We are happy customers of Renewal by Andersen. These windows are awesome....love them! Yes, they are pricey. And we spent a few sleepless nights after signing on the dotted line. But here is why we chose the windows: the quality and the warranty. The quality is the best. You know about Trex composite decking? Andersen developed the material and it's what they use for the frames. Research the longevity of Trex and you'll learn about the window frames. The construction is solid and substantial...not like the thin construction of an aluminum frame. As for the glass and nitrogen injection between the pains, our house is so much cooler in the hot Oklahoma sun. It's crazy! The demo you're shown regarding heat against the windows in your house compared to an Andersen window is pretty remarkable. We didn't replace the narrow windows on either side of the front door. I can put my had next to them and then to my new windows....it's nuts the difference.
Their warranty is the best. You know how you buy tires that advertise a 60K mile warranty? Who ever gets that many miles even with the recommend balance and rotation? So if I buy an aluminum window with a 15-20 year warranty (and that's a high end grade) will I get 15-20 years? Maybe. Andersen windows are warranted for their lifetime. The warranty document is a single 8.5x11 piece of paper with type you can read without glasses. I will never have to purchase another window again...or window screens for that matter. And, while there is a installation warranty timeframe (that is generous), the window warranty transfers 100% if you sell your house.
Here was our deciding factor that saw us through the initial sleepless nights: we're in our 50's and we intend to live out our lives in this home. We needed new windows now. We chose to spend more money now, in our earning years, because we didn't want to buy more windows in our late 60's/early 70's. It is an expense we will never have to address again. We will never have to pay for a replacement window...for whatever the reason the replacement is needed. Screens too. If our dogs tear a screen, it is replaced at no charge. Our intention is to purchase products for our home that will see us through to the end. When it's time to sell the house, these windows have a very good rate of return on the investment. With that said, if you absolutely know you will not live in your house for x number of years (you run the calculations for your situation) then maybe the cost of these windows are not for you. But if you're like us then these windows are absolutely worth the investment.
Installation: It did not go off without a hitch. We bought windows during the most rainiest spring on record so they didn't get installed during the agreed upon timeframe. Aggravating, but it was out of everyone's hands. One group of installers did a substandard job on a few of the windows. No one likes it...but it can happen. This is where the quality and leadership of the salesman and managers really shows in a company. Andersen was on top of it...dealt with the situation promptly....came to our house themselves to discuss the situation instead of just handling it over the phone. Because of the number of rainy days and the longer installation timeframe, we had three groups of installers overall. Two of the three groups did an outstanding installation job. We felt comfortable with all three groups in our house though. (Andersen was willing to work with the group who did the poor job...and I like that with a company...but that group chose to move on.)
Price: Just like the reviews I read prior to purchasing....pricey but worth it. I negotiate on every large purchase and these windows were no different.
Would we do it again...even with the same scenario? Yes, absolutely. Worth every penny! read more