Preservation windows are marketed as some of the best vinyl windows on the market. Do they live up to the hype? We’ll find out, right here.
First off, Preservation windows are manufactured by Associated Materials out of Ohio. Associated Materials is the parent company of several window brands including Alside, Gentek, Revere and Alpine. They bill the Preservation product line as their top of the line offering so let’s see what we can find out.
The first thing you’ll notice if you get a quote for Preservation windows is that they are often sold by companies that use high pressure sales tactics. This is not always the case, but it is common so beware.
Next, let’s take a look at the positives:
- Preservation windows come standard with the upgraded block and tackle balance mechanism which provides for durable window that is easy to operate.
- Preservation windows are also available with a wide range of options including exterior colors and stained glass.
- Standard BetterView screens which allow more light to pass through than typical window screens.
These are all great features, but there isn’t really anything remarkable here.
What do Preservation windows cost?
This is where your flirtation with these windows might end. As we’ve said many times the retail pricing of replacement windows is set by the local dealer and it will vary widely so your milage may vary, but the price of Preservations windows is usually HIGH.
Companies are selling these windows everyday for $800-$1000 per window and there really isn’t anything about them that makes them worth that kind of money. If you can get these windows in the $300-$400 range without too much hassle you might have yourself a fair deal.
What about Preservation windows ratings?
You’re probably seeing a common theme developing here and it’s going to continue when we look at the ratings. The ratings for the different glass options are perfectly good, but there is nothing remarkable about them.
U-Factors in the range of 0.28 to 0.17 are typical across almost all high quality replacement windows.
What are the drawbacks to Preservation windows?
There are a few drawbacks to these windows that are often left out of the sales pitch. When compared to other offerings from Associated Materials you’ll see that the Preservation windows have higher (worse) air infiltration rates compared to the other premium models like Gentek Signature Elite or Revere Berkshire Elite.
That means the Preservation windows will let in more air when closed and locked. That’s not ideal. The difference isn’t super small either. The Signature Elite for example will have an air infiltration rate of 0.04 while the Preservation double hung will be 0.10. To be fair the Preservation Reserve is in the same range, but the Preservation double hung definitely lets in more air.
Next, the Preservation windows will use thicker frames that will block more light compared to other models. We see that in the VT rating. With clear glass the rating for Preservation is 0.56 while the Signature Elite is 0.61. That means you’ll get about 10% more light with other models.
What if I have more questions about Preservation windows?
You can find our Preservation windows FAQ page here. If you don’t see your question just post a comment and we’ll add your question to the list for everyone to see.
What’s the bottom line?
Well, these are fine products. They seem to have fine quality and they have all of the usual options. What turned us off was the price. With companies selling this as “the greatest window ever produced by mankind” you’d think it would mow the lawn and watch the kids. At the end of the day it’s just a pretty decent window. If you can get one for a good price without too much hassle it’s a fine product. There is certainly no reason to pay more for this product than any other comparable replacement window.
For additional options, see reviews on Soft-Lite windows and Alside windows.
Here are more posts you might find helpful:
Can you compare Preservation window and Earthwise window? Structure and price.
Well you have two products here that each leave a little to be desired. I would say Preservation windows are easily a better product, but they typically come with pretty high prices and sales tactics that don’t benefit anyone. Earthwise windows are made by different companies in each city and as a result the quality and reliability is different everywhere you go. Unless you have a great deal on the Preservation windows from a company that treats you well (unlikely, but possible) then I’d keep shopping.
Hi Again!
We got a quote from a nice lady selling Preservations. It was almost strange b/c she just gave a quote, showed some color options and was out the door. I was asking her questions. The quote has been one of the lower quotes…the same price as Simonton and a bit less than Marvin (all fiberglass). We have a 84 x 63 opening – 2 casements and one fixed middle window. The quote was 2400 – window and labor to install. Simonton was 2400 also total cost. Which would you go with or would you suggest checking out Sunrise as well? We are in Wisconsin so letting in some sun is good. I’m a fan of the foam super spacer too – is that good?
thanks so much!
Well, it depends which Simonton model you’re considering. The 5500 has a pretty thick frame, which is similar to the Preservation window. The Preservation is a fine product and the dealer in your area seems to have a solid reputation.
I bought high performance preservation Windows from Paramount Builders. You are right the sales tactics were very pushy, but I fell for it. After signing the contract even though they were expensive I thought I was getting 16 Windows and a patio door replaced. Turned out the sales man misled me and only wrote down 7 Windows and a patio door. I called the company and complained when I realized what he did. To their credit his manager came out and rewrote the contract to replace all 16 windows but not the door for the same price. Still way too expensive at $915.00 a window.
Thank you for the reviews, it has been very helpful. I have it down to the Alside Mezzo or Preservation window. He offered the same price for both windows of $6,649 for 14 double hung, 1 three lite slider, and 2 picture windows. They are white vinyl windows with grids. There is a lifetime warranty on the windows and labor. He also gave us a quote for a 9′ patio door for $2,400. This is the only quote we received for the door.
From your reviews this seems to be a decent deal. We have had several quotes (most selling the Mezzo window) and he seems to be right inline and little cheaper then the other companies.
He suggested we go with the Preservation but i would like to get your thoughts? Any reply would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Matt
When you say if I can get the cost down to 300-400 a window are you meaning for the window only, not including labor/installation costs?
We purchased Preservation Windows through Abby Windows. They are casement windows and we have had nothing but issues with them. They do not seal properly and on very windy days it is like they are open. The trouble shooter is here again today. He was originally going to replace the sashes but is now trying to adjust them. The corners let in cold air.
I do not know where to go from here. We had 13 windows replaced and they were not cheap. Do you know of other issues like this? and how to proceed to get this fixed?
After the service tech and I both knew something was wrong with the windows but had never come across anything like this before, I called in my sales rep from Preservation. We stopped at Michele’s house with 4 men that actually work in the plant and are in management, the regional sales rep flew in, our installation manager, sales rep, service tech and myself were all present. There were 9 of us who wanted to see what was wrong as this was very rare. The plant reps knew it was immediately a production issue with the clamping of the windows. We ordered her all new windows and replaced them all with new exterior trims immediately. I hope you are satisfied with you new batch of Preservation windows and I apologize that the one time this happened, it was to you.
I’m having 1 half window w/extender, 1 half window and 6 double hung windows replaced (EnergyMaxx10). Roughly, how much should I expect to pay for theses windows? My estimate averaged $800 per window which is high based on your article above. However, would the half windows actually justify the price? I just can’t find anything on half window pricing and how it may skew the pricing. Thanks for your assistance!
Could you compare these to the Nordic Guard by Vista Window Co.? We had a salesman do their model home trick with the Nordic line on a 60×124 triple double hung repalced with 1/4 1/2 1/4 and standard slider for 5200. We had snother quote with alside preservation triple panes for 5000 keeping the large double hungs. Thanks. Jesse in WI.
You had a quote for $5000 for 3 windows? I’d suggest you shop a bit more. Start with Angie’s List (discount rates here) and take a look at what other people paid. You can probably get 3 double hungs installed for under $2,000, less if you switch it to a 3-lite slider. You’ll need to do a better job of picking which companies to call so you don’t waste too many more evenings on $5,000 quotes.
Be sure to let us know how it goes!
The quote was for 3 windows and a sliding door. Originally quote A was 5200 and quote B 5000. They are both at 4900 pending our decision. Right now, the big opening is 60″x124″ using 3 single pane windows. The slider is a standard 6ft. Quote A is going to use a 3-lite slider (said they order to size) and quote B is going to use 3 double hungs since they don’t special order windows (said the max is 120″ on a 3-lite) but they can get 3 double hungs to fill the space properly. My hangup is- I can’t find anything useful about the Nordic Guard by Vista Windows (other than the brochure which I had to look at the tiny print on the NFRC label for the manufacturer). The window companies site doesn’t give the name anywhere. It does talk about the construction and all the “good stuff”. The other company does have reviews on angies list (thanks for discounted price). I can also find information about the company and reviews on the windows like this.
Thanks,
Jesse
I would suggest getting windows that are custom made for your home. Most are these days and it doesn’t really affect the price. It doesn’t sound like you’re completely comfortable with either option, but it can be hard to read tone online. If you’re not 100% comfortable I’d go back to Angie’s List to get another quote.
I know it’s a hassle to spend time getting another quote. You are spending a decent amount of money on the project, it’s worthwhile to understand your options.
Thanks for the input! It’s been very helpful and I’m glad I stumbled across this site. The youtube videos were also really good too. A lot of good info there to pair with these review pages.
You are right. I wasn’t 100% confident in choosing anything.
It seemed like a good product. I just did like the single source of info. Just because it’s posted or printed somewhere doesn’t make it true. And if you lie about it enough, you start to believe it yourself. As for the Alside, there were a lot of complaints about drafts and sill issues. There wasn’t a lot of back story to them.. Maybe just install issues.
Thanks again,
Jesse
Glad you’re enjoying the site! You’re right that a lot of issues are caused by the installation. Many folks who offer Alside windows aren’t exactly “experts” and that can lead to customers with bad experiences. Let us know if you have any specific questions, good luck out there!
Just had a company here in the Philadelphia area come out and price 6 windows. $3000 for windows/installation/capping wood trim on exterior of the windows. I think they were Maxx4 windows but for like $200 more I could go to Maxx7.
$500 a window seems just over the $400 or so area you said would be a good deal. The sales guy was the owner and while he was thorough, he wasn’t pushy by any stretch.
Thoughts on the deal?
Hey guys, great info!! I just got a quote for the preservation energymaxx 4 windows, 16 total. windows are about 34 x 54 double hung, full screen. I think a bit high for then. He started at $12,500 and got down to $10,500. I also got a quote if I would upgrade to the energymaxx 7 glass for around $15,500. so that puts me at around $700 a window for the maxx 4 and $1033 for the maxx 7. I have 3 other companies coming with different options, but It looks like this is a bit overprice.
Pricing questions are tough without knowing more details about your project.
What interior and exterior colors have they quoted you? Are there any grids or other decorative features?
I currently am in need of new windows and have a quote for 16 installed Preservation Reserve windows @$400. Is this a good price? We also have a quote for Polaris Theraweld for basically the same price. Which is the better window and why?
I will say, The Preservation is offering me a lifetime warranty and service with the windows
Thanks
A good warranty is certainly worth something. Did he tell you the model number? I believe Preservation Reserve is a different line than the regular Preservation windows which have 9000 model numbers.
If you ask him the model number we can get you additional info about the windows. Good luck!
Thanks for the note – they gave me this
Preservation Reserve R4
That doesn’t tell us which model, but at $400 per window it seems like a reasonable price.
I bought a Preservation Reserve sliding glass door + 5 windows & believed that the high price was due to superior materials, construction, and the LIFETIME transferable warranty. I was wrong. I could not open the sliding door within 1.5 yrs. Homeview sold it to me & sent out people who stated that they could not figure out what was wrong – c’est la vie. I filed a complaint with BBB & Homeview’s owner, Michael T. Zabec, was on its board. He sent another guy to troubleshoot & found that the door had warped – bowed which is why it did not open. It was replaced. Then Homeview went out of business. Innovative Elements bought Homeview so I tracked down just where my LIFETIME warranty stands. Innovative claims it did not purchase Homeview; rather, it only purchased Homeview’s assets & customer list. So, lifetime warranty is not honored. Angie’s List shows the contact for Innovative Elements as as Jason M. Zabec – son of Homeview’s owner? Apparently, Innovative took on more than just client lists. “Take it up with the manufacturers” – Preservation – Val Seifert of Innovative Elements advised. I did.
Preservation claims that their products do not warp, it is the installation that makes them do that. When I told them that my sliding glass door warped before two years passed & the sliders were replaced, the Preservation rep denied it was the door itself & claimed it had to have been improper installation. As a paying customer, I really don’t care why the door warped, I care that it is fixed when it warps. Preservation will charge me $100 just to come to look at its damaged product. Any repair will cost even more. I relayed this tidbit to Val Seifert who told me that was normal for warranties after the 1st year or so – it costs the company $$ to maintain & fix products subject to wear & tear. Why then mislead potential customers by using the LIFETIME warranty hook? It’s a lie isn’t it? After two years or so, customers will need to pay out-of-pocket for repairs. It might just be less expensive to buy a replacement vinyl window from Home Depot than have it “fixed” under Preservation’s warranty. Buyer BEWARE! Lifetime warranties apparently have more holes than Swiss cheese. In addition, I never saved any $$ on my utility bills, I am disgusted & sorry I ever fell for this tripe. I installed a vinyl Home Depot window that has held up as well as the Preservation windows, and I could buy many of them over the years to equal that I paid for one Preservation gas-filled vinyl windows. Keep on top of installation so you won’t encounter my issues & do not be afraid to insist work stop if you are not satisfied. It is true that the sliding glass door was installed crooked & the wood trim rested on the concrete (a no-no even I know about since it wicks moisture & rots/splits). It is still crooked since Homeview never “fixed” it.
Perfect and practical answer. No one should go crazy after the name brand. Life Time warranty means “as long as company exist”. 18 Years ago my local handyman replaced my home old windows with Vinyl, gas filled low E replacement Windows, for @$250 + additional Trim labor cost ($60-90) of various sizes. I found after 20 years Windows are holding OK with fewer leaks. In very cold days (5F) of upstate NY nights, I measured outside facing wall temp (with my laser thermometer) 63F and Window glass temp about 59F while inside wall temp about 68F. I think these reading is fine for the 50 years old house. Majority heat losses are in the ceiling area where I have good (R38) insulation and I am heating my home (68F) with about 120 therm gas consumptions average for 3 months of winter (Dec/Jan/Feb) for a 1800 sqft home.
Hi I was approached by Apex about the Insignia windows. The specs they gave me were
The Insignia’s Technical Specs at a Glance:
COG R Value: 7 (TG2) / 10 (TK2)
COG U-Factor: .15 (TG2) / .10 (TK2) NFRC U-Factor: 0.23 (TG2) / .19 (TK2) SHGC: 0.24 (Both TG2 and TK2) Condensation Resistance: 66 (Both) VT: 0.41 (Both)
The price I was quoted equaled 633 a window, 3 windows need to be wood grain on the inside and white on the outside and 9 white inside and out with all 12 windows upgraded to the bronze hardware. I’ve tried to do research and on angieslist and Apex has great reviews. Living in charlotte I’m not sure if this window is a little overkill and I should look at maybe the Mezzo by Alside from some of your reviews it may be a good fit for me and easier on my budget. I have a lot of shade in my house and am a little worried about the VT with the insignia. Any thoughts would be appreciated! Also this site has really been helpful for someone who knows nothing about widows. Though it’s overwhelming it’s been great reading the comments and reviews!
Would love to hear any updates on your post, Buggie. We were recently approached by Apex here in Colorado to install Insignia E2 windows. The details on one of the casements that they say is representative of what they will be putting in, as per their NFRC sticker: Model 8071, ASO-A-31-04512-00001, solid vinyl, welded, triple glazed, dbl argon, size of 18 x 50.375, u factor 0.21, solar heat gain coefficient of 0.25, visible trans of 0.41 and air leakage of less than or equal to 0.3 U.S. (1.5 metric). The “less than or equal to” is interesting on the air leakage number, because further research has revealed that 0.3 is the worst you can do and still be energy star rated. I feel a draft!
Their initial offer puts the per window cost at somewhere between $650-$715. A little hard to say exactly where in that range, because three of the items in the project are actually sliding doors not windows.
After some one installs the windows and already collects money, how do you know that the installed windows meet the specifications? You may have to hire some one who has all the equipments!!!!
You just believe whatever the expert salesman says!!!!
I am currently gathering quotes for new windows. So far, we have a quote for the Mezzo windows and the Preservation. The Mezzo’s are half the price of the Preservation. We’re leaning towards the Mezzo for this reason. How do the two compare? Is the Preservation a superior window to warrant that much of a difference? Thanks in advance.
Last I saw the Preservation windows have higher (worse) air infiltration ratings and they have very similar efficiency ratings. There are some options available on Preservation windows that are not available on Mezzo windows, but unless you’re looking for extremely efficient triple pane options this might not matter to you. At half price I think the Mezzo offers a pretty good value.
Awesome! Thanks so much! And thank you for this site. Very informative for people like me who know nothing about windows!
Kim,
I sell both windows. The Preservation window is going to be stronger. It has a fiberglass beam in the meeting rail for extra rigidity. It also has the block and tackle balance system which is a smoother balancer and hasn’t caused me one service issue. The Preservation has quad weather stripping on the top sash, triple on the sides compared to one less on the Mezzo for the top/sides. The Mezzo doesn’t have any weep hole which is a new trial by Alside. I don’t know how I feel about that yet.
Preservation also comes standard with better vue screens, the super spacer, cove molding on the inside, recessed locks for a lower profile, a full uninterrupted interlock (The mezzo interlock breaks at the locks which causes a gap). The Preservation also has a 1″ space in between the panes compared to 3/4″ for Mezzo.
Mezzo is latin for Middle. Its the Mid-line of Alside. If you are looking for a high performance window, I would look at the Preservation but add triple pane. It will warm up the glass to help with condensation and get you down to a .20 u-value.
I sell the Mezzo for pricing reasons. I sell the Preservation for performance.
I don’t think it’s fair to give out that sales pitch without acknowledging that the air infiltration rates on the Preservation double hung are WAY higher than the Mezzo. The U-Factors are similar, but the air infiltration rate on a Preservation double hung is 0.20 and the Mezzo is 0.04. If the weather stripping and the interlock make any difference it would show up in the ratings. Since they don’t show up in the ratings it looks like they’re all sales pitch and no impact.
Here are the Preservation air infiltration rates that I downloaded today.
Thanks Window Dog and Abby Windows for the additional info. We had a third quote today for Pella windows. How do the Mezzo, Preservation and the Pella 250 series compare? The Pella is around the same cost as the Preservation quote. Thanks in advance.
I’d agree with Window Dog that the Mezzo is probably the best of that group. It slots in at a lower cost, however it is a newer design and gets better performance based on that engineering. I have no insider info on this (maybe Window Dog does), but I would not be surprised at all if there is a new flagship product in the works at Alside to replace the Preservation/ Ultramaxx/ Sheffield lines. Very few new double hung window designs in the last 20 years utilize a pocket sill. The only reasons it existed were 1) to achieve better performance– which has been rendered an non-issue by the newer welded, sloped sill designs that get excellent structural ratings, and 2) Cost. It is cheaper to design, manufacture, and stock parts for a window that uses the same extrusion for the sill as it does for the head or side jambs by simply punching some holes for moisture drainage.
I’ve heard that they know they need to update the product because it doesn’t compare favorably, but I haven’t heard about a timeline for any changes. We’ll see.
I was very disappointed in the Preservation air infiltration, that was the primary reason for getting old windows replaced. Like so many others, I too fell for the extremely pushy salesman and totally regret it! I also find the hardware very cheap, the crank outs feel like they are going to break every time I use them and they are difficult to operate.
It sounds like you have the Preservation casement windows? If so, would you be able to send a few pictures of the interior? I’m looking for view of the whole window and close ups of the screen, corners, and hardware. You could send to preservation@lx4.faf.myftpupload.com.
Thanks for your help and I’m sorry to hear you’re having issues. The company may be able to adjust them to allow them to operate better.
I know this reply of yours is old, but I’m looking at a Preservation Reserve brochure that touts an air infiltration rate of .04 CFM. Brochure is dated 2017. This seems way better than the figures you posted here. Do you know of any big upgrades to this window line getting better air infiltration ratings? Thanks for any help.
Hi Garrett, yes the Preservation Reserve model does have better air infiltration rates than the more expensive Preservation windows. It’s strange that the more expensive option doesn’t seal as well, but that’s how it works. The main Preservation double hung window has an air infiltration rate of 0.10 for most common sizes.
The Preservation window is the best window money can buy, but only if the company has a no bid installers, like American Home Design in Nashville, Tn. Installation is critical. I will challenge any rep from any company against this window….Any takers?
Sure, the air infiltration is 2-4 times higher than other models made by the same manufacturer and the frames block a fair bit more light than other models. I think it’s a decent window, but if you think it’s the best thing out there you must not have seen too many things. The air infiltration rates on that model are between 0.10 and 0.17, that’s not top of the line in my option. I think the Preservation Reserve window is a nicer option and it’s cheaper too.
What do you see as the main reasons for it’s vast superiority?
Window dog,
I am a Preservation dealer in Milwaukee. I don’t appreciate you grouping every Preservation dealer together as to saying they are all high pressured and use sales tactics. This is one thing I am absolutely against. There are many high pressure window companies that I can name in Milwaukee selling Sunrise, Softlite, Polaris (under private labels as well), etc..
Also, I would be very interested in knowing where I can find an R7 Preservation window with installation between $300-400 per window myself let alone sell it for that. We have had two price increases of about $50 since 2014 so you should also update your figures. There is a huge labor shortage in our industry and finding good installers who speak English, have experience and show up everyday aren’t going to work for $50 per window. There is also the cost of trim coil, lead renovation fees, insulation, caulk, metal outs, full frames, inside stops, etc. So, in order to stay in business, one can’t sell a window installed for a loss. There are overhead costs associated with owning a company as well. I’m not the $1000 a window company but $400 would not even cover my costs! I would literally be losing money.
Furthermore, there are different labor scales for different cities and areas of the country. For example, look at the wage differences of cops/firefighters or costs of living from Alabama to California. Its a sliding scale and again shouldn’t be clumped together as a whole nationwide.
I appreciate your transparency and educating customers on products but pricing and assumptions shouldn’t be determined by one person that is not even in our state!
Thanks for taking the time to write. I have heard about very high labor costs in Milwaukee and that did come as a bit of a surprise to me. Glad to hear you’re treating people well. In my experience many of the Preservation dealers do use high pressure tactics, but you’re right that I shouldn’t paint them all with a broad brush. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
Hi abby
We just were quoted 19000 for 13 triple pane windows installed in our home. We have one large picture window but nothing special. It sounded like the best window made since they are made special for each purchaser. It is a company in La Crosse and the salesman was very nice not too pushy but i guess he sold us a tune. We have signed an agreement that we can cancel in the next three days. Probably should??
I am interested in what a fair price would be for window and install on double hung 34×54 double glass .
I had the sales pitch yesterday and I ordered 16 of them . I am considering cancelling the order as it seems an outrageous price.
There can be a lot that goes into the pricing. If you’re not comfortable my advice is always to cancel the order and get comfortable. You can always go back to them later. They’ll take you back despite their “today only” prices if you decide it was a good deal after all. Feel free to let me know if I can help out.
I am replacing a large window area that has 3 small casements on the top and the 3 larger casements on the bottom of which two crank open. I have quotes from Pella Windows and Preservation. Do have any comments or advice when looking at these two brands to compare which would be the better quality window. Higher efficiency/ better quality is more important to me than the cost. Thanks
They both offer so many options that it’s impossible to say which is better. How did you think the products and pricing compared?
What is a high pressure tactic? A Preservation Window marketing guy came to our home this morning. For their triple-pane windows, it’s about $600/window.
If you received a high pressure tactic you’d know it.
Can you confirm that lifetime warranty is actually a 7-year warranty in Ohio? One window guy tried to market that he gives 10 or 20 year warranties and that they are better than the “lifetime” warranty.
To my knowledge that is not true in any way. It’s a story often told by Renewal by Andersen dealers because they have a 10 year warranty and I bet other companies with short warranties would tell you that story too. I’ve never seen anything to lead me to believe that is true and I’ve been at this a while.
If anyone has anything to substantiate this claim I’d love to see it.
Ok. Anderson warranty is 20 years, 2 labor, 10 hardware, $2,000 per window. AHD, lifetime LABOR/ Install, lifetime manufacturers warranty, glass breakage and screen tear.. 20 year transfer…Bring it. I will challenge anyone as to the quality of our product. Please challenge us…..at half that price. Bring it… you’ll buy ours. Challenge us Anderson? I will present my window against all.
I love a good pitch off. We could record that for the site!
Preservation windows are lifetime transferable. Even if your lawn mower decides to fling a rock and crack your window, they’ll replace it for you.
Thinking of new vinyl Windows, 16 total either double or single hung. I live in southwestern OH. Any comments on two local manufacturers Gilkey or Champion?
We were quoted $10,500 for 14 double hung windows and two large picture windows. This quote was for the Preservation triple pane Energy Maxx 10 windows. Is this a good price? This is our first time with window installation and we don’t feel like we have a lot of information to go on. Thanks for any insight.
I would bet you could find a similar window at a better price if you wanted. Check out this program, we may be able to help out.
Down to two bids from great installers (Angies List).
35 windows.
15K for Preservation 18K for Okna Insultec Deluxe.
Looking through reviews, like the Okna windows, but are they worth the 3K additional price?
Plan on being in home another 7 years, is one better for resale?
Thanks.
$3k is a fair bit of money. One strategy would be to talk to the Okna dealer about what you’re considering and they can probably make sure they’er comparing similar options. Sometimes one company will include features or options that the other company wasn’t including and it’ll make the prices seem to be farther off than they would otherwise be.
I also know of a great company in Atlanta if you’d like another opinion.
Just signed a deal with salesman for 7 Preservation triple paned Double Hung replacement windows installed at $10,823 installed last night. Salesman gave a great presentation and convinced us that the Preservation windows were top of the line. After looking at comments on your website, it looks like we are paying way too much (1,500 per window). I have a couple of days to cancel order.
There certainly are other options that might suit you just as well and save you thousands. Have you checked our section on the best local window companies? I think you’ll find someone who can help.
Hi,
I got a several quotes on windows, and I’ve narrowed it down to this very nice dealer/installer who wasn’t as pushy as the others and gave me quotes on two different windows. This dealer/installer has a super service award and very good ratings on Angie’s List. I’m replacing 19 windows in total: 11 casements, 1 large picture window with casements on each side, 6 double hungs, and 1 slider. The two quotes are below:
– Preservation Energymaxx 4 elite, double pane, double strength glass, and superspacer for just over $11K
– Imperial LS, double pane with superspacer for just over $12.5K
I’m torn! I’ve quite so many mixed reviews about the Preservation windows and that’s what keeps me leaning toward the Imperial LS since it’s seems very well rated . But I’d love to save some money. The price difference is just $1.5K, but I could put $1.5k towards another house project. Have you heard anything negative since Soft Lite was sold to Harvey Building Products? Sometimes under new ownership things can change for the better or worse. The dealer/installer that I’m going through mentioned that it has been a little less timely getting warranty parts from Soft Lite since the new ownership. He told me he has a great relationship with Preservation and can get warranty parts easily. Either way, I know he’ll take care of me if anything would go wrong with either window, but I’d prefer to have a solid window that lasts 20+ years with no issues. I have an 85 year old house with 40 year old aluminum Alside windows, and I need some better worry free energy efficient windows that will help me with the some savings on the utility bills in the long run.
Thanks! Appreciate the advice in advance.
I think both of those windows are generally similar. The drawback to both is that they use thicker frames than some others which blocks a little light. Have you picked on already? If so, what made the difference for you?
I decided to go with the Imperial LS. Their performance looked similar on paper. But I liked that there seemed to more accessible information on Soft Lite the company and the reviews of the Imperial LS were generally more positive. Decided that the bit of extra cost in the end was worth a better peace of mind.
Hello –
I had a company come out yesterday and for 4 Double Hung Windows and 1 Slider (replacing 2 side by side double hungs with a slider) we were quoted $4800 (includes tax, labor, etc) for Preservation Windows. Feldco came out a view days earlier and quoted us $3500 for their Sophia Windows. Though, I don’t feel comfortable going with Feldco. Do you think $4800 is a good price?
Feels a little steep to me. Did you end up picking them or looking at another option?
I used to know a Dan Kasper, any chance we worked together back in the day?
I’d value your opinion on 2 options I’ve narrowed down after having a parade of contractors giving me quotes.
First, both companies are multi-generation family owned businesses that are well reviewed. They both provide a 50 year labor warranty on top of their respective manufacturers warranty. One difference I was able to find was the installation. Option #1 uses the foam padding that already comes on the pocket window and will add additional insulation if necessary. Option #2 makes use of the low expansive spray foam which from what I understand is better at sealing up any air leaks. I was curious about your opinion on these two installation methods.
As far as the window/door options, the first company uses Lindsay Pinnacle Double Pane windows and Heartland Double Pane doors. The second company has the triple pane Preservation windows/doors. Both quotes are basically the same price at around 22K. We are replacing 2x oversized sliding patio doors, 9x standard picture windows, 4x trapezoid picture windows, and 9x double hung windows and 1x sliding window.
For the sake of comparison, I’m using the double hung window specs.
Option 1 – Lindsay Pinnacle Double Pane Windows
U Factor = 0.27
SHGC = 0.20
Air Leakage = 0.13
VT = 0.47
Option 2 – Preservation Energymaxx 7 Triple Pane Windows
U Factor = 0.20
SHGC = 0.23
Air Leakage = 0.17
VT = 0.41
My home (located in central Iowa) has a great room that faces West and the doors and almost all of the windows are for this room alone. I wasn’t going out of my way to look at triple pane options, but the second contractor is running a promotion on the Preservation windows due to it being home show season. I know this reduces the VT numbers, but with so many openings in that room, I don’t think light will be a problem.
The numbers on the Preservation windows seem better, with the exception with the air leakage number. Do you think the improved U-Value with the low expansive foam installation would offset the difference in the air leakage numbers?
They said the Preservation doors would also have the triple pane glass pack. Since I have two set of patio doors and they are oversized, I was thinking this would be a major benefit over the double pane alternative with the other manufacturer.
Thank you for your time and assistance!
As you saw a triple pane window is a fair bit more efficient than a double pane window so for similar money I’d probably pick the more efficient option. I’ve been surprised that they haven’t made a Preservation window with a better air leakage number. You can probably find other options that will get a better seal, but the options are a little more limited in more rural areas.
Did you pick one yet and how did it go?
Does anyone know if you can get Preservation windows that are steel reinforced? Not impact windows, but regular frames with steel reinforcement.
would like some input on the Preservation Reserve (model 3001) double hung vinyl windows. Have quote for replacement of 20 windows for approx. $10,200.
That’s a decent model. It’s essentially the same as a model my company offers and I’m happy to recommend that one. What’s your zip code? We may be able to help with a comparable model.
Has anyone an opinion on the newer MI window Model 1650 Extreme? I know MI has a bad rep for its older products, but I can find nothing bad about this Model 1650. The contractor told me its U-factor is .21, triple pain, argon gas, warm-edge spacers, etc..
My guy wants to charge me $500 per Double Hung window installed.
I can not find this window on the NFRC website. Please advise. Thank you!
My experience with Mi windows has been that they make windows for a very low price point. I would probably look elsewhere if you were looking for a high quality solution.
Thank you. Your comments / expertise are greatly appreciated. I was just hoping someone might have actual experience with MI’s flagship model M1650. On the plus side, my contractor has been installing these for many years.
I just got a quote for 20 Preservation windows for 56,000. Given all that is going on with the economy is this a bad deal? He came down from 68,000 56,000 because he promised to match any other company’s cost. Please advice.
Yes, I think that’s probably a bad deal. There’s a lot that can go into pricing but that seems pretty high to me. What is your zip code? I can probably help you find something else to compare. Or, check this section for recommended companies all over the country.