficiently in our environment. I agree with the sleezy tactis accusation, they are relentless in continually marketing to uneducated homeowners. In one year I had 3 representitives come to my house while they were doing door to door marketing. I continually get emails form them and also have gotton a phone call. All this after I already told them there product was the same product if not inferior to Marvin's Infinity replacement window and for only about $650 per window.

Through reading the comments you can discern that Renewal by Anderson is having their own employee's post comments to counteract complaint post, this just speaks to their sleaziness ways.

I like Anderson's 400 series products but Renewal by Anderson gives Anderson Corporation a bad name. And no I am not affiliated with Marvin Windows.

We live in Colorado and had Renewal by Anderson windows installed about 18 years ago. They have held up great even in this climate. After a few years, we got a call from Renewal about a safety defect about the windows easily opening (for cleaning) so they sent a repair person to change out a part on every window. Recently, we lost a cap on a hinge from our french door caused by the person installing hard wood floors operating his sander, so we called Renewal, and the repair person came out and replaced it for free. That is our experience with Renewal.

In May 2008, I replaced all the double hung windows in my house with full replacement Renewal by Andersen windows. The company may be able to address the problems I have and make things right, but at this point I would NOT recommend these windows to anyone.

These windows have a unique feature I've not seen before. The individual windows are square, but the top and bottoms of the window frames are arched instead of straight. You can really see this when the perfectly square screens are installed. The center of the screen frame touches the window frame, but doesn't at the corners.

I was told this is to facillitate water drainage, rather than being a manufacturing defect. Unfortunately, several of the window frames arch so much that they don't seal very well. On the worst ones, if you look in the corners at the gap between window and window frame, you can see daylight. And feel the breeze when the wind blows.

To solve this problem, the installer has replaced several of the seals along the sides of the frame and also replace one of the frames. On that frame, the sill was so arched that the seal on the window was smashed in the center but couldn't stretch far enough to make contact with the sill in the corners, Unfortunately, I now have four more that need repair and the company and installer have not responded to my requests for service.

The company advertises the efficiency of these windows and I was expecting to see lower energy bills. Instead, I feel the wind blow. I was sold on the Fibrex and Andersen's name and reputation and was sure that spending the extra money on these full replacements would fix my leaky, rotten windows and high energy bills. Unfortunately, I seemed to have traded one set of problems for another.

Buyer beware.

This guy is obviously a friggin' dunce!

So a typo ... the $2506 cheaper is supposed to be $206 cheaper than the first window he showed me! Sorry! My bad OOPS! :)

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.

Let me see if I get this straight. After much debate and nashing of teeth I pick a manufacturer, get my windows installed, and by some fantastic stroke of fate I am actually thrilled with the results and decide to post my experience. For my effort I get accused of being a sneaky underhanded sales person. Nice! My question, if my sneaky plug on a particular product causes someone to run out and get that product, uh, where is my commission on that sale? Stock options perhaps?

So after the average window shopper is subjected to glossy brochures and assurances that product xyz is the best, they go online in the hopes of getting information to help them in their decision and all they are faced with are the windows version of religious wars.

I personally would like to chide all those "helpful professionals" out there with their efforts to out the shady-salesperson-in-disguise. That is not the useful information I was looking for. I want to hear anecdotes from folks that had windows installed. And maybe see helpful hints from professionals on what to look for. Oh and here's a tip: you don't appear professional when you get personal.

So I will continue to read my colorful brochures, head down to the showroom and test drive the wares and make my decision. And not post my decision, cause hey, I just mightbe accused of being slimy salesperson.

According to the my Renewal By Andersen rep they don't work on commission, but get a "very nice salary" and incentives. He did push the "order now incentive price, while denying I had to order that night because there is the order now price, the order this month price and the order this year price. And yes he confessed that he used to sell Mercedes, and drove a very nice one.
Strangely enough the Pella rep offered a quote, then offered to lower it by 5% if we signed within a week, and an addition 5% for cash payment. There was zero pressure to sign and he encourage us see the real product at the local showroom before deciding.
According to the RBA rep, they don't have a showroom, in order to put that marketing money into buyer incentives, so all we saw were corner samples and some pictures. Hard to judge a product when you can't see it how it is assembled.

As is often the case, sales people create the problems they complain about. First off there is no excuse for telling a customer anything to make a sale, and the tactic of inflating a price to increase the commission is just as bad. Everyone is entitled to make a fair profit. If you are offered less than what you think is fair you shouldn't take it. If you agree to less you have nothing to complain about. If you can't make your car payments, I suggest you consider a career change. My Andersen Renewal Rep cut the price without me asking, am I to blame for cutting his pay?

As I said before Andersen Renewal is not Andersen. In my case I was dealing with ABC window company. Anyone considering Andersen Renewal windows should research the franchise company. Andersen window company makes good products, but you are not dealing with them. If you google Andersen Renewal complaints as I did. you will find cases of poor installation and bad customer service. Again, don't believe the sales person, you are not dealing with a big company.

No I am not in sales. I am not saying any brand is better or worse than another. I will tell you that I purchased windows from a large company that sells and installs only major brand windows. I bought top of the line windows, with installation and paid less than the discounted Renewal price. You do get what you pay for, these were not cheap by any means, but they are not over priced either.

Once again - If you are considering replacement windows, do your research. Do not take the word of any sales person. Jimmy2 proves my point, the sales person will tell you anything to make the sale. And BTW the Andersen Renewal salesman that came to my house drove a SUV that I couldn't afford.

PS: Jimmy2 you make the profession look dirty. Concentrate on serving the consumer better, not treating them like idiots. You probably work for a good company, but your numbers are low, and the more you spend on the net, the less you will be successful.

Those discounts you are talking about. The price is the price, and yes, if the customer does not like the deal on the first day, he will not like the deal tomorrow. So for the discount, the windows don’t get cheaper as you say no, the rep’s pay will. Each person has a price value for what they buy. The discount is there to meet the value. The rep pays for it. Go ahead, go to your boss every Thursday and renegotiate your paycheck!.
Depending of the company and product- and I have to say that Renewal by Andersen IS a great product – it’s up to us to feel, touch and check out the product and company before buying the rep. You get what you pay. And personally, I rather deal with a big company with a reputation even if more expensive than dealing with a local contractor. I’ve been in the situation. The small guy, will go home after signing a contract, look over his notes and will ask himself: how can I save money on this job. Remember. Unless you deal with a solid well establish company, you are going to get less if you ask to pay less.

Hey Ralph! You do realize that these Reps work on 100% commission, right? Have you ever been in sales? Have you ever been in a situation where you don't know if you will be able to make your car payment unless you sell something? Selling directly to customers on their home field is the toughest thing to do and to do well.

First, companies like this (very successful and in business for a long time), rely on 1 pitch closes. in other words, if the rep leaves without the sale, there is less than a .1% chance that you are going to call back and give him the business. This is why salesmen that s "seem" pushy. They want to do everything possible to make the sale (Discounts) so they can feed their family.

Some people on the planet own two properties, and I happen to have two homes, the Cape property being my second. I've been working on investing in good energy efficient windows for the past couple of years and made a huge mistake with the Pella Impervia product in my Johnston home. (on the advice of a good friend)

My larger investment (Harwich) is where I decided to go with the Renewal.
So keep up your diligent "spoilsport" methods so you can feel triumphant in
some form. You can call me a phony all you want, but the fact of the matter
is that I'm not, and I was fortunate enough to be able to afford the Renewal
product for my home, not settle for less by being cheap, and I'm very happy
with that investment, which is why I posted in the first place.

Also, the logo etched into the glass that says Andersen... without having it there
would be like me taking the logo off a new Mercedes. I'm proud to have these
windows made by this company.

Jimmy, you never do quit. Still selling the windows with some phony story. The photos and the "hope this helps" are a nice touch, But Jimmy you are a liar, and not even a good liar. All I had to do was check the links in your profile to find your other post where you pretend to be a Pella window customer.


and look you even included a photo of those crappy Pella windows.

"There is NOTHING worse than hearing some idiot you invite into your home trash major competition" How about the phonies on the web?

Jimmy does make a point that anyone interested in replacement windows should be aware of. Salesman like Jimmy will do and say anything to get you to buy. I don't think Jimmy is fooling anyone. His sales pitch is so obvious, it's almost laughable. But be aware, if you do invite a rep in to give you a quote, you are more than likely facing the same thing, with a lot more pressure to buy.

At this point you would think Jimmy would give up and go away. But Jimmy is relentless. He will either come up with some other phony story, or create a new user profile and start all over again. My advice to anyone on this or other message board, when you see a phony like Jimmy, call him out, let him know he is not fooling anyone, otherwise the phonies will take over and there will be no point in it.

Ralph,

You made all great points above, and once again it stinks that you had a bad representative. There is NOTHING worse than hearing some idiot you invite into
your home trash major competition, or not let you do your homework...this is part of the
reason why I went with Renewal, because the rep was confident in his product and
knew it would shine without having to trash others once I looked around. I called him
back because he was respectful of my wishes. Once again, this isn't a "sales pitch."

It also seems that when consumers do complain, you are completely right once again,
it's either because of poor installation, poor service, or bad representatives...

On one side of my home, there are quite a few trees, and all of the window
frames (Old Hurd windows) were rotting, along with the sills and exterior
trim. The representative talked to me about what Renewal calls a a Full Frame
window, or seemingly their version of a new construction window, except that
it would be custom built... I was concerned about my shingles being disrupted,
and the new construction Andersen I had looked at with a contractor's advice
only came in 4" increments, which did not match up with the existing Hurd's
sizing. So I would have had major work done to make the house fit the window,
not my idea of a good thing, especially with the chair rails and wallpaper in some
of my rooms.

All the windows and frames with rot on that side of the house were ripped down to the bare studs, and the Renewal was put in with an installation flange just like I saw on the 400 series at the local Home Depot, and it actually came with full composite fibrex brickmold which snapped right over the flange to match my old stuff... Looks fantastic, with no ugly aluminum cladding or more trim to tediously paint every few years.

I enclosed two photos of the windows (very narrow, maybe 18" wide casements on either
side of the fireplace) on installation day with the brickmold attached, thank god no
more paint, or the issues with caulk turning brown on aluminum cladding.

So they don't ONLY sell "replacement windows, " they actually do sell a Full Frame/New construction window...once again, too bad the representative you had didn't apprise you of this... (I also found out by getting quotes from a local contractor to put in the 400 series in my situation that the labor and the materials were almost more than the window unit itself!) I was also happy I didn't have to repaint that side of the house with the new shingles weaved in to match. I guess it all depends on what your siding is. My home (on the Cape) is odd in that I don't have the wider exterior trim like most homes on the Cape to hide mistakes or different size windows.

Hope this helps.
Jim

The purpose of this complaint board is to share information, and hopefully become smarter consumers. It is unfortunate that phonies like Jimmy use this forum to post a sales pitch. I came to this web site because I wanted to replace some of the windows on my 30 year old house. I started off by calling Andersen Renewal for a estimate. This is a major purchase for me, so I wanted to do my home work and compare products before making a purchase. I can tell you that I have bought Andersen patio doors a few years back and was happy with them.

The original post about Renewal having nothing to do with Andersen is not true by any means, but I can understand how some one might draw that conclusion. Andersen Renewal is a franchise. It is an Andersen product, but you cannot buy Renewal windows anywhere else. So for example if you go to HomeDepot and ask the sales person about Andersen windows, they will tell you they sell the entire line, but you won't find Renewal there.

As a franchise, Renewal is not sold by the Andersen company. You may find your local Renewal company listed with the BBB as ABC window company dba Andersen Renewal. (The dba means "doing business as") Like any good franchise, Andersen trains and sets quality standards, but it is misleading to say that Andersen Renewal employees work for Andersen. My complaint is with Andersen Renewal, not the Andersen window company. To start, you cannot get an estimate without sitting through an hour long sales presentation. (basically Jimmy has already gone through the major selling points). Half of the presentation I got was telling me how terrible their competitors are. I knew the windows were expensive, so I wasn't totally shocked when he gave me the price. I explained to the rep, that this was a major purchase for me and I wanted to comparison shop before buying. This is when he got ugly. He basically told me that all the other windows were crap, and I would be stupid to buy them. I said no again. This is when the first discount came. I said no again, and he got even more ugly.

I don't believe the Andersen company would use this kind of sales tactic, but this is a franchise. If you research the complaints about any window on the Internet, you will find that installation is a major factor. I wouldn't trust these guys with anything. My old window frames were beginning to rot. The Andersen rep said it wasn't a problem, since they would be covering them. I talked to a contractor (friend of the family not doing my windows) and he advised me to purchase new construction windows, because the old frames would continue to rot under the replacement widow cover. No Renewal rep will ever tell you this, because they only sell replacement windows.

I won't say which brand of windows I ended up buying (no sales pitch here), but as I said this is a major purchase I did a lot of research, and I would recommend the same for anyone in the market for windows.

Ralph,

I hadn't noticed the logo until you brought it up. I had to squint to find it, was in the corner. I'll let you know when it gets lighter out how it looks! Thanks for pointing that out!

So you are a company rep then... I see... I'm sorry
if my positive experience with another company touched a nerve!

Jimmy2..
It sounds like you were offered the $200 discount after you didn't place an order. In other words - they would be perfectly glad to charge you $200 more if you ordered on the spot. The cash vs loan thing is an excuse. I don't know about you, but that kind of selling makes me feel like I'm dealing with a used car salesman.

You seem to find the mitered corners of fiberglass windows ugly... How do you feel about the Andersen logo etched into the glass of every window?

You are right the web is full of negative comments, it is also full of company reps posing as consumers.
I just felt I had to respond.

That sucks that you got a bad representative...

I did get a very good discount from the rep, (over 200 per window because I paid cash) and I didn't make the decision on the spot. I looked at other windows out there and just couldn't find one that looked as nice as the Andersen Renewal. I just hate the way vinyl and fiberglass looks with the 45 degree corner welds...YUCK! Anyway, he was very imformative and educational and did not make me feel uncomfortable at all. I don't feel I spent 1.000 plus per window becauseI witnessed firsthand what goes into that price: I had an Andersen field-tech come out for an hour to re-measure, I had a 3 man licensed and insured Andersen crew that laid down drop cloths in my house and spent days there professionally installing and actually VACCUUMED when they were done (!) They removed all the debris from the property, washed all the windows and went over the operation and tilt mechanism, a checklist that ensured that everything was done to my satisfaction, and gave me a tax form for my accountant...the rep even showed up, took pictures of the install and made sure all was going well. Plus, I received my 20 year PARTS AND LABOR warranty. So after going through the whole process and program, I definitely feel taken care of and totally satisfied. The web is so full of negative comments I felt the need to respond! Of course I thought about going with a cheaper window, but I'm staying here for the rest of my life, what's 100 or 200 per window stretched over 30 years... If I skimped and went with cheap vinyl I would probably have to replace them in 10 years, so yes, I initially I paid more, but I have Andersen's best keeping me comfortable, and I won't have to do it again!

I just finished have an estimate done and I difinitely agree that their "act now and save" is a sleezy tactic. During the sales presentation I had completely forgotten how he mentioned that if I were to go with the anderson 400 series new construction window I would pay about $1, 000 a window and that the renewal anderson window would be better and better priced since there would be no work needed to be done on the window frame. So why did his estimate after several minutes of negotiating and comparing to other estimates still come out to over $1, 000 a window! At the time I completely forget his pitch of how expensive the 400 series window would be which is probably why they pressure to accept there super duper discount price. I wouldn't be surprised if I come across other discrepencies with their estimate. Overall the window is great but for $1000 and plus per window I can't justify it especially in this economy.

Jimmy2...
Yes you did pay more for your Renewal windows. But if you said no to the original offer you would have got a discount, and there is always the second discount after that. These may be nice windows, but they are over priced and the sales tactics are sleezy.

I worked for Renewal by Andersen and am very proud to say that I worked for the ACTUAL Andersen Corporation. My insurance was through Andersen Corporation and my e-mail was the same andersencorp.com address that the "real" Andersen has. What a silly and lazy person to write that they are not affiliated. Google it.

this post is 100% false - all a homeowner has to do is call Andersen corp. to find our that this is a false post. Just look at the product and the full parts and labor warranty. It is the best window on the market if you look at all the perspectives of this product. We are all smart people - get the facts then you decide. Widow are a long term investment - not just a price point - the old saying of you get what you pay for is as true today as yesterday - just do your homework.