FYI, I just priced out shucos’ here (10 windows) 2- 3x5s 4-6x5s mulled units basically , & a 8wx7’8” lift & slide & 2 3x7 entry doors…about 26k shipped The 3 doors alone were 12.5k before shipping, so i asked to redo the quote without the doors & EAS told me they were not interested in a small order. I like this channel & Matt for bringing different ideas/tech on building a quality home, but for a regular guy building his own home 1500sq ft, i cant justify a 9k + slider door.
Yeah I agree with you. I am sure these are amazing but so is a Ferrari, doesn't mean I would buy one. I don't think importing insanely expensive windows and sliders from Europe makes sense for most sub 1mil houses or depending on the area 2mil. So many good vinyl windows out there with decent u values, I am not sure I could justify that type of price jump. What is it getting me? How much do I actually save a year over more moderately priced windows. How much longer will they actually last? I'm not much of a window snob.. needs to open smoothly, decent u/r value, disassemble for cleaning easy and have a supply chain for any parts or replacements if the kids break one. For me Simonton windows (brickmoukd 600, 5500 replacements) have been great for the price and I have not used any window yet that was so much better I would be willing to spend 2-4x the cost. Custom ordered Simonton windows to my site were in the 250-300 range for standard sized windows. And they are so easy to install with a flange, it's hard to screw up.
I had a similar experience recently with them, I'm building a 2500' house and received a reply from them basically stating they'd quote it if I really wanted but it wasn't going to be cheap or easy.
Same here. I don't understand why this is the 3rd video without Matt covering the cons of their sales department. Every small builder is saying the same things. They don't want small orders. They won't ship unless you find a larger partner in your area to combine delivery. This video title is even misleading now, getting us excited thinking something has changed but nothing is addressed to these complaints yet again in this episode review! Wth!?
@@TimFrentz the video is a paid ad by EAS just like some others previously. EAS is not the only US dealer of schuco windows, or other great european windows for that matter. if EAS customer service is garbage take your business elsewhere.
Matt, once again you nailed it with this guest. I really enjoyed hearing Patrick's story. Love the content, keep'm coming. All the best from your KC Fan club.
I'm really WOWED by this man and his products! It would be nice if EAS would stock a limited set of UPVC triple panes in 'standard' sizes. The Remodel builders, developers, AND clients would be happy to adjust their designs in order to get their hands on such high-quality products. GREAT job, Patrik!
Indeed there are a lot of quality windows and door manufacturers, and most important hurricane impact resistant: Windoor, PGT, CGI, Marvin Coastline, Euro-wall, Jeld-Wen.
There are plenty of good windows in the US. I love my Simonton brickmold 600 vinyl windows or 5500 replacements. I have personally installed them in my own houses multiple times and they aren't insanely expensive (like 200-300 a standard size window). There are other brands that are great too. This is a multi-million dollar house so buying European windows which are insanely expensive isn't a problem. They don't make sense for most sub 1 million dollar houses. These windows are thousands of dollars a piece and require a crew to set them which adds a ton more cost. Also no flange on a new construction window is just stupid and is asking for problems with any slight variation in installation. Taping a flanged window is so easy and hard to screw up. Regular houses probably won't see an insane energy cost savings going from a good double pane us window and these insanely expensive triple pane. As far as this house if they were serious about energy efficiency, they wouldn't make a whole wall of windows. They can't be as energy efficient as a wall structure.
My builder and I had a great experience working with EAS on our new build In Virginia this past year. They have excellent communication and we never had to wait more than a day for a response. We went with the less expensive Salamander line, which were 20% less expensive than the same Schuco window and door package. I'm not sure why Matt and Steve never mention the Salamander line that EAS offers. I am very impressed with the quality of the windows, as was my builder. The cost for triple-pane uPVC windows and doors was basically the same as double-pane Marvin Essential, and way less than the Elevate triple-pane. Shipping and Delivery costs to VA were $4200. It worked out great for us and I couldn't be happier with EAS.
20:45 "Mostly East of the Rockies" I asked for a quote a year ago. They wouldn't ship to the West Coast and at the time they said it was due to Covid and the shipping ports. It sounds like not much has changed. Love the windows though!
Good luck. You have to find a large order in your area to piggy back your needs. They don't sell under a $3k ish order min. Plus shipping without a partner order is + x.75 ish of your window cost. At least that's the bid I got from EAS.
Same here, after seeing the quality of these I really wanted them in my master bedroom. I only needed 4 and they basically told me its not worth their time which I understand, seems they just want BIG high-end jobs
We are going with euro windows on our new project but one thing not covered here is functionality. The US market is not accustomed to the bi-way or tilt and turn opening of euro windows but unless one really can't see a way to incorporate it then I see very few drawbacks going with imported designs like these.
I was working in a house a few days ago that had tilt sliders. Never seen that before (I thought something was wrong with the hinges, lol) but it made perfect sense once I saw them operate. Why isn't everything like this?
Two drawbacks - I’d you don’t want a vinyl window they are hardly inexpensive. And their profile is VERY thick.American d windows ARE way overpriced admittedly.
He dodged the install problem- ie u r on your own- flanged windows much easier to install those same tapes are available to flange installs to - I call bs flangeless better weather tightness than flanged.
Price, logistics, support, instalation.. good number of reasons to not buy these windows. On sub 1-2mil houses, I can't justify going for high end window packages when quality vinyl windows will function great and for the money, would not add much value for the customer.
@@Josh.1234 for reference Pella package came in at 12-15K more than the euro quote. One fiberglass the other PVC etc. So comparable product in terms of not being the most expensive option but not in terms of level of tightness, function and size. Once I used the euro windows and saw the windows close as tight and solid as a door it made the US manufacturers look pretty behind. Again if comparing the mid-range offerings and not the high end ones. So budget wise I'd say the euro option is still ahead.
Im a Norwegian who have changed all the doors and window in my old hous. I bought it all by a manufacturer in Lithauen, who themselfs get all the raw materialls from Germany, for a fraction of the cost of local built doors and windows here where I live
Besides the efficiency aspect of European windows and doors, I'm extremely impressed with the physical capabilities of them. I love how most windows will tilt in at the top to allow air flow without letting water in. And then can also swing inward completely, having multiple lugs around all four sides lock the window into a sealed position when closed. Lifting sliders are amazing as well. Our front door is metal with wood cladding and has 18 lugs that rotate into the frame when locked, just like a bank vault does. Living in Europe for the last 3 years has really spoiled me on windows and doors. It will take some adjustment when I return to the US next year.
a thing that shocked me about many doors in north america, THRE'S A VISIBLE GAP BETWEEN door and floor and im not talking about doors between different room (that would not be acceptable in western europe) but the main entry door of modest home or apparment...
The products you are talking about are also available here too and they are common on high end homes like Matt showcases. The multi bolts mechanism is an option from most major door manufacturers. I had the option when buying my therma-tru doors. But do I need a vault door when I have a glass window not far away? Not really lol specially considering just installing a security strike plate will achieve 70% of the strength. So its up to Americans whether they want to spend more on their houses for expensive windows like these.. not so much the industry or builders choice. Personally, good vinyl double hung windows come in at a great price point and work great both energy and functionality wise. I would have to be building a 3mil+ dollar house before I would look at importing expensive windows from Europe.
Matt - thanks for the info on these windows. I'm very likely going to order these for my house. I heard you mention in a video that you chose the uPVC windows for your personal home. I live in Houston and would like to actually see the window, touch them etc. before pulling the trigger. EAS rep said they obviously don't have a "distributor" in the area and my best bet would be to find a house that has the windows installed or going in. Do you have a new build using the uPVC windows near Houston? We are happy to drive toward Austin to see the windows (not looking to visit your home! Just a house where these windows are going in). Thanks in advance - and keep up the awesome work.
Love it Matt! I lived in Germany for three years and will never be able to love windows from anywhere other than Europe! Will be hitting up EAS very soon for a window pack for my company’s first house!
Good luck. You have to find a large order in your area to piggy back your needs. They don't sell under a $3k ish order min. Plus shipping without a partner order is + x.75 ish of your window cost. At least that's the bid I got from EAS.
@@TimFrentz Well, if that’s the case, there are other vendors. I’m not married to any of them yet, but I’m a firm believer in the quality of European windows. I have found zero American window manufacturers that are equivalent, though I talked to a guy with a shop in Wyoming that may build what I’m looking for…that would be fantastic!
European uPVC windows are everything Matt says, but EAS is a disaster. I made a $50K order from EAS last year. EAS did not inspect the order prior to delivery and it was delivered by EAS with significant damage from mishandling and a defective lift and slide. Not knowing the extent of the problems, I only retained $5K, less than the cost of freight. I spent three days scrubbing black adhesive from the protective tape that was impacted into the windows. Most of it cleaned up, sometimes the black adhesive penetrated the foils. A few weeks later, EAS inspected the windows on-site and ordered replacements, some of which had new defects. EAS's poorly trained drivers/installers further damaged the windows when reinstalling parts from the original windows. Patrik actually sent me links to videos from a Belgium company that performs meticulous foil repairs, it was painful to watch EAS butcher my windows in their attempts. After another six months of promises, two repair visits where they arrived without the necessary parts or tools, four lost days to no shows, EAS has decided to ignore their own terms of sales and is demanding final payment in advance of completing the repairs, as well as new warranty issues and is ignoring emails. EAS also lowered their quality standards as they dragged this out. For example, the hinges on a replacement door sash were misplaced so there are now large, uneven gaps between the upper and hinges, and the pin caps do not even reach the hinge pins as they are designed to do. The standard is no longer to meet the hinge manufacturer's specs, but only to be operable. EAS is totally ill equipped to deal with problems and can not be relied on to honor their commitments, written or otherwise. I have no regrets with our choice of European uPVC windows, only in doing business with EAS. It was a very expensive mistake
We spent over $8,000 replacing your "significantly damaged" window sashes and frames and undertook 3 day-long service trips to replace the units. When the damaged sashes arrived at our warehouse, two of our staff personally inspected them and had a really hard time locating some of the blemishes. We had to go to the photos you sent us to located them. Dents can look very big when photographed with an iPhone close-up shot but ultimately had little aesthetic impact on the windows. We replaced them anyway. Following the replacement of the units you continued to reported new blemishes and decided to withhold payment. We had to put a stop work order on your account due to delinquency. You asked us to perform one more service under the promise that you will give the check for the balance to our technician. Our technician undertook the day-long service trip but ultimately you withheld the payment again. Window business is tough and things do not always go well, but here at EAS, we try to make things right for the customer. We may not succeed on the first try but we put in the effort to make sure we go out of our way to correct things so we do not get reviews like these. If anything, your case illustrates the distance we are willing to go to perform after-sale service. It is still a bummer than you are so dissatisfied.
Of course, we are dissatisfied. A year after delivery, we have a new house full of damaged and defective windows and doors, wasted countless hours dealing with EAS's frustrations and failed efforts. Now, there is little prospect that EAS will, or is even capable of honoring, its obligations. EAS neglected to say that they actually inspected all of the damage onsite prior to agreeing to order replacements. It is understandable that EAS may have had trouble performing inspections in warehouse conditions, as windows are typically installed in exterior walls. The defects were readily identified and later confirmed by EAS on-site in daylight, prior to their challenged inspection. EAS's Terms of Sale state that the retained balance is due when the problems are adequately addressed. What EAS characterizes as continued reports of new blemishes, were timely reports of significant damage caused by EAS, as well as defects in the replacements. EAS can not end run its contractual obligation by merely claiming these reports as "new". Replacing one damaged part with another damaged part does not adequately address a problem. The account is NOT delinquent. This is well documented and EAS knows this. There were a series of failed service calls. First, there were two visits by an incompetent EAS crew that resulted in further problems. Then five and seven months later, there were two visits by an EAS crew seemingly capable of performing the repairs, but without the tools, parts or time necessary to do so. The later crew accomplished little more than finding more problems with EAS's earlier repair work, such a frame that was bent when EAS installed the original glass in a replacement frame. Now the operable window below thar share the frame can not be opened. EAS told me that they would complete all of the work on their most recent visit, yet they arrived unprepared. If the work was completed, payment would have been provided, as required. Now, EAS refuses not only to adequately address the original problems, but refuses to honor their warranty. The last paragraph of EAS's response has their only thread of honesty. They did "try", "put in an effort" and "go out of our way to correct things", without actually correcting things. EAS must meet it obligations, not merely try. These issues should have been resolved eight months ago. EAS clearly does not have the experience, skills and integrity to deal challenges. When faced with their failings, EAS trivializes problems, twist facts and blames the customer. This far to much detail for this forum, but vendors like EAS @European Architectural Supply are a homeowner's worst nightmare.
Here in Europe it is very rare that Windows are installed with the glass, the frames are in first and the glass later. This may well be due to weight, it is far easier to install a fairly light frame, get it square and then just slip in the glass. I had some units fitted, a couple of years ago now, included aluminium bifold doors, self cleaning, solar control, argon filled, double glazed, as there are blinds in between the glass, no cleaning required. The bi folds came with multi point locking, high security locks, and as they are down to the floor the glass is laminated for safety. All of the frames, being Aluminium are thermally isolated. These were not top of the range, just fairly standard , from a local, to me, company. All with a 10 year insurance backed warranty. Some 12M, around 36’ of glass, 2.2M 8’ high, in panels, cost some £8,000, installed, at current exchange rates $8400? There is huge competition for suppling windows, keeps the cost low. Any style is possible, even for historic buildings that have very strict controls on what can be used, identical to the original, where Xenon is used between the glass,as the gap will be very small, but they are expensive.
With all those seals in these window assemblies, what does servicing look like if/when the rubber wears out? Does EAS have servicing guidelines, or does that get passed down through the manufacturer?
I worked with European Architectural Supply and Zola. Their response time is like 2 weeks, price is 2x (compared to direct with all fees and shipping), and also, everything is wrong - I literally provided them with floor-plans and elevations and other descriptions, they come back in 2 weeks - all wrong. There are better European manufacturers and window suppliers that sell to consumers. Very disappointing experience for me, but I got my order direct from a German company that respond in 24 hours, and guess what? either correct or better than I asked. Delivery process is easy, just find a good import agent, they do everything for you - ISF, delivery, customs, whatever...
Interesting! I'm a carpenter based in Germany and have been thinking of starting an import/export business for German Products.. Any other experiences you've had worth mentioning?
Maybe EAS has gotten a bit hungrier now that housing starts are heading downward. I called them a year and a half ago to quote our passive house build in California. “Sorry we’re too busy”. Now? I wonder.
i really enjoy the fibrex windows i have on my home. high quality composites, all metal handles, latch's, rails, etc. higher quantity of argon. the demonstration even on the finished product that was installed for heat exchange from internal and external was outstanding. a plus side is they were custom made here in America to fit my older home.
I'm a homeowner in phoenix looking to replace all of my windows soon. Where/how do I start to find a dealer/contractor who will order and install these windows?
Hello another good video but I am surprised that there is no coverage on blinds for European windows. We still do need blinds on these windows and NO I am not referring to the rolling hurricane shutters they use in Europe on the outside. I am talking about blinds/shades that we can quickly operate to let light in with privacy or be completely closed for darkness and privacy. Can you shed any light on options and examples of what works in the US? Thanks.
Haha take a trip to Boston the big thre window regardless of material not even close! All marketing and sales budget - euro market is hyper imperative and regulations simply don’t allow cheap builder grades faux fiberglass and less than three gaskets Roto and not true hardware and stainless rollers on doors
@@mookiemorjax Marvin was considerably more than both Pella and Shuco. The other two were on par with one another, ultimately my builder was much more comfortable with Pella due to their experience with them, and the support they get - so that's what we are using.
These euro windows will work for retrofitting as well. They also manufacture them with flange upon request. All German and Italian brands do flange on request on most line of products.
I live 125 feet away from the local train around here. I need every advantage I can for noise dampening from foundation to roof. Shoots right through my windows right now. Something to look into as I work on remodeling my house over time right now.
I own a few properties in Warsaw, Poland. Some of them are in noisy neighborhood not far from the airport and one of the most heavy used railway line in Poland. I bought aluminum frames with noise-reducing triple glassing. It works marvelously. But to be honest - the way the windows are installed in the video makes me laugh from the European point of view and my own experience. This would not pass the post installation inspection here. There are so many crucial parts of the installation skipped. Inacceptable regarding newest energy efficiency building requirements in Poland (which are still not that rigorous). And the aluminum frames they show in the video are actually from a Polish manufacturer.
Could you cover heated windows at some point. It would seem like they would be an excellent option in cold climates as they SHOULD prevent room heat from leaving the building. But how much energy to they consume?
If the building is to be built with aluminum windows and steel siding is there a way to deal with the galvanic interaction between the aluminum and steel which can lead to corrosion. Is there a recommendations or best practices in dealing with this situation or is this a situation where we just should not choose any kind of aluminum systems if we plan to use steel siding?
Same experience in Southern California I've had. I contacted Schucco and they named a dealer, but this excerpt from the email explains it all. Schüco USA has been focusing mostly on commercial projects in the US and we just started to expand to residential projects, that’s why you don’t see a dealer list on our website just yet. The dealer they mentioned they said only did "high-end residential". Out here, that doesn't mean the beginning of million dollar homes. With only 20% of the population living on West side of the country, we just have to wait for them to expand out here. There is a company making a similar product in Colorado, but it seemed to be 2x price when I last looked. Hoping to get a good answer eventually. Planning to do a Casita build in a few years so maybe that's the ticket for me. It'll give European windows more time to spread and I'll be buying a larger package.
@@zstarwarsz I’m pretty sure they would just ship the container directly to California, why would they send it to the east coast and then transport it by truck?
@@xzmt My guess is the container will rarely have just your windows, so they recieve it, check it for damage, measurements, etc.. + sending container to west coast by ship is much more exoensive
They would only do that if the European manufacturers had the potential to really take market share. That's not going to happen because the EU is about to disintegrate.
If you are willing to spend more money, you can get same quality from American window companies. When you compare big box in-stock US windows to custom designed European windows which require an engineer, it's apples to oranges comparison. Price is insanely higher, both unit and install costs of the eu windows. Us manufacturers are building windows to the price point people want to spend. These EU windows are only used on insanely expensive houses.
@@Braun30 The war in Ukraine is exposing how European leaders are mere vassals. EU is subordinate to NATO. The puppet Truss in England just quit, and Italy just elected a nationalist. The EU project is not sustainable. Siemens is already thinking about leaving Germany for lower energy costs found elsewhere.
the only bad thing about triple glazed windows is that they are heavy. some larger window will give the worker nice workout and after a while due to the weight of the window you need to adjust hinges a little bit to make it leveled again so it does close nicely again. That is when the window is European style and openable (not fixed window)
@@Randomdude21-e you can see it when you are closing fully opened window it should not resist at all and should close nicely fully touching the frame without need of any push in. If it does not get closed with eaze small adjustment in hinges that takes few seconds will fix the lean of the window. people usually do not complain about details like these but you can meet exceptions
Thank you for the pricing discussion, even just to get a flavor of what pricing looks like. After watching this yesterday morning, I was asking my brother-in-law who is a contractor who he is using for windows and what kind of pricing he gets. It was nice to be able to say "this other option might actually be price competitive" based on the price points he described. He also mentioned window build quality of some previously good manufacturers has declined.
Thank you, @@TheVimeo. This could be the beginning of the first International Mutual Admiration Society. We could have regular meetings, and everything!
Matt, challenge domestic manufacturers on why they don’t match Euro construction. As a career manufacturing pro, I can tell you it would be cheaper to make anything here vs Europe.
These windows are drastically more expensive than quality vinyl windows in the US. If everyone could afford these windows in their builds they would also be driving ferraris :). The US consumer drives how much they want to spend on windows along with some govt regulations but in Europe govt regs are way stricter and their energy is insanely expensive
Matt and Patrik talk about the European windows being so much better in all areas. With this knowledge why does a company like Schuco not open up a factory in the USA? Or an American company start a joint venture with any European manufacturer?
They are not better in all areas, they are expensive to buy and install. I would get them if they were reasonable but for most sub 2-3mil houses, it doesn't make sense given the rest of the house. Being more expensive by a large margin reduces their market. They won't create a factory here because not enough people have the budget to buy them. That's the same reason US companies don't make a ton of high end windows like this. Its not because they can't, its because people won't buy them. Part of the reason Europe has so many, is their governments force them to high energy standards because they don't have energy security like the US.
It's because gas is much cheaper in the USA and houses are mostly build with wood. Both kinda defeat the purpose of those high performance windows. If the USA decides to finally work on climate change, those windows might be needed though.
I also don’t get it. Sure, triple-glazed maybe doesn’t make sense everywhere, but tilt windows for sure are a nice thing to have, right? Being able to keep open a window without the rain getting inside is kinda good.
Schuco does a factory in CT but it only does commercial. Schuco has a Toronto assembly plant but I have been told that ordering from that location actually costs more than the way EAS does it. EAS orders directly from Germany.
@@Josh.1234most of europe has enough energy. They have allways just try to save the planet by using less energy. Its their goal. And the windows are great for soundproofing too. We have a highway 20 feet from our building and you see the cars but you really can’t hear them at all. Walls are 10 inches too tho. And houses do last longer. Most houses stay up 100+ years here.
The testing process is very expensive for this. If your looking for that kind of performance you can get laminated glass and be pretty certain it will hold up through anything.
No problem at all with Miami - Dade approved European windows and doors, as you can order them with the seal of the Rosenheim testing institute which is even exceeding the Miami/Dade requirements and recognized here.
This illuminates a big problem within the U.S. building industry where we see custom triple glazed and UPVC as standard in Europe and one size fits all just buy what we make windows in the U.S.
We are European Style Windows vendors and have our own showroom here in Dallas, Texas. We are willing to share our perfect European style tilt and turn windows to all USA clients.
American made Alpen windows can match this performance. Zola windows are designed in USA but make in Poland. If shipping European products to the USA is a limitation, you need to find a good international logistics provider.
The quote was for 28 windows and 2 doors all very average size nothing to big and only double pane. Upvc . 7250 for shipping. . I would have loved to gone with them but the shipping makes it hard to do.
@@stevecrawford6958 The quote was for 28 windows and 2 doors all very average size nothing to big and only double pane. Upvc . 7250 for shipping. . I would have loved to gone with them but the shipping makes it hard to do.
There is a very strong push for energy saving, passive type homes. But suppliers and builders are very limited to non-existent in many areas. It would be great if there were thousands more builders like Matt across the country. Instead we have the bulk of builders focused on building to minimum standards, trying to build the cheapest home they can get away with. The 10 to 15 year home. After that, homes start falling apart, needing hundreds of dollars maintenance and upkeep.
quality and passive are two different things. You can have an extremely well built long lasting home that meets bare min energy standards. or you could have a passive home that falls apart. Also, suppliers sell products based on what people want to buy and when it comes to products targeted at passive homes, its a narrow market sector primarily due to the added cost of the house. In a perfect world all home would be passive but most don't have a budget for that.
@@Josh.1234 exactly! And the house in the video isn’t PH. You can play tricks with krypton fill on glass but the gas migration levels will render it at a 50% loss in 5 to 8 years.
@@Josh.1234, you are absolutely correct. What better examples than pyramids made of stones lasting hundreds of years. Although, one assumes, if paying extra to go passive, one will not cut cost in quality construction. As far as supplies, it is common for the initial buyers to pay higher prices for low demand products than after it becomes mainstream. I just see the transition to be very slow. And in many instances, built from habit or what contractor is familiar with, rather than best supply for the cost option.
@@victorvazquez5439 last 100 years, building practices have changed probably faster than they ever have in history. It would be nice if we get better/cheaper products faster but it's that slow process of market adoption which weeds out the good from the bad. You are probably right, most builders who can achieve passive home status probably also have good construction practices but you never know. You would be amazed how many dumb things people will do or corners they will cut.
Why is Europe so far ahead of the US in building? There’s no demand for quality in the US. Most houses in the US are built by builders who don’t care about technology, energy efficiency, usability, design, or aesthetics. The vast majority of new US houses are poorly constructed McMansions built as cheaply as possible. Builders think they’re architects yet they couldn’t design their way out of a cardboard box. Here in the Mid-Atlantic they’re still building colonials for Bob’s sake.
This makes me grumble about my 7 yr old Amsco windows with little thermal resistance that leak air/dirt/moisture into the inside of the house through the bottom track. We requested and paid for what the builder called “high efficiency” windows, but we believe the builder went with something really basic by mistake, or to balance other construction costs that came in higher than budget (which happened in a couple of instances). Our prior house was a basic spec home and the windows were better. My bad for being ignorant at the time and not double checking things. But if he had simply told us bluntly about the cost changes, we would have been totally fine spending the extra money to ensure we got quality windows. I think he meant well but didn’t realize that his tendency to sugar coat details and avoid disappointing clients was worse in the long term.
I’d disagree. We have excellent quality with Andersen and and Marvin but they don’t offer pure vinyl bc vinyl doesn’t bode well in many of Americas climates (ie very hot climates). Vinyl can do well in colder and more moderate climates and hence why it seems them in European countries.
I think European companies must invest and get production facilities in USA. And yes, 3 glass, 5 room we have it here in the poorest corner of European Union, it's very common, and yes, 95% are custom tailored.
What is that, like 60k$ USD in windows on that one side? Maybe if “code” didn’t dictate that we needed to pressurize our houses, so they mold and rot without electricity (central air, grid tie) we’d care more about the materials we used
Feels like deja vu, could swear matt's made this video b4. Thumb nails also wrong because VIG is much more efficient, was hoping this was a video about those. N what about security glass is that just a film or is made different
Matt, I've seen a number of videos on EAS and their windows. I''m sold on the European windows, having experienced them in France. I'm building a home for us, and would have pursued them, but cannot find a straight forward guide on how to use these in US framed walls, critical when most trades are used to nailing fins. The EAS website has lots of technical information, but seems to lack a basic, easy to follow, step-by-step "here's how" guide for the non-architect builder.
Cant stop looking at that spray foam interior window seal, and all the clips penetrating the seal. Seems to be a high reliance on the exterior tape application. @18 min - 110 mph is equivalent to only DP 30 - so not that impressive for 10 ft tall sliders. @19 min - there are US window manufactures who offer similar services
Interesting that it's cheaper to import rather than manufacture under licence in the US. Funny that I've always looked at flange windows that you often show on here as a superior solution. It would be great to see how they waterproof and insulate their installs. The cheap uPVC windows you can buy off the shelf in Home Depot (b and q here in the UK) are useless. I have a door and two windows in my garage and they have all dropped. The door has dropped 30mm. When I put new windows in my house I was told the insulation gain from triple glazing Vs double wasn't worth the cost. Hard to know which salesman to believe
My guess barriers of entree are too much. Cost of training, new machines, demand, etc...Even right now, my guess 1 out of every 5000 windows installed is european style... As for insulation.. i think it depends, for example. if you have south facing windows and live in warm climate, you must have triple. If you live in England for example, on north side, you'd likely only have double, since triple may not make a difference. I would imagine companies like these can take a look at our house, area, house orientation and give you advice. In the end you're not only paying for glass and frames, but delivery, post sale support, and obv pre-sale expertise.
Double vs Triple pane cost difference is very small and worth it. I am in Western Canada. House is 2 story with 32 windows. Quad pane with Argon gas fill, Low E glazing, Fiberglass frame with life time warranty. Energy saving is noticeable in summer or winter. Wall is 2x6 framing.
These look like ordinary windows, except for their large size and accordingly stronger structure. Mine are almost the same, excluding the added reinforcement - but these aren't necessary in one-square-meter first-floor windows. What's so special with American windows that would make one seek a European make?
I think in part this ia a question of priorities. Buy cheap appliances and skip that granite countertop etc.... Easier to replace those later, and the home will be more comfortable and efficient from day 1.
That is a correct assumption. Although, as mentioned, a fixed window of the same size would be around 40% less so under $400. I sell windows from most of the large US manufacturers as well a some Canadian and their prices on a triple glazed window are considerably more overall.
@@andrewkennedy9704 as I don’t have access to EAS pricing as I do others, you could be correct. That said, from the majors in the US that I deal with, that is a pretty accurate statement. A 3050 fixed is generally 35-40% less expensive than an operable window. Hung window on the low percentage and casement/awnings on the higher.
@@toona67 I get what you're saying and don't disagree but if you go back in the video he clearly states the $35 price is for fixed. It goes up from there for ones the open.
Love the windows but the house is weird. I wish building standards would change so new homes must have minimum 6 to 8 inch thick walls, not only for more insulation, but for structural integrity and more room for plumbing, wiring, hvac systems, fire safety, etc. As for increased matierial costs, I'm sure we could find some good uses for recycled matierials. In the end I'm sure you will find people who will pay more for a better build.
Yeah, it's strange to see these kind of windows in a wooden frame. Didn't get a good look at how thick the walls were, but having high performance windows in a simple wooden box is a waste of good windows. My first thought was: those windows are going to be toughter to get through than going through the wall. ;)
FYI, I just priced out shucos’ here (10 windows) 2- 3x5s 4-6x5s mulled units basically , & a 8wx7’8” lift & slide & 2 3x7 entry doors…about 26k shipped
The 3 doors alone were 12.5k before shipping, so i asked to redo the quote without the doors & EAS told me they were not interested in a small order. I like this channel & Matt for bringing different ideas/tech on building a quality home, but for a regular guy building his own home 1500sq ft, i cant justify a 9k + slider door.
what was the cost per sq ft?
Yeah I agree with you. I am sure these are amazing but so is a Ferrari, doesn't mean I would buy one. I don't think importing insanely expensive windows and sliders from Europe makes sense for most sub 1mil houses or depending on the area 2mil.
So many good vinyl windows out there with decent u values, I am not sure I could justify that type of price jump. What is it getting me? How much do I actually save a year over more moderately priced windows. How much longer will they actually last?
I'm not much of a window snob.. needs to open smoothly, decent u/r value, disassemble for cleaning easy and have a supply chain for any parts or replacements if the kids break one. For me Simonton windows (brickmoukd 600, 5500 replacements) have been great for the price and I have not used any window yet that was so much better I would be willing to spend 2-4x the cost. Custom ordered Simonton windows to my site were in the 250-300 range for standard sized windows. And they are so easy to install with a flange, it's hard to screw up.
I had a similar experience recently with them, I'm building a 2500' house and received a reply from them basically stating they'd quote it if I really wanted but it wasn't going to be cheap or easy.
Same here. I don't understand why this is the 3rd video without Matt covering the cons of their sales department. Every small builder is saying the same things. They don't want small orders. They won't ship unless you find a larger partner in your area to combine delivery.
This video title is even misleading now, getting us excited thinking something has changed but nothing is addressed to these complaints yet again in this episode review! Wth!?
@@TimFrentz the video is a paid ad by EAS just like some others previously. EAS is not the only US dealer of schuco windows, or other great european windows for that matter. if EAS customer service is garbage take your business elsewhere.
Matt, once again you nailed it with this guest. I really enjoyed hearing Patrick's story. Love the content, keep'm coming. All the best from your KC Fan club.
I'm really WOWED by this man and his products! It would be nice if EAS would stock a limited set of UPVC triple panes in 'standard' sizes. The Remodel builders, developers, AND clients would be happy to adjust their designs in order to get their hands on such high-quality products. GREAT job, Patrik!
Would be nice if they would start producing high quality windows in the US
Alpen from Colorado
Indeed there are a lot of quality windows and door manufacturers, and most important hurricane impact resistant: Windoor, PGT, CGI, Marvin Coastline, Euro-wall, Jeld-Wen.
There are, they just charge more than most people can afford for windows.
and ship them to Mexico too.
There are plenty of good windows in the US. I love my Simonton brickmold 600 vinyl windows or 5500 replacements. I have personally installed them in my own houses multiple times and they aren't insanely expensive (like 200-300 a standard size window). There are other brands that are great too.
This is a multi-million dollar house so buying European windows which are insanely expensive isn't a problem. They don't make sense for most sub 1 million dollar houses. These windows are thousands of dollars a piece and require a crew to set them which adds a ton more cost. Also no flange on a new construction window is just stupid and is asking for problems with any slight variation in installation. Taping a flanged window is so easy and hard to screw up.
Regular houses probably won't see an insane energy cost savings going from a good double pane us window and these insanely expensive triple pane. As far as this house if they were serious about energy efficiency, they wouldn't make a whole wall of windows. They can't be as energy efficient as a wall structure.
My builder and I had a great experience working with EAS on our new build In Virginia this past year. They have excellent communication and we never had to wait more than a day for a response. We went with the less expensive Salamander line, which were 20% less expensive than the same Schuco window and door package. I'm not sure why Matt and Steve never mention the Salamander line that EAS offers. I am very impressed with the quality of the windows, as was my builder. The cost for triple-pane uPVC windows and doors was basically the same as double-pane Marvin Essential, and way less than the Elevate triple-pane. Shipping and Delivery costs to VA were $4200. It worked out great for us and I couldn't be happier with EAS.
I've wanted to use EAS for a future home every since hearing about them from you originally, and this just further enforces that idea. Great video!
20:45 "Mostly East of the Rockies"
I asked for a quote a year ago. They wouldn't ship to the West Coast and at the time they said it was due to Covid and the shipping ports. It sounds like not much has changed. Love the windows though!
The Europeans designed great windows but were ultimately stymied on getting them over the Rockies. Who knew?...
Good luck. You have to find a large order in your area to piggy back your needs. They don't sell under a $3k ish order min. Plus shipping without a partner order is + x.75 ish of your window cost. At least that's the bid I got from EAS.
Same here, after seeing the quality of these I really wanted them in my master bedroom. I only needed 4 and they basically told me its not worth their time which I understand, seems they just want BIG high-end jobs
Just when I thought that architects couldn't get any more creative, I see a house like this...wow!
We are going with euro windows on our new project but one thing not covered here is functionality. The US market is not accustomed to the bi-way or tilt and turn opening of euro windows but unless one really can't see a way to incorporate it then I see very few drawbacks going with imported designs like these.
I was working in a house a few days ago that had tilt sliders. Never seen that before (I thought something was wrong with the hinges, lol) but it made perfect sense once I saw them operate. Why isn't everything like this?
Two drawbacks - I’d you don’t want a vinyl window they are hardly inexpensive. And their profile is VERY thick.American d windows ARE way overpriced admittedly.
He dodged the install problem- ie u r on your own- flanged windows much easier to install those same tapes are available to flange installs to - I call bs flangeless better weather tightness than flanged.
Price, logistics, support, instalation.. good number of reasons to not buy these windows.
On sub 1-2mil houses, I can't justify going for high end window packages when quality vinyl windows will function great and for the money, would not add much value for the customer.
@@Josh.1234 for reference Pella package came in at 12-15K more than the euro quote. One fiberglass the other PVC etc. So comparable product in terms of not being the most expensive option but not in terms of level of tightness, function and size. Once I used the euro windows and saw the windows close as tight and solid as a door it made the US manufacturers look pretty behind. Again if comparing the mid-range offerings and not the high end ones. So budget wise I'd say the euro option is still ahead.
Modern sliders feature the sash on the outside. That allows strong winds/water to seal the sash better.
Im a Norwegian who have changed all the doors and window in my old hous. I bought it all by a manufacturer in Lithauen, who themselfs get all the raw materialls from Germany, for a fraction of the cost of local built doors and windows here where I live
What is the name of the manufacturer?
Besides the efficiency aspect of European windows and doors, I'm extremely impressed with the physical capabilities of them. I love how most windows will tilt in at the top to allow air flow without letting water in. And then can also swing inward completely, having multiple lugs around all four sides lock the window into a sealed position when closed. Lifting sliders are amazing as well. Our front door is metal with wood cladding and has 18 lugs that rotate into the frame when locked, just like a bank vault does. Living in Europe for the last 3 years has really spoiled me on windows and doors. It will take some adjustment when I return to the US next year.
a thing that shocked me about many doors in north america, THRE'S A VISIBLE GAP BETWEEN door and floor and im not talking about doors between different room (that would not be acceptable in western europe) but the main entry door of modest home or apparment...
@@Tonyx.yt. my home here in Italy has the same seal along the bottom that most homes in the US have. Hadn't noticed a difference.
@@Tonyx.yt. that is installer error. No modern US door is made with a gap at the bottom. Most have adjustments and gaskets that seal there.
The products you are talking about are also available here too and they are common on high end homes like Matt showcases. The multi bolts mechanism is an option from most major door manufacturers. I had the option when buying my therma-tru doors. But do I need a vault door when I have a glass window not far away? Not really lol specially considering just installing a security strike plate will achieve 70% of the strength.
So its up to Americans whether they want to spend more on their houses for expensive windows like these.. not so much the industry or builders choice. Personally, good vinyl double hung windows come in at a great price point and work great both energy and functionality wise. I would have to be building a 3mil+ dollar house before I would look at importing expensive windows from Europe.
Matt - thanks for the info on these windows. I'm very likely going to order these for my house. I heard you mention in a video that you chose the uPVC windows for your personal home. I live in Houston and would like to actually see the window, touch them etc. before pulling the trigger. EAS rep said they obviously don't have a "distributor" in the area and my best bet would be to find a house that has the windows installed or going in. Do you have a new build using the uPVC windows near Houston? We are happy to drive toward Austin to see the windows (not looking to visit your home! Just a house where these windows are going in). Thanks in advance - and keep up the awesome work.
wow no distributor or showroom in Houston, the mecca of TX! even poggenpohl has a showroom near Galleria
Love it Matt! I lived in Germany for three years and will never be able to love windows from anywhere other than Europe! Will be hitting up EAS very soon for a window pack for my company’s first house!
Good luck. You have to find a large order in your area to piggy back your needs. They don't sell under a $3k ish order min. Plus shipping without a partner order is + x.75 ish of your window cost. At least that's the bid I got from EAS.
@@TimFrentz Well, if that’s the case, there are other vendors. I’m not married to any of them yet, but I’m a firm believer in the quality of European windows. I have found zero American window manufacturers that are equivalent, though I talked to a guy with a shop in Wyoming that may build what I’m looking for…that would be fantastic!
Can you make a video about the opposite problem? Certain materials like ZIP-system or Advantech are only available in the US.
Yup and schluter systems for Aus!
European uPVC windows are everything Matt says, but EAS is a disaster. I made a $50K order from EAS last year. EAS did not inspect the order prior to delivery and it was delivered by EAS with significant damage from mishandling and a defective lift and slide. Not knowing the extent of the problems, I only retained $5K, less than the cost of freight. I spent three days scrubbing black adhesive from the protective tape that was impacted into the windows. Most of it cleaned up, sometimes the black adhesive penetrated the foils. A few weeks later, EAS inspected the windows on-site and ordered replacements, some of which had new defects. EAS's poorly trained drivers/installers further damaged the windows when reinstalling parts from the original windows. Patrik actually sent me links to videos from a Belgium company that performs meticulous foil repairs, it was painful to watch EAS butcher my windows in their attempts.
After another six months of promises, two repair visits where they arrived without the necessary parts or tools, four lost days to no shows, EAS has decided to ignore their own terms of sales and is demanding final payment in advance of completing the repairs, as well as new warranty issues and is ignoring emails. EAS also lowered their quality standards as they dragged this out. For example, the hinges on a replacement door sash were misplaced so there are now large, uneven gaps between the upper and hinges, and the pin caps do not even reach the hinge pins as they are designed to do. The standard is no longer to meet the hinge manufacturer's specs, but only to be operable.
EAS is totally ill equipped to deal with problems and can not be relied on to honor their commitments, written or otherwise. I have no regrets with our choice of European uPVC windows, only in doing business with EAS. It was a very expensive mistake
Arent euro manufactures there in the US? There has to be a couple of them at least, there are hundreds of them here.
We spent over $8,000 replacing your "significantly damaged" window sashes and frames and undertook 3 day-long service trips to replace the units. When the damaged sashes arrived at our warehouse, two of our staff personally inspected them and had a really hard time locating some of the blemishes. We had to go to the photos you sent us to located them. Dents can look very big when photographed with an iPhone close-up shot but ultimately had little aesthetic impact on the windows. We replaced them anyway.
Following the replacement of the units you continued to reported new blemishes and decided to withhold payment. We had to put a stop work order on your account due to delinquency. You asked us to perform one more service under the promise that you will give the check for the balance to our technician. Our technician undertook the day-long service trip but ultimately you withheld the payment again.
Window business is tough and things do not always go well, but here at EAS, we try to make things right for the customer. We may not succeed on the first try but we put in the effort to make sure we go out of our way to correct things so we do not get reviews like these. If anything, your case illustrates the distance we are willing to go to perform after-sale service. It is still a bummer than you are so dissatisfied.
Of course, we are dissatisfied. A year after delivery, we have a new house full of damaged and defective windows and doors, wasted countless hours dealing with EAS's frustrations and failed efforts. Now, there is little prospect that EAS will, or is even capable of honoring, its obligations.
EAS neglected to say that they actually inspected all of the damage onsite prior to agreeing to order replacements. It is understandable that EAS may have had trouble performing inspections in warehouse conditions, as windows are typically installed in exterior walls. The defects were readily identified and later confirmed by EAS on-site in daylight, prior to their challenged inspection.
EAS's Terms of Sale state that the retained balance is due when the problems are adequately addressed. What EAS characterizes as continued reports of new blemishes, were timely reports of significant damage caused by EAS, as well as defects in the replacements. EAS can not end run its contractual obligation by merely claiming these reports as "new". Replacing one damaged part with another damaged part does not adequately address a problem. The account is NOT delinquent. This is well documented and EAS knows this.
There were a series of failed service calls. First, there were two visits by an incompetent EAS crew that resulted in further problems. Then five and seven months later, there were two visits by an EAS crew seemingly capable of performing the repairs, but without the tools, parts or time necessary to do so. The later crew accomplished little more than finding more problems with EAS's earlier repair work, such a frame that was bent when EAS installed the original glass in a replacement frame. Now the operable window below thar share the frame can not be opened.
EAS told me that they would complete all of the work on their most recent visit, yet they arrived unprepared. If the work was completed, payment would have been provided, as required. Now, EAS refuses not only to adequately address the original problems, but refuses to honor their warranty.
The last paragraph of EAS's response has their only thread of honesty. They did "try", "put in an effort" and "go out of our way to correct things", without actually correcting things. EAS must meet it obligations, not merely try. These issues should have been resolved eight months ago. EAS clearly does not have the experience, skills and integrity to deal challenges. When faced with their failings, EAS trivializes problems, twist facts and blames the customer.
This far to much detail for this forum, but vendors like EAS @European Architectural Supply are a homeowner's worst nightmare.
Here in Europe it is very rare that Windows are installed with the glass, the frames are in first and the glass later. This may well be due to weight, it is far easier to install a fairly light frame, get it square and then just slip in the glass. I had some units fitted, a couple of years ago now, included aluminium bifold doors, self cleaning, solar control, argon filled, double glazed, as there are blinds in between the glass, no cleaning required. The bi folds came with multi point locking, high security locks, and as they are down to the floor the glass is laminated for safety. All of the frames, being Aluminium are thermally isolated. These were not top of the range, just fairly standard , from a local, to me, company. All with a 10 year insurance backed warranty. Some 12M, around 36’ of glass, 2.2M 8’ high, in panels, cost some £8,000, installed, at current exchange rates $8400? There is huge competition for suppling windows, keeps the cost low. Any style is possible, even for historic buildings that have very strict controls on what can be used, identical to the original, where Xenon is used between the glass,as the gap will be very small, but they are expensive.
I'm convinced! My home needs hurricane grade windows.
With all those seals in these window assemblies, what does servicing look like if/when the rubber wears out? Does EAS have servicing guidelines, or does that get passed down through the manufacturer?
The rubber seals should last as long as the entire window.
??? U are talking about European windows ...
I worked with European Architectural Supply and Zola. Their response time is like 2 weeks, price is 2x (compared to direct with all fees and shipping), and also, everything is wrong - I literally provided them with floor-plans and elevations and other descriptions, they come back in 2 weeks - all wrong. There are better European manufacturers and window suppliers that sell to consumers. Very disappointing experience for me, but I got my order direct from a German company that respond in 24 hours, and guess what? either correct or better than I asked. Delivery process is easy, just find a good import agent, they do everything for you - ISF, delivery, customs, whatever...
Exactly, do it yourself and save the exasperation!
Zola sucks so much. worst company to work with! I had the same experience.
Interesting! I'm a carpenter based in Germany and have been thinking of starting an import/export business for German Products.. Any other experiences you've had worth mentioning?
Maybe EAS has gotten a bit hungrier now that housing starts are heading downward. I called them a year and a half ago to quote our passive house build in California. “Sorry we’re too busy”. Now? I wonder.
How would these install in ICF walls? It doesn't seem like the straps would hold well enough attached to the webs.
i really enjoy the fibrex windows i have on my home. high quality composites, all metal handles, latch's, rails, etc. higher quantity of argon. the demonstration even on the finished product that was installed for heat exchange from internal and external was outstanding. a plus side is they were custom made here in America to fit my older home.
I'm a homeowner in phoenix looking to replace all of my windows soon. Where/how do I start to find a dealer/contractor who will order and install these windows?
Awesome stuff Matt! 😃👍🏻👊🏻
Hello another good video but I am surprised that there is no coverage on blinds for European windows. We still do need blinds on these windows and NO I am not referring to the rolling hurricane shutters they use in Europe on the outside. I am talking about blinds/shades that we can quickly operate to let light in with privacy or be completely closed for darkness and privacy. Can you shed any light on options and examples of what works in the US? Thanks.
How can we get these in Florida? I contacted EAS like 6 months ago and they said they don’t service Florida.
I am glad they are locally here in Acton MA. If I am replacing my window I will definitely reach out to these guys.
About to submit a package to Marvin, Pella, and EAS. Excited to see what they come back at for costs.
Haha take a trip to Boston the big thre window regardless of material not even close! All marketing and sales budget - euro market is hyper imperative and regulations simply don’t allow cheap builder grades faux fiberglass and less than three gaskets Roto and not true hardware and stainless rollers on doors
What did you find out on cost comparisons??
@@mookiemorjax Marvin was considerably more than both Pella and Shuco. The other two were on par with one another, ultimately my builder was much more comfortable with Pella due to their experience with them, and the support they get - so that's what we are using.
I know this is the "build" show, but I would have loved to hear something about retrofitting existing homes.
Fuzzy Bear, There is a show, like that, it’s called This Old House on PBS. Good Luck Norm , on the next phase of your Journey. Be Safe
These euro windows will work for retrofitting as well.
They also manufacture them with flange upon request.
All German and Italian brands do flange on request on most line of products.
The fact that it requires a €15,000 subsidy - that I am not entitled to - to make it make sense, suggests it does not make sense.
The dude specifically said their windows are all custom size, you give them the size you want they build the window!
Man that eas owner knows what he is talking about… no hesitation!!!
Thanks for Great Information! Congratulations for doing all the things right!
Where do I order if I do just want 1 or 2 small to medium windows for an existing home?
Good stuff, Matt.
This was a good video Matt
I live 125 feet away from the local train around here. I need every advantage I can for noise dampening from foundation to roof. Shoots right through my windows right now. Something to look into as I work on remodeling my house over time right now.
I own a few properties in Warsaw, Poland. Some of them are in noisy neighborhood not far from the airport and one of the most heavy used railway line in Poland. I bought aluminum frames with noise-reducing triple glassing. It works marvelously. But to be honest - the way the windows are installed in the video makes me laugh from the European point of view and my own experience. This would not pass the post installation inspection here. There are so many crucial parts of the installation skipped. Inacceptable regarding newest energy efficiency building requirements in Poland (which are still not that rigorous). And the aluminum frames they show in the video are actually from a Polish manufacturer.
This was very insightful. Much appreciated
Hi Matt. What is the id of the white sliding glass doors at minute 4:52 in your video ? Thanks.
Could you cover heated windows at some point. It would seem like they would be an excellent option in cold climates as they SHOULD prevent room heat from leaving the building. But how much energy to they consume?
With windows like these, are perfect for cold climate. They use them like in the north of Sweden and Finland. And no, you don't need heated Windows.
Do they not do fiberglass?
Why not manufacture the windows in the US?
Canada has a nice window line , made in my town kohler windows and doors , great product
If the building is to be built with aluminum windows and steel siding is there a way to deal with the galvanic interaction between the aluminum and steel which can lead to corrosion. Is there a recommendations or best practices in dealing with this situation or is this a situation where we just should not choose any kind of aluminum systems if we plan to use steel siding?
? There aren't any problems.
Matt what is the apprenticeship program if any like in the states ?
I tried getting a quote from them but they said they don’t currently supply to California
I am sure if you waive liability and willing to truck it yourself, they will... It depends how badly you want it
Same experience in Southern California I've had. I contacted Schucco and they named a dealer, but this excerpt from the email explains it all.
Schüco USA has been focusing mostly on commercial projects in the US and we just started to expand to residential projects, that’s why you don’t see a dealer list on our website just yet.
The dealer they mentioned they said only did "high-end residential". Out here, that doesn't mean the beginning of million dollar homes. With only 20% of the population living on West side of the country, we just have to wait for them to expand out here.
There is a company making a similar product in Colorado, but it seemed to be 2x price when I last looked.
Hoping to get a good answer eventually. Planning to do a Casita build in a few years so maybe that's the ticket for me. It'll give European windows more time to spread and I'll be buying a larger package.
@@zstarwarsz I’m pretty sure they would just ship the container directly to California, why would they send it to the east coast and then transport it by truck?
@@xzmt My guess is the container will rarely have just your windows, so they recieve it, check it for damage, measurements, etc.. + sending container to west coast by ship is much more exoensive
@@xzmt that would be logical, but i do not know their logistics...
Builder associations need to contact American window manufacturers and ask them to up their game and meet or exceed
European window quality.
They would only do that if the European manufacturers had the potential to really take market share. That's not going to happen because the EU is about to disintegrate.
@@rcmrcm3370 This has been the mantra for the past 20 years.
Good luck
Brexiteer or American?
If you are willing to spend more money, you can get same quality from American window companies. When you compare big box in-stock US windows to custom designed European windows which require an engineer, it's apples to oranges comparison. Price is insanely higher, both unit and install costs of the eu windows.
Us manufacturers are building windows to the price point people want to spend. These EU windows are only used on insanely expensive houses.
@@Braun30 The war in Ukraine is exposing how European leaders are mere vassals. EU is subordinate to NATO. The puppet Truss in England just quit, and Italy just elected a nationalist. The EU project is not sustainable. Siemens is already thinking about leaving Germany for lower energy costs found elsewhere.
@@mefobills279 vassals?
Maybe, what would your decision be?
the only bad thing about triple glazed windows is that they are heavy.
some larger window will give the worker nice workout
and after a while due to the weight of the window you need to adjust hinges a little bit to make it leveled again so it does close nicely again.
That is when the window is European style and openable (not fixed window)
Never heard of that. And i work with windows like theese. They are heavy but hinges are really strong. Nevee heard anyone adjusting anything
@@Randomdude21-e you can see it when you are closing fully opened window it should not resist at all and should close nicely fully touching the frame without need of any push in.
If it does not get closed with eaze small adjustment in hinges that takes few seconds will fix the lean of the window.
people usually do not complain about details like these but you can meet exceptions
@@doposud if its mounted correctly it closes nicely
@@Randomdude21-e Well it does not after a while , especially if you don't even know that you can adjust it ....
@@doposud never had any issues at all. As i said i do this. And i put in my windows over 20 years ago. They are strong as hell.
Awesome video, your content is superb!
Which windows did you use in your home in Texas?
Several videos show a combo of EAS and JenW.
@@TimFrentz which is the EAS is what I'm asking.
What's the work around for not having NFRC stickers?
Thank you for the pricing discussion, even just to get a flavor of what pricing looks like. After watching this yesterday morning, I was asking my brother-in-law who is a contractor who he is using for windows and what kind of pricing he gets. It was nice to be able to say "this other option might actually be price competitive" based on the price points he described. He also mentioned window build quality of some previously good manufacturers has declined.
Matt you have grabo’s for windows?
and here I stay here in Germany, looking at my windows and thinking, meh, this is normal :)
Yeah, you're pretty awesome!
@@jt5747 thx. i can now open the window and sleep :)
@@jt5747 you are also pretty cool!
Thank you, @@TheVimeo. This could be the beginning of the first International Mutual Admiration Society. We could have regular meetings, and everything!
Suppliers on the west coast?
Matt, challenge domestic manufacturers on why they don’t match Euro construction. As a career manufacturing pro, I can tell you it would be cheaper to make anything here vs Europe.
These windows are drastically more expensive than quality vinyl windows in the US. If everyone could afford these windows in their builds they would also be driving ferraris :). The US consumer drives how much they want to spend on windows along with some govt regulations but in Europe govt regs are way stricter and their energy is insanely expensive
triple pane is overkill for cardboard walls. Did the tale of 3 piglets end prematurely for all USA?
Schuco ,in Europe we have Rehau ,Barrier and more ,but the germany windo its the best in Europe .
Matt and Patrik talk about the European windows being so much better in all areas. With this knowledge why does a company like Schuco not open up a factory in the USA?
Or an American company start a joint venture with any European manufacturer?
They are not better in all areas, they are expensive to buy and install. I would get them if they were reasonable but for most sub 2-3mil houses, it doesn't make sense given the rest of the house.
Being more expensive by a large margin reduces their market. They won't create a factory here because not enough people have the budget to buy them. That's the same reason US companies don't make a ton of high end windows like this. Its not because they can't, its because people won't buy them. Part of the reason Europe has so many, is their governments force them to high energy standards because they don't have energy security like the US.
It's because gas is much cheaper in the USA and houses are mostly build with wood.
Both kinda defeat the purpose of those high performance windows.
If the USA decides to finally work on climate change, those windows might be needed though.
I also don’t get it. Sure, triple-glazed maybe doesn’t make sense everywhere, but tilt windows for sure are a nice thing to have, right? Being able to keep open a window without the rain getting inside is kinda good.
Schuco does a factory in CT but it only does commercial. Schuco has a Toronto assembly plant but I have been told that ordering from that location actually costs more than the way EAS does it. EAS orders directly from Germany.
@@Josh.1234most of europe has enough energy. They have allways just try to save the planet by using less energy. Its their goal. And the windows are great for soundproofing too. We have a highway 20 feet from our building and you see the cars but you really can’t hear them at all. Walls are 10 inches too tho. And houses do last longer. Most houses stay up 100+ years here.
Where should I get good windows for an apartment in Bulgaria?
Can they provide Miami-Dade approved doors/windows? That would be amazing.
The testing process is very expensive for this. If your looking for that kind of performance you can get laminated glass and be pretty certain it will hold up through anything.
No problem at all with Miami - Dade approved European windows and doors, as you can order them with the seal of the Rosenheim testing institute which is even exceeding the Miami/Dade requirements and recognized here.
This window has more technology than my pickup truck.
Adverstising for them like there isn't already a shortage. thanks Matt!
It's pretty cool to see Polish made Aluprof windows all the way across the Atlantic.
Cheap. Normaly the complete frame is grilled with extruder foam!!!!
How long does it take for the windows to get here if each one is custom?
This illuminates a big problem within the U.S. building industry where we see custom triple glazed and UPVC as standard in Europe and one size fits all just buy what we make windows in the U.S.
Hello from Slovakia 🇸🇰
Are there any tilt turn IMPACT Windows from europe which can be installed in Florida?
Yes we have certified HVHZ Miami-Dade European windows with nailing fins available - PIXEL window
@@pamaniwindows look forward to knowing more about your windows.. are they manufactured in USA or europe
@@shenoyglobal Visit us at www.pamaniwindows.com
We are European Style Windows vendors and have our own showroom here in Dallas, Texas. We are willing to share our perfect European style tilt and turn windows to all USA clients.
Double glaze efficiencies? I think that’s old thought of efficiency it’s good to see products that are more efficient
Great video!
American made Alpen windows can match this performance. Zola windows are designed in USA but make in Poland.
If shipping European products to the USA is a limitation, you need to find a good international logistics provider.
I contacted Zola and they told me minimum order is $50,000. What a joke,.
Zola is the worst to try and get windows from. They dont actually design anything, it comes from the company in Poland.
I've got quotes from them . The price on the windows are great but the shipping cost make it undoable its just too much for shipping.
care to share the shipping cost?
The quote was for 28 windows and 2 doors all very average size nothing to big and only double pane. Upvc . 7250 for shipping. . I would have loved to gone with them but the shipping makes it hard to do.
@@stevecrawford6958 The quote was for 28 windows and 2 doors all very average size nothing to big and only double pane. Upvc . 7250 for shipping. . I would have loved to gone with them but the shipping makes it hard to do.
@@steveadler4090 what was the cost per sq ft? and what was the U factor
I also noticed the windows aren’t super tinted. They look pretty clear.
There is a very strong push for energy saving, passive type homes. But suppliers and builders are very limited to non-existent in many areas.
It would be great if there were thousands more builders like Matt across the country. Instead we have the bulk of builders focused on building to minimum standards, trying to build the cheapest home they can get away with. The 10 to 15 year home. After that, homes start falling apart, needing hundreds of dollars maintenance and upkeep.
quality and passive are two different things. You can have an extremely well built long lasting home that meets bare min energy standards. or you could have a passive home that falls apart.
Also, suppliers sell products based on what people want to buy and when it comes to products targeted at passive homes, its a narrow market sector primarily due to the added cost of the house. In a perfect world all home would be passive but most don't have a budget for that.
@@Josh.1234 exactly! And the house in the video isn’t PH. You can play tricks with krypton fill on glass but the gas migration levels will render it at a 50% loss in 5 to 8 years.
@@Josh.1234, you are absolutely correct. What better examples than pyramids made of stones lasting hundreds of years. Although, one assumes, if paying extra to go passive, one will not cut cost in quality construction.
As far as supplies, it is common for the initial buyers to pay higher prices for low demand products than after it becomes mainstream. I just see the transition to be very slow. And in many instances, built from habit or what contractor is familiar with, rather than best supply for the cost option.
@@victorvazquez5439 last 100 years, building practices have changed probably faster than they ever have in history. It would be nice if we get better/cheaper products faster but it's that slow process of market adoption which weeds out the good from the bad.
You are probably right, most builders who can achieve passive home status probably also have good construction practices but you never know. You would be amazed how many dumb things people will do or corners they will cut.
home depot needs start selling these triple windows
Wow that is a ton of glass. What a view!
Why is Europe so far ahead of the US in building? There’s no demand for quality in the US. Most houses in the US are built by builders who don’t care about technology, energy efficiency, usability, design, or aesthetics. The vast majority of new US houses are poorly constructed McMansions built as cheaply as possible. Builders think they’re architects yet they couldn’t design their way out of a cardboard box. Here in the Mid-Atlantic they’re still building colonials for Bob’s sake.
Mexican builders….and everyone else trying to cut costs enough to stay in business and competitive
#392👍Can these guys work with Bensonwood manufactured custom homes?
Bensonwood uses a good Canadian company unilux
This makes me grumble about my 7 yr old Amsco windows with little thermal resistance that leak air/dirt/moisture into the inside of the house through the bottom track. We requested and paid for what the builder called “high efficiency” windows, but we believe the builder went with something really basic by mistake, or to balance other construction costs that came in higher than budget (which happened in a couple of instances). Our prior house was a basic spec home and the windows were better. My bad for being ignorant at the time and not double checking things. But if he had simply told us bluntly about the cost changes, we would have been totally fine spending the extra money to ensure we got quality windows. I think he meant well but didn’t realize that his tendency to sugar coat details and avoid disappointing clients was worse in the long term.
Your sponsor (eas) says they dont ship to the west coast, who else distributes these windows?
German/Swiss/Nordic doors and windows are the best. It's crazy how we don't have US answers to these EU fixings.
I’d disagree. We have excellent quality with Andersen and and Marvin but they don’t offer pure vinyl bc vinyl doesn’t bode well in many of Americas climates (ie very hot climates). Vinyl can do well in colder and more moderate climates and hence why it seems them in European countries.
I think European companies must invest and get production facilities in USA.
And yes, 3 glass, 5 room we have it here in the poorest corner of European Union, it's very common, and yes, 95% are custom tailored.
What is that, like 60k$ USD in windows on that one side? Maybe if “code” didn’t dictate that we needed to pressurize our houses, so they mold and rot without electricity (central air, grid tie) we’d care more about the materials we used
I need to check out their windows
Triple pane adds additional failure modes for marginal benefits
Worked with theese types of windows in Norway for 25 years, never seen any issue at all. Mine is 25 years old to and look brand new.
Feels like deja vu, could swear matt's made this video b4.
Thumb nails also wrong because VIG is much more efficient, was hoping this was a video about those.
N what about security glass is that just a film or is made different
Matt, I've seen a number of videos on EAS and their windows. I''m sold on the European windows, having experienced them in France. I'm building a home for us, and would have pursued them, but cannot find a straight forward guide on how to use these in US framed walls, critical when most trades are used to nailing fins. The EAS website has lots of technical information, but seems to lack a basic, easy to follow, step-by-step "here's how" guide for the non-architect builder.
there's dozens of flangeless install videos on youtube.
Matt, I love these windows and tried to order them from EAS but they don’t get back to me. Disappointing.
Still can't get them where I'm at
May have a condominium project for Patrick in Seattle!
What I would call commercial-grade.
Skyscraper windows for your house.👌
When I grow up, I want to own a house with European windows and Japanese toilets! 😅
This is great content. The quality of our windows and doors is not what it should be in this country.
Cant stop looking at that spray foam interior window seal, and all the clips penetrating the seal. Seems to be a high reliance on the exterior tape application.
@18 min - 110 mph is equivalent to only DP 30 - so not that impressive for 10 ft tall sliders.
@19 min - there are US window manufactures who offer similar services
DenCo imports European windows for a great price, highly recommend
Interesting that it's cheaper to import rather than manufacture under licence in the US.
Funny that I've always looked at flange windows that you often show on here as a superior solution. It would be great to see how they waterproof and insulate their installs.
The cheap uPVC windows you can buy off the shelf in Home Depot (b and q here in the UK) are useless. I have a door and two windows in my garage and they have all dropped. The door has dropped 30mm.
When I put new windows in my house I was told the insulation gain from triple glazing Vs double wasn't worth the cost. Hard to know which salesman to believe
My guess barriers of entree are too much. Cost of training, new machines, demand, etc...Even right now, my guess 1 out of every 5000 windows installed is european style...
As for insulation.. i think it depends, for example. if you have south facing windows and live in warm climate, you must have triple. If you live in England for example, on north side, you'd likely only have double, since triple may not make a difference. I would imagine companies like these can take a look at our house, area, house orientation and give you advice. In the end you're not only paying for glass and frames, but delivery, post sale support, and obv pre-sale expertise.
Double vs Triple pane cost difference is very small and worth it. I am in Western Canada. House is 2 story with 32 windows. Quad pane with Argon gas fill, Low E glazing, Fiberglass
frame with life time
warranty. Energy saving is noticeable in summer or winter.
Wall is 2x6 framing.
@@tonyhwang3888 which manufacturer did you buy from? I haven’t seen quad pane anywhere.
Same, curious on this quad pane.
These look like ordinary windows, except for their large size and accordingly stronger structure. Mine are almost the same, excluding the added reinforcement - but these aren't necessary in one-square-meter first-floor windows. What's so special with American windows that would make one seek a European make?
Anything spent on a $500,000 piece of land with views will turn into profit but for 95% of American lots these windows are just too expensive.
I think in part this ia a question of priorities. Buy cheap appliances and skip that granite countertop etc.... Easier to replace those later, and the home will be more comfortable and efficient from day 1.
I’m an idiot, when he talks about $35-40PSF for a low end window, a 4x4 window would be $640? Am I thinking about that right?
That is a correct assumption. Although, as mentioned, a fixed window of the same size would be around 40% less so under $400.
I sell windows from most of the large US manufacturers as well a some Canadian and their prices on a triple glazed window are considerably more overall.
@@toona67 got it; thanks a ton for clarifying!
@@toona67 I think that $35 number was fixed. The comment later i don't think was related to that number.
@@andrewkennedy9704 as I don’t have access to EAS pricing as I do others, you could be correct.
That said, from the majors in the US that I deal with, that is a pretty accurate statement.
A 3050 fixed is generally 35-40% less expensive than an operable window. Hung window on the low percentage and casement/awnings on the higher.
@@toona67 I get what you're saying and don't disagree but if you go back in the video he clearly states the $35 price is for fixed. It goes up from there for ones the open.
Love the windows but the house is weird. I wish building standards would change so new homes must have minimum 6 to 8 inch thick walls, not only for more insulation, but for structural integrity and more room for plumbing, wiring, hvac systems, fire safety, etc. As for increased matierial costs, I'm sure we could find some good uses for recycled matierials. In the end I'm sure you will find people who will pay more for a better build.
Yeah, it's strange to see these kind of windows in a wooden frame.
Didn't get a good look at how thick the walls were, but having high performance windows in a simple wooden box is a waste of good windows.
My first thought was: those windows are going to be toughter to get through than going through the wall. ;)