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?? Fiberglass windows ??

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Dave588

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On 4/24/2019 at 5:09 PM, Ben Lippen said:

Andersen advertises their Renewal series as being Fibrex. Best of both worlds? I have never dealt with one.

Fibrex is 40-percent recycled wood fibers, 60-percent PVC. I just learned that from this link.  

 

https://www.thespruce.com/andersen-fibrex-windows-4069106

 

It looks better than vinyl. But they charge way too much for it. I had a renewal by anderson salesman out once. He wanted $10k for two fairly wide, multi piece windows (installed). I once bought (at work) 2 hand made custom landmark arched sash windows in mahogany complete with glass and old school balances for the same price. They were bigger and orders of magnitude more complex than my windows. I told the guy to **** off with his idiot price. The guy was completely shameless. 

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Renewal is a ripoff. No doubt about that. And not the same, or as good, as the 400 series I would get through local lumber yard. Or from HD for that matter. 

 

How may units are you looking to get? There is no volume discounts, but can sometimes get a "van load" discount through lumberyards if they are a dealer. Get a quote, then ask about a van load pricing.

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13 hours ago, nightfighter said:

 

 

How may units are you looking to get? There is no volume discounts, but can sometimes get a "van load" discount through lumberyards if they are a dealer. Get a quote, then ask about a van load pricing.

^^ This is how I do it when I need a good amount of windows. Also, down here, if I order them from the Lakewood store, I only pay 3% sales tax, cause it's an EEZ zone.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Anyone still buying wood windows and just painting them?  I had wood on my old house and they were painted quite a few times over the years but man did they last a long time.  I see a lot of the new construction homes in my hometown when i was a kid now need all new windows.  They barely got 30 years from some.  I think they should last way longer than that.

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  • 1 month later...
On 4/25/2019 at 5:52 PM, nightfighter said:

Andersen and Marvins are clad  over the wood. The wood is the structure of the window as opposed to vinyls

 

Well...sorta.

 

No idea if this is still a topic.  Anderson is Vinyl Clad over a wood frame.  Their other line, Fibrex, has heavy PVC content, will definitely mildew and LOVES to fade.  Marvin's line is Extruded Aluminum over a wood frame (nearly the thickness of a quarter actually).  Somebody like Pella is also Aluminum over a wood frame BUT their cladding is, literally, about the thickness of a soda can (meaning sheet for welded corners and they fade...no love for Pella at all).  Generic Vinyl windows are fine PROVIDED the installation is 110% spot on.  Number one issue, bar none, is the jambs and sill are bowed straight from the factory due to temp changes from port to port.  If your installer actually shims the units plum and square, the way he's supposed to (good luck with that) you'll have years and years of service.

 

Oh, regards Renewal.  They're an incredible Marketing Co that just happens to make windows.  WAY overpriced and they're pressure sales are known in the industry.  I wouldn't give them even a foothold in my home.

 

You may want to consider buying unit's that are nearly idiot-proof.  As in rigid square out of the box.

 

Check out Marvin's Integrity doors/windows, all Pultruded Fiberglass (no wood core...zero).  They're also priced at or below the 400 Anderson's.  Complete disclosure...I sold and installed them for years along with the Anderson 200, 400 and Fibrex lines.  Whether it was hardware, seal failure, fading, etc. we had no where near the call backs on the Integrity line.  We actually shifted the Marvin trained warranty crew to a much larger geographical area because there were so few (and they were 95% installation issue).

 

I left that business in 2010 (economy recovered).  Nine years later there still isn't a better window or door out there.

 

Last rant...hire a damm Pro to do the job.  You won't know something's gone wrong until way to late.  The trim is painted, the curtains are hung, etc.  Then come winter you discover insulation wasn't reinstalled, calking was shabby, locks don't seal the sashes 100% (remember that bit about shimming the units?).

The wheels on my reels go round and round...round and round...round and round...

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2 hours ago, Dave588 said:

Marvin integrity is nicest looking option to me. They dont have an installer in that part of nc. I replaced all windows in my mass house with andersen. I might hire a handyman to help me. 

 

Unless you're masonry/brick exterior OR the OEM are some crazy off-size RO...do a whole unit (new construction type) window (or door).  If standard sizes can be made to work...and they quite often go in with zero change to the RO, you will be thankful in the short and long term.

 

Good luck and please take a pic of the progress...

 

Edit: can the supplier give you a couple of names for estimates?  They're selling them to someone down there, right?

Edited by mako20ft

The wheels on my reels go round and round...round and round...round and round...

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