Renewal by Andersen vs. a Local Window Installer

Sooner or later, most California homeowners researching windows see an advertisement for Renewal by Andersen. It is one of the largest replacement window companies in the country, and it works differently from the local contractor who replaced your neighbor's windows. Neither model is a trick. They are different ways to buy, and they suit different people. This page is part of our California window guide.

A disclosure first: Heritage Exteriors is a local installer, so we are one of the two options on this page. We have kept what follows to what Renewal by Andersen publishes about itself and to California law that applies to everyone, us included.

What Renewal by Andersen is

Renewal by Andersen describes itself as the full-service window and door replacement division of Andersen Corporation, founded in Minnesota in 1995, operating in more than 100 markets in the United States and Canada. Three things define it.

• It only does replacement. The company says it does replacement windows and no new construction.
• It sells through its own retailers. Its site states that you can only get its windows from an official Renewal by Andersen retailer. Each market is served by a named local retailer, which is the company you contract with; the site shows which one serves your ZIP code.
• Its windows are made of Fibrex. Its Acclaim replacement windows use Andersen's proprietary composite of reclaimed wood fiber and polymer, custom built to the opening at a Minnesota manufacturing facility. Renewal by Andersen retailers also sell and install some other Andersen products, such as Andersen patio doors, which carry Andersen's own product warranties.

The material is not unique to this channel. Andersen's 100 Series, sold through dealers and retailers, is also made of Fibrex, though Andersen says the Acclaim windows offer custom sizing, more color options and a wood interior option that the 100 Series does not. Our sibling guide on composite versus vinyl windows looks at the material itself.

How its process works

The company calls its process Signature Service and describes four steps.

1. In-home design consultation. A design consultant visits, takes measurements, shows samples, discusses style and options, and provides a personalized quote for the windows with installation during the visit. The consultation is free.
2. Custom manufacturing. After you approve the quote, an installation project manager takes precise measurements, and each unit is built to order for its opening.
3. Installation. The company's installers remove and dispose of the old windows, install the new ones and clean up.
4. Warranty and support. One company handles both product and installation claims.

That is a single point of responsibility from sale to service, which is the model's main appeal. It also means the product decision is made for you: there is one window line and one frame material, and the price is presented in your home in the same visit as the presentation.

Its warranty, as published

For Acclaim replacement windows installed on or after 1 June 2024, the company's limited warranty states:

• Glass: 20 years.
• Fibrex material components (frame, sash, exterior grilles): 20 years.
• Other components, such as locks, balances, hinges, insect screens and weatherstripping: 10 years.
• Exterior color finish: 10 years against fade beyond a stated measured threshold.
• Installation: 2 years.

The terms are transferable to later owners, and for valid claims the company provides and installs the replacement or repair, so labor is included. Its site says there are no restrictions for coastal or high-altitude homes and no maintenance requirement. The usual exclusions apply, including product modifications such as tinting, condensation, accidents, normal wear, and damage from chemicals or airborne pollutants such as salt. The warranty does not cover products that were not purchased through Renewal by Andersen and installed by its authorized installers.

Note what the fixed terms mean. This is not a "lifetime" warranty, and it does not pretend to be. It is a set of defined periods that pass in full to whoever owns the house. Many vinyl manufacturers do the opposite: lifetime coverage for the original owner-occupant and much less for the next owner. Which is worth more depends on how long you will own the home. Our sibling guide, window warranties explained, sets several real documents side by side.

How buying from a local installer works

A local window contractor is a licensed business that buys windows from one or more manufacturers and installs them.

• Choice of product. Most carry several manufacturers and several lines: vinyl at different levels, fiberglass, sometimes aluminum and clad wood. You can ask for the same openings quoted in two or three products.
• Two warranties. The manufacturer warrants the product. The contractor warrants the installation. That split is the main thing to understand, and it is why you need both documents in hand.
• Variation. Local contractors range from excellent to poor. Process, communication and crew quality depend entirely on the company, so vetting matters more.
• Method flexibility. A local contractor can usually offer both retrofit and full-frame installation and coordinate with siding or stucco work. See retrofit versus new construction windows.

Our pages on the best window companies in Sacramento and the Bay Area describe what to look for.

The two models side by side

California rights that apply to both

State law does not care how large the seller is. A few protections are worth knowing before anyone sits down at your table. We summarize them here and cover them fully in our sibling guide on California window contract requirements.

• The right to cancel. For a home solicitation contract, the buyer may cancel until midnight of the third business day after receiving a signed and dated copy of the contract, or the fifth business day if the buyer is a senior citizen. The home improvement contract must include a notice of this right unless it was negotiated at the contractor's place of business. On cancellation, the contractor must return payments within 10 days of receiving the notice.
• License and salesperson registration. The contract must state the contractor's name, business address and license number and, where one was involved, the name and registration number of the home improvement salesperson who solicited or negotiated it. Salespeople must be registered with the Contractors State License Board unless they are exempt, for example as an officer listed on the license. You can look up both the license and the registration on the CSLB website.
• Down payment limit. A home improvement contract must state that the down payment may not exceed $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less.
• A copy before work starts. The contractor must give you a signed and dated copy of the contract before any work begins, and your receipt of it starts the cancellation period.

None of this is aimed at a particular company. It is the baseline, and a reputable seller of any size will walk you through it without being asked. Our sibling guide on window sales red flags covers the tactics that should make you slow down, whoever uses them.

What to ask either one

About the product

• What is the exact product line and frame material?
• What are the NFRC U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient for this configuration, and do they meet the requirement for my climate zone? See what Title 24 requires and how to read an NFRC label.
• What is the frame width, and how much glass will I lose compared with what I have?

About the installation

• Is this a retrofit or a full-frame installation, and why is that right for my walls?
• Who will be on site: employees or subcontractors? Who supervises?
• Who pulls the permit, and is its cost in the price? See permits for retrofit windows in California.
• What happens to interior trim, exterior stucco or siding, and paint?
• If rot is found in an opening, what is the price for the repair?

About the warranties

• May I have the actual warranty documents before I sign, not a summary?
• How long is the installation warranted, by whom, and is that in writing?
• Is labor included for product claims, and for how long?
• Does coverage transfer if I sell, and is there a step I have to take?

About the contract

• What is the license number, and the salesperson's registration number?
• How long is the price good for, in writing?
• What is the payment schedule, and what triggers each payment?
• What are the start and completion dates?

Which model suits you

The one-company model fits if you want a single party responsible for product and installation, you like the composite product and its fixed transferable warranty, and you would rather not choose between materials and manufacturers yourself.

A local contractor fits if you want to compare materials and lines, need vinyl, fiberglass, aluminum or clad wood for particular openings, are combining windows with siding or stucco work, or want several bids on comparable products. It asks more of you in vetting the installer.

Whichever way you lean, get at least two written quotes for the same scope and put them on one list. How to compare window replacement quotes shows how, and our cost page gives installed ranges for context.

Sources

• Renewal by Andersen: about the company
• Renewal by Andersen: our process (Signature Service)
• Renewal by Andersen: exclusive product and Fibrex material
• Renewal by Andersen: homeowner warranty and warranty documents
• Renewal by Andersen: FAQs about its window replacement process
• Andersen Windows: Fibrex composite material and the 100 Series
• California Civil Code section 1689.6 (right to cancel a home solicitation contract)
• California Business and Professions Code section 7159 (home improvement contracts)
• California Business and Professions Code section 7152 (home improvement salespersons)
• Contractors State License Board: check a license or home improvement salesperson registration

Working with Heritage Exteriors

We are a local contractor, so we will quote you more than one manufacturer and material for the same openings, give you the manufacturer's warranty document and our own workmanship warranty before you sign, and leave the quote with you to compare. If you already have a proposal from another company, we are happy to quote the same scope so the comparison is fair. Licensed in California, CSLB #1055919. Call (916) 546-2991.