I have a customer who wants his windows replaced. He is requesting windows with the blinds between the glass.
I have not personally “touched” this type of window. My salesman say they are Pella windows and basically told me he would rather lose the sale than sell them to me.
I am looking at doing all windows in the house. House is brick. I do not want to do replacement windows for several reasons. Biggest reason is I am located coastal NC.
Has anyone had experience with these windows or have any suggestions. I know I can get custom “new construction” to fit.
John
Replies
I have newer windows in my house and they are in brick walls. It looks like they just glued them in with LOTS of silcone.
It sounds like you have answered your own question. The owner wants the blinds in the window and Pella is it.
Edited 3/7/2008 8:19 pm ET by popawheelie
I would not do them again. I installed a few doors and windows from Pella w/them..we had a rep on site to try to fix the problems ( I couldn't get the krap to work properly), and HE was pulling his hair out.
Thumbs down.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
IMO, Pella's got one of the worst customer service depts. of all the window maufacturers.
I've dealt with them a few times, and hope to never do it again.
One thing to tell your customer- the Pellas with the blinds between the glass really aren't insulated windows. There's a removable glass panel on the inside for access to the blinds. And dirt and grime will build up between the panels, and will have to be cleaned every once in a while.
I like Andersen windows, and would have no problem recommending them to anyone.
Your post is almost word for word what my salesman told me.
It seems there are more against than for this product.
John
Give them a line about how much heat is between windows in the summer and how it will break down the blinds in a short time. Tell them to look at in interior option. I am sure they could get some really nice custom blinds for the cost difference of those pellas. Marvin is also a really nice window.Just my two centsJeb
I haven't used Pellas in years, but I did have one job where the windows were delivered with a couple damaged.
It took forever to get that straightened out. And it took multiple phone calls.
I've had Andersens delivered with damage, and had everything resolved in a day or two.
If forced, I would probably install Pellas again. But only if someone else was responsible for dealing with them.
Your salesman doesn't want to deal with them because he can't. Pella windows are sold only by factory sales associates, and I've found their service to be excellent so I suppose it depends of which sales office you're working with.
The inside blinds are available only on the Pella Designer series and they're excellent windows. They're available also with true insulated glass and a third removable glass panel that contains the shades.
Solar & Super-Insulated Healthy Homes
you must have the only service rep. in the country that is doing their job. Call the co. and see how long it takes them to get back to you.
They will only respond to sales questions, service, back burner.
I don't know why everybody (well-lots) on this site have so much trouble with Pella.
I install mostly Patio Doors for the local Pella retail outlet on a referral basis. The product and service have always been very good for me and my clients.
The rep, very professionally, handles salesmanship of product, pricing and features. He'll go out and measure, look at the project and make suggestions. Then I come in and bid the install, buy the product at my rate and put it in.
It's been a win, win, win for all parties thus far.
Apart from the product itself, gripes result from not having local Pella representation like I do.
"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing..."
For me, it seems like if you don't deal exclusively with the local Pella rep, you're not going to get decent service.
I'm a small remodeling contractor. I don't buy a lot of windows. The Pella stores around here act like they don't even want my business. My local yard, that sells Andersens, will just about bend over backwards to keep me and my customers happy.
If you get good service from Pella, keep using them. I don't have a problem so much with their product, as with their service. And when I had the problem with the local distributor, I tried to go above them to get better results, and got no where.
"The Pella stores around here act like they don't even want my business"
It's the Pella store and rep that actually asked me to join their list of contractors for install referrals.
Now I'll bring my customers to them, or they'll refer me. Either way, the rep is more than willing to provide the sales end, come out, measure. I asked him to do a service call on one job. The client wanted a 12' slider set in place of 4 windows and I rec. Pella. They scoffed and showed me a bay window they said was a pella product--was leaking, fogged. They'd not go pella, no way.
I asked the rep to come out and check it. It was a "Posi" brand--not pella. He showed them the product and I installed a nice unit for them.
I will say this. Working alone, I Anderson's nice because the unit's NOT assembled--therefore lighter! (ouch my back!)"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing..."
Like I said- if Pella works for you, go for it. Your Pella store must have much better management than the one I went to.
I am like you. A small remodeling contractor. My yard treats me like one of the "big boys" .
That is why I asked the question here when my salesman told me his opinion on them.
John
a pella rep told a customer whom we built a 5000' custom home that our installation was not to pella spects. We called pella for their specs. 5 years later we are still waiting for a reply.
Pella rep had one of there contractors install the windows
to make a long story short we will not frame a house for anyone who uses Pella
WE went and saw the windows after the Pella comtractor installed.
It is obvious they can't read a level!!!
The insults are unwarentted.
"The insults are unwarentted."
Do you mean me? I'm confused. I didn't realize if I insulted anyone.
Whatever, I guess...
"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing..."
I have had good luck with both pella's and their (our) local distributor. The blinds are a bit of a pain in the butt till you get the hang of them (have the dist. install them if you wish {$}).
DO NOT use silicone to caulk those windows to the brick! Use Urethane caulk-tape the edges if you want a truly straight line.
Ask about their jamb clips for setting the frames.
Best of luck.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
Thanks for all the replys. Have to meet with him and see where we are.
John
There are some other brands.
http://www.eaglewindow.com/Freedom/Blinds---Shades.aspx
http://www.sunrisewindows.com/options.html#sbss
http://www.invisiblestorms.com/tech_info/bgbo.html
http://www.alphadoorandrail.com/blinds.html
There are some others that I have not figured out if they are OEM suppliers or sell somekind of "addon" systems are what.
http://www.oemshades.com/BTG.HTM
http://www.windowaccess.com/BetweenGlass.cfm
http://www.4specs.com/s/12/12-2000.html
I found these with a google on - windows blinds between glass -
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I've installed Pella window with the blinds and I was not to impressed, considering what the customer paid for them. We had a heck of a time squaring them up.
I would guess that your paying for about 50% marketing and 50% window. Look at the Eagle windows mentioned above, they make a nice window, for about the same cost. They also have a lot of colors to choose from too.
I have installed i few pella windows in my time. i can say that i really never had much trouble with the blinds inbetween the glass, they need a careful touch making sure they are installed right the newer ones are made even more friendly. the replacement windows by pella are nice
i used andersen and pella and prefer the pella.
my pella dealer have always been very helpful.
Ie oly had experience with the pella replacements. I liked them better than thivinyl option or the amb pack options tat I came across. We have a decent pella store near us ut it still is not as good service as anderson. I am not sure about the shade option as I've only checked them out at the showroom. I did remember thinking to myself that they looked (and felt) like tey wouldn't last the long haul. I would be inclined to check out some of the other links that was posted here before deciding. Recetly installed some jeldwen windows and was impressed after thinking all along they were just low end brand windows. good luck."it aint the work I mind,
It's the feeling of falling further behind."Bozini Latinihttp://www.ingrainedwoodworking.com
Well I have talked him out of the "blinds".
We are dealing with a late 70's brick home near the coast, I would like to stay away from replacement windows. Just have not seen anything good with them on the coast and we will lose "glass".
Can anyone reccomend a new construction window in vinyl? I have used Simonton and they seem pretty good. Not sure how a Simonton new contruction will go in the brick and look.
John
you have a perfect oportunity now in brick house to use replacement windows
I think you are trying to confuse me. You say you are shying away from replacement windows...then ask about putting vinyl replacement windows...Huh????? Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
I want to use vinyl new construction windows. I do not want to knock out the existing sashes and slide in a replacement window.
I want to remove the entire existing window down to the RO.
Unless I am confused on the terminoligy.
John
I understand now. Almost every window company can supply you with replacement windows that fasten to the original framing using screws/nails and shims. That's old fashioned idea...but it works! Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
I installed 25 of the Pella casement windows with miniblinds between the thermopane panel and an interior glass sash in a CT beach house. They were junk!!! In the windows receiving heavy sunshime the mastic or tape holding the blinds cooked and they fell to the botton of the unit. When open the sash cords whipped in the breese and were hopelessly knoted so you couldn't raise or lower nor adjust the the things Great concept but bad design!!
so did robert hunt replace them for you or not
Notjust
the hunt co surveyed all the damage with the home owner and dumped a load of stuff on his porch. I have no yet done the repairs and am not looking forward to it
The major problem with the blinds inside the glass is this: when you open your windows to take advantage of nice weather, you don't have the blinds! That means, you'll still have to buy some form of window covering, thus negating the advantage that Pella (Rollscreen) claims.
Bob's next test date: 12/10/07
Thanks for the info. I did not know that. I have not seen these windows yet. We are still in the planning stages and the customer asked about them.
I am just researching them now.
John