If you live in the Buckeye State, specifically Columbus, Ohio you’ve likely heard of Renewal by Andersen and Rosati Windows. Renewal by Andersen is a large national window replacement company and Rosati is a local company off Roberts Road on the Northwest side of our great city.
Best Replacement Window Brands – Columbus, Ohio
I’ve invited both Rosati Windows and Renewal by Andersen out to my home to get a quote on my window project of twelve replacement windows for my home in the Wilson Road area in Northwest Columbus. I assumed these two companies would be similar in price, but boy was I wrong.
For me, because I had seen the Rosati commercials showing how they “hand make” every window, that equated to what I thought would be a higher price, than the others in the market. Once I had quotes from both of these two Replacement Window Companies, they were a far cry apart.
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“Ralph” was the sales representative who was sent to our home. As of this writing, we’ve sat through eight window demonstrations and when I think of professionalism and personality alone, “Ralph” ranks #2 just behind “Joe” at McCloud Windows, but I really did like “Ralph” and so did our dog.
Rosati sells windows and doors. They manufacture everything in their shop off Roberts road on the northwest side of Columbus. All of the people in their factory, their sales guys and their installers are all employees of the company. Many of them have been there for 20 or 30 years with the newest person being there like seven years. “Ralph” our sales representative went into much detail of how the business got started.
He eventually got around to speaking about the windows and how they were made, but he didn’t bring a window sample into our home, which I thought was weird. He was here for like 25 minutes. “Ralph” was knowledgeable and left us with a quote so we could “think on it” and said we could get back to him with questions or to let him know if we wanted to move forward. He also offered to set up a time for us to come tour the factory, since it was so close to where we live.
As I’ve continued to shop replacement windows and gain more quotes, it has come up multiple times that Rosati’s window has the thickest profile. Replacement windows usually have a wider frame profile than new construction windows. That means you might lose a bit of glass space, and in some cases, your existing blinds or window treatments may no longer fit inside the window frame — especially if your current windows are original builder-grade with custom-fitted coverings.
Of all the companies I’ve looked at, Rosati Windows has the largest frame profile. As you’re comparing vinyl replacement windows, be sure to ask about the frame and sash width — it can make a noticeable difference in both appearance and function.
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Design Consultant, “Rob” from Renewal by Andersen came into our home to woo us with his window and all the magical features of how they are manufactured. He hit hard on the fact that his window was much more than a traditional vinyl window. He stated that vinyl windows are weak and that their Fibrex material, which is what they use in lieu of vinyl, is comprised of 60% reclaimed wood fiber blended with 40% polymer. This material makes the Andersen window extremely heavy compared to the vinyl windows I had seen the others bring into my home.
“Rob” also explained that they fill the space between the two panes of glass with argon gas, but unlike the other companies that drill a hole into the window to extract air and fill with argon, Renewal by Andersen performs this process in a argon gas filled chamber to ensure they get all the air out from between the two panes of glass.
He also spoke of their 20-year warranty and said that if anyone else had been touting that they are offering a true-lifetime warranty, to not believe it. “Rob” stated that Renewal by Andersen was the only company that warranted the argon gas if it were to leak.
“Rob” asked what other replacement window companies had we had out and we gave him the run-down of the names. He went on to say that we could expect his price to be double the average priced window, plus an additional 20%. His biggest competition is typically Infinity by Marvin and Pella.
He basically said, and I agree, that he doesn’t really even compare to a traditional Vinyl Window as they are manufactured differently and most definitely are not in the same price point. They have done a great job of marketing and advertising their product as being the best, as long as you are willing to spend the big bucks.
Replacement Windows with Low-E Glass and Argon Gas Price – Columbus, Ohio
Renewal by Andersen talks a lot about their Fibrex material, claiming it’s far superior to vinyl. And sure, the frame matters—but let’s not forget the real MVP of energy efficiency: the glass.
It’s actually the Low-E coatings and argon gas fills that do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to keeping your home comfortable and your energy bills in check. The frame—whether it’s Fibrex, vinyl, wood, or unobtanium—isn’t the main player in stopping heat loss or keeping out the cold. It’s like praising the picture frame for the quality of the artwork inside.
So while Fibrex may be a solid, durable choice, if you’re comparing windows, don’t get too caught up in the frame material alone. Pay close attention to what’s in the glass unit itself—that’s where the real performance happens.
Some of the companies who came to do a Window demo for me used a heat lamp to further show how the Low E coating and the argon gas really perform to stop the heat from coming in the Summer and keep the heat inside in the Winter. They may take different types of glass, like single pane, Double pane no Low E or Argon and then Double Pane with Low E and then Double Pan with Low E and Argon to show how much heat they can deflect during the Summer months. It’s actually sorta cool. In some cases, this was the best part of the demo!
Renewal by Andersen and Rosati Windows – What’s the cost?
“Rob” from Renewal by Andersen began to groom me early in the appointment to understand that his price would be higher than all the others, but that he had a good reason for that. His price came in at $ 34,376 after all the discounts for my Window Project of twelve Replacement Windows.
“Ralph” from Rosati, basically left us a quote on the counter and said to let him know if we had questions. HIs price came in at $ 11,300, which puts him currently at the number three spot on the Wacky Window Woman Comparison Chart. They are about $1000 more than McCloud Windows, who currently ranks number one on the Comparison List.
I can’t speak for you, but for me, I can’t get past the fact that the Renewal by Andersen Window quote was $23,000 more than Rosati and really the only difference is their composite frame material vs. the Vinyl and all the others use in their Replacement Window. As I mentioned, it’s the glass that matters. I feel it’s more important to ensure you get Low-E Glass and Argon Gas, than it is to have a frame that will last from now until the world comes to an end.
Be sure to see the Wacky Window Woman Comparison Chart to see how all the Replacement Window Companies in Columbus stack up when they quote the same home with the same window specs. I sat through the demos, so you don’t have to!
