Highly unreasonable offers and unrealistic discounts
When you invest in new windows, you do so to ensure that no replacement will be needed for at least the next 25 years. If you follow through with a very unreasonable bid with unrealistic discounts, it will usually be executed with : poor quality materials, unprofessional service, imperfect installation, poor after-sales service, and so on. Therefore, instead of looking for these sugar-coated offers, be prepared to invest in quality windows from reputable manufacturers and installers and don't make it a home project done at the lowest possible price. Generally, indeed, you get what you pay for, but we hope you don't get discouraged.
It is possible to find quality, professionally installed windows at reasonable and affordable prices. Your research and multiple quotes will help you separate fact from fiction when comparing window brands, models and installation offers.
Free window installation
"Buy X number from Y brand, and we'll install them for free."
We've covered this before, but it's a slightly different variation that you might hear, so we wanted to give it some special attention. Most of us don't work for free, we have to make money somehow, so even if they don't have an installation fee on their bill, they're trying to make it up elsewhere.
Remember, the final total price is what you need to consider when you are making multiple quotes, but the company's reputation, customer service, warranties, product quality and guarantees are all part of the final equation.
New windows are purely an energy-efficient investment
Properly installed, energy efficient windows will undoubtedly save energy over time, but we need to be sure to consider how long it will take to recoup the initial expense through long-term energy savings as part of our overall equation when choosing new windows for our home.
According to Energy.gov, "Review the ratings on the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) energy performance label to find the most efficient windows for your needs. NFRC ratings appear on all ENERGY STAR certified windows and are a reliable way to determine a window's energy properties and compare products."
You can find a lot of other good information to help you on your window learning curve on their site, and here's an example of what one of the labels will look like.
And EnergyStar.gov offers this graph of estimated annual heating and cooling savings, based on geographic regions.
Installing energy-efficient windows will save you energy over time, but it will likely take some time (perhaps as long as 10 years or more) before you recoup their cost in energy savings alone, so make sure that energy efficiency is just one of the criteria you use and not the sole reason for your purchase.