Windows & Doors contractors in Massachusetts

How much does storm door installation cost in Massachusetts? Three things set your price, and the warranty skips the part that matters most.

One: the door. Full-view glass, a retractable screen, a heavier frame, low-E glass and a keyed lock all add cost. Andersen, for example, covers the frame for as long as you own the home, but most other parts for five years. One Larson warranty covers hardware and closers for one year.

Two: your opening. The rails screw into the trim around your door, so soft or split trim, or an opening that is out of square, means extra work. That is where a "starting at" install price grows.

Three: the door behind it. In direct sun, a storm door can trap heat against your entry door. ProVia, a storm door maker, calls this a heat sink and says to vent it. It suggests low-E glass on the entry door, not the storm door.

Now the warranty. Larson and Andersen both exclude damage from improper installation, and neither pays the labor to reinstall. If the install fails, the contractor's own warranty is what pays.

So when two quotes for the same doorway are far apart, they are rarely the same job. One hangs a basic door on soft trim. The other repairs the trim and fits a heavier door that vents. Quotes differ because the products and the installation differ, so price alone is the wrong comparison, especially in a Massachusetts winter.

Ask every contractor three questions. Is my trim solid and square? How will you keep heat off my entry door? And what does your install warranty cover, for how long?

Compare local window and door contractors by town at MassHomeComfort.com. It's always free.

How much does entry door installation cost in Massachusetts? Four things set your price, and the door warranty skips the part that matters most.

One: the door. Steel usually costs least. Fiberglass costs more and can look like wood without the upkeep. Wood costs the most and needs the most care.

Two: glass and extras. Sidelights, a transom, decorative glass and hardware all add cost. Check the NFRC label: ENERGY STAR asks for a U-factor of 0.17 or lower on a solid door. Lower keeps more heat in.

Three: slab or prehung. A slab hung in your old frame costs least. A prehung door replaces the frame and sill too, so the installer can find rot and flash under the sill. It costs more, and fixes a drafty doorway.

Four: the age of your house. If it was built before 1978, removing a painted door and frame can fall under lead-safe rules: containment, cleanup and a certified crew.

Now the warranty. Therma-Tru, for example, gives its fiberglass doors a lifetime limited warranty for the original owner. But it excludes incorrect installation and the labor to remove or replace the door. If the install fails, the contractor's own warranty is what pays.

So when two quotes for the same doorway are far apart, they are rarely the same job. One may be a steel slab in an old frame, the other a fiberglass prehung door with a flashed sill. Price alone is the wrong comparison, especially in a Massachusetts winter.

Ask every contractor three questions. Slab or prehung? How will you flash the sill? And what does your install warranty cover, for how long?

Compare local window and door contractors by town at MassHomeComfort.com. It's always free.

How much does window replacement cost in Massachusetts? Most price videos quote a per-window number from another state. Here, five things set your price, and one of them is the year your house was built.

One: the frame. Vinyl usually costs the least. Fiberglass and wood-clad windows cost more because they take more to build, and many hold up longer.

Two: the glass. Double or triple pane, low-e coatings and gas fill all change the price. Check the NFRC label for the U-factor. The lower the number, the better the window keeps heat in.

Three: the install. An insert fits inside your old frame, so it goes in faster. Full-frame takes the old window out down to the framing, so the installer can find rot and seal the opening. It costs more.

Four: size, shape and location. Large, custom and bay windows cost more, and so do windows on the second floor and up.

Five: the age of your house. If it was built before 1978, lead-safe rules cover window replacement, even for one window. That means containment, cleanup and a certified crew, and it shows up in the quote.

So when two quotes for the same house are far apart, they are rarely for the same job. One may be a vinyl insert, the other full-frame fiberglass with lead-safe work. Price alone is the wrong comparison, especially in a Massachusetts winter.

Ask every contractor three questions. Insert or full-frame? What is the U-factor? And how will you handle lead-safe work?

Compare local window and door contractors by town at MassHomeComfort.com. It's always free.

Shopping for energy efficient windows? Almost every window sold today claims to be one. In a cold climate like Massachusetts, here's what actually matters.

Start with the label. Every certified window carries an NFRC sticker with its test results. The first number to read is U-factor. It measures how much heat escapes through the window. Lower is better.

For our northern climate zone, ENERGY STAR now asks for a U-factor of 0.22 or lower. That's the strictest standard in the country. A basic double-pane window often can't reach it. Many that do are triple-pane, or double-pane with upgraded coatings and gas fill.

Second, air leakage. A window can have great glass and still feel drafty. Look for 0.3 or lower. Lower is tighter.

Third, solar heat gain. Up north, some winter sun is free heat. So the lowest number isn't always the best choice for a south-facing room.

Fourth, the frame. Vinyl, fiberglass, wood, and composite all insulate differently, and they age differently through freeze and thaw.

And fifth, the one that never shows up on the sticker: installation. The best window, set in an opening that isn't sealed and insulated, will leak like the old one.

That's why two quotes for the same house can be thousands of dollars apart. They're usually quotes for two different windows, installed two different ways. So don't compare price alone. Ask each contractor for the U-factor, the air leakage rating, the glass package, and how they seal the opening. Then compare.

According to the Department of Energy, windows account for 25 to 30 percent of home heating and cooling energy use. In a Massachusetts winter, the details pay off.

Want to compare local window contractors? Mass Home Comfort lists them by town across Massachusetts. It's always free. MassHomeComfort.com.