[BigWinston]

Hey Guys,

Great site!

I need your opinions on the following quote: $12,500 (all-in, incl. tax, permit, install and product)

- Milgard Ultra (Tan exterior, white interior)
- 17 Double hung (sizes 30-38 wide by 54" tall)
- All double hungs with 1/2 screen
- 1 large picture window (approx. 72" wide by 50" tall)
- All windows with colonial style two-tone grids
- Two DH windows with obscure glass for the bathrooms
- All windows with Low-E glass with SunCoat Max (with which the heat-bulb demo was very impressive!!)
- All windows with standard white hardware

- Full install (with spray-foam insulation material), clean up and haul away? Company has an 'A' BBB rating.


Seems like a good quote to me. Taking an average over all 18 windows, installed cost is $695.

Should I do it? . Took some quite aggressive negotiating to get them down from the initial quote of $15,600.


Any comments/advice greatly appreciated...!

 

[kwikfishron]

Should I do it? .

Welcome to the forum.

I don’t think anyone here can answer that for you.

It doesn’t sound too out of line depending what market your in.

You don’t mention if any interior or exterior trim work is involved.

I wouldn’t spend that much money without having a couple more bids, checking references and looking at their work.

Did you speak to a contractor or a salesman that wanted you to sign a contract on the spot.

BBB rating really doesn’t mean much.

 

[HomeSealed]

I agree with everything that Ron said. The only thing I'd add, is that I'm not crazy about the type of company that comes in with a ridiculously high-price hoping that you'll bite, and then ends up taking a few thousand off.... They basically just tried to rip you off for $3k. Ethically speaking, how will that translate to the type of job that they will do for you, and how they will respond to your needs in the future?.... Just something to chew on.:thumbsup:

 

[BigWinston]

Thanks for the advice.

Erm, as far as exterior trim work is concerned, it all has to go. It's a brick house, all the windows are original, trim and what looks like a second wooden sill, probably part of the original frame has rot everywhere. I'm told they'll just rip it all out down to the brick and concrete sill, install and a little flashing may be required.

Sadly, all contractor's I've been involved with over the last number of years do the same. I guess because some people "bite". I hate that its done that way, at least in my experiences. Part of owning a house I guess.

Oh, I'm in Oakland County, Suburbia, SE Michigan.

I'd also add, its like buying a car.... You never really know what they're prepared to accept, difference is with a car, you can easily find the invoice price.

 

[DangerMouse]

No way would (could) I ever pay that much, but then again, this is a DIY site....
I installed 14 brand new windows myself and with the "smart shopping" I did, I only ended up paying around $800.00 for them ALL!
Two of them are 6' X 6' Picture windows too! The rest are all double hung, double paned, gas filled, Low-E, etc.

DM

 

[kwikfishron]

I'd also add, its like buying a car.... You never really know what they're prepared to accept, difference is with a car, you can easily find the invoice price.

That’s not necessarily the case if your dealing with a contractor that also does the work. If I give you a price that’s it, take it or leave it. You may talk me down from $12,250 to 12 even but that would be about it. I bid my jobs pretty tight so there isn’t much wiggle room. Doing the work myself with just a helper (sometimes) I can usually give you a better price to begin with since I have no salesman commissions or office staff to pay.

 

[BigWinston]

Then, sadly, I would imagine a lot if your newer customers would naturally assume you have the big frontloaded mark up too?

 

[Jkslate]

Eh, thus is the world of buying and selling. Everyone has a margin they would "like" to meet, and everyone has a margin they are willing to accept in order to get the business. Some companies that margin is larger or smaller.

The price you talked them down to doesn't sound unreasonable, like previously mentioned though, it's hard to know that based on your market and without looking at the actual job itself. It could be an excellent price, or way over priced. Hard to say.

 

[Nevar]

Like the other Gent. said I'd have to see the job first.
But A little flashing ? What the heck is that, how will the exterior be sealed [ Capped ]. Ripping out the old wood jambs, what will the new window be attached too?
What about interior finish trim.
For a direct replacement window with New exterior capping $700. is steep

 

[vsheetz]

• Minimum of three equivilent quotes
• References - contact minimum of three similar and recent jobs each did
• Payment terms are a consideration - both in the cost of money/financing, and how much at what stages of the job

 

[kwikfishron]

Just to add to the subject on references. With every bid I automatically included not just a few but a page of references, 12-15. Two or three starting from recent to jobs going five years back or so. Along with names and numbers I also included type of job and products used.

The problem with getting just a few references of there recent jobs is the “wow factor” hasn’t had a chance to wear off. Wouldn’t you rather know if the customer is still happy 3-5 years later? Wouldn’t you like to know that some time after the installation there was a small issue and to hear the contractor was right there to make things right?

It always amazed me though when I would ask customers if they checked any of the references or looked at any of the work how many of them said no.