Fibrex Windows Facts

Fibrex windows are made from a material that combines the strength of natural wood and the low maintenance of vinyl. Andersen Windows has set up a network of exclusive Renewal by Andersen dealers who are authorized to sell, install, and service Fibrex products. They offer superior product, superior installation technology, and superior support - a total solution to a homeowner's window replacement challenges. There are several factors that set the Renewal by Andersen solution and Fibrex windows apart from today's vinyl windows:

• Fibrex is a composite made from a patented blend of engineered pine wood fiber bonded with a specially forumlated thermoplastic polymer. Fibrex not only delivers a strength, rigidity and thermal performance equal to wood, it also delivers stability superior to wood with the texture and appearance of natural wood.
• The polymer-coated Renewal windows are also resistant to flaking, blistering, peeling, craccking, and corrosion so that there is no need for painting or regular maintenance. Fibrex is also resistant to bowing and cracking - conditions that lead to air and water leakage. An excellent insulator (about 700 times better than aluminum), Fibrex eliminateds the transfer of heat out of your home and eliminates the ability of cold temperatures outdoors to chill the window areas inside.
• Renewal by Andersen windows are available with many grille options, tilt-in features for easy cleaning, mortise and tendon-style joints instead of welded corners, traditional chamfered check rails, and a range of external colors.
• Renewal by Anderesen windows have received the Green Seal award, among other environmental awards. Green Seal awards are given to manufacturers' whose products cause significantly less harm to the environment than competitors'. Renewal by Andersen windows use reclaimed wood fiber from the Andersen Window plant. The energy savings of Renewal windows are aboe the reduced resources savings. No other replacement window manufacturer has received the Green Seal award.
  

HOA-Approved & Maintenance-Free Windows

Homeowners' Associations have many goals. One primary goal is to establish a standard that will maintain home values by regulating the type and style of exterior remodeling. Properly regulated, association guidelines maintain the integrity of the neighborhood. Occasionally that means that a homeowner is prevented from achieving their remodeling goals.

When it comes to replacing your windows, many homeowners' associations consider vinyl windows unworthy of supporting the aesthetic style of the neighborhood and do not permit homeowners to install these maintenance-free windows. While many homeowners like the inexpensive price tag of vinyl windows, the Association knows that the product will not age well and that it will affect the future look of the neighborhood. Another alternative - wood windows - while initially attractive, can force the homeowner to maintain windows that degrade more rapidly due to the elements. This can become very costly for the homeowner and create unease between the homeowner and the association.

Fortunately, Andersen Windows has come up with a win-win solution for homeowners and their associations. Renewal by Andersen Replacement Windows are maintenance-free and have been approved by homeowners' associations all over the country. The window frames are not vinyl, but made of a patented superior product called Fibrex. This material takes a beating and still looks beautiful without any maintenance. In fact, the windows are self-cleaning and they come in three accent colors to frame your windows and enhance your home's exterior.

Getting The Professional Contractor to Bid Your Job

Like you, the professional contractor values his time and gets frustrated if he thinks a prospective client is not serious about the job or is merely price-shopping. Here are three ways to get a professional to take your project seriously and provide a qualified bid.

1. Tell the contractor you are only getting three bids. Even if he feels he can demonstrate good value in his bid, he knows you will be confused by ten different stories from ten different contractors.

2. Tell the contractor you are looking for the best value - not the lowest bid. A contractor who thinks you are only concerned about price might not inform you about better solutions.

3. If you were referred to a contractor or you saw his work and liked it, let him know. A professional contractor is interested in doing quality work. He knows it will result in referral work and secure his long-term success as a remodeling professional.

Choosing A Remodeling Contractor Part 2: Taking Time Up Front

Take time up front. The single best way to determine the professionalism of a contractor is to take tie up front. Allow yourself a minimum of one hour to sit down with each contractor where questions flow in both directions. Both of you will need to explore the issues, products, and pricing alternatives. Real professionals will want to invest time to explain their services in detail, uncover any questions, and analyze all issues involved.

Understand the contractor. Just as you are qualifying a contractor, the professional contractor is qualifying you. If you seem unreasonable, he may not bid your job. For example, if you do not allow the contractor ample time to review the project so that he is confident you understand everything about it, the professional will often not bid. Professional contractors fear a bad experience or lack of referrals when a non-satisfied homeowner has unrealistic expectations. Just as the professional realizes the critical aspect of this first meeting, the non-professional contractor is satisfied with a limited discussion of the project. This often results in work falling short of the customer's expectations.

Next: Getting the contractor to bid your job.