2023 Kolbe Windows Reviews, Prices, Options

On average, a single Kolbe window costs between $550 and $800 installed.

For large window types, such as bay windows, the price can reach $1,000 or more. The price for installing 10 Kolbe windows ranges from $5,500 to 10, 000, including all materials and professional installation.

Kolbe windows are built for high performance and long lifespans, and the company offers add-ons for optimal energy efficiency, insulation, and impact resistance.

If you are ready to install new windows, contact your local window pros for FREE ESTIMATES!

How Much Do Kolbe Windows Cost?

If you are looking for a high-quality vinyl windows brand at a similar price point, check out Simonton Windows.

The cost of a Kolbe window will vary greatly depending on the style of window you choose–a large bay window will cost much more than a simple casement window.

Also, the series you choose will impact the cost, as Kolbe offers several series at different price points with different benefits.

Did you Know? Kolbe prices their darker color frames almost 25% more expensive compared to white frames. So if you want Kolbe Windows but want to save some money, consider choosing white frames.

For an accurate assessment of how much a Kolbe window will cost you, speak with several local contractors that supply Kolbe windows and get quotes for your window project. By comparing quotes you will be able to get the most accurate guess of how much your window replacement project will cost.

When you choose a contractor, be sure to discuss exactly what is included in the price so you won’t be surprised by unexpected costs.

You can use our Windows Cost Calculator to estimate the cost of your new windows.

Kolbe Windows Price List By Series

The cost of a new Kolbe window will depend on which window series you choose. The table below outlines the price differences between some of Kolbe’s most popular series.

Window Series	Average Material Cost	Average Labor Cost	Average Total Cost
Heritage Series	$550	$100 – $200	$650 – $750
Ultra Series	$600	$100 – $200	$700 – $800
VistaLuxe	$800	$100 – $200	$900 – $1,000

If you are looking for much cheaper replacement windows and don’t mind good quality vinyl, consider Jeld-Wen Windows.

Does Kolbe Make New Construction Windows?

If you are building a new house, Kolbe has a number of new construction windows for you to choose from.

All Kolbe Series, including their innovative Forgent series can be used for a new construction window. Their lead time is very short, so you can actually start the install of your new windows very quickly.

If you are looking for replacement windows, you can choose from any window style in the Forgent Series or any double hung window in the Ultra and Heritage Series.

What Are Kolbe Windows Made From?

Unlike bigger window manufacturers such as Pella, Kolbe specializes in windows made from three types of materials.

Wood: available in the Koble Heritage Series, VistaLuxe WD Series and Ultra Series
Aluminum: available in VistaLuxe WD Series, VistaLuxe AL series, Ultra Series
Glastra (propriety blend of fiberglass and UV stable polymer): available in Forgent Series

Kolbe Window Series Overview

Each of Kolbe’s window series offers a unique benefit to your home, all with diverse aesthetic and practical features.

Heritage Series:

Heritage Series is Kolbe’s least expensive and budget friendly window option. Its offered in Casement Windows, Awning Windows, Double Hung Windows, and Specialty Windows.

The Kolbe Heritage Series windows are made with a wooden interior as well as exterior.

Because of its capacity to recreate complex designs made from wood, the Heritage Series is well-suited for window replacements in historical homes, even those with unique window features.

Heritage Series Features:

● Average Cost: $550
● Average Cost with Installation: $650 – $750
● K-Kron II Exterior coating
● Over forty exterior colors
● Over twenty standard interior pre-finishes, custom choices available
● Custom hardware and finishes available

These windows are comparable in price and quality to mid-ranged priced wooden Andersen Windows.

Ultra Series:

Kolbe Ultra series is a step-up in price and quality and is best suitable for higher-end remodeling projects.

The Ultra Series offered in Casement Windows, Awning Windows, Double Hung Windows, Sliding Windows, and Specialty Windows.

The Kolbe Ultra Series combines the aesthetic beauty of wooden interiors with the strength of an aluminum exterior. Ultra windows also have a wooden exterior trim to enhance the beauty of the windows.

Ideal for durability and versatility, the Ultra Series can be incorporated into a wide array of home styles while maintaining high performance. In coastal areas affected by hurricanes, the Ultra Series is offered in windows with high hurricane impact performance.

Ultra Series Features

● Average Cost: $600
● Average Cost with Installation: $700 – $800
● Over fifty exterior colors, custom choices available
● Over twenty standard interior pre-finishes, custom choices available
● Durable aluminum exterior
● High energy efficiency
● High impact resistance

Compare these higher-end windows to Pella windows made of wood.

Forgent Series

Kolbe Forgent Windows are offered in Casement Windows, Awning Windows, Double Hung Windows, Sliding Windows, and Specialty Windows.

Forgent windows are made from Glastra, a proprietary composite of fiberglass and UV-stable polymer, designed for strength and durability.

The Glastra material is designed for simple, easy installation, making the Forgent line a perfect fit for both replacement windows and new installations.

The Forgent series is offered with two different exterior/interior options: Glastra for both the interior and exterior, or Glastra for the exterior and pine wood for the interior.

Forgent Series Features:

● Pine wood interior offered with pre-finishes including double clear coat, latex primer, black paint, white paint, or a selection of stains
● High durability with Glastra exterior
● High performance due to enhanced ladder design
● Welding and sash frame prevent moisture or air from entering the home
● Made from environmentally friendly Glastra made from recycled and repurposed material
● Extensive choices for interior and exterior finishes and stains

This series is comparable to Marvin Essential windows, which are also made of fiberglass, although Marvin windows are about 20% more expensive.

VistaLuxe WD Line

With its crisp lines and multiple unit options, VistaLuxe WD line is ideal for large expanses of windows showcasing the great outdoors. The wood interior gives the home a warm feel, and the aluminum exterior allows for easy maintenance and long-term durability.

Its offered in Casement Windows, Awning Windows, Sliding Windows, and Specialty Windows. VistaLuxe WD comes in two exterior styles: the flush style for a highly streamlined look, or the accent style whose shadow line adds texture and interest to any window.

VistaLuxe WD Line Features:

● Average Cost: $800
● Average Cost with Installation: $900 – $1,000
● Environmental efficiency
● Durable aluminum exterior
● Over fifty exterior finishes, custom finishes available
● Aesthetic wood interior
● Over twenty standard interior pre-finishes, custom choices available

VistaLuxe AL Line

Whereas the VistaLuxe WD line is offered with aluminum exteriors and wood interiors, the Vistaluxe AL line is offered entirely in aluminum. Its offered in Casement Windows, Awning Windows, and Specialty Windows

Aesthetically, the VistaLuxe AL line is hyper modern and streamlined, and well-suited for large pieces of glass. These hearty aluminum windows are designed to last years and years.

VistaLuxe AL Line Features:

● Average Cost: $800
● Average Cost with Installation: $900 – $1,000
● High thermal performance
● All-aluminum interiors and exteriors
● Offered with 4 powder coated and 2 anodized finishes
● European styling provides streamlined look

Kolbe Window Styles

The style of window you choose will make a big difference in the cost you will incur. A basic window such as casement or sliding windows will cost significantly less than any of the specialty designs. Custom window designs will cost even more.

Casement Windows:

Casement windows are hinged on the side and open left or right. Kolbe offers push-out and crank-out casement windows, as well as in-swing casement windows, depending on your needs.

Casement windows are well suited for areas where the top of the window cannot be easily reached, so they can still be opened. Since casement windows are made from one panel of glass, they are also particularly good at insulation. Similarly, casement windows provide much air flow because of the wide, uninterrupted opening.

Awning Windows:

Awning windows open outwards at the bottom and are hinged at the top. Kolbe’s awning windows come in both crank-out and push-out windows. Because of their downward slant, awning windows can be kept open during rainy weather, as they prevent the water droplets from entering the home.

Awning windows are also well-suited for releasing warm air from inside the home and bringing in fresh, cooler air. Awning windows are often installed in conjunction with other windows or doors to improve ventilation.

Double Hung Windows:

Double hung windows are composed of two sashes that both move up and down. This feature improves airflow, which is why double hung windows are superior to single hung windows for ventilation.

Kolbe offers double hung windows in a wide array of styles: Sterling, Traditional, Majesta, Old World Classic, and Replacement.

Sliding Windows:

Sliding windows are made from sashes that move right to left. Sliding windows are perfect for wide, horizontal spaces to provide sweeping views, as well as ventilation. While other window brands offer limited sliding window sashes, Kolbe offers up to four sliding window sashes: Single, Double, Triple, and Quad.

Specialty Windows:

Kolbe offers many different types of specialty windows to fit your specific needs. One specialty window offered is corner windows. Corner windows are made from two unopenable sashes that meet at a corner, providing wide views.

Tilt-Turns and Hopper windows are also offered by Koble. Hopper windows have a bottom hinge and tilt inwards, whereas tilt turn windows can both swing open like a casement window, or open at the top like a hopper window.

Kolbe’s geometric windows can match any unique architectural aspects of the home or provide a stand-alone accent. The radius windows are made of half-shapes such as semi-circles or semi-hexagons.

Kolbe’s direct set windows provide wide, uninterrupted views but do not open. Folding windows open and close like an accordian, and provide much airflow.

Does Kolbe Offer Customized Window Options?

If you are looking for a unique window configuration to fit your specific needs, Kolbe offers an array of customizable options. Kolbe will work with customers to design a window to match their exact requirements, with almost unlimited creative freedom.

Of course, a fully customized window will be much more pricey than a standard window choice. You can expect to spend $2,000 – 2,500+ on a custom Kolbe window.

If you are not looking for a fully customized window but want some aspects of customization, Kolbe has several choices for you. For one, exterior and interior colors are customizable, so if you need to match a unique paint shade or are looking for something special for your home, Kolbe has you covered.

Are Kolbe Windows Good?

There area number of reasons why homeowners looking for premium design and quality windows choose the Koble brand.

Diverse Designs

Kolbe offers a wide array of styles and designs for their windows, in terms of the window shape, trim, and coloring.

While many Kolbe series have metal exteriors such as the VistaLuxe line and the Ultra series have aluminum exteriors. Rather than limiting the design choices, Kolbe offers over fifty exterior colors that are available for aluminum exteriors. Kolbe also offers unique finishes such as Mica and anodized aluminum.

In addition to a diverse range of exterior finishes, Kolbe also offers many interior stain and paint finishes.

For wood lines such as the Heritage, Ultra, or VistaLuxe series, Kolbe provides fourteen diverse choices of wood species to best suit your needs.

In addition to the aesthetic qualities of windows, Kolbe also offers cutting edge design technologies, such as options for automation and universal design solutions for people with disabilities or the elderly.

Environmental Friendliness

Kolbe makes an effort to reduce the environmental impact of their windows. For instance, the company uses water-based and low-VOC paints to reduce environmental damage.

Also, the VistaLuxe collection is PHIUS certified, indicating the windows’ high performance energy efficiency. All Kolbe windows also meet the Energy Star certification.

To further improve energy efficiency, Kolbe offers Low-E coatings and triple pane glass to improve the insulation of the home.

Impact Resistance

Many Kolbe products have the option to improve impact resistance, an important feature for those living in hurricane-prone regions. Kolbe offers upgradable impact resistance for some window styles in the Heritage, Ultra, and Forgent series.

Historical Renovations

Kolbe is a top choice for those performing renovations on historical buildings because of their high quality craftsmanship and attention to detail. To ensure historical accuracy, Kolbe offers custom wood species options, historical casing, and divided lite options.

A popular choice for historical renovations or historical style homes is Kolbe’s double-hung Old World Classic windows. Another choice is Kolbe’s sterling double-hung windows, or the Ogee direct set. Kolbe offers a diverse range of choices for historical windows to meet the needs of your project.

Kolbe Windows Warranty

Kolbe offers a limited ten year warranty on all of their wooden windows, and a lifetime warranty for vinyl products. It is important to note that the warranty only covers the sash and frame; the glass or pre-finish is not included in the warranty.

Moreover, there is a twenty year warranty for insulating glass with steel spacers, and a ten year warranty for insulating glass with aluminum spacers. For the Forgent series, Kolbe offers a ten year limited warranty for non-glass parts and a twenty year warranty for products with stainless steel spacers.

For pre-finishes, Kolbe offers diverse warranties depending on the type of pre-finish: Latex primer has a five year warranty, K-Kron primer and vinyl finishes have a ten year warranty, polyester or aluminum cladding have twenty year warranties, and fluoropolymer cladding has a thirty year warranty.

The Kolbe limited warranty does transfer if you sell your home within the warranty time frame. This is an advantage, especially if you are looking to renovate the windows before selling your home.

However, the Kolbe warranties are not as extensive as the warranties of some other top brands in the window industry.

Which Costs More? Kolbe vs Pella vs Marvin Windows

The main determinant of cost will be the material and style of window you are choosing. All three brands are roughly equivalent in that they offer high-quality, high-performance windows. When comparing quotes from all the companies for identical windows, the cost will be roughly similar.

The main difference between the window brands are the types of windows that they specialize in. While Kolbe specializes in aluminum and wood windows, Simonton, for instance, is particularly known for vinyl windows.

Therefore, the best way to choose between the brands is to investigate which window types each company specializes in. This will help you ensure that you are purchasing the most high-quality window supplier for the type of window you want.

Out of high-end window brands, Marvin is certainly more expensive than Kolbe. The cheapest Marvin windows from their Essential line start at $1,000 installed, while you can install a single Kolbe window for $600-700 including labor and materials.

Compared to Pella windows, Kolbe is clearly more expensive. Pella overall offers a number of budget friendly windows under $500 made of both vinyl and fiberglass.

Pella series most similar in price and quality to Kolbe windows are the Pella 750 Designer Wood Windows and the Pella 850 Architect Wood Windows.

Where Can I Buy Kolbe Windows?

In order to find the carrier of Kolbe Windows closest to you, Kolbe has a feature on their website that allows you to search for nearby suppliers. Simply click on the ‘Where to Buy’ section of their webpage and search for your location.

Kolbe is not carried by large suppliers such as Home Depot or Lowes. If your home is being worked on by a contractor, they should be able to order you a Kolbe window.

Does Kolbe Have Good Resale Value?

Kolbe’s windows, like other top window brands, have good resale values. The ROI (Return on Investment) of a Kolbe window is about 75%, depending on the material you choose. Wood and wood-aluminum windows tend to have higher ROI, as they are considered more high-end building materials.

Also, if you choose add-ons such as Low-E coatings that improve energy efficiency, the ROI of your new windows will be improved.

Kolbe windows’ Energy Star certification and PHIUS certification are sure to improve the ROI of your windows, as they indicate the insulation quality and environmental friendliness of the Kolbe windows.

How Long Do Kolbe Windows Last?

While Kolbe windows are a premium product that is designed to last, reviews from real homeowners, builders and remodeling pros tell a different story.

Many people state that they start experiencing problems with Kolbe windows in as little as 3 years after the installation.

The majority of homeowners report seeing rot in as little as 10-12 years, which is very early for a premium window brand that is meant to last at least 20-30 years without issues.

Other homeowners report having no issues with their Kolbe windows 20 years after the install.

Overall, you can expect your new Kolbe windows to last 12-20 years.

Kolbe Windows Reviews

Unlike more well-known window brands such as Pella, Marvin and Andersen, there are a lot less reviews for Kolbe windows. This lack of readily available information often serves as a deterrent for homeowners to select Kolbe windows, as they prefer to go with a window brand that has more reviews to consider.

Some buyers complain of Kolbe windows allowing drafts of cold air, or even moisture and condensation. Additionally, others complain of rotting frames, mold as well as difficulties operating the opening and closing mechanisms.

Another potential downside of Kolbe windows is that they do not have as extensive window warranties as some other comparable brands, such as Simonton windows which come with a double lifetime warranty.

Many homeowners who have had issues with Kolbe windows note that customer service is extremely unresponsive and the company usually does not honor their warranty.

One of the biggest downsides reported about Kolbe windows is difficulty with installation as well as operation once the window is put in. Because of the way the windows are designed, very precise and tight installation is required.

Deviating even slightly from this proper installation leads to problems with operating the window as well as issues such as wind drafts and condensation.

So if you are considering Kolbe windows you have to make sure that the installer has extensive experience with this particular window brand and knows what he is doing.

Many homeowners complain that after spending tens of thousands of dollars on Kolbe windows they are surprised to see such poor operation as well as such early rot on the wood window sashes. Some report rotting as early as 3-4 years after the install.

Did You Know? In 2014, a Class Action Law Suite was filed again Kolbe Windows by the property owners in Wisconsin, alleging that Kolbe windows can leak, rot, crack and/or warp after installation, due to a manufacturing defect.

The lawsuit further alleged that Kolbe continued using inadequate sealants for its wood frame windows that essentially failed to protect the sashes from moisture infiltration, and resulted in rot and mold.

This lawsuit was dismissed and at this point its not clear whether or not Kolbe fixed the formulation of their sealants for wood frame windows.

Are Kolbe Windows Worth it?

While installing Kolbe windows in your home can be pricey, you are paying for a high-end craftsmanship experience. Kolbe is known for producing premium windows with a beautiful curb appeal.

For discerning homeowners, Kolbe offers a very impressive array of design and finish choices as well as custom options to satisfy both classic and contemporary style renovations.

If you are planning to stay in your house for many years, or have a higher-end home that you are remodeling before putting it up for sale, investing in high-quality windows, such as Kolbe is worth it.

For lower-end remodels, Kolbe windows may not be worth the cost, especially if you don’t have a particular need for wood or aluminum windows, and you will be happy with more economical vinyl windows.

Moreover, it important to consider the fact that other top window manufacturers have better reviews about the window quality as well as responsiveness of customer service.