The Short Version
Three Facts Before You Sign Anything
- Renewal by Andersen sells exactly one product — its Acclaim window, made from Fibrex composite. That’s straight from Andersen’s own website. Good window. Still one window.
- We’re the only Andersen Elite Certified Contractor in McHenry County — the highest certification Andersen awards. It’s why Andersen routes local warranty work to us instead of somebody else.
- The full line means you pick the price. 100 Series from $900 an opening. A-Series up to $2,500. Renewal’s single window? Independent pricing guides rank it among the most expensive on the market.
The One-Window Problem
What They Can Sell You vs. What We Can Install
Walk into a Renewal appointment and the recommendation is decided before the tape measure comes out. It has to be — there’s one product on the truck. Walk through your house with us and the answer depends on your openings, your budget, and how long you plan to stay.
Renewal by Andersen carries
Innovative Home Concepts installs
Same manufacturer. The difference is whether you see the whole catalog or one page of it.
Real McHenry County Project
A Recent Crystal Lake Window Replacement
Why “Elite Certified” Beats a Brand Name
Andersen’s Highest Certification Lives Here
Elite Certified is the top of Andersen’s contractor program — factory training, install-quality scoring, and warranty performance, earned and re-earned. One contractor in McHenry County holds it. You’re reading their website.
Renewal doesn’t compete for this certification — it’s Andersen’s direct-sales division, a different channel entirely. When Andersen windows in McHenry County need warranty service, Andersen sends that work to us. That’s the manufacturer voting with its own warranty claims.
Side by Side
The Five Things That Decide It
| What matters | Innovative Home Concepts | Renewal by Andersen |
|---|---|---|
| Product choice | ✓ Full Andersen line + budget options | One window (Acclaim, Fibrex) |
| Certification | ✓ Elite Certified — Andersen’s highest, only one in the county | Not part of the contractor program |
| Warranty service | ✓ Andersen routes McHenry County warranty work to us | Handled inside the Renewal organization |
| Price | ✓ $900–$2,500/opening installed — you pick the tier | Single premium tier; ranked among the most expensive on the market |
| Who shows up | ✓ Local W-2 crews, Crystal Lake showroom, 21 years here | National brand, regional operation |
The Company Behind the Estimate
21 Years on the Same Corner
Innovative Home Concepts is a women-led, family-owned company that’s been remodeling McHenry County exteriors since 2005. Not a call center. Not a franchise territory. A showroom on Route 176 you can drive to, run by people whose name is on the work.
We’ll be straight with you: we’re not the cheapest bid you can find. But you’ll see real options at real prices and pick the one that fits — instead of getting one number and a closer who won’t leave the kitchen table.
A Fair Word About the Other Side
Where Renewal Is Genuinely Strong
An honest comparison names both sides. Fibrex is a legitimately good frame material — rigid, low-maintenance, and Andersen-made; it’s the same composite in the 100 Series we install. Renewal also owns its whole pipeline, from factory to install crew, and some homeowners like that single-source setup. And it’s a big national brand with real marketing muscle.
If you’ve compared both and the Acclaim window is what you want, they’ll sell it to you well. Our case is simpler: see the whole Andersen line first, priced in writing, from the contractor Andersen certifies at its highest level. Then decide.
No-Pressure Means No-Pressure
What the Free Estimate Actually Looks Like
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Ninety seconds to ask
Name, phone, ZIP. We call or text within one business day to set a time that works.
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A real walk-through, not a pitch
A senior estimator measures your openings, shows you 100, 400, and A-Series options side by side, and answers the insert-vs-full-frame question for your actual house.
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Your number, in writing
Per-opening pricing across the tiers, one honest recommendation, zero obligation. Take it, sit on it, or compare it against the Renewal quote — it’s yours either way.
Common Questions
Is Renewal by Andersen the same as Andersen windows?
Not exactly. Renewal by Andersen is Andersen’s full-service replacement division, and it sells one product line — the Acclaim window in Fibrex composite. “Andersen windows” refers to the manufacturer’s full catalog: the 100, 200, 400, A-Series, and E-Series. Andersen doesn’t sell those direct to homeowners; it works through certified contractors. So a local Andersen Elite Certified Contractor can install any Andersen line, while Renewal installs its own single product.
What does “Andersen Elite Certified Contractor” mean?
Elite Certified is the highest installer tier Andersen awards. It requires factory training, install-quality scoring, and warranty performance. Innovative Home Concepts is the only contractor holding this tier in McHenry County — which is why Andersen routes local warranty work to us.
Is Renewal by Andersen more expensive?
Renewal’s Acclaim window is a premium, single-tier product, and independent 2026 pricing guides consistently rank it among the most expensive replacement windows on the market. Because we install the full Andersen line plus budget options, we can usually quote you choices at several price points. A free in-home estimate gives you your real number.
Do I have to replace every window at once?
No. We’ll quote the whole house so you can plan, but you can install in phases — start with the worst rooms and continue when it suits you. That flexibility is part of working with a local contractor.
Which Andersen line is right for my home?
It depends on your openings, your style, and your budget. The 400 Series is the most-installed line in McHenry County; the A-Series is the premium architectural option; the 100 Series and vinyl options cover budget-driven jobs. That’s exactly what the free in-home estimate sorts out — you see the options side by side.
