Custom Window Manufacturing

Custom window manufacturing is one of those phrases that have changed through the years. The issue has really become what is custom and what is not?

First things first. We need to make sure we are talking about the same thing here. There is a company called the Custom Window Company that does large scale commercial window projects. We are not discussing that company in this article. Instead, we are talking about what is and what is not custom window manufacturing and how you should use the field.


To us, a custom project is one that involves a one off production of something. If you think of the hot rod shows on television, those are custom jobs. The specialist create a custom chopper or car or whatever that will never be redone or mass produced. If you agree, the issue is then whether this can be applied to the window industry.

Most window manufacturers include the name “custom” in their description. Whether they are or not is a bit of a fuzzy subject. Consider Marvin Windows. You can buy a basic double hung window from Marvin that is not made to your specs. On the other hand, Marvin offers a “made to order” service where you send plans for what you want and they will make it. This second version would qualify as custom to us, but the first would not.



What about individual tradesman? Are there specialist still around? Yes. Your contractor is going to know about individual tradesman or small shops that make custom windows. The question is whether you should use them. The problem is what happens if something goes wrong with the windows down the line? Let’s say you bought the windows in 2005 and they’ve sprung a leak in 2010. The general contractor went out of business in 2007 and the custom window manufacture followed soon thereafter!

For our money, the better choice these days when it comes to custom window manufacturing is to go with a larger company. Marvin and plenty of other companies do excellent custom work and stand behind their products. You can get the pieces you want and know that someone is there to deal with any problems that occur down the line.

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