Replacement Windows, my experience and advice

[Corey G.]

Hello everyone, I recently started looking into windows for my rental property. I need 20 windows all together. I used Homeadvisor to find a couple windows installers and they were both rather expensive. One crazy expensive (Dabella), and the other (Sears) seemed middle of the road after end of the year discounts (no doubt a sales tactic). It seems that the windows are good quality (better than I would probably put in a rental) but the sales people are pushy and trying to get me to sign right then.... which I was not having any of. I've never had to install a full property of windows before and assumed that I would get a windows installer who could get me a deal since I'm buying the windows in bulk and then just pay for the labor. Instead, it seems they are trying to sell me top of the line windows that are overkill for this type of property. Is this typical for most windows installers? 

Now, I did contact a 3rd windows installer by doing a local google search. They carried the lower end windows that I would likely choose (same as at home depot) but he was charging more than home depot for the same windows. He may match the price he said. So my question is this, since I'm doing lower end windows, should I just consider buying the windows from Home Depot or Lowes myself and then just paying a contractor to install them if all of them are going to overinflate the price or try to upsell me? What has been your experience?