Best place to buy Marvin windows?

That’s right, window dealer was not making it up. Plus storm windows don’t have to be expensive. It wasn’t an excuse – I think he was basically saying there only so much that can be done. I am sure I don’t have the best installation but three different window experts didn’t fault it completely so it’s probably a combination. My Jen Welds actually work better than the Marvins. I don’t feel the air. I’m not following the insulation between floor and window. Floors should be sealed so there is no air getting sucked up from below but that’s separate from around the window frames.

Guest User | 4 years ago

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Guest User | 4 years and 3 months ago

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I’ve been trying to price Marvin windows and every place I’ve tried so far has terrible salespeople who drag their feet to give a quote… I’d like to work with a company that’s responsive and gives good service. Does anyone have recommendations for a good place to get Marvins?

hkapstein | 4 years and 3 months ago

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Try giving rebecca levin a call. https://www.rlarchitectural.com/

hkapstein | 4 years and 3 months ago

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By the way, I’m currently doing a window project, and I learned a lot about windows, so I’ll share some of what I know. After looking at options, I decided to make my own weight and chain wood landmark windows, and I priced out all the materials and labor. Here’s some things I learned.

First, a window factory like marvin can make windows cheaper than I can because of better production scale. That advantage is largely lost when you fact in freight, sales and installation costs. If you pay 3000 for a window, the manufacturer probably sees half that. Building my own windows, the installation cost is also built in as the same fol
ks doing the fabrication can do the installation. For factory, any customizations have a large increase as you noticed with the trimlines. If you want a non-standard wood, or a you have an arch on top, or a special lite pattern, that will start to get expensive. By the way, I’m not recommending you make your own windows, I’m just sharing my experience.

Now with factory windows, the first thing you should try to find out is how much the windows act ually cost. Anyone can buy a window from dykes, and other similar non-installing sellers. So price them there. You might be able to get the dykes price down by 10-20% from the walkup price so factor that in. Let’s say one of the windows comes in at 2000 bucks. Okay. Let’s say they need 2 days to do the install with 2 guys. So that’s probably like 1200 bucks in labor costs. So if you had 8 windows at 2000 a windows, now you’re at 16k+1200 = ~17k. Now the window shop will have some markup on the installation/delivery etc, so you can try to estimate what you think is reasonable for that.

Manufacturers I would get prices from:

Marvin
Parret(often cheaper than marvin, but could have longer lead times)
Kolbe
Lepage

There are others, and depending on the specs of your windows, it may be worth looking at other companies that might mass produce that style, jeld wen, anderson, pella etc.

Wood type:
Probably the best choice right now is Sapele or African Mahogany. The two main features that are crucial are rot resistance and dimensional stability. You don’t want the windows to stick, and if they rot out in 5 years it won’t be worth saving a few hundred bucks. Pine is typically a cheap choice that is not adequately rot resistant. White oak is pretty rot resistant, but not as dimensionally stable. A 3rd consideration is whether the wood will be painted or varnished and how it will look when finished. I recommend painting the wood, at least on the outside as this will hold up much better than varnish, and be easier to maintain.

greenworks | 4 years and 3 months ago

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We’ve done two rounds of marvins and I’d just say shop around. Some places will discount more than others.

I got most of the names for quotes from searching the forum btw. But you should also think outside the box and price places in outer outer parts of boroughs and Nassau.

Our window purchases were a couple of years ago tho, and for the then called ultimate next generation II windows. We just priced an exterior door from their lower line and the prices didn’t vary much. Could be things have changed or could be there’s more profit on the better line to discount off.

Guest User | 4 years and 3 months ago

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25 years ago I replaced all of the the old wood single pane windows in my 4 story brownstone house with double pane all aluminum windows. I was aware at the time that high end windows like Marvin, Pella etc. were more energy efficient and cosmetically more pleasing but price was a factor. The aluminum windows have held up well over the years and while this may be misinformation I understand that recouping the cost of high end windows through energy savings over the less efficient aluminum windows would take like 100 years.

RobertGMarvin

in General Discussion 4 years and 3 months ago

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I did V something similar to Longtimer >40 years ago, installing triple pane aluminum windows. They’ve held up well, requiring only the replacement of some spring balances. However, this was before my neighborhood got Historic District designation only 1979. I don’t think such windows would be permitted now.

Hardcharger | 4 years and 3 months ago

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I bought Marvins at Dykes Lumber. If you can sit down with Ritchie he is soo thorough and best prices. He gives you a lot of time, so it is worth waiting for him. I knew how to measure my windows but your contractor may need to do that for you. I used a company called NYC window repair and these guys were so nice. This was 2004 and I thought they undercharged me. I had $50.00 bills in my shirt pocket and they were really clean. They fixed two other windows when they were there. This worked for me rather than the one store way. I felt there was a lot of mark up, Which I am not opposed to, but I feel like the salesmen don’t really know the guys who screw then in.

stevecym | 4 years and 3 months ago

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Someone here said try nassau. I just checked riverhead building supply and they carry marvin. They have a location in mineola. A lot of people on long island think highly of them, their call center is staffed with competent people, and i frequently go there when i dont feel like running to dykes.

RobertGMarvin

in General Discussion 4 years and 3 months ago

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Would a c suburban dealer be familiar with t he e long narrow windows that fit brownstones?

greenworks | 4 years and 3 months ago

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@bob We used one “city” and one “suburban” dealer and the suburban did just fine. The contractor doing the measurements and specs is the one who I’d want to be familiar- to have the dealer also super familiar would be nice but not necessary in my mind. Our dealers had minimal input compared with our contractors., who were the ones on the hook for the measurements.

We didnt have an architect or LPC involved either, but if OP does, there’s another set of eyes to make sure those suburban dudes don’t screw it up.

Guest User | 4 years and 3 months ago

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Is there a windows company that I can order the Marvins from that also can install them? i thought I read it’s better to have a windows company install rather than your GC?

hkapstein | 4 years and 3 months ago

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I think what is key for someone like you is to have the windows installed by the same person who measures and orders them. That way if the window specs are off, the problem does not belong to you. If you measure and buy and your GC installs, you will have to deal with any fit problems because the GC wasn’t responsible for measuring. Now the answer is, yes you can get a window company to install, and possibly at a good price, but only if you know the right prices. So get the quote from dykes, and figure out what is reasonable for installation labor, and bid it out to four different shops. When the window installers ask who you are, say you work for your GC’s company. ie. “Hi, I’m squibsie with XYZ contracting inc.”. I need 8 landmark wooden windows, supplied and installed. Is that something you’d be interested in? Great. Is there an email where I can send you the window schedule(ie the list of windows with specs)?

Guest User | 4 years ago

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I dislike my Marvins and regret buying them. They move in the frame and let cold air in on all sides. I am sure poor install is a factor but I had three different window installers look at it and consensus was not much could be done about the air leakage. My window dealer also said that in Minnesota (Marvin HQ state) everyone has a storm window in front of the Marvins to keep the cold out. Replacing them as soon as I am able to afford it.

helen40

in General Discussion 4 years ago

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Bad window installation. Not a bad window. And nonsense from the window dealer. (So in MN, they have so much money to throw around, they buy Marvins and then a storm window over it? Sure)

The windows should not move in the frame except vertically. And with our Marvins, which are tight like a drum, all of the air penetration is due to poor (or no) insulation near the frames, like between the floor and the window, not the window itself.

dorkofwindsor | 4 years ago

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  int(1)
}

bored_at_work everyone Chicago and north of it have storm windows. Its a climate thing, not a window manufacturer thing. There may be some misinterpreting of a really bad excuse.