I was wondering about buying windows myself and then hiring an installer. Like, go to a supply place, get the windows (maybe cheaper or exactly what I want), and just pay labor to someone to put them in. Did anyone here try that route or consider it?
I have a cousin who can get contractor pricing on some window brands, and I was thinking if I buy through him and then use a handyman or contractor to install, it might save money. But I’m not sure if the reputable installers would even do labor-only jobs, or if they'd charge more since they’re not making a margin on the product.
Keen to hear if someone went that way and how it turned out cost and quality-wise.
@charliebaker I explored that idea briefly. I found that many window contractors prefer to provide the window themselves because then they're familiar with the product and can warranty both the product and installation. If you bring your own windows, some will still do it but might not offer any warranty on the window (just the install, if that).
Also, as you guessed, they may charge more for labor since they’re not making money off the product. One installer told me plainly: if he installs customer-supplied windows and something goes wrong with the window (like a defect), it can become a finger-pointing game, so he doesn’t like doing it.
Price-wise, when I priced out buying windows myself from a distributor, it wasn’t that much cheaper than what the contractors were charging me. They often get better bulk rates than I could get. My savings would have been maybe 10%, but then I'd have to coordinate everything.
I ultimately decided to have the window company do it all, for peace of mind. The only scenario I think buying yourself might save a lot is if you get windows second-hand or surplus (like someone selling unused windows cheaply) and have a buddy to install. But that’s a lot of risk and effort.
In summary: It can be done, but the hassle might outweigh the small cost benefit. If you do go that way, make sure your installer is okay with it and you have clear agreement on responsibilities.
I actually did a mix on a rental property of mine: I personally bought two windows from Home Depot (standard size vinyl) and hired a handyman to install them. Then for the rest of the house I hired a professional window company. Let me tell you, the ones the handyman did were cheaper on paper, but the install wasn’t as clean. They work, but I can see the difference in finish quality.
I mainly did it because I was experimenting to see if I could save. The two DIY-route windows cost me about $300 each for the window and $200 each for the handyman = $500 each total. The professional install windows averaged $700 each all in. So I saved $400 on those two windows. But again, the look isn’t as good, and the handyman didn’t foam insulate around the frame like the pros did, so I ended up doing it myself after.
I’d only recommend going that way if you’re very cost constrained and maybe for less critical windows (like a garage or shed or something). For my main home, I’d stick with a pro who handles the whole package.
@gardener67 Which series of Marvin and Okna did you compare, if you recall? I’m in a similar boat (Marvin Elevate vs Soft-Lite Elements in my case). I know the premium stuff is great, but man the prices.
@jakeguitarist Sure, it was Marvin Infinity (all fiberglass) versus Okna 500 series (Insul-Tec, vinyl). The Infinity was quoted around $1,200 per window installed. The Okna 500 came to about $800 per window. We negotiated the Infinity down to maybe $1,100 each, but still opted for Okna around $750 each after some haggling.
Different materials so it's not apples-to-apples, but we prioritized a good vinyl vs spending nearly double for fiberglass. I’ve heard Soft-Lite Elements are top-tier vinyl, so you’re also comparing two good options. If the Soft-Lite quote is a lot lower, it’s a strong case to choose that. But Marvin Elevate are wood interior/fiberglass exterior, I believe, so you get that wood finish inside if that matters to you.
In any case, like others have said, you can’t really go wrong with quality windows – just a matter of budget. Try to see if Marvin dealer will budge closer to the vinyl price or throw in something (maybe free divided lites or something) to sweeten the deal.
I had quotes from both Pella and Andersen for wood windows. Pella’s was a bit lower but I’d heard mixed reviews about their service. Andersen’s (from their certified installer, not Renewal) was higher by maybe 10%. I told the Andersen guy that Pella was cheaper, and he matched the price on the windows but said he truly believed Andersen’s product was better and warranted the small difference.
We went with Andersen 400 Series in the end, and negotiated about an 8% total discount off initial. Pella had offered 10% off theirs (some promo). At the end of the day, price difference wasn’t huge, so we chose based on which company we trusted more (and we liked the Andersen sales rep/installer's approach).
One interesting thing: the Andersen installer included a 2-year labor warranty, Pella’s was 1-year. That became a small factor too (I used it to say “hey Pella only covers 1 year, you guys cover 2, that's worth something but maybe meet me halfway on price”, etc.).
So if anyone is comparing two big brands, don’t just look at price – consider warranty, how you feel about the rep, etc., then use the quotes to squeeze a bit out of whichever you lean toward.
We also had Pella vs Andersen quotes and ended up with Andersen. Similar to @ryanwhiskers230. We got each to come down maybe ~5%. Neither was going to drop drastically since they were fairly close to begin with. It came down to preference for us.
One thing with these well-known brands: their pricing was a little less elastic than the really high-pressure companies or the smaller ones. They seem to have a narrower window (no pun intended) for negotiation. But they do compete with each other.
I kind of played Pella and Andersen off each other by asking each, “what can you do to make this a no-brainer for me?” and mentioning the other. Got a little concession from both, but ultimately chose Andersen due to better reputation in our area.
So yeah, you might not get 20% off from them, but a few percent plus maybe an upgrade thrown in is doable.
Reading all this, I wish I had done more of it when I got my windows. I confess, I only got one quote (from Renewal by Andersen) and, gulp, I signed pretty much on the spot. I was naive and taken in by the presentation and just wanted it done. Only later did I realize I probably overpaid by a lot (I paid about $30k for 11 windows). They are great windows, but I’m sure I could have gotten comparable results for less.
I have a bit of buyer’s remorse seeing how much others saved by shopping around and negotiating. Lesson learned for me: ALWAYS get multiple quotes. Even if you love the first company, it doesn’t hurt to see what others charge. You either use it to negotiate or you confirm that first one is fair.
So I’m really glad people are sharing this knowledge. If I could turn back time, I’d do what y’all did. At least now I can advise friends not to do what I did, haha.
On the flip side, I went all-out and got 7 quotes because I wanted to be super thorough (maybe overkill, but hey). It was actually fascinating. The lowest was about $7,500 and the highest was $20,000 for 9 windows, same sizes all around. The cheapest one was from a very small operation with a cheaper window line; the most expensive was a national brand with all the bells and whistles.
Most were in the middle (
10k−
10k−
14k range). We ended up taking a mid-priced quote from a reputable local company that was $12k initially. Using the other quotes, I got them down to $11k even. Not the absolute lowest, but we felt best about their product and reviews.
So my strategy was: gather a bunch of numbers, eliminate the outliers (super cheap and super expensive), then leverage the remaining ones against each other. It was a bit of work (and my wife joked I was turning it into a science project), but I feel confident we made the right choice and paid a fair price.
If you have the patience, more quotes can only help your understanding. Just keep a spreadsheet or notes, because it can get confusing with all the details who included what.
I’ll admit I tried to drive a hard bargain with one company and it backfired. I basically told the salesperson his quote was absurd and I had way better offers (I may have exaggerated a bit). He pretty much said, “Maybe we’re not the right fit for you,” and ended the visit early. 😳 Felt a bit awkward.
So, pro tip: be firm but don’t be rude or overly aggressive. These folks take pride in their work too, and if you essentially say “your work isn’t worth that,” it can sour the discussion. I learned to approach it more tactfully with the next companies – more like “I love what you’re offering, but it’s a tad high for my budget, is there any way to make it more affordable?” That got better results.
In the end I went with another company that was receptive to negotiating. But I sometimes wonder if I could’ve had the first guy do it if I hadn’t put him off by low-balling him and insulting the price.
So yeah, negotiating is an art. Be respectful. 😅