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| I am tired of all the specific bashing of Pella on this site overall. I have been installing windows for over 30 years and have seen companies come and go. Even the other top name companies like Andersen and Marvin have had their problems. Pella has always been a stand up company and worked int he best interest of their customers. I could tell you horror stories about other window manufacturers that would curl your toes and your hair. Yes there are a few posts on here slamming Pella but as a percentage of the window packages thay sell every year it is miniscule. I am not saying every Pella window I have installed is perfect, just like every Ford truck I have driven has not been perfect but what I rate my perception on is how they take care of their problems. They haven't stayed in business as long as they have by constantly putting out faulty product and lousy customer service. I have has my share of lousy salesmen who have just been out their for the quick buck but they don't last, especially in an economic downturn like we are having in the building industry right now. The rep I have now even with other salesmen complaining about the business has had a record year selling windows and doors. I for one am very excited about where Pella is going and how they take care of the problems they have had. I recently got called to a job I installed about 12 years ago, and when I talked to Pella about the problem not only did they take care care of the problem for me they replaced a window that was clearly not a problem of theirs at no charge also. I have never had another window company stand behind their product like Pella has. Granted the distributors are seperate entities for the most part than the Corporate Pella and a lot of the service issues depends on the distributor rather than the corporation. I have been to the Marvin Andersen and Pella Factories and am a total believer of the Pella story. They were concerned about the environment before it was considered a problem (back in the 50's) The dedication to innovation has always been top notch. Their desire to make a quality product is very obvious at all levels in the factory. Talk to your local rep and let him tell you what he can do for you. DO not be afraid for him to come out to the project site rather than getting quotes at the store, a lot of times he can pick up on something you may have missed, which has happened with me several times. I do not know about the replacement reps selling install jobs but the guys who deal with remodel contractors and new construction are not high pressure sell people they do what they can give a quote and will work with me to stay within my budget on a job. The Designer series with the blinds between the glass will knock you on your butt when yo see the price but it is what it is and if you take into consideration having to buy quality blinds or shades to go over the window after the window is in you find the price is not to bad. Pro-Line being the contractor grade is as good a quality as the Designer and Architect it just doesn't have all the bells and whistles what you see is what you get. the same goes for dealing with Lowes you may be dealing with a person that is in windows this week and next week is the electrical guru and the week after that the lighting guru. When you deal with the Pella store and salesman you are dealing with the person that is the window guru week after week year after year. Are the windows I buy from Pella perfect...not always but neither are the windows I buy from other manufacturers what I have found is that my distributor stands behind the product and helps me in anyway he can. I hear people compaining in these posts that the NFRC ratings aren't where I say they are on the NFRC website. I don't know about that I go by the NFRC stickers ont he windows when they come in and those have to abide by the NFRC ratings as set up. Just my humble opinion. Pella got a J D Powers award for customer service...and in my ever so humble opinion they deserve it. The got high ratings in Consumer Review again deservedly so. They were also named Energy Star Partner of the year for 2007 so that should tell you something |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by brushworks (My Page) on Sat, Dec 29, 07 at 20:48
| You need to break that down in paragraphs so we can read it. Michael |
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| Amen, Michael. |
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- Posted by emilynewhome (My Page) on Mon, Jan 7, 08 at 17:15
| Hard to read in one big block like that, but do appreciate input from someone who has been installing windows for 30 years. We are in the window market with a new build in Louisiana. Our builder recommended some unknown brand that we have not checked out yet. We will be pricing out Pella and Anderson although according to others on this forum, Pella now manufactures its windows in China and quality is not what it used to be. |
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| CHINA?! I believe 100% of their wood windows are made in Pella Iowa. The only windows made out of the state of Iowa might be their fiberglass and vinyl lines. Kentucky and maybe Arizona. China. Never heard that one, but it'twas funny. |
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- Posted by karenfromknoxville (My Page) on Wed, Jan 9, 08 at 14:30
| I would have loved to buy Pella windows from the Pella sales office but the sales rep did not call me back after 3 calls. It took 2 calls for him to come out to my house and take measurements but he never gave me an estimate after I tried to call him repeatedly. IMHO, Pella is running on a reputation for a good quality product and hopefully, Pella can get it's act together before it's reputation for poor customer service kills it. Karen |
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| galefarm: Didn't you badmouth Andersen windows in a 11/20/07 post? If you work for Pella, admit it and add some value to this forum. The one thing I cannot stand is a shill. Pella gets bashed because it deserves to. It's customer service is next to non-existent. Pella has probably stayed in business for so long because, years ago, people did not have forums like this to exchange ideas and experiences they had with a company or it's product, all they had was the Better Business Bureau which is a joke. The internet and forums like this are now the worlds largest BBB and no company can escape it. They can pay people like you to post on the forums to try to do damage control for them, but most people on this forum are too intelligent to fall for it. |
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- Posted by caligirl_cottage (My Page) on Wed, Jan 16, 08 at 15:58
| For my part, I take everyone's input with a grain of salt and I consider the source as well. If I see the same issues come up again and again though, there has to be some credibility to those reports. I also don't compare some fly-by-night company with a long-standing company like Anderson or Pella, obviously, being around for a while is going to garner you good and bad reports. I just appreciate people sharing their experiences, good and bad, so that we can all learn from them and perhaps watch out for those same pitfalls as we go through our projects. |
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| OK now its time to look at schuco windows. Following is a series of letters that show what i have gone through to try and get service. Please note that this is with a company schuco has hired to fix my windows. If you want me to i can show the letters i have where i talked directly to schuco. With both companys it seems that STALLING is the art practiced. Start at bottom and work up. Feel free to write and ask questions. I will talk on phone if you want. Paul Thank you for your help in resolving this issue. To confirm, you have 7 Schuco sliding windows which we will be We have sent the parts to our tech, but since we were under the As soon as I get this information, I will make sure everything is being Thank you, Tina Tina, There are 7 windows. The front room has one large window with 2 Thanks again. Hope this information helps. Lets hope the weather Deb Tina (Tina@JRWR.com) wrote: DeleteReplyForwardSpamMove... |
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| All I am asking from the Pella company is to give me the product and service they would want! I have been dealing with getting my window fixed for over 2 years and to this day it is still not corrected. If I can save someone from having to go thru what I have been thru then I will. Companies can't continue to treat their customers like this and they need to know that. |
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| Galefarm, I understand your frustration with bashing window companies including Pella and most complaints need to be qualified and are not specific to a particular brand, but are determined by how the contractor/vendor handle complaints. The issue to keep in mind with Pella is that they distribute their product in two venues. The upper end products ie: Architect series and Designline are sold through local franchises not from Pella direct. The Proline series is sold through the big boxes as a commodity type item. In either case, service is dependent on the quality of the local store. I have over 25 years experience selling to contractors, installing and servicing windows. The number one reason for complaints is poor installation. If the windows aren't installed properly, they will not perform to the customers level of expectation regardless of the quality of the window. The next issue is the vendor not specifying the right window for the application. Aluminum clad units are not suitable for seacoast application unless they are extruded aluminum with a commercial grade Kynar finish, and the exposed aluminum frame must be washed annually to maintain the warranty. Pella uses roll formed aluminum on the exterior of their windows, and the standard spec finish should not be used in coastal locations. The commercial grade finish is an upcharge and often neglected to keep the window prices competitive. There is no perfect window out there, and all windows have their pros and cons. Vinyl clad windows will handle the weather better, but the cladding will chalk over time, vinyl moves with temperature changes, which can lead to leaks as the sash frame can separate from the glass over glass. These are just a few of the potential issues with any windows. A no maintenance does not exist, and all require some maintenance to operate properly. If you have any concerns about a particular window, Google the manufacturer. Not to bash a particular company, but I looked up Peachtree for a customer and you would be amazed at what you find. |
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- Posted by mightyanvil (My Page) on Tue, Jan 29, 08 at 11:29
| Too much here to read. I have never liked Pella window designs since the 60's, hate the aluminum cladding, and they will refuse to replace a wrong order even when it is obviously their mistake. Too many good windows available to consider Pella in my opinion. |
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| I will curse Pella until the day I die -- you make a defective window -- you replace it at YOUR cost, period. You don't blame the failure on installation -- oh, ok, it's not that, oh, it's the mulling, oops we did that, too, at the company, ok, then, well, we don't like cement fiberboard, that's the problem -- and finally, finally, after I have paid for the infra red camera expert, yeah, the water is getting in beween the cladding and the frame, but hey, it's not our problem everyhing is rotting, your warrenty expired before you caught us! HAHAHA. There is a reason why Pella just lost its appeal on the certification of the class action suit -- courts know that unless a class can be certified, companies like Pella will never be forced to make good on their mistakes. You broke it -- YOU fix it, bottom line. |
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| The class action lawsuit being prepared against Pella says everything you need to know. They would rather fight it out in court than try to solve the problem. I have pulled more Pella windows in bad condition than any other brand. |
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- Posted by susanelewis (My Page) on Thu, Jun 17, 10 at 14:05
| What is the class action suit? We had to replace a sliding French door only a couple of years after installation due to faulty design of the exterior cladding. Pella would NOT stand behind it but the company who sold it to us did. I have had 2 houses of Pella but sorry, their customer service is ABYSMAL and downright embarrassing and corporate doesn't seem to care. |
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- Posted by susanelewis (My Page) on Fri, Jun 18, 10 at 13:16
| http://www.freedweiss.com/Pella-ProLine-Windows-Investigation.shtml Lovely, I have a whole house of 1996 Pella windows. |
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| In all fairness to Pella it should be pointed out that this class action suit is specifically aimed at Pella 250 and 450 series aluminum clad Casement Windows. I haven't read anything regarding any other window styles. OTOH I believe Pella has known about this for a long time and as usual attempted to blame the installation. Pella even altered their warranty on casements in an attempt to avoid responsibility and the costs of redesign. Their minions have appeared on many sites such as this to defend Pella and to protect their own financial interests. I'm really glad they have been exposed. Perhaps this will serve as a warning to manufacturers that in the future it's best to acknowledge it when there is a problem and work to correct it rather than finger pointing and trying to blame others(although I doubt it). I find it ironic that this information has been posted in a thread about unfairly badmouthing window companies. |
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| Gotta go with the majority. The subject of the class action is the result of water getting down behind the thin roll form cladding on the sash and rotting out the wood. I've seen glass literally fall out through the bottom of the sash because of the rot. True, the majority is directed at the Series 250 (Pro-Line), but the same method of attaching the aluminum clad to the sash is also used on the 450 (Architectural) and the 850 (Designer Series). The numbered series are Lowes versions. Pella has also dramatically shifted their market away from the high end user/architectural focus to the mainstream mass retailer and consumer replacement window user. You can see their ads in USA today every week - discounts on Pella! buy 5 get 1 free! Its all about how many windows you can produce in a day. Sounds like the suede shoe vinyl salesmen. It only goes down from here. |
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- Posted by xoldtimecarpenter (My Page) on Mon, Aug 9, 10 at 17:26
| Lighten up, people. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and anyone else is entitled to get mad about it, but let's stop the personal attacks. They serve no purpose. I have been in the remodeling business since 1974, so all you youngsters with less than 36 years experience just sit back and quiet down. Any manufacturer can produce a bad window. Pella, Anderson and Marvin have been sued in class actions for window designs that caused accelerated wood deterioration in the windows - and all of them stonewalled for years denying the problem - and I think everyone but Marvin has settled. That's the way corporate American behaves most of the time. Trex and the other composite decking manufacturers are masters at it. All these companies make a good window, and some clunkers. Most problems with most windows are installation problems. Poor installation causes more problems than poor design or manufacturing. (Having said that, though, I will also say that I have never seen the kinds of manufacturing defects I have seen in Andersen windows from any other manufacturer. -- Including completely missing parts such as weather stripping and glides.) But manufacturers also contribute to the problem by blaming just about everything on installation -- and homeowners, who don't know better, tend to believe them. I never let any of my customers talk to a window manufacturer rep unless I'm there. If they want to tell me my installation is defective, they'd best be able to prove it. So far none has. So back to basics -- you can get a bad window from even the best manufacturer. Pella and Andersen are probably no better or worse than anyone else. They make some excellent windows and they make some bad windows, and they can make manufacturing mistakes with any window. The measure of a company is how well the respond to the problem. Pella, with its decentralized dealer system, relies on local dealers to take care of it, and if they don't Pella does not really have a company-wide customer service organization worth the name. Andersen is a little more centralized, but they rely on the local builder to do most of the legwork. We tell them up front that the defect is their problem to deal with, and while we will help with the process, we charge for acting as their guy on the ground. We always get paid, and if we don't we sue. The latest wrinkle from Andersen is that they charge $140.00 to even come out and look at a warranty claim on a window. Would I buy a Pella or Andersen? Probably not unless the customer insisted on it. Pella is overpriced for what you get, and Anderson has too many quality problems and too little post-sale follow up. I would buy a Marvin, Kolbe or Simonton window -- at least this year. Next year I may change my mind. Regards, |
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- Posted by xoldtimecarpenter (My Page) on Mon, Aug 9, 10 at 17:40
| One last thing and I'm done with this thread. Why don't you aggrieved consumers file a complaint with the BBB? Your local window dealer is probably a member (and if not, why did you buy from him?). Most window manufacturer's are also national members. As a BBB member they have to agree to binding arbitration to resolve any window complaints. You can demand arbitration and you'll get it -- although the BBB may try to shift you to mediation instead -- stand your ground. If the arbitrator finds for you, the company has to pay up or lose its BBB accreditation. Regards, |
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| So anyone with less experience than you needs to sit down and shut up? Sorry pal, I don't think so. Who in the heck do you think you are to say such a thing? You start out blaming it all on installation and then you end up conceding that the complaints are valid and that the manufacturers don't take care of their problems. What do you think this thread is about? I was posting here when this thread started nearly 3 years ago. I and others have also advised many consumers in other similar threads on the steps to take to try and get these issues resolved. Way before you showed up here. Maybe you need to hop down off that high horse you just rode in on, lose the attitude and do a little more listening and a little less typing. |
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- Posted by chickadee4 (My Page) on Wed, Apr 3, 13 at 19:06
| I think I have muttered profanities over Pellla A series windows the last 13 months. I have called their service number and did leave a few well chosen profanities cause no one calls back. I bought a home with Pella windows . ALL are failing. ALL!!!! not one or two but all. I have replaced 28 last summer and will do another 22 this summer. I will leave the last 20 plus for another year. What I see is that the aluminum clad lost its integrity and water got into the sash rotting out the bottom sashes. I also see mold growing on the interior of the window grills . I can not join the class action suit since i am not the original owner. I have called Pella several times with no help. E-mails are answered as we will get back to you. The windows failed due to poor construction not from neglect. Stay away from Pella. The product is a nightmare , there is no service and I am spending a mini fortune for their horrible product. |
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| I'm not shocked. Their vinyl windows are much worse. |
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- Posted by PellaCommMngmt (My Page) on Thu, Apr 4, 13 at 13:59
| chickadee, please email your real name and completed contact information to pellawebsupport@pella.com so we can look into your concerns. Pella ProLine casement, awning and transom windows manufactured from 1991-2006 are part of a U.S. class-action settlement. If you own those products, visit www.windowsettlement.com or call 1-866-523-6760 for information on the claims process. |
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