Residential Window Tint - Suntek SYDS vs. Solar Gard Slate vs. Madico Optivision

unrecognized88 · April 10

Does anyone have any issues or complaints regarding these tints? Which one is better? I've gotten quotes from different installers for the same amount of panes and price is roughly the same. I'm in Houston, TX.

Mixed reviews about Suntek is throwing me off, but many people in my neighborhood as well as our surrounding area have used this installer. A neighbor showed me pics of her recent install and it didn't look bad. The installer quoting Solar Gard and Madico is part of a larger national chain, so they have access to a lot of different films.

Suntek SYDS - $1,417.50

Solar Gard Slate - $1,578.00

Madico Optivision - $1,412.00

Edited April 10 by unrecognized88
Adding location

Mpameno81 · April 10

Like with most things- Pick your favorite most experienced installer and go with his/her recommendation. An excellent installer is more important than splitting hairs over specific film 👍 However, in the same breath, I will tell you I am only familiar with one of those films (so I am not 100% sure if the three are equal enough for that analogy), the SunTek SYDS. We used SunTek for nearly a decade. I liked the SYDS film a lot, used it often, never had a single complaint or failure to this day. I personally have not one bad word to say about SYDS.

unrecognized88 · April 11

Thanks. I am slightly leaning towards the Suntek now due to the installer dropping the price a bit for me. He's willing to do $1,365 plus tax. Or if I pay cash, then tax will be excluded.

Slate and Optivision installer says there's no sales tax because "Residential is non-taxable in Texas because the film is considered a home improvement"

Tintguy1980 · April 11

50 minutes ago, unrecognized88 said:

Thanks. I am slightly leaning towards the Suntek now due to the installer dropping the price a bit for me. He's willing to do $1,365 plus tax. Or if I pay cash, then tax will be excluded.

Slate and Optivision installer says there's no sales tax because "Residential is non-taxable in Texas because the film is considered a home improvement"

A simple google ask tells you it residential installs of film are not taxable; labor and material. If they are collecting tax, they're in for a world of hurt, if discovered.

There's also this: For solar films, the tax advantages are even greater. The US Department of Energy allows you to claim up to 30% of the cost, including installation fees.

You may want to ask your tax prep person about this.
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My choice of the three films for the home would be Madico. Why? They've had a solid product for as long as my career goes back. They are also one of the founders of the window film industry (mid to late 50's last century, along with 3M and LLumar), whereby the other two came along years later; SolarGard then Suntek, respectively.

I used to sell SolarGard and got away from them when they had a rash of failures in the late 80's, moving to LLumar/Vista.

Suntek is owned by Eastman Chemical, who also owns many other brands and is known for producing components other brands will buy and use. Suntek was bought by Eastman about ten years ago to work as an entry level product (lower cost product) in comparison to their LLumar, Vista, Huper Optiks, V-kool brands for residential/commercial glass.

Eastman Chem is the fifth generation owner of the film plant in Henry Co. Virginia.

unrecognized88 · April 11

12 minutes ago, Tintguy1980 said:

A simple google ask tells you it residential installs of film are not taxable; labor and material. If they are collecting tax, they're in for a world of hurt, if discovered.

There's also this: For solar films, the tax advantages are even greater. The US Department of Energy allows you to claim up to 30% of the cost, including installation fees.

You may want to ask your tax prep person about this.
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My choice of the three films for the home would be Madico. Why? They've had a solid product for as long as my career goes back. They are also one of the founders of the window film industry (mid to late 50's last century, along with 3M and LLumar), whereby the other two came along years later; SolarGard then Suntek, respectively.

I used to sell SolarGard and got away from them when they had a rash of failures in the late 80's, moving to LLumar/Vista.

Suntek is owned by Eastman Chemical, who also owns many other brands and is known for producing components other brands will buy and use. Suntek was bought by Eastman about ten years ago to work as an entry level product (lower cost product) in comparison to their LLumar, Vista, Huper Optiks, V-kool brands for residential/commercial glass.

Eastman Chem is the fifth generation owner of the film plant in Henry Co. Virginia.

Wow thank you for the comment about the tax advantage. I'll definitely have this noted for my taxes. And thank you for the recommendation for Madico Optivision. For $47 more, I would not mind going with them after what you said.

On that Madico proposal, I've been going back and forth about the Front Bedroom. These windows NEED to have a mirror like finish and I'm between the 25 and 35. The 25 is definitely very mirrorlike, but I'm afraid it might be too much for a set of windows facing the street, so possibly the 35 would be better? What are your thoughts? Attaching a picture of the front windows that currently have this Kespen tint I bought off Amazon. Which of the 25 or 35 would be closest to this finish?

I'm okay with doing 25 on the Master Bedroom though since it's in the back of the house and facing West. I don't have any neighbors directly behind me due to it being a greenspace where a pipeline runs underground. I've had the samples up and keep going back to look at them, but it's sometimes hard to tell.

I don't have a sample of the 45 for the living room, but I think that's as high as it goes, so I'm fine with 45 to allow max amount of natural light through.

Tintguy1980 · April 11

2 hours ago, unrecognized88 said:

Wow thank you for the comment about the tax advantage. I'll definitely have this noted for my taxes. And thank you for the recommendation for Madico Optivision. For $47 more, I would not mind going with them after what you said.

On that Madico proposal, I've been going back and forth about the Front Bedroom. These windows NEED to have a mirror like finish and I'm between the 25 and 35. The 25 is definitely very mirrorlike, but I'm afraid it might be too much for a set of windows facing the street, so possibly the 35 would be better? What are your thoughts? Attaching a picture of the front windows that currently have this Kespen tint I bought off Amazon. Which of the 25 or 35 would be closest to this finish?

I'm okay with doing 25 on the Master Bedroom though since it's in the back of the house and facing West. I don't have any neighbors directly behind me due to it being a greenspace where a pipeline runs underground. I've had the samples up and keep going back to look at them, but it's sometimes hard to tell.

I don't have a sample of the 45 for the living room, but I think that's as high as it goes, so I'm fine with 45 to allow max amount of natural light through.

The first picture appears to be similar to a 25%. Front of house?

The second picture with 2 shades pulled down should get 25%, especially if facing West.

The third picture should get 45%. The compromise is lesser privacy, while providing greater incoming light (already shaded from patio overhead).

Small samples provided by the dealer don't give you a good sense of what the film will look like once installed. There is too much light streaming in around the sample (when taped to the glass), making the film look darker than what it will look like installed.

The best and most accurate way to see what it will look like, viewing out, is to use the sample as quasi-sunglasses by wrapping it around your face and eyes (to the point of no light leaking in). Now, look toward the window(s). Viola`, there's your tinted view.

As to the tax benefit, do check with a pro tax person just in case they no longer have that program. I've been retired for almost a decade now.