The purchase of aluminum frames is a costly investment, usually made once. Also, aluminum frames and their prices (aluminum frame prices) are a multifaceted issue with many pitfalls, which we will try to analyze.
What do frame prices depend on and what should you look out for? Are the warranties and certificates for the frames valid? What exactly applies to aluminum frame prices online, what should you look out for, and what do they not include? How much do aluminum frames cost per square meter and where can we find cheap aluminum frames? We will analyze these and many more in this text.
Aluminum frame prices per square meter.
Many consumers call us asking for aluminum frame prices per square meter. This is practically impossible, because frame prices depend on many factors, which we will explain in detail below (profile type, manufacturing – installation difficulty, color, number of pieces, etc.), but mainly because a one (1m2) square meter frame (e.g., a 100cm X 100cm frame) and an identical frame of double the area, two (2m2) square meters (e.g., a 100cm X 200cm frame), do not have double the raw materials (profiles, glass, accessories, etc.), nor double the production costs and installation, so they do not have double the price.
How, then, does the “Save at Home” program subsidize aluminum frames with prices per square meter?
What are the aluminum frame prices per square meter for the programs?
The “Save” program prices frames based on their performance (depending on the Uw – frame thermal transmittance coefficient) and per square meter. Specifically, it offers (aluminum frame prices per square meter):
- For windows with Uw below 2w/m2 €605/m2
- For windows with Uw above 2w/m2 €520/m2
- For balcony doors with Uw below 2w/m2 €480/m2
- For balcony doors with Uw above 2w/m2 €420/m2
- For external shutters (blinds, roller shutters) with €190/m2
*The above frame prices per square meter include 24% VAT
Specifically, the program does not differentiate the subsidy and pays the same frame prices (!!!) whether the frames are single-leaf, double-leaf, sliding, casement, or if we have roller shutters or four-leaf shutters! As is easily understood, the frames mentioned cannot have the same prices (a 4-leaf shutter cannot have the same prices as a roller shutter or a single-leaf frame with a double-leaf one).
The above costing (frame prices with the “Save” program) is done purely for practical reasons and clearly favors large frames (homes with more balcony doors) as well as external roller shutters (not hinged shutters), and this is the reason, i.e., the way frames are priced in the “Save” program (aluminum frame prices per square meter m2), why some homes benefit from joining the program while others do not. If you are interested, see more on what to look out for before joining the save programs.
Here we should note that some prices per square meter offered by the “Save at Home” program are within market limits (e.g., if it is for an opening balcony door with a manual roller shutter).
Useful tips to find the best prices for frame replacement and save money
- Change frames during Low season periods and you will definitely save a lot of money. The smartest choice to proceed with replacing your frames is during the autumn and winter months. From January to April, demand is lower, which means better prices, more immediate service, and greater attention to your project. Frame manufacturers and installation crews have more time to deal with every detail, thus ensuring a higher quality result. There is no need to worry about weather conditions and cold. The replacement is done quickly and organized, with each old frame being replaced immediately. The house remains exposed and open for minimal time, usually no more than 2-3 hours. If the replacement lasts more than one day, the house does not remain open, so it is fully habitable without any problems.
- Do not choose many different types of frames because it increases the manufacturer’s waste and remnants. Frame manufacturers buy aluminum in the form of 6-meter bars. So, when you have 1 casement frame, 1 parallel sliding with a screen, one without, and one recessed, you create a lot of waste and many remnants, which you are charged for. Try to group the frames or ask the manufacturers to help you.
- If you want colored frames (not white), choose colors from the free frame colors or from the aluminum color offers.
- Do not get prices per square meter because you might be cheating yourself. As mentioned above, a one (1m2) square meter frame compared to another two (2m2) square meters does not have double the materials nor does it require double the man-hours to manufacture.
- The type of replacement affects the price. Removing wooden frames is more difficult than replacing old aluminum sliding frames.
- Do not fall into the trap of “I’ll only do it once“. Carefully choose and evaluate your needs (e.g., do not install heavy-duty electric roller shutters everywhere if you don’t need them, or very “heavy” thermal breaks in Athens).
Aluminum frame prices online (on the internet), what to look out for and what they do not include.
Aluminum frame prices online (on the internet) are a very sensitive issue that hides many pitfalls. So, we will try to explain what you need to look out for and what aluminum frame prices online do not include. In any case:
- Never pay an advance of more than 40% before seeing the products
- Always request installation (see below)
- Always trust certified frame manufacturers
As we said above, frame prices are a multi-factor issue (which we will explain in detail below) and that is why in no country in the world are prices given online, except for standardized frames without installation or stock frames.
Pitfall No. 1: Frame installation
Frame installation is a vital issue for the proper functioning of the frame and the validity of the technical specifications – certificates and its warranties. For the technical specifications, certificates, and frame warranties to be valid, the frame must be measured (“frame air”) and installed according to the instructions of the design company (e.g., Europa, Alumil, etc.). Most online frame prices do not include the measurement and installation of the frame. This practically means that the online store selling you the frame does not bear full responsibility for the proper functioning of the frame, nor for its subsequent warranty and certificates, if it does not undertake the measurement and installation.
If the frame manufacturer is a different person from the installation crew, a large part of the responsibility for warranties and certificates (e.g., warranty of good operation, waterproofing certification, etc.) lies with the frame installation crew, who must be familiar with the technical specifications manuals of the design company (e.g., Europa, Alumil) and how it specifies the installation and measurement of its frames. In addition, these installation crews are not always certified crews (certified frame manufacturers). See more about what technical characteristics – frame certificates are, when, and by whom they are delivered.
Pitfall No. 2: Manufacturer “quality”
In many cases with online frame prices, the following were observed:
- They are not certified manufacturers (e.g., certified Europa aluminum frame manufacturers) since they sell many types and brands of frames (e.g., Etem, Alumil frames, PVC frames), which is not allowed for certified manufacturers (e.g., Europa frame manufacturers).
- Some manufacturers do not have contact phone numbers or do not answer them, and some of them do not even have an address!
- A technical inspection of the frames cannot be performed before full payment.
- In some cases, they are not frame manufacturers, but sellers who maintain showrooms and websites with many products, which is not allowed for certified frame manufacturers. Also, some cases involved imported frames (e.g., Bulgaria).
- Some prices are “indicative” with the sole aim of communication.
- They do not undertake installation
To protect yourself from potential problems or scams, look for projects by these manufacturers or visit their production facilities and ask them about the warranties and certificates they offer, as well as who is responsible for the proper functioning of the frame.
Pitfall No. 3: Choosing cheap – light aluminum profiles (light, without covering repairs, etc.)
Each aluminum series (e.g., EUROPA 5500, Alumil 11000) has dozens of aluminum profiles (code in each series) for different needs. For example, the Europa EOS 60 series can have 15 different frames and sashes in the same series. There are light and heavy profiles, for windows (e.g., bathroom) and balcony doors (!!!), for covering repairs, for low sills (low guides) and covering height differences, with special recesses for screens, etc. The guiding principle for selling frames online is usually cheap frames and cheap prices. Also, aluminum frame manufacturers who sell frames online do not know the needs of the opening where you want to install each frame, so special attention is required.
Pitfall No. 4: Displaying vague products
In some cases, online aluminum frame prices do not state basic frame details such as:
- The exact type and brand of mechanisms
- The exact type and brand of energy-efficient glazing (supplier, type)
- The type of gaskets.
- Installation
- The series
- The profile codes (frames and sashes) – (see pitfall No. 3)
If you don’t know all of the above, you don’t know what you bought.
Pitfall No. 5: Manufacturing measurements (construction measurements) of frames
The manufacturing measurements (construction measurements) of frames are a key factor for the proper functioning of the frames. Frame construction measurements are usually taken by mechanical engineers or personnel who have undergone training to know the tolerances that must be left from the masonry (what “air gap” we leave in the frames). What most consumers do not know is that companies that design frames (e.g., Europa, Alumil) require different tolerances – “air gaps in frames” from the masonry for a 50cm x 50cm frame and different for a 140cm X 140cm frame or a 220cm X 240cm balcony door to be installed and function correctly (since early 2024). All frames have contractions and expansions with temperature fluctuations (winter – summer), and now the tolerances – “air gaps” in the frames are crucial for proper functioning (see why frames “stick”).
Finally, we should note that a private individual cannot know specific details regarding frames such as:
- Are cover strips (joint covers) needed on the frame and at which points?
- Do I need guide covers?
- Do I need a square for the marble difference?
- Do I need large frames to cover repairs?
- Do I need wing guides for roller shutters?
See detailed instructions on how to take measurements for aluminum frame construction
Pitfall No. 5 Stock products
Some online frame prices refer to stock products which are the result of errors that all frame manufacturers make. In this case, you should verify that the dimensions and the product are suitable for you, but mainly see the product up close because there is a possibility that the frame is old or has been reinstalled (installation – removal) before it was found to be wrong, so it is good to ascertain its condition.
Pitfall No. 6: Cheap frames and cheap constructions
Several cases of these frames concern cheap frames and constructions that are suitable for frames in warehouses, old houses, electricity meter boxes, etc., and a good choice for these cases.
Read in detail in our article cheap aluminum frames how they can be manufactured and where you can get them.
Pitfall No. 7: External installation crews
As mentioned above, the majority of frames sold online (Aluminum frame prices online) do not include installation. Some companies recommend external partners (external installation crews), which is doubtful if they are certified manufacturers or if they know the specifications defined by the design companies (e.g., Europa, Alumil) for the appropriate method of correct frame installation so that its technical specifications and performance are valid. Here we will reiterate that the responsibility for proper functioning lies with the external installation crew and not the frame manufacturer who sells you the frame.
Get an online frame quote (frame costing)
Many companies that advertise online frame offers are not frame manufacturers but profile production companies (e.g., Alumil, Europa, Etem, etc.) or software development companies or simple resellers with e-shops (not frame manufacturers)! In their advertising, they claim to provide online frame quotes and frame costing, which is nothing more than collecting customer data to direct them to manufacturers of their choice (not always for free)! Of course, you do not get the frame offer immediately, as you initially believe, but after a few days, just like with all aluminum frame manufacturers.
How to protect yourself from online scams and defective products and what to look out for
Buying frames is a costly investment, so we must be very careful. How, then, can you protect yourself from potential scams and defective frames sold online:
- Contact them
- See if they are certified manufacturers or if they sell other products (PVC frames, many series of aluminum frames)
- Investigate if they are frame manufacturers or simply e-shop owners!
- Ask them what applies regarding warranties, certificates, and frame performance declarations and who will deliver them to you (it is a legal – European obligation).
- Discuss the installation case
- Look for projects by these manufacturers
- Visit their production facilities
How much do aluminum frames cost and what do prices depend on?
How much do aluminum frames cost and what do prices depend on? Aluminum prices depend mainly on the following factors:
- Aluminum profiles (e.g., Europa, Alumil, etc.). Here we should note that each company offers the raw material at different prices (Europa has one price, Alumil another ), which is why comparing prices is difficult.
- Energy-efficient glazing, its type, kind, production method, and accompanying warranty play a significant role in the final product’s price.
- The mechanisms of aluminum frames.
- The use of certified accessories and gaskets (certified accessories and gaskets have double the prices of commercial ones).
- Production and installation time play a crucial role in the price and quality level of the frame you will receive.
- The color of the frames you choose.
- Special constructions
- The number of pieces (remnants, installation time).
- Installation difficulty (difficult removal, floor, area, accessibility, etc.)
- The season the order is placed (summer, winter).
From all the above, it is easily understood why nowhere in the world are frame prices given online (Aluminum frame prices), except for ready-made products without installation.
Cheap frames: where to find them and what to look out for
Read in detail in our article cheap aluminum frames how they can be manufactured and where you can purchase them.
The choice of manufacturer and installation crew for aluminum frames is a decision usually made once in our lives and then accompanies us and our family every day forever. Therefore, we must search carefully.
