Please go the thread titled Reviews taged by Window Woman. It reveals the current situation in Florida as well as reveals what people will say and do to get their hands on your money. 10% commission makes people into muggers. Beware, she is typical of what it takes to be a rep for this company. They all have the same qualifier - no ethics. Stay Away From RBA.

The exclusive window replacement division of
the Andersen Window Corporation - the most recognized window brand in the United States.

The above statement is on this company's website -RBA HudsonValley.com - I challange them to explain what it means. I know what the general public THINK what it means (the only place to get an Andersen replacement window) but that is wrong. You can get a RBA made replacement window at any Andersen retail outlet. You can get another RBA replacement window (Andersen 100) at a list of totally different dealers. The price range is immense with the RBA franchise being the most expensive. So what does it mean? Eric Minkiewicz is the owner of this branch and the owner of his own website. Eric, tell your customers what this phrase means or forever be considered a liar who manipulates the truth to make an obscene amount of profit.

The story below was gotten from the web -andersen100series.homestead.com/.../FibrexWindowFrames/Our_Andersen_100_Series_Fibrex_Story.html - Cached -
Its a story on how the same company, Renewal by Andersen, makes the same window and markets them thru different companies. Its the story on how huge price differencies exist for the same window. Its a story that should make you furious and ill. If you have already purchased your incredibly overpriced RBA windows thru their franchise system, at the very least warn others to stay away from RBA. If you haven't bought your windows, I urge you to STAY AWAY FROM RBA.

Our Andersen 100 Series Fibrex® Story
Fibrex is a really great product invented by Andersen. Almost 40 years Andersen decided they needed a composite wood material to be used for wood framing material. It took until 1991 to patent and introduce Fibrex to the market place. From my research Fibrex was used exclusively in their Renewal by Andersen window product. Once I saw the Fibrex product in the Renewal by Andersen product I was sold. Replacing our windows with vinyl windows, was not an option. We had replaced the windows in our first house with vinyl windows and we were not happy with the outcome. We were also having huge problems with our nine year old wood windows in our current house and we could not see investing more money into wood windows in our Colorado home if the sun was just going to destroy the windows again.

When I looked at the Fibrex Thermal Conductivity performance metrics which shows how much an element such as aluminum window frames conduct away from your house, I found that Fibrex was equal to wood, vinyl and over 700 times better than aluminum frame windows. Then I studied the Thermal Expansion performance metrics of Fibrex and it only expanded ½ as much as vinyl making it a perfect material for the highs and lows of Colorado weather. The high Thermal Expansion performance metrics of vinyl windows explained why vinyl replacement windows don’t last very long in Colorado. Since vinyl is a plastic material it will always expand and shrink as the temperature rises and falls. This explained why I continued to see so vinyl replacement windows in the Denver area that were bowed and crooked after a few short years. Lastly this explained why our wood windows, which had vinyl tracks in them were warped and curled and the vinyl trim pieces were falling off.

So we had found the product we wanted to go with but the only problem we had was the cost of the Renewal by Andersen product. We could not afford to buy the Renewal by Andersen product but we could not afford not to. So we played the Colorado Lottery each week to win the money to replace our windows with Renewal by Anderson windows and when that failed we decided to interview with a few window replacement companies in our area.

We considered our options again and concluded if we chose to purchase wood replacement windows it would only be a matter of time before they rotted out of their window frames and if we purchased vinyl replacement windows in Colorado they would also fail in a few short years. But we needed to make a decision quickly.

Our first sales rep that showed up unfortunately got both barrels. We told him about the vinyl replacement windows we had installed in our first house and we showed him our wood windows in our current house. Most importantly we told him if he did not have another option beside vinyl replacement windows or wood replacement windows he could leave. He asked if we had heard about the Renewal by Andersen product and we said yes but we did not have the funds to purchase them. Then he said the magic words, Andersen does make another window product made out of the same Fibrex material as the Renewal by Andersen product at a lower price. I about fell out of my chair but managed to ask, “how much cheaper.” “It depends”, he said but it will be less expensive for sure. I told him to work up a few numbers and we might be interested. He took a brief stab at a quote for a few windows and slid the quote to me and I did fall out of my chair. Not only was the quote was cheaper but significantly cheaper than the Renewal by Andersen product. This window line was called the Andersen 100 Series and it had been introduced in early 2009. It was designed for new construction and could only be purchased by builders. The Andersen 100 Series windows only came in stock sizes. We quickly measured our windows and concluded that only ½ of our windows could qualify for the stock sizes. We were disappointed but then our rep told us that in September 2009 the Andersen 100 Series windows would come in custom sizes so all of our windows could be replaced in the fall of 2009.

The last step was to compare how much less was the Andersen 100 Series Replacement window vs. Andersen by Renewal replacement window. They were both made of Fibrex and both had the same glass options so how much exactly would we save if we purchase the Andersen 100 Series windows vs. the Renewal by Andersen replacement windows. A few quick calculations proved that some of our windows were up to 75% less than Renewal by Andersen windows. For example, we had two casement windows in the front of our house that Renewal by Andersen quoted us would cost $6, 000! The same window in the Andersen 100 series was $1, 500. This was a savings of 75% or $4, 500 less than Renewal by Andersen windows. "We saved up to 75% compared to Renewal by Andersen for the same window." A bathroom window that Renewal by Andersen quoted at $1, 000 came in at $300 or 65% less than the Renewal by Andersen product. We were shocked.

This is exactly what we had been looking for. A replacement window that was reasonably priced similar to a vinyl replacement window, less maintenance than a wood replacement window and be able to stand up to the harsh Colorado sun.

We have now installed six Andersen 100 Series windows and one Andersen 100 Series sliding glass door. So far and we have been delighted and have also placed an order for the remaining Andersen 100 series custom sized windows for our Colorado home.

Please go to the complete list of Renewal by Andersen Complaints. You will learn a great deal about RBA and how they market their windows. Specifically, for those of you in the Washington D.C. and Maryland area, I ask you to read the thread titled Misleading Advertising. Manufacturers are aware of your lack of knowledge about windows. Don't become a victim - become a survivor.

In 2003, The Woodwright (a replacement window sold at all Andersen retail outlets) was introduced into the product line of Andersen Windows. Made by Renewal by Andersen, it competes directly with RBA windows. Its retail cost is approx. 50% of the RBA window. Renewal by Andersen, as of 2003, stopped being the replacement window division of Andersen Windows and yet it still promotes itself that way. The Woodwright was followed by the Andersen 100 window introduced in 2009. This window duplicates the RBA except in one major area, price. Below are the official minutes that reveal WHY RBA has become a legal mess. To extend a grant, Andersen abandoned its customers for the benefit of the bottom line. Shame on them!


PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Hold Public Hearing and Consider Adopting Resolution Requesting a Grant Extension of One Year from the Minnesota Investment Fund for the Renewal by Andersen Grant Deadline.
Assistant City Administrator Wolfe stated that Staff recommends approval of the resolution requesting a grant extension of one year from the Minnesota Investment Fund for Renewal by Andersen. She explained that Renewal has met three of four goals and that the one-year extension would allow additional time to meet the final goal, job creation. She reviewed each of the goals and their process with the Council.
Regular Meeting – August 15, 2001
Cottage Grove City Council
Page 5
Wolfe explained that at the July 10, 2001 meeting, the EDA approved a motion to recommend that the City Council approve the grant extension. She stated that officials from Renewal by Andersen feel strongly that they will be able to meet the job goals by July 1, 2002, adding that representatives from the company are present to answer any questions from the Council. Wolfe explained that if the resolution were not approved, Renewal by Andersen would be required to pay a pro-rated share of the grant back to the State of Minnesota. She further explained that per the Department of Trade and Economic Development, the applicable statute allows for a one-year extension.
Mayor Shiely opened the Public Hearing at 7:40 p.m.
Craig Evelitch, representing Renewal by Andersen, reviewed the proposal with the Council. He stated that this business has experienced tremendous growth. He provided a business overview of Renewal by Andersen to the Council. He explained that the Renewal facility is Andersen Windows’ first entry into the business. He stated that the facility was built in 1999 and is currently in 43 different markets across the United States. He stated that they currently employ 228 employees and noted that many of the employees reside in Cottage Grove and the surrounding areas. Mr. Evelitch reviewed future plans of the business. He noted that they are expanding their products and services, adding that there is a potential in the near future for the Cottage Grove facility to begin producing products for the core Andersen Company.