Good call-outs by everyone. I’ll add: permit fees and processes can vary a lot by location. In my city, the contractor has to pull a permit for window replacements, and it cost me $150. One contractor included that in his quote, another told me I had to go get the permit myself from City Hall (which I did). I actually preferred handling it to save a bit of money, but some people might not want the hassle. So just be clear on who’s doing the permit and at what cost.
Also, in some areas if you're changing the style or size of a window (like turning a window into a patio door, or enlarging a window opening), the permit costs and requirements go up, and you might need additional work (like adding a header, etc.). That could add to cost big time. If you’re just same-size replacements, not an issue, but I thought I’d mention it as something I learned while researching.
On negotiation: when I got my quotes, I flat out told each company “I’m getting multiple quotes and will be comparing.” I think that helped set the tone that I wasn’t going to just sign immediately. Most were understanding and some even pre-emptively gave me their "best price" (though I suspect there was still wiggle room).
@sarahs61 To echo what @dennis_rogue said, those “act now!” discounts are mostly pressure tactics. I actually laughed when one salesman offered me a "manager's special" if I signed that day – he dropped the price by 15% on the spot, which made me wonder why he didn’t just give that price to begin with. I told him I’d still need to think. A few days later, he called me and offered even more off (like another 5%) because “end of month quotas” were coming up. 😂 It did feel a bit like buying a used car.
We ended up not going with that company anyway, but it showed me how their pricing had a lot of padding. So definitely don’t feel bad walking away or taking your time. It can actually get you a better deal when they follow up.
And on how to negotiate: I did a lot over email after the initial visits. I’d email the rep like, “Hey, we really liked your product but the price is a bit higher than others. If we could get it closer to $X, we’d be ready to move forward.” That worked with two companies. It felt easier than haggling face-to-face for me.
Thanks for the advice, all! @dennis_rogue @gaming_duke – that makes sense. I definitely won’t fall for the immediate-sign thing now. I’m going to gather all my quotes first and then circle back.
In fact, had my first sales visit today. As expected, he did the whole dramatic price drop routine. Started at $19k, then magically down to $14k “if I commit before he leaves.” I remembered this thread and literally had to hold in a smirk 😏. I told him politely that I don’t make decisions on the spot. He kept at it for a bit (“let me call my manager” and came back with “okay $13.5k, but that’s rock bottom”). I still said nope.
So I walked away with the $13.5k quote in writing, which I suspect I can still get later if I want it. I’m going to get a couple more quotes in the next week. Feeling a lot more confident now that I know their playbook. Appreciate everyone sharing these tips!
Wow, sounds like you’re handling it like a pro now, @sarahs61!
I’ll share my experience too: We had 10 windows and 1 sliding door done last year. Got three quotes:
Renewal by Andersen: ~
32,000initially😱(yes,for10windows+1door).Theydidthebigshowwithahighquotethensome"discounts"bringingitto
32,000initially😱(yes,for10windows+1door).Theydidthebigshowwithahighquotethensome"discounts"bringingitto
25k if we signed that day.
Pella (through a local Pella dealer): Came in around $18,000 for their wood/clad windows and a fiberglass sliding door. More reasonable but still high.
Local company (using mid-range vinyl windows, I think it was Simonton brand): $11,500, all inclusive.
We were honestly shocked at the RBA price. Even $25k after their so-called discounts was way out of our budget. The Pella quote was tempting because we liked the look of wood, but in the end we chose the local company. Their vinyl windows weren’t as fancy, but they were good quality and energy-efficient.
The local company’s quote spelled out everything: permit, installation, exterior wrapping, removal of old windows, etc. No surprises at all. And we still asked, “Is that the best you can do?” and they knocked off about $500 as a "new customer discount" when we signed.
No major hidden costs came up during install either. The only small extra was we decided to have them install new interior trim on one window where the old trim was in bad shape, which cost an extra $200. They told us ahead of time, so it was fine.
Long story short: those big name companies can charge double or more. You pay a premium for the name and maybe some bells and whistles. But you can absolutely get great results from a lesser-known local outfit for way less money. Just make sure to check reviews and references on whoever you choose, so you know they’ll do good work even if the price is low.
Has anyone here tried getting quotes from the big box stores like Home Depot or Lowe’s? I got one from Home Depot just for comparison, and it was kind of strange. They subcontract installers, and the quote was not actually that cheap. For 6 windows, Home Depot’s quote came out to around $9k (using Simonton windows, I believe). They did itemize it: there was even a charge for “measurement services” of $100 which would be refunded if I went ahead with the order. Kinda felt nickel-and-dimed.
In contrast, a local window company quoted me $7.5k for the same 6 windows, using a comparable product. And that included everything, no weird fees.
I always assumed Home Depot/Lowe’s would be cheaper, but not really. Maybe the benefit is some financing deal or something, but price-wise they weren’t impressive. I’m leaning towards the local company, but curious if others have had different experiences with the home improvement store route. Did you find any hidden costs or advantages there?
We looked at the Home Depot option too. In our case Lowe’s, actually. We found similar to you: the quote wasn’t much better than a local contractor. Lowe’s quoted us about $10k for 10 windows (ReliaBilt vinyl windows). A local independent guy gave $9.2k for 10 windows (for an even better window brand). We ended up going with the local guy.
One thing I noticed with the big stores – their quote had some corporate overhead built in, and the timeline was longer (they said it would take 8-10 weeks to get the windows). The local company got it done in 4 weeks.
That measuring fee you mentioned is basically to make sure you’re serious (they refund it later). Kinda silly but I guess it weeds out tire-kickers. There were also separate charges in the fine print for things like “exterior trim not included” – they would have charged extra if any exterior wood needed replacing or wrapping.
So yeah, no significant advantage with the big box stores, except maybe convenience. But you still have to deal with subcontractors anyway. For negotiation, those store quotes felt pretty fixed – the rep told me the prices are what they are, not much wiggle. A local contractor was more flexible on price.
I want to highlight something @patricia_peak touched on: full frame vs insert installations, and how that can impact both cost and surprises. Our home is older (built 1955) and we had some rot in the window frames. We decided to do full frame replacements on a few windows because of that. It cost more upfront (each full frame window was like $300 more than an insert would have been), but it meant they completely removed the old frame and trim and could address the rot.
Some quotes we got were for inserts only (cheaper, less labor), and those salespeople either didn’t mention the existing rot or didn’t notice it. That could’ve been a nasty surprise later if we went with them – they’d pull out the sash and then be like “oh, the frame is bad, this will cost extra or not work as planned.”
So, if you have an older house, ask the contractor if they saw any issues with the frames or sills and how they would handle it. In our case, doing the more expensive full frame install on the windows that needed it saved us from future headaches. The quote that we went with clearly stated “2 windows to be full-frame replacement, including new interior wood trim and exterior cladding.” We did have to paint the new interior trim ourselves afterwards (to save money), but that was minor.
TL;DR: Make sure the quote accounts for the condition of your existing window frames. Insert replacements are cheaper but won't fix underlying frame problems, which could lead to unexpected costs mid-project.
@vr812 Great point. In my project, one contractor did mention that some sills looked a bit suspect. He actually built in a small contingency in the quote (like “Up to 2 hours of carpentry included for minor rot repair”). I appreciated that, even though we ended up needing more than 2 hours for one window and paid extra, at least he set the expectation.
Another contractor we had bid didn’t say a peep about potential rot and would have just hit us with a change order later no doubt. We didn’t choose that one partly because of that – I got a better vibe from the guy who was upfront about possible issues.
It’s definitely something folks should discuss with their installer during the quote: “What if you find damage? How is it handled and billed?” A good company will be transparent about that.
And yeah, full frame vs insert can change the cost a lot. If you can avoid full frame (no significant rot, etc.), inserts are fine and cheaper. But when needed, better to pay more and do it right, as you did.
Negotiation strategy tip: If the quote is still too high for your budget, see if there are options to tweak the project scope that can bring it down. When I was getting quotes, one came in about $2k over what I was willing to spend. I talked to the contractor and we found a few adjustments:
I opted for double-pane glass instead of triple-pane on a few windows (I originally thought I wanted triple for energy savings, but double-pane is fine in our climate). That saved a few hundred bucks.
I skipped decorative grilles (grids) between the glass that I had spec’d for the front windows. Purely cosmetic, and removing them knocked off a bit more.
We also decided to do the window capping (aluminum trim) on the front windows only, and not on a couple of side windows that aren’t visible (we can paint those wood trims ourselves to protect them). The contractor was fine with that and it saved some money.
After those changes, he re-quoted and we were within my budget. So, sometimes negotiating isn’t just about “give me a discount” – it can be a discussion to modify the work to meet your target price. A good contractor will work with you on that.
Of course, you want to be careful not to cut out important things just to save money. But if there are nice-to-haves or upgrades (like triple pane, fancy hardware finishes, etc.), you can decide if they’re worth the cost.
Also, timing can be your friend. We learned that window companies have busy seasons and slow seasons. During peak spring/summer, they might not deal much on price because they have plenty of work. But in the off-season (like winter), they often run promotions or are more willing to negotiate to fill their schedule.
In my case, we scheduled our window install for early December. The company gave us about 15% off compared to the quote we got for the same work in September. They straight up said, “if you can wait until our slow season, we can offer a discount.” Fine by me – we lived with the old windows a couple months longer and saved like $1,500.
So if you’re not in a rush, it could be worth asking, “Do you have any off-season rates or upcoming promotions?” The worst they say is no. Some places do year-end sales or early-year (January/February) specials to keep crews working.