Pella replacement windows-experiences/opinions?

[allison443]

Has anyone here had replacement windows installed by Pella? We are looking at vinyl, double hung windows. We need 11 windows!

We used Andersen windows last year, to replace the downstairs windows. They were good, kind of pricey so we thought we'd try Pella. Pella is running full page newspaper ads about the tax benefits, etc.

Thanks in advance!

 

[DrCavin]

Pella, like many manufacturers, has different pricing points on their windows. My parents had Pella windows & I was not impressed. Friends of mine had them & they were good. Im sure Andersen windows would qualify for the rebates as well.

 

[jaminmd]

I have four Pella replacement windows. I bought them directly from a Pella distributor in my area, they were installed last December & so far, so good. I got the Designer Series.

They were very expensive but they are also very large windows, floor to ceiling. We took advantage of the 30% off promotion they had last fall. When they have another good sale like that, I'm getting a new sliding glass door. I wish I had replaced it back then but I didn't.

The guys that installed them were fantastic & had an excellent attention to detail. That part is VERY important.

 

[safetymom]

I had Pella windows in my old home and loved them. They are pricey but they worked very well and saved us money on our gas bills.

 

[manning]

Marvin windows


http://www.marvin.com/

 

[TaraPA]

We had the most horrible experience with our Pella windows - but it looks like everyone else is happy with them, so we must be the exception...

We built a custom home 4 years ago & contracted with Pella for 45 windows from their Designer & Architect lines, as well as a few custom sizes. The bill was astronomical, but we were told Pella was the best, they'll be super efficient, etc. etc. We have had nothing but problems since day 1. The day we moved in you cold actually feel air moving through the house - here 2 of the windows had a 1-inch gap between the top & the casing & when you tried to push the window up to close it, it came crashing down. We were terrified to touch them, so we had cardboard & towels stuffed in the gap of our beautiful new home for FOUR WEEKS (in December) until Pella could come fix them. 4 other windows had drafts coming in as well. 2 were installed improperly that they didn't open at all. They only delivered 3/4 of the wooden grates (or whatever they're called - grids?) and it took 6 MONTHS to get the rest. 3 screens were damaged & it took 4 months to get those replaced. We're still waiting for a replacement piece for one of the custom windows after 4 years. Our double front doors warped after 6 months & they refuse to replace them, they just keep sending someone to "look at them" every season when they swell or constrict. They replace the weather stripping & leave. We have had duct tape around the doors for the last 2 winters because you can see outside from the gaps in the door & the trim. We did file a complaint with the BBB (and at that time found MANY complaints against Pella on the BBB).

In the end they did reimburse us half of our $700 gas bill for the 1st month we lived here because of the drafts & gaps in the windows they installed. I was livid. $350 for almost 6 figures worth of windows from them??? I appealed but lost. Pella told the BBB they would come out routinely to check on us & have never been back for the windows, only the front doors. Unfortunately the BBB has closed the case & doesn't want to hear about it. We've considered small claims court to replace the front doors but just don't want the hassle. Our local Pella reps are jerks to say the least & dealing with them is more stressful to me than just forgetting about it. We did pay a contractor to come look at the front doors & he also replaced the weather stripping & made a few adjustments that helped temporarily, but he agrees that the doors need to be replaced. Of course since Pella has been stalling us on this door issue, the warranty is now up on them, and we're looking at thousands of dollars to replace them.

Our builder switched to Marvin windows for the next house he built, after our fiasco. He has nothing but good things to say about them.

We had Anderson replacement windows in our old house & never had a problem at all.

I know my story is extreme but boy did it feel good to just VENT about it once again! Now that I'm hyped up I think I will email Pella to let them know the weather has changed & once again my front doors have constricted & there's a draft coming in.....even though I know they won't fix it I will keep bothering them to send someone to "look at it"....

 

[j's m]

We had the most horrible experience with our Pella windows - but it looks like everyone else is happy with them, so we must be the exception...

No, you're not the exception and it must be that you also dealt with the same area and reps that we did.

We ordered 3 replacement doors and installation from them. The salesman measured wrong and the doors didn't fit right, when they put the molding back around the doors, you could see gaps. One door they had opening on the right and it should have been on the left. They broke the glass on a picture hanging on the wall which fell off and damaged the hardwood floor.

We went back and forth with them and refused to pay the second half of the payment until things were corrected. They couldn't use the same card we used for the deposit since I reported it lost/stolen It was an absolute nightmare dealing with them and we finally felt almost satisfied after a year, after probably 10 visits and replacing the molding 3 times. Oh, and they also wound up knocking off a chunk of change, maybe 1000, I can't remember, it's been a few years.

Just my experience, different Pella stores may be better.

 

[jaminmd]

We had the most horrible experience with our Pella windows - but it looks like everyone else is happy with them, so we must be the exception...

We built a custom home 4 years ago & contracted with Pella for 45 windows from their Designer & Architect lines, as well as a few custom sizes. The bill was astronomical, but we were told Pella was the best, they'll be super efficient, etc. etc. We have had nothing but problems since day 1. The day we moved in you cold actually feel air moving through the house - here 2 of the windows had a 1-inch gap between the top & the casing & when you tried to push the window up to close it, it came crashing down. We were terrified to touch them, so we had cardboard & towels stuffed in the gap of our beautiful new home for FOUR WEEKS (in December) until Pella could come fix them. 4 other windows had drafts coming in as well. 2 were installed improperly that they didn't open at all. They only delivered 3/4 of the wooden grates (or whatever they're called - grids?) and it took 6 MONTHS to get the rest. 3 screens were damaged & it took 4 months to get those replaced. We're still waiting for a replacement piece for one of the custom windows after 4 years. Our double front doors warped after 6 months & they refuse to replace them, they just keep sending someone to "look at them" every season when they swell or constrict. They replace the weather stripping & leave. We have had duct tape around the doors for the last 2 winters because you can see outside from the gaps in the door & the trim. We did file a complaint with the BBB (and at that time found MANY complaints against Pella on the BBB).

In the end they did reimburse us half of our $700 gas bill for the 1st month we lived here because of the drafts & gaps in the windows they installed. I was livid. $350 for almost 6 figures worth of windows from them??? I appealed but lost. Pella told the BBB they would come out routinely to check on us & have never been back for the windows, only the front doors. Unfortunately the BBB has closed the case & doesn't want to hear about it. We've considered small claims court to replace the front doors but just don't want the hassle. Our local Pella reps are jerks to say the least & dealing with them is more stressful to me than just forgetting about it. We did pay a contractor to come look at the front doors & he also replaced the weather stripping & made a few adjustments that helped temporarily, but he agrees that the doors need to be replaced. Of course since Pella has been stalling us on this door issue, the warranty is now up on them, and we're looking at thousands of dollars to replace them.

Our builder switched to Marvin windows for the next house he built, after our fiasco. He has nothing but good things to say about them.

We had Anderson replacement windows in our old house & never had a problem at all.

I know my story is extreme but boy did it feel good to just VENT about it once again! Now that I'm hyped up I think I will email Pella to let them know the weather has changed & once again my front doors have constricted & there's a draft coming in.....even though I know they won't fix it I will keep bothering them to send someone to "look at it"....

I have heard stories like that & that's why I initially was afraid to go through Pella. The people who measure & install are the key. My installer had an excellent attention to detail & did a fantastic job. Also, the guy who measured was key because of the way the aluminum & brick is framed (for lack of a better word) around my windows. If he hadn't noticed that & adjusted for it, my windows wouldn't have fit.

I liked Marvin windows, too, but they were more expensive than the Pella at the time. I've also heard good & bad things about them as well.

It is terrible that businesses can get away with doing those things.

 

[TaraPA]

No, you're not the exception and it must be that you also dealt with the same area and reps that we did.

Just my experience, different Pella stores may be better.

We used the local Pella in Whitehall, PA but all of the installation & service was scheduled out of their Philadelphia location (over an hour away)....and that was a joke....they were probably here 50 times...45 of them they didn't have the right parts, or had to order new ones....the right hand never knew what the left one was doing....and they way they scheduled service wasn't by any type of priority - we assumed since we had ongoing issues they'd come back out as soon as they could - nope, you go to the back of the service queue...so it was always 4 weeks between calls, then that guy would scratch his head & go "I don't have the right parts, better order them" - but the last guy DID order them, where are they & why isn't anyone communicating?!?! 4 weeks later the next guy would say "yep your parts came in, they're in the warehouse in Philly, I"ll get you back on the schedule to have them here next time." 4 weeks later that guy had no idea what was going on & wanted to order new parts....

You used the word nightmare - that is the best way to explain it!

 

[DVC Sadie]

We love our Pella windows and sliding glass doors. The entire back of our home and my husbands office are Pella windows.

 

[Micca]

I have no experience with Pella, but I see a lot of advertising for their products. The cost of that advertising is certainly built-in to the price of the windows which is part of the reason they are expensive. Good luck to Allison on your decision.

 

[RadioNate]

My mom's house had original Pella windows from the late 20's that we brought from the Pella factory in Iowa.

From the mid-80's until about 2004 she replaced all the original windows. Because originally Pella was not standard sized she replaced with new Pella.

It is my understanding that Pella has a different install process than traditional windows. Now, this may have changed when Pella grew and started showing about in Home Depots etc and wasn't just a specialty product from central Iowa.

Since the windows were not installed at the same time she has been able to determine the 'success' of the windows based on the installer. KWIM?

The 1st batch was installed by an older gentleman who drove to Pella (Iowa) and got the windows himself. He was trained at the factory and was probably in his mid-50's when he did the job (maybe 1983/4.) Those casement windows have never had an issue.

The next set were 2 more casement windows installed by a local Pella dealer outside of Chicago. She had nothing but problems with those windows. They leaked in hard rain, were drafty, wouldn't open right...just problematic all around.

Several years later she had the ones upstairs replaced. Those were 2 casement and 2 double hung windows installed by the guy who replaced the siding. One of the double hung windows had a problem.

The final set was installed by the Pella store and those have had no issue. They even fixed the 2 that were so badly installed for free.

So I guess my long winded reply was check out the installer. Don't trust that even from the Pella store that you'll get someone great. Make sure you are getting an experienced installer.

 

[j's m]

We used the local Pella in Whitehall, PA but all of the installation & service was scheduled out of their Philadelphia location (over an hour away)....and that was a joke....they were probably here 50 times...45 of them they didn't have the right parts, or had to order new ones....the right hand never knew what the left one was doing....and they way they scheduled service wasn't by any type of priority - we assumed since we had ongoing issues they'd come back out as soon as they could - nope, you go to the back of the service queue...so it was always 4 weeks between calls, then that guy would scratch his head & go "I don't have the right parts, better order them" - but the last guy DID order them, where are they & why isn't anyone communicating?!?! 4 weeks later the next guy would say "yep your parts came in, they're in the warehouse in Philly, I"ll get you back on the schedule to have them here next time." 4 weeks later that guy had no idea what was going on & wanted to order new parts....

You used the word nightmare - that is the best way to explain it!

I knew it was the same people, they would make an appt to come, and show up with nothing, a new person and have to explain again what we needed. The original installers were not the ones that did comebacks.

So I guess my long winded reply was check out the installer. Don't trust that even from the Pella store that you'll get someone great. Make sure you are getting an experienced installer.

The Pella stores use several different installers and if you ask them, they are all experienced!