Home Depot vs Custom Made Windows, Which Ones Are Better?

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It may not seem like it, but upgrading your windows may be one of the single most effective ways of improving your home in a myriad of ways. Windows are an important component of every home, and choosing the right ones as Home Depot window replacements can change various characteristics of your home.

For one, a new set of modern windows can totally change your home’s appearance, transforming what was once a glimpse of yesteryear into something altogether more modern. Better engineered windows can also increase your home’s thermal efficiency, saving you money on energy bills. It also goes without saying that bigger windows can have a huge benefit in that they allow plenty of healthy sunshine to come into your home.

When it’s time to replace windows, two of the most popular choices for homeowners nowadays are custom windows or Home Depot. The most important question, therefore, is which option is better? As with many things, the answer is far from straightforward. Both Home Depot windows and custom windows have their own sets of pros and cons, and deciding which one works best for you will depend on your budget and technical requirements.  

Home Depot Window Pros 

Buying Home Depot windows comes with neat perks such as affordability and easy shipping.

The age-old question of Home Depot vs. custom-made is back again. Is Home Depot a good place to get your windows? In short, yes. Home Depot is a solid option for those that want to replace their home windows but don’t want to go way over budget doing it. Buying windows from Home Depot comes with many distinct advantages such as the sheer variety of window sizes and types available and easy shipping to any part of the country. There are of course plusses and minuses to everything and that fact should be kept in mind.  

Affordability 

One of the greatest benefits of choosing windows from Home Depot is that they tend to have pretty competitive pricing, and are often the most affordable choice on the market. One reason Home Depot window prices are so compelling is that they offer you the luxury of choice by carrying a wide variety of window types. This is a considerable benefit that you might not get at other stores.  

Variety 

Home Depot also carries a variety of window types and sizes, providing you with a lot of choices for your new windows. You can find windows with the perfect combination of materials and colors you desire thanks to the wide variety of choices offered. This is super convenient if you are just looking to replace your windows and don’t want to go on a large search for the exact ones you need. The number of choices also means you are unlikely to find yourself in a situation where none of the options meet your requirements.

There are plenty of choices when you buy windows from Home Depot.

Easy Installation

When you buy windows from Home Depot, they send their own people to install the windows for you. The pros of Home Depot are quite experienced and knowledgeable, meaning that your installation should be quick, easy, and trouble-free. This adds to the cost but is well worth it for the peace of mind when you’re luxuriating on your window bench knowing your windows were installed by qualified technicians. Plus, a home with well-installed windows is going to be more valuable than one with improperly installed windows. 

Warranty 

If anything should go wrong with your new windows, it's good to know that you can expect some help from the people you bought them from. Windows from Home Depot come with a limited warranty, meaning that if something goes wrong while the windows are under warranty you can rest easy knowing that Home Depot will have a solution. 

Home Depot Window Cons 

Home Depot windows come with a limited warranty so you’ll have help if something goes wrong.

If You Miss The Sales… 

The Home Depot often has some good sales on a lot of its merchandise, and windows are no exception. However, sales are a temporary event, and if you miss out on Home Depot’s savings you might find that the prices for the windows you wanted have jumped up significantly. Some of Home Depot’s window prices can get a bit prohibitive, so you may have to wait for the windows to go on sale before you can take advantage of more affordable pricing. The good news is that the most expensive windows tend to get the biggest price cuts, so waiting for special offers is well worth it. 

Support 

While Home Depot will gladly offer you customer support from knowledgeable experts, it is important to note that this can have limits. Home Depot sells a lot of different windows at different price points and from different manufacturers. As such they are less likely to have technicians who are specialized in one window brand or type and so cannot offer you as much technical support as a brand name manufacturer could. Because of this, you might find it difficult to make customized changes to Home Depot windows as this is not commonly done. 

Custom Window Pros

Custom windows are precision tooled to your exact specifications.

While they tend to be more expensive than windows from Home Depot, custom windows come with considerable benefits that may make them the better option for your needs. If you know exactly what materials, style, shape, color, and type of windows you are looking for, custom windows are a good way to go. Custom windows are an excellent option in this case because they offer you greater flexibility in terms of customizability.

Custom window manufacturers are also able to offer you more specialized customer service since they will have more expertise in specific window types. Plus, some homes may require specific window sizes that are not commonly available at big box stores, and in these cases, custom windows may be the only option.

Custom windows offer superior insulation keeping energy bills low.

Get Exactly What You Need

The beauty of custom windows is in the name, custom. With custom windows, there is no worrying about not being able to find exactly what you need. If your home requires specific window types or sizes, you will be able to find them at a custom window manufacturer or have them made for you. Custom windows also come with high-quality thermal insulation which does wonders for your home’s thermal efficiency. 

Customize Everything 

The other details you can customize are the appearance and features of your windows. Many premade windows tend to look pretty cookie cutter as far as their styling and hardware, but you can change that by selecting unique high-quality components for your windows. Custom windows can also come with features that aren’t available on windows sold at big box stores such as special locks and custom mosquito frames.    

Custom Window Cons 

Custom quality comes at a cost that is well worth the investment.

While there are quite a few benefits that make custom windows well worth considering, it is important to bear in mind that there are some compromises that need to be made with these types of windows as well. As you might expect, a high level of customizability always comes at a price.  

Cost

Generally speaking, custom windows are going to cost more per unit than your average Home Depot windows. You can expect to pay at least $2,000 per custom window unit on average compared to $300-$800 per unit for Home Depot windows. You can sometimes find more affordable custom window pricing depending on what type of window you choose and which brand you buy from, but they will almost always be more expensive than the Home Depot alternative. However, you are getting a lot of value for that extra price. A good set of custom windows will last for a long time and will also boost your home value.    

Not All Materials Are Made Equal

While this is also true of Home Depot window brands, it should be emphasized with custom windows as well since they give you more material choices. Some available materials may not be as well suited for your needs as others. For example, vinyl is well known as an affordable window frame material with a lot of versatility. Unfortunately, they are also significantly less durable than other materials such as fiberglass and may not deal well with extreme heat conditions.

On the other hand, strong materials such as aluminum will give you beautiful long lasting windows but can also significantly reduce the comfort of your home since aluminum windows heat up faster. Knowing the trade-offs between the materials you are choosing from is crucial for selecting the best one for your new windows.