Last weekend, I finally decided to tackle the window replacement project I've been putting off forever. Figured I'd go with Andersen windows since my brother-in-law swears by them. Anyway, thought it'd be easy enough to find a local dealer, but turns out it's been kind of a pain. I googled around, and half the places listed either don't carry Andersen anymore or they're weirdly far away. One place I called had a voicemail that sounded like it was recorded in 1998, lol.
I mean, is it just my area or is Andersen getting harder to find locally these days? I'm not super keen on ordering online without seeing stuff in person first, you know? Curious if anyone else has run into this issue or if it's just my luck being typically terrible again...
"I mean, is it just my area or is Andersen getting harder to find locally these days?"
Funny you mention that—I've actually noticed the opposite around here. Andersen dealers seem to be popping up more often, but ironically, it's the smaller, independent places that are carrying them rather than big box stores. Maybe it's just regional distribution quirks or something?
Honestly though, if you're finding Andersen tricky to source locally, have you considered Marvin windows? I've installed both Andersen and Marvin over the years, and I gotta say, Marvin's quality and energy efficiency specs are pretty impressive. Their fiberglass frames (Ultrex) hold up extremely well over time—less expansion and contraction compared to vinyl or wood. Plus, their availability seems more consistent nationwide.
Anyway, might be worth checking out if Andersen keeps giving you headaches. And yeah, I totally get wanting to see windows in person first—ordering sight-unseen online can be risky business...
Their fiberglass frames (Ultrex) hold up extremely well over time—less expansion and contraction compared to vinyl or wood.
Interesting, I've had a similar experience lately. Andersen used to be everywhere around here, but recently it's like they've vanished from the big stores. Had to drive almost an hour last month just to find a showroom that carried their stuff. Marvin's definitely solid—I installed their fiberglass windows in my garage workshop last spring, and they've held up great so far. Still, Andersen's wood options just match my older home's style better, so I keep hunting them down...
Marvin's definitely solid—I installed their fiberglass windows in my garage workshop last spring, and they've held up great so far. Still, Andersen's wood options just match my older home's style...
I've noticed the same thing around here lately. When we bought our first house last year, I figured Andersen windows would be easy to find since they're such a big name. Nope... ended up driving across town twice just to see some samples. Marvin's fiberglass sounds interesting though—never really considered fiberglass before. How do they look compared to wood? Our place is older too, and I'm worried fiberglass might look out of place.
Yeah, Andersen's distribution has gotten pretty spotty lately. I've had clients run into similar headaches—dealers listed online that haven't carried Andersen in years, or places that only stock a limited selection. Marvin fiberglass windows are decent enough, but honestly, if you're aiming for that authentic wood look to match an older home, fiberglass just doesn't cut it visually. Wood still has the edge aesthetically, even if it's more upkeep.