To-Do List: Picture Windows

The windows proved to be challenging from start to finish. After placing an order for $8000 with Pella (who came highly recommended by my architect, my roofer, and a number of other professionals) for all of my windows, as well as the sliding glass doors, I was informed that a portion of the order—specifically, all of the small windows—could not be delivered until January 2019. To say this was a let-down would be a massive understatement. Threatening to cancel the order, I wrestled with their rep over possible solutions, but the best he could do was step up to a higher-grade product, which increased the price by almost 50%, and shaved only a week or two off of the schedule. Not acceptable.

So, I cut my order with Pella down to just the giant custom picture windows, plus the two small ones over the stairs, since they were all custom sizes and the lead time for them was only about four weeks. Meanwhile, I placed an order for the small windows and the sliding glass doors with Lowe's.

Then Pella threw another wrench into the works, claiming two of the six windows (the two small ones) wouldn't be ready until 23 December. After I complained quite strenuously over this unpleasant surprise, they finally agreed to deliver everything by 24 November. Installation would run $550—well worth it considering the size, and in particular the weight, of those windows: the smaller ones are 135 pounds each; the larger, 160.

However, Pella delivered four of the promised six windows on 21 November (three days ahead of schedule); the other two arrived 27 November (almost a month ahead of schedule—it pays to complain). The first of the Big Four was installed on 24 November:

Then came a nasty surprise: after the rest were installed, I discovered that one of them was the wrong color! Below, the one on the left is grey; the one on the right is white—on the inside only, no less. WTF...

Just to pile it on, I also discovered the next day that one of the windows isn't even square! I was wondering why it looked "off" to my eye, so I placed a framing square into one corner, and it's out by a quarter of an inch:

To think this is from one of the top-rated manufacturers in the industry... They were replaced on 6 February 2019.

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