Your neighbour bought windows from the local craftsman - "Old Giannis" whom they have known for 20 years. Your best friend went to a large company with an impressive showroom and 50 employees.
Who made the right choice? The truth: it depends 100% on your needs. There is no single "right way". There are clear pros and cons on each side - and your job is to decide which scenario fits your situation.
The local craftsman relies on their reputation in the neighbourhood. They know that if a window "leaks", 10 homes learn about it in one day - which is why they give everything.
You speak directly to the craftsman, with no sales department or bureaucracy. If you need a small modification mid-production (e.g. colour change on one sash), one phone call is enough. This flexibility is invaluable, especially in renovations of older homes that hide surprises.
The local craftsman does not pay for expensive showroom leases, a marketing department or a sales network. This means that for the same quality of materials they can be 10-15% cheaper. The savings come from fewer "fixed" costs, not inferior materials.
The large window company operates like a factory: CNC, automated production line, quality controllers, ISO 9001 certified management system.
CNC machines guarantee identical cuts for every window. On a large project (e.g. an apartment building), repeatability is critical: you do not want each window to look "handcrafted differently".
The large company will always provide CE, DoP, certified air-tightness, water-tightness and wind-resistance results. If you need documentation for energy subsidies or LEED, the large company has the structure to support the paperwork.
A company with 50 employees and 20 years' presence will still exist in 10 years to honour the warranty. The local craftsman might move, retire or close.
Let us put things side by side in a quick table so you can immediately see the advantages of each option.
Personal relationship, flexibility for changes, lower overhead (10-15% cheaper), speed on small & medium projects, knowledge of local conditions (sea salt, wind). Disadvantages: limited capacity, possibly fewer certifications, less documentation.
Industrial precision, full documentation (CE/DoP/ISO), survival guarantee, ability to handle large projects. Disadvantages: higher cost (15-20% more), less flexibility, bureaucracy, being "a number in the system" rather than a personal relationship.
Instead of theory, here are real-world scenarios so you can recognise your own situation.
Replacing 8 windows in a detached house with no LEED certification needs. The local fabricator is ideal - they know the local weather conditions, will serve you quickly and cheaply, and will literally come "in 5 minutes" if adjustment is needed.
Large project with 50+ windows, requiring certifications and documentation. The large company has the structure to deliver: a dedicated project manager, automated production line and the ability to manufacture dozens of windows simultaneously without delays.
Do not label! A local craftsman can be better than a large company - as long as you vet them properly (with the 10 questions, the showroom check). Equally, a large company does not automatically guarantee quality. Check, ask, compare - and decide calmly.
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