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melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 367
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 6:29 am: | 
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So, I need some windows replaced. I call three people (Pella, a local vinyl guy and Renewal by Anderson). The first two come over, measure for a half hour and show me their window - okay.
The Anderson guy comes over, spends 90 minutes - no really, NINETY minutes - trying to high pressure sell us (yawn), THEN measures the windows.
When we said we would think about it (who doesn't think about a 17K purchase?) he got totally pissy, told us he KNEW we were a waste of his time (um, I thought you said you didn't work on commission) and was hard-pressed to leave a brochure.
Would I have bought from him? Probably. Will I now? Nope.
What the heck? Was I supposed to cry in shame and buy from him?
I have estimate trauma!
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Zach Williams
Citizen
Username: Babyzach
Post Number: 14
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 8:22 am: |
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Experienced something similar with Sears, which outsources to another company...can't recall the name. The guy measured first, sat down and proceeded to take me through a 2 hour presentation! Along the way he "shmoozed" me, regaling me in everything from his career in sales to the colonoscopy he underwent the day before. I'm not kidding. Insult to injury, he hits me with an exhorbitant do or die offer and is clearly disappointed that I don't jump on this "discounted" offer. Didn't even have a copy of the warranty with him - fumbled in the car for it for another half hour. Hence, 2 and a half hours of my life I will never get back.
Are people falling for this shyster approach?
Who wants to start a reputable window businesses with me? Seems like there's a real opportunity here!
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moving soon
Citizen
Username: Movingsoon
Post Number: 69
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 9:22 am: |
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A couple of different people in the sales/retail world have told me that roughly 20% of people will cave in and say yes too the hard sell. It obviously works on some percentage of us, or they wouldn't keep doing it. It's just surprising that more salespeople can't recognize that the other 80% or so will run like hell when the smell hard sell! |
Purplebug
Citizen
Username: Purplebug
Post Number: 55
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 9:23 am: |
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I went through the same thing w/ Sears and Castle. Sears assumed I was a single mother (because there were model cars around the house?) which annoyed me. Castle almost threatened me because I wouldn't make a decision on the spot. I had to almost throw him out of my house. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 392
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 9:40 am: |
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I literally DID throw the Castle guy out of our house....creepiest sales experience I've ever had. |
Arjay
Citizen
Username: Arjay
Post Number: 10
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 11:24 am: |
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We had the same experience with Renewal! The sales person who came to our house (Carmine, maybe) tried the hard sell and even tried to con us with a "I can only give you this discount if you give me a check today" routine. When we told him we would get back to him, he got real nasty and said that we must really like our old windows! At that point, we didn't care how good his product was, Anderson wasn't getting our business. We opted for wooden windows with true divided light from Pella, primed and painted at the factory. They were worth the extra price! They are absolutely beautiful and maintain the look of our old house. Our thermostat is set at 62 and our house is toasty warm (unlike last year when our curtains were blowing from the wind coming through the old, closed windows). |
joy
Citizen
Username: Joy
Post Number: 391
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 11:52 am: |
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Go to Lowes - they sell Pella. They come out & measure and then you go back to the store and choose the windows. You can then decide not to have Lowes install them. That's what we did.
Sears did the hard sell on us for siding. If we signed right now - 25% discount. No thanks - now get out. |
Newstead
Citizen
Username: Newstead77
Post Number: 37
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 12:30 pm: |
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Can someone recommend a company they had a good experience with - when replacing windows? |
melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 368
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 12:47 pm: |
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Hey ARJAY! WE HAD CARMINE!!!
That was the guy!!!
Too funny!
m |
SlowDog
Citizen
Username: Bca
Post Number: 55
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 1:13 pm: |
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We used a place in Florham Park, I think its called Windowland. They were great, and certainly not pushy. We intalled Trimline wooden clad windows and are happy with them. |
Jennifer Pickett
Citizen
Username: Jpickett
Post Number: 171
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 1:20 pm: |
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We just had a good experience with Essex Window and Door, which were recommended to us by other Maplewood friends. No high pressure, came out quickly for the estimate, installed in two days, did a good job and cleaned up well. |
Jennifer Pickett
Citizen
Username: Jpickett
Post Number: 172
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 1:21 pm: |
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I should say installation took two days. It does take several weeks for the windows to come in. |
wei
Citizen
Username: Liweilun
Post Number: 1
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 3:27 pm: |
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I had Castle Windows come out and the guy (Roman) yapped for 1 hour before even measuring the windows. He then yapped another 90 minutes. Most of the time I was just looking away and trying not to show interest so he would finish faster. Apparently it did not work! He then gave me a price that was only good for the night. In the end it turned out to be a pretty competitive quote, but his sales tactics just pissed me off. Sears tried a similiar "the offer is only good today" tactic. I ended up going with a small time contractor who gave me a choice of serveral brands to choose from. The windows are great, the installation job was okay. |
Winniegirl
Citizen
Username: Winniegirl
Post Number: 18
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 9:30 pm: |
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We ordered our windows from Pella. The woman in the showroom (Arlene?) showed us the options (very low key) and then recommended a local installer - Paul Perna. He was wonderful. He installed the windows from the outside and was so meticulous and clean that we didn't even have to paint the casings. we did of course paint the actual windows. btw, we didn't order them primed because paul said it would be cheaper to prime them on site and he was right. |
melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 369
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 6:14 am: |
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Did you go to the Springfield ave shop?
Do you have Paul's contact info?
Thanks~
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Winniegirl
Citizen
Username: Winniegirl
Post Number: 21
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 11:04 am: |
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We actually went to the main showroom in west caldwell. I'll find Paul's info and post it this afternoon. |
MM
Citizen
Username: Melandmike
Post Number: 79
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 11:48 am: |
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Winniegirl, how much did Paul charge per window on average? Did you do replacement windows or new construction windows? |
Fotboat
Citizen
Username: Fotboat
Post Number: 54
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 2:21 pm: |
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I have wasted the time of at least 10 window replacement salesmen over the last 6 months, and this is what I have learned:
If you want a good quality & fair deal on replacements windows, and do not mind the reduction in window area, and extra frame around the window that you see from inside & outside the house then go with either:
*Lowes
*Spectrum Window (Rt 10, Wippany)
If you want original look go with:
• Tilt Packs made by Marvin or Trimline
• Recondition your existing windows, and by original single piece wood storms
Explanation:
Lowes:
Most of mine experience is with the Lowes in Mt Olive, the window/doors guys are pretty good. Lowes uses a number of different contractors so you’re never sure who you will get, but I think Lowes screens their contractors better than HD. Lowes has set prices for straight window replacements, but the contractor will sometimes try and add extras to increase his profit for the job, but you can sometimes get these extras pulled. Lowes has vinyl and wood replacement windows, lower tier Pella, but still a good quality. It all depends on what you want, vinyl, wood, divided light. Usually Lowes has a standard price sale of $100 for labor on replacement windows, + what ever the cost of the window is ($100 TO $500). Lowes does not sell a wood replacement window with true or simulated divide glass, which is what I wanted, but they do sell it as new construction window with simulated divided light. Now new-construction windows cost less than a comparable replacement window, but labor is more to install a new construction window. The Contractor has to remove both main window stops (of an old type window) and sets the window in from the outside vs the replacement window where he removes one stop and a small molding strip and sets the window from the inside. In fact the Pella store quotes this new construction window process for replacements, but their standard prices for the window and labor are much higher than Lowes. I mentioned this to Lowes and they stated they never heard of it but their contractor had no issue with doing it that way, but upped the labor higher than I thought it should go. Like I said the Lowes contractors can change what ever they feel like for extras. But in both cases you still end up with a another window frame with-in your existing window, which I decided I did not like after replacing two windows in my Attic by Spectrum Window, so I am looking at tilt-packs. (Marvin & Trimline), just need to find someone who will install them.
Spectrum Window:
They have Fair prices on window replacements, vinyl & wood (with simulated divided light). Had them do two windows in my attic with Wood replacement windows made by Trimline. Trimline is an excellent window and are comparable to Marvin windows but lower cost. I just did not like how I ended up with extra window frame and sill on the outside of the house.
Quantum2 – Their vinyl windows are more expensive than wood windows
I decided I wanted my windows to look original from outside so I have decided to replace most of my windows with tilt-packs, but will recondition my Parlor and Dining room windows and buy original wood storm windows for them.
I initially shied away from tilt-packs based on comments on this board, but I have seen two houses with 50-75% tilt-packs installed and they look great and do not leak like some MOLers state. In fact all the negative comments I have heard are from people relaying what they heard from contractors, and I heard the same thing from contractors. But all the people who had tilt-packs installed say they work great.
Now some window conservatives may think that even tilt-packs are sacrileges, but for the convenience to wash my windows more than twice a year, and getting rid of the hideous storms windows, I’ll make the trade. But I will store the original windows in the garage so if a future owner wants the original windows he/she can put them back in
Apologize for the long message
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Winniegirl
Citizen
Username: Winniegirl
Post Number: 22
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 6:08 pm: |
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Melicious -- Paul Perna's number is 973-632-7457. Again, he is great, but just so you know, he can be chatty (but to me in a good way). I actually didn't want to replace the windows at all -- I loved the wavy glass of our original windows, but I got overruled. Paul actually said he thought the windows were fine the way they were and tried to talk my S.O. out of replacing them. Didn't work, but because of that he really made me feel better by respecting our house and doing a wonderful job.
We didn't go with replacement windows in order to preserve more of the look of the house. The new windows are almost identical to the old ones (except for a 1 inch strip along the bottom of the outside that would be unnoticable if we got around to painting). The one inch strip was necessary because of the pitch of the outside sill. The rest of the windows are perfect. We've had other windows replaced where they make the window a lot smaller then the original frame and then fill it with insulation and cover it up with a piece of wood. These windows were ordered with the minimum allowance put into place very snuggly.
It wasn't cheap. It ended up being $750 a window (for the windows, labor, parts, etc). We ordered some kind of fancy screens for $1000 extra, and we ordered special oil rubbed bronze hardware. The average size of our windows is 53.5 x 41.5. |
Politicalmon
Citizen
Username: Politicalmon
Post Number: 99
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 12:36 pm: |
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We have a old Victorian in Montrose and replaced 25 plus windows on the 1st & 2nd floors. After doing research and talking with Architects it was obvious that Marvins were the only way to go. That is if you want the exact wooden replacement. Otherwize Anderson would be my 2nd choice but be wary there are many different grades of Anderson products and you get what you pay for. I interviewed 4 contractors and ended up with Micheal from Lifetime Aluminum in East Hanover / Florham Park. He was the only one who spent the time and effort to allow our wonderfull detailed interior molding to remain intact. All the others were only interested in ripping it out and fabricating something else. He was reliable and a pleasure to work with - one of the few contractors that we would hire again without hesitation. The total job ended up costing close to $20K but our heating bill has been cut by 1/3. Hope to do the 3rd floor this summer - Marvin is the only company that will cut the windows exactly on spec. He was quite meticulous and professional. I don't believe he works for Lifetime Alum but it appears they use him for installations - the owner passed on his contact info. |
Winniegirl
Citizen
Username: Winniegirl
Post Number: 24
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 8:56 pm: |
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From my experience, I think both Pella and Marvin make good windows, and both of them will cut windows on "spec." |
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