This review is split into two parts: An evaluation of Portes et Fenetres Novo (the business), the other is of Fenplast (the product they sell). I do not have any association with Fenplast or Portes et Fenetres Novo. I am writing this review because last year I changed all the windows, which was a significant expense, and I wished such a review existed when I was making my choice.
Portes et Fenetres Novo (PFNovo):
My search consisted of emailing 3 different companies. All were responsive and professional. What drew my attention to PFNovo was the Fenplast product after I went to see it in the showroom. I dealt with Richard (the owner) and his associate (Marc-Andre) who patiently answered all my questions regarding the product, warranties, and installation. PFNovo’s quote was the highest of the 3, but I liked the product. Richard is a businessman, and in the end, we made the deal work. I appreciated his willingness to find common ground. PFNovo also provide the paperwork for your RenoVert tax refund.
The PFNovo work-crew was very good. They were punctual, professional, and very competent. They covered work areas around the windows (floors, furniture, etc). Window outer frames were foam filled. It was difficult to tell if the job was good until it rained. However, everything did LOOK very good inside and out. There was one (and only one) very minor leak in a 2nd floor window. I called Richard, and he was very responsive to fix it ASAP (next day). My commendation to the guy that puts the moldings around the windows – a remarkable job.
A note on the moldings: You may want to buy wider moldings to cover gaps as a result of molding placement. This has nothing to do with PFNovo or Fenplast. You will have this problem no matter which company or product you select.
Fenplast product:
As I mentioned, I went to 3 different places to look at windows. I compared look, construction materials, and mechanical components. Look is question of taste. Materials, I looked at the rubber seals and window frame (inside and out) construction. I found the mechanical components to be better on the Fenplast windows. I had older windows with a certain crank construction that made it extremely difficult to open. I found some of the newer models of with the same mechanism - so they were immediately disqualified. Overall, I found FenPlast windows to be a better product than competitors. Richard can explain how the construction of the FenPlast windows is different from other brands with regards to the gas inside the window. In terms of thermal efficiency, all manufacturers makes claims, and in the end, unless you have data, you need to take ‘a leap-of-faith’. Here is some data from my hydro bill this year to show how the windows did make a difference.
From 2016-12-10 to 2017-02-09
62 days
7, 918 kWh
12 8 kWh/d
-5 °C
$755.66
From 2017-12-08 to 2018-02-08
63 days
7, 919 kWh
12 6 k Wh/d
-10°C
$767.50
What does the data show:
1. The period was almost exactly the same (62 vs 63 days)
2. The consumption was almost exactly the same (7, 918 vs 7, 919 kWh)
3. The bill is higher ($767.50 vs $755.66), BUT….
4. The consumption was almost exactly the same for an average temperate of 5 degrees LOWER than last year (i.e.: -5 C avg last year vs -10 C avg this year)
What can one conclude from this data:
1. Hydro Quebec raised their rates
2. If HQ didn’t raise their rates, my bill would have been equal to last year (since consumption was the same), BUT…
3. If the average temperature this year (-10 C) was the same as last year (-5 C), my bill would have been (significantly?) less. A 5 degree difference is a lot!
My house uses electric baseboards with have programmable thermostats. I keep my house at about 24 degrees in the winter. I did not change any of the programmable settings from last year.
Conclusion on the windows: they definitely were an improvement.
Overall conclusion: I would definitely recommend both PFNovo and FenPlast products.
I hope this helps.