USA
No import experience: aluminum windows for a Long Island beach house – Case Study
place
New York, Long Island , USA
Gregory and Ellen, two experienced architects, wanted to upgrade their Long Island beach house with glazing that matched their passive-style design without breaking the budget.
They’d never sourced from Poland before, but ended up with ultra-efficient white aluminum units that cut their window costs by 50% and delivered better year-round performance than many full-time homes. Here’s how it worked.
What did Gregory and his company gain?
CUT COSTS BY 50%
European aluminum windows at half the price of U.S. dealers, great energy-efficiency and high-end quality.
STAYED ON TRACK DESPITE BEING OVERSEAS
Scheduled calls, US working hours, one point of contact. No timezone gaps, no confusion, no chasing down updates.
NO DESIGN MISMATCHES
He got help aligning complex specs with buildable systems, no site improvisation.
About the company
debesto’s client: Architect company
Project: Coastal vacation house
Location: New York, United States of America
Experience in the field: over 30 years
Experience in importing windows: No
The challenge: combining passive performance with a complex window schedule
Gregory and Ellen are experienced architects with a strong focus on sustainable design. They had a clear vision: windows with passive-level performance for their coastal home.
The window spec was demanding: tilt-and-turn units under 21 inches wide, plus large fixed panes up to 7 x 8 feet. Every opening had to fit the aesthetic.
They’d heard Polish windows offered strong energy ratings, but never sourced directly before.
What they needed was someone to help cut through the options, avoid costly mismatches, and make sure the final order matched both their design and performance goals.
Project requirements: performance, backup and trust
The vacation home, located on Long Island’s coast, was drafty and outdated. The original aluminum windows had been in place for over 50 years. While the renovation didn’t require any official certifications, Gregory was focused on getting the lowest possible U-value within his project’s budget.
In our conversation, he was clear about two things:
- He needed a reliable warranty and fast resolution if anything went wrong.
- He wanted proof that the promised quality at a lower price wasn’t too good to be true.
That’s a common and valid concern among our U.S. clients. They want solid windows without the hassle – and they want to know someone will take responsibility if issues arise.
The solution: passive-style windows without blowing the budget
This was a coastal home, so the specs had to balance design, durability, and energy performance.
After going over the plans, we proposed thermally broken aluminum frames with triple glazing (U-Value from 0.13 to 0.24 Btu/h·ft2·F depending on the construction type) – the best fit to meet passive-style goals without going over budget.
Products chosen for the project:
To get the right look and light levels, we combined different systems:
- Aluprof MB-79N for large operable units – for strength and stability.
- Aliplast MaxLight Modern for smaller windows and glass doors – slimmer frames meant more glass where space was tight.
- Aluprof MB-77HS for lift and slide doors
Custom options:
- white aluminum frames
- sunproof and safety glass
- passive-style triple-glazing (16 and 18 mm argon-filled spacers)
- low threshold for the doors
Want to learn more about custom window options? Check out this article
The results: high performance, custom design – and 50% savings
Gregory and Ellen got exactly what they were after:
- windows that hit their performance goals,
- matched their design intent,
- and stayed within budget.
We delivered energy-efficient, architect-specified aluminum windows for about 50% less than comparable U.S. systems – without compromising quality.
Their old windows had lasted half a century. These new ones? With modern thermal breaks, triple glazing, and proven Polish manufacturing they’re set to outperform them in every way – starting with comfort, year-round.
How does Gregory feel about working with debesto?
It was a painless process. It was reassuring to be speaking to people who were knowledgeable about the product and the options. We got good quality windows and doors at a reasonable price.
Even though it was a small project, there were still a lot of different types of windows and doors and a lot of specific issues. The team took great care in accommodating our needs.
It felt like we were dealing with a very attentive project team. They were very friendly, informative, and competent. It was very reassuring to get all the questions answered without any kind of sense of hurrying.
Want to achieve similar results?
- Source quality windows for 50% lower price
- Match design and spec without delays or compromise
- Get support with logistics and product choice
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