As inflation continues its steady climb—affecting the prices of pretty much everything—people are looking to save money in any ways they can. For some, this includes eating more meals at home or packing a lunch to take to work. For others, it means shopping around for the best price on all purchases, but especially on large purchases.
San Diego homeowners looking into replacement windows have several different options for saving money. Here are a few recommendations:
Choose the Replacement Window Brand Carefully
When you start researching the brands of replacement windows available in San Diego, you’ll soon realize that you have many, many options! Some are brands with which you may already be familiar. You may have heard their ads on the radio or on television commercials, or seen their products on the shelves in home improvement stores. But then, you may come across brands that are entirely unfamiliar to you.
It can be easy to dismiss these less well-known brands, but you would be wise to do some additional research. Some of these less well-known brands are made by smaller, regional manufacturers that produce very high-quality products. They just don’t have the huge marketing budgets that the larger manufacturing companies do, and have chosen not to sell their products in stores like Home Depot or Lowes. Instead, they sell their products through independent replacement window dealers. One example is Anlin Windows. Their windows are only sold by select dealers throughout the San Diego area.
You can often get a great deal on replacement windows if you purchase one of these lesser-known brands of replacement windows. At the same time, you’ll also get the benefit of working with a company that specializes in replacement windows and their installation.
Shop Around with Companies offering Replacement Windows in San Diego
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t usually get the best deal on replacement windows by shopping with one of the “big box” stores. This is because stores like Home Depot and Lowes only serve as the middle man in the process, and whenever you add in a middle man, prices tend to go up! Home Depot and Lowes simply sell you the replacement windows and then outsource their installation to a subcontractor.
Going with a San Diego replacement window company that has their own installers in house will often save you money.
Only Purchase the Upgrades You Really Need (Or Avoid them Altogether)
Most replacement windows come with a whole list of optional upgrades. You can choose to add things to your windows such as safety glass, sound suppression technology, additional energy-saving features, or decorative accessories—all for upgrade charges, of course. If you purchase high-quality windows, you likely won’t need to purchase any upgrades, but if you go for a cheaper brand, you may need to add certain upgrades in order to get what you want.
It often makes sense, financially, to purchase the standard model of a high-quality window, rather than a cheaper window that needs a bunch of upgrades.
You should also watch out for replacement window salespeople who try to upsell you on features you don’t really need or want. An honest salesperson will take the time to understand your needs and only recommend the upgrades from which you will actually benefit—or no upgrades at all.