Advance payment for the window installment

On the one hand, you run the risk that the general contractor goes bankrupt in the meantime. Then you have to dispute the money with the insolvency administrator. As already mentioned, normally a general contractor would advance the money in such a case and pocket the discount.
On the other hand, you order windows according to the plan. Masons are not necessarily a trade known for precision work. While it is then the responsibility of the general contractor, in the worst case two windows might not fit.

Good point, that would unsettle me too.
For us, the window installer only came after the shell was completed and measured everything precisely. 1 cm is nothing on a construction site.
I wouldn’t order windows according to the plan. I hope it was only about the binding order, and it was not intended that the windows would really go into production before being measured?

If the general contractor has such cash flow problems that he can’t manage a payment for the windows of a single-family house, you probably already have a problem anyway.

I didn’t mean that the general contractor already has cash flow problems. But I would say it is good practice not to invest too much money in advance, as this could lead to cash flow problems in the future.
I noticed that she always avoids paying money in advance, which seems to be a good practice.

In any case, there can be many reasons why she does not use the offer herself.

Ask the general contractor carefully again whether he can send you a copy of the offer, so that you know it is legitimate.

Yes, she sent me the offer, and I have confirmed it on the manufacturer’s website Drutex.

On the one hand, you risk that the general contractor goes bankrupt in the meantime. Then you can argue with the insolvency administrator about the money.

If the money has already been paid to the manufacturer, would it still be a problem if the general contractor goes bankrupt?

On the other hand, you order windows according to plan. Masons are not exactly a trade known for millimeter precision. It is then the general contractor’s responsibility, but in the worst case, two windows don’t fit.

That is also an important aspect. I will also confirm that it is only about placing a binding order and not actually producing the windows.

Currently, the situation for window manufacturers looks more than bad. Extreme drop in orders. Just spoke with an acquaintance who works at a window and door manufacturer. The entire company is on short-time work, there are no more orders.

Advance payment can certainly be made to secure a discount. But then only and really only with a self-liability bank guarantee. If the manufacturer or the general contractor goes bankrupt, which can sometimes happen very quickly, the bank covers this. If a bank guarantee is refused, then something is wrong.

This also applies, by the way, to all other businesses such as prepayment or deposits, for example with kitchens or construction companies.

That probably belongs in the realm of legend. I just measured my windows because there will be pleated blinds installed everywhere. The windows with the same rough opening match down to the millimeter. There is definitely no one who came, measured, and then had each window custom made. Either it gets plastered beige or something gets chipped off if it doesn't fit.

The same goes for the doors. No door is ordered in a special size because the bricklayer made a rough opening of 870mm instead of 880mm. Hilti in hand and make 880mm. And if it's 900mm, then just put in more frame foam.

Otherwise, the bricklayer shows up and makes the rough opening as specified in the plan. What kind of world is that where you adjust the windows to whatever the bricklayer feels like building?

What kind of world is that, where windows are adjusted to what the mason thinks he should build?

In our crazy world, it was like that. Here demonstrated exemplarily on 2 "equally sized" windows: There was no Hilti. There was a tape measure. By the way, also Drutex, like with the OP. So far, I can't say anything bad about it; they look good once installed. However, long-term experience is still missing.

Currently, the situation with the window manufacturers looks more than bad. Extreme drop in orders. Just spoke with an acquaintance who works at a window and door manufacturer. The whole company is on short-time work, there are no more orders.

That explains why there is this discount.

You can certainly make an advance payment to secure a discount. But then only and really only with a self-debtor bank guarantee. If the manufacturer or the general contractor goes bankrupt, which can sometimes happen very quickly, then the bank stands surety for it. If a bank guarantee is refused, then something is fishy.

That is new to me. Should I ask the general contractor/window manufacturer to have their bank issue such a self-debtor bank guarantee? Or how does that work?

With doors it's the same. No door with a special size is ordered because the mason made 870 mm raw opening instead of 880 mm. Take the Hilti in hand and make 880 mm. And if it's 900 mm, then just put in more frame foam.

I think it is common for doors to have standard sizes. There is no adjustment of the door width here.

In our crazy world it was like that. Here demonstrated exemplarily with 2 "equally sized" windows:

I also think this is common, since the windows are normally made individually.

By the way, also Drutex, like with the original poster. So far, I have nothing bad to say about it, they look good when installed. Long-term experience is still missing.

Thank you very much for the feedback. I hope it will also be good in the long term.