Windows, Windows and more Windows

No, not the Microsoft kind, the kind that covers those otherwise gaping holes in your house.
Our house has the original, single pane double hung windows and storm windows that were probably added in the seventies or eighties.  They are not efficient, not the most secure and can be difficult to open or close sometimes.  The glazing is falling out, not all the storm windows work and the outside is so difficult to clean that we have never tried.  Time for new windows, right?

I have this week off from work so I set up appointments with several companies over yesterday and today to get information and estimates.  So far I have met with three window company representatives, two during the day and one last night that my wife was present for.

The first window rep seemed like a nice guy but he did not give me an estimate.  He wanted to come back when he could meet with me and my wife both.  Several things about this meeting bothered me.  He sold fiberglass windows and wanted to tear out the whole old window frame rather that sell me a pocket window.  He also spent at least half the time he was here just badmouthing another window company and telling me all things bad about vinyl windows.  Looking back on that meeting, I'm sure he was a 'hard-sell' guy and wanted my wife here because he wanted to leave with a signed sale.  No deal.

The second window rep was a real nice guy who had a great presentation of his product.  He was well prepared and efficient and was fine with the fact that I was gathering estimates from several places and would not make a decision right then and there.  He gave me a very good estimate and, so far, is our leading candidate.

That brings us to the third window rep.  I had high expectations for this local, family owned company.  Like the second he was well prepared, but not nearly as efficient.  We listened carefully as he explained every detail of their product, but he often repeated himself and asked us stupid and rhetorical questions and expected us to answer, a power ploy that just made him and his unnecessary power point presentation go longer.  After 2 hours I tried to convey my restlessness to no avail.  Finally after about another half hour he got down to giving us some numbers, numbers that had more digits than I was happy with.  Yes, we agreed it was a superior product, yet the cost and his forcefulness were completely turning us off by this point.  He went through a few acts where he got the price down some, but still would not accept that we were not going to make a decision on the spot.  He was determined to leave with a signed deal and we were determined not to rush into anything.  Period.  Finally, my wife said that it's not a money issue anymore and I jumped in and told him no, it's a time-to-go-home-now issue.  He arrived at 5:00 and it was now around 8:30 and we had had enough.  We will not be calling him back.

Today I have an appointment at 3:30 this afternoon and 6:30 tonight for more of the same.  I hope they are more like the second rep and not the first.  And surely not like the third because I now have much less patience for that type of salesman.