Affordable wood windows

When it comes to the windows in our homes, there is nothing quite like real wood. Its beauty and warmth touch us at a deep, ancestral level. After all, we’ve been using natural wood to craft the things around us for countless millennia.

Vinyl windows, on the other hand, didn’t go mainstream until the 1970s, replacing both wood and metal windows. There is nothing wrong with today’s vinyl windows, however. They are well-made, durable, energy-efficient, affordable and extremely popular, representing some 70% of replacement window sales.

But some homeowners simply want real wood, especially in higher-end homes where price is not the most important factor. National chain window companies understand this and tend to mark up their wood windows significantly because they know potential customers are less concerned about price.

But cost is still really important.

Overpricing Wood Windows

One Northeast company—Roofsmith Restoration, which started in the roofing business—now specializes in replacement windows. But because it is locally owned and not a national franchise, owner Mike Farist is free to set his own prices on top-quality windows, including popular brands like Pella* and Andersen.*

“We love to meet with homeowners who have received an estimate from a national company,” Mike explains. “That’s because we can come in save them tens of thousands of dollars for the same wood window. And I’m not talking about a similar window. I’m talking about a window with the exact same barcode from the exact same manufacturer.”

Here’s an example: Roofsmith recently won a bid for wood windows in a large home with many windows. “Our price was $40,000 lower,” Mike reveals. “That sounds crazy, but it’s true. It was a complete money grab by the other company. I’m so glad people are finally understanding how much markup these companies are getting on windows. It’s unconscionable. Always, always, always, compare your estimate with ours.”

Here’s another real-world example: “We recently had a client who lives in a large home on Lake Erie and only wanted wood windows.” Mike says. “A big-name company had quoted him $3,500 per window, but he called us for a second opinion. We were shocked at that quote. We ended up installing his windows for almost half that and saved him $27,000.”

Mike has gained a regional reputation for calling out other window companies for their high prices hidden in marketing gimmicks for both wood and vinyl windows.

Recognizing the Gimmicks

“One of the most popular tactics by replacement window companies is touting ‘buy one window/get one free,’” Mike explains. “But it isn’t legit. Windows are relatively expensive—especially wood windows—so no one can afford to give away a second window unless they overcharge you for the first window. A good vinyl window should cost about $900 installed, but I’ve seen quotes for $3,600. That may sound extreme, but it happens every day.”

Another popular offer is “half-price windows.”

“Mathematically, this is the same as buy one/get one,” Mike says. “Sometimes, to avoid a false advertising claim, companies will bury the true offer in the fine print. A recent customer of ours sent me an ad from a competitor wanting to know how they could offer windows for half-price. When I looked at the fine print, it read, ‘Half off installation only.’ So the windows were not half-price, just the installation. Always read the fine print.”

There Is No Such Thing as a Free Lunch

And then there’s the ever-popular message of “something for nothing.”

“Windows and gutters go hand in hand, so offering free gutters is also a popular gimmick,” Mike explains. “But there’s no such thing as a free lunch. We recently saw an ad making this claim and read the fine print. It stated, ‘Limited to 100 feet of gutters.’ Well, that distance won’t even reach the front of most houses. You have to pay for the additional gutters, typically at a marked-up price.”

Roofsmith—which installs windows and roofs—doesn’t offer “something for nothing,” but it does offer more.

“Most of the big guys rely on the same manufacturers who offer good, better and best windows. We don’t do that. We offer the ‘best’ window for less than our competitors charge for the ‘good’ window. So you really do get a better window for less money.”

Roofsmith Restoration serves all of Northeast Ohio. For a free estimate or roof inspection, visit Roof-Smith.com and complete an easy online estimate form or call 330-882-7257.

*“Pella” is a trademark of Pella Corporation. “Andersen” is a trademark of Andersen Corporation. Neither is affiliated with the locally owned Roofsmith Restoration.