[MAD King]

Hello all,

I need 7 new windows and for the last three weeks I read hours of hours about windows manufacturers, reviews and quality and I am still don't know with which one I should go. Some recommend Anderson, then a lot say quality and service is not good, the same with Marvin, Pella aso. Most of them say to avoid windows from the big box stores like Lowes and Home Depot.
I am totally confused now.

Thank you

 

[HomeSealed]

What material are you looking for (ie: vinyl, wood, etc)? That will have a large impact on any recommendation.
...One thing that I will say is to put the "name" of the brand a few notches down on the priority list, and start looking at performance ratings. U value, air infiltration, and design pressure will give you a good indication of how the window is actually going to perform, and actually helps tremendously when trying to distinguish the overall quality of one product vs another.

 

[Windows on Wash]

+1

Start with what you want first and we can provide you recommendations from there.

 

[MAD King]

Hello and thank you for your responses.

I do not know which one I want. Wood would be great and would also be a perfect match to the rest of the house. But wood needs a lot of maintenance, right?

Vinyl on the other hand does not need that much maintenance, but I read that they do not last as long as wood.

And for any reasons I don't like Aluminium windows.

 

[Windows on Wash]

Wood (i.e. clad wood windows) do not require the same level of maintenance of older and uncovered wood windows.

They will be more expensive though and are not as durable as vinyl of fiberglass.

Vinyl, if you are looking at a nice window, will last more than you will ever need to worry about (i.e. 30+ years).

Aluminum is a very stable material but does not have the upper thermal performance rating of some of the other materials.

Fiberglass (not to throw another into the mix) is also a great option and can be had with a real wood interior.

 

[MAD King]

That's what I head in mind. Vinyl, but I don't know which brand and model i should choose in a mid price range. Windows should have at least energy low-e glass.

 

[MAD King]

I went to Champion, because it is right around the corner from me. Their quality is not that good. I found a local TN manufacturer who had the best quality in windows I have seen so far when I compared all the big manufacturer and I paid only $2200 for 8 windows incl replacements, because it was direct from manufacturer without a distributor and dealers.

 

[joecaption]

I've been using Wincor or Simonton for many years.
Never once had a call back for leaking seals or in fact any issues.
I've installed hundreds, three whole houses where either Anderson or Pella clad windows that had completly rotted out rails in the sashes.

 

[ddawg16]

Wood (i.e. clad wood windows) do not require the same level of maintenance of older and uncovered wood windows.

They will be more expensive though and are not as durable as vinyl of fiberglass.

Vinyl, if you are looking at a nice window, will last more than you will ever need to worry about (i.e. 30+ years).

Aluminum is a very stable material but does not have the upper thermal performance rating of some of the other materials.

Fiberglass (not to throw another into the mix) is also a great option and can be had with a real wood interior.

I'm doing a 2-story addition to my house...I'm using fiberglass/vinyl windows. Low E, argon....made my Milgard. Well built.

The nice thing about fiberglass is that you can paint the outside a different color if you want. Vinyl....you can have any color you want as long as it's white.

I also have wood clad fiberglass windows in one part of the house (big bay window). Inside is wood and I stained it to match the other wood. Outside is fiberglass in the color we are using (Hunter Green).

Your going to pay more for fiberglass/wood clad...but then again....you won't have to worry about them for a long time.

Remember....fiberglass does not rot....wood does....

A little suggestion....drive around a few neighborhoods looking at windows....if you see windows with white trim on the outside....that is vinyl....if your ok with your windows always looking white on the outside...vinyl is a good way to go.

Click on the link in my signature....go to the end of the thread and you will see what some of my windows look like.

 

[Davejss]

Not sure where you're from but if you have a Harvey Industries near you, you might want to check them out. They carry a large line of replacement windows. They are great at helping you figure out your options and can even help with measuring. They've been in the window business for quite a while and their products are used by a great many contractors in my area. (New England).

 

[Windows on Wash]

I'm doing a 2-story addition to my house...I'm using fiberglass/vinyl windows. Low E, argon....made my Milgard. Well built.

The nice thing about fiberglass is that you can paint the outside a different color if you want. Vinyl....you can have any color you want as long as it's white.

I also have wood clad fiberglass windows in one part of the house (big bay window). Inside is wood and I stained it to match the other wood. Outside is fiberglass in the color we are using (Hunter Green).

Your going to pay more for fiberglass/wood clad...but then again....you won't have to worry about them for a long time.

Remember....fiberglass does not rot....wood does....

A little suggestion....drive around a few neighborhoods looking at windows....if you see windows with white trim on the outside....that is vinyl....if your ok with your windows always looking white on the outside...vinyl is a good way to go.

Click on the link in my signature....go to the end of the thread and you will see what some of my windows look like.

Love your quote at the end and you are a flipping machine when it comes to projecting.

Wowsers!!!

 

[HomeSealed]

I'm doing a 2-story addition to my house...I'm using fiberglass/vinyl windows. Low E, argon....made my Milgard. Well built.

The nice thing about fiberglass is that you can paint the outside a different color if you want. Vinyl....you can have any color you want as long as it's white.

I also have wood clad fiberglass windows in one part of the house (big bay window). Inside is wood and I stained it to match the other wood. Outside is fiberglass in the color we are using (Hunter Green).

Your going to pay more for fiberglass/wood clad...but then again....you won't have to worry about them for a long time.

Remember....fiberglass does not rot....wood does....

A little suggestion....drive around a few neighborhoods looking at windows....if you see windows with white trim on the outside....that is vinyl....if your ok with your windows always looking white on the outside...vinyl is a good way to go.

Click on the link in my signature....go to the end of the thread and you will see what some of my windows look like.

Good info for the most part, the only thing that I'd add is that most reputable vinyl windows now offer multiple exterior colors, including the ability to do a custom matched factory finish which you cannot get with many wood or fg products. Some people (typically fg salemen) will question the durability of these coatings, but they have been very good in my experience, and carry a 10 yr warranty or better which is what you get on the entire window when you go with wood. I also see/do plenty of white exteriors in materials other than vinyl.
I'm not just shilling for vinyl here as each material has pros and cons, just adding info.

 

[ddawg16]

Good info for the most part, the only thing that I'd add is that most reputable vinyl windows now offer multiple exterior colors, including the ability to do a custom matched factory finish which you cannot get with many wood or fg products. Some people (typically fg salemen) will question the durability of these coatings, but they have been very good in my experience, and carry a 10 yr warranty or better which is what you get on the entire window when you go with wood. I also see/do plenty of white exteriors in materials other than vinyl.
I'm not just shilling for vinyl here as each material has pros and cons, just adding info.

I figure it's only a mater of time before someone makes a quality stain that can be used on any vinyl to change it's color.

My personal opinion....if money is an issue...vinyl is the safest direction to go to get a decent window.

Side note....One thing I really like about vinyl....it's easy to get the trim paint off inside the house....as in...it doesn't stick in the first place.