You certainly chose a very nice looking window, they will serve you well for many years. The Okna 600 series is a top rated window offering. The Okna 600 is right up there in terms of quality with Soft Lite " Elements" and Sunrise " restorations". We always like to see consumers do their research.

I'm about to pull the trigger on new windows and the Okna 600 series is first in the running for me. I have spent hours looking at reviews, reading what you guys post on various sites, and have even allowed some sales guys into my house - I detest the high pressure sales pitch of buy now and get the best price, hogwash! Anyway, I certainly want to compare apples to apples on other manufacturers. So I'm looking at Polaris and Soft-lite as well in the Knoxville, TN market. Which models are comparable from both and is the balance mechanism an issue to consider that makes it a deal breaker. I've read that the block & tackle is the best. Appreciate your advise!

Soft-lite’s Imperial LS or the Elements would be good choices that are comparable to Okna 600. While I prefer the block and tackle, the constant force is a very good balance system. I’m not overly familiar with the Polaris lines, so I’ll let others help out there.

The Okna 600 is an excellent window and it compares to both the soft lite elements and imperial LS. I used to offer polaris ultraweld at one time and although it was a pretty good window, both the Okna and Soft Lite are better windows and also much better looking.

the block and tackle is an excellent balance system and so is the constant force, especially when constant force has a teflon coating.

You looking at casements , double hungs or sliders?

Dbl hung only plus one fixed. All openings are 3.5' wide except for bathrooms and dbls are more affordable. Only thing about dbl hung is the half screen and who opens both anyway?

I’d get prices and then decide, I’d consider The Polaris Thermalweld plus instead of the Ultraweld since it is prettier and built just as well IMO.

So thus far for my 16 dbl hung / 1 fixed prices; Okna 600 10.3k - grids on 6 and bronze ex color. Polaris TW Plus - 2 separate dealer prices, verbal at $790 ea. before add-ons, other...and hold on to your cookies...25.5k and this same guy priced Soft-lite LS at 31.9k and the Pro at 25.5k. I about s@#& a brick when I read the prices. I'm thinking he doesn't want my business and I'm not even an engineer!

So I'm down to the Sunrise - appt this Sat. and the Okna. I briefly looked at the Slocomb but nah.

If all the installation methods,details and window specs are the same and reputable companies the Okna 600 sounds like the winner. I am not a fan of the Sunrise double hung and would not consider it.

Home run for the okna here.

Window Works in the only retailer in area that sells the Okna 600 & 800 series. The others are Winterseal in Morristown area - way over priced on their products and Keith Window which offered the Polaris and even suggested that I go with the Okna at the quoted price. toddinmn stated above that he doesn't like the Sunrise product/dbl hung - not sure why, never inquired. But Hullco offered the Sunrise Restorations at 12.7k/exterior color & grids. Their project mgr came by my place cause of my concern about install method - they are the only ones in area that use foam insulation around windows BTW. Others don't because of expansion problems they have experienced. I haven't contracted with anyone yet. They all aren't good about follow up, I wondered at times if they were really interested in making a sale.

I'd be guessing but they are more the other spectrum of sales where there is no pressure to buy...none at all. And all estimates included install.

My approach to searching for windows was to find products that stood out amongst the hundreds that are out there and ones that are available in our market. I pretty much reduced the selection down to a few. A lot of the guys in this industry who comment on posts here are very knowledgeable and have assisted greatly in my search. I have also spent a lot of time on various sites reading reviews that others have posted. Do your homework, it will be to your benefit.

Good luck. You are at the end of the tunnel.

• Hi WonW, been meaning to get feedback on your and others opinions on Sunrise Windows and specifically the Restorations line - any thoughts?

I’d price the Polaris Thermalweld Plus, I prefer it the Ultraweld myself, its built on the same platform as the Pro-Vias Endure.

The Thermaweld is now the Dynaweld which is there entry Level window now. The Thermalweld Plus is completely new window that replaces the Thermalweld as there mid level window,

To the question that was asked previously by @Jim Lewis , the Restorations is a very solidly built window. Happy to have you if you want to road trip it down here.

Restorations seems it has all the right components to make it a good choice and the exterior color has a 20 yr warranty compared to the 10 yr on Okna which was my first choice and came in a little over 2k less. But the Sunrise dealer is offering 48 mths no interest which is very appealing.

And BTW, thx for the invite but all my free time is being spent remodeling my home along the Holston River, east of Knoxville.

I’d take the Okna hands down.

So toddinmn, respectfully, why not the Sunrise? What specifically do you not like about their Restorations line? Is it just their dbl hung product or entire company/product?

double hungs and Sliders, I have not used Or serviced any of there other products. I think the under engineered and often overpriced. There performance numbers ok, but I have my doubts about there air infiltration numbers.

I'd have to agree that Okna 600 dh for $2k less is a slam dunk assuming installation and service are equal. The Restorations are nice, but I wouldn't choose an inferior window due to a better paint finish warranty and at a higher price. The paint coatings are very similar and the actual scratch and fade resistance will be nearly identical. I've found them to be extremely durable regardless of manufacturer. I can't say that I've processed a single warranty claim on it in thousands of windows installed over the last decade plus... Knocking on wood

I must be the first one to say that I hate my Okna windows. They put them in a double wide mobile home. They are double hung and they are heavy. When I go to pull down the top and tilt it in, they always go crooked no matter how careful I am and they jump the track and I can't get them back in. One, something busted that had to be fixed trying to get it back in. I don't know how many times I had to call the window company to come and put them back in. We got these to be easier to clean so my husband who is 74, wouldn't have to get on a ladder to clean the outside. It isn't worth it, so now they will be cleaned again from the outside and I guess I will be the one to get on the ladder as he has a lot of health problems. I paid over $13,000 for these to have it easier, not harder. One thing is that the strings on the sides seem too thin for the heavy windows. I had a contractor here and told him about it and he looked and said it is ridiculous. Thought It was me being a woman, even though I followed the instuctions from the company, but it started to go crooked for him too. Never again!

Seems odd and unusual. Something seems wrong . Typically these problems occur when someone takes them and does not put them in correctly. This will also result in broken parts at time. If they are not operating easily there is something wrong. The strings are very strong and are rarely a point of failure, your contractor is just not that familiar with windows. The top is typically a little harder to pull down, I recommend to owners to just tilt them in vs removing the sashes. Tilt the lower in rest against the sill then lower the upper tilt in and clean it , put back then clean the lower.

Larger windows can be a little trickier dues to size and weight .

Please don't take offense Robin, but what you are describing is almost entirely indicative of user error. Especially the section about something breaking after being forced. This is undoubtedly the result of two things:

1. Not raising the window high enough prior to tilting the window in and...
2. Lifting the window out of the balance shoe in the process of putting the window back in and effectively NOT disengaging the clutch mechanism (i.e. the hard to move part).

I am sorry that you are having a hard time with these window. If you'd like to call me and I could FaceTime or Zoom with you to show you how to work the windows and to assess any damage that may be preventing the proper operation.

A mobile home ? Anyway, this is a situation where you are NOT operating the window properly and has absolutely nothing to do with the window itself. Whether its soft lite, okna, sunrise or xyz window, you will encounter the same exact problems unless you operate your new windows properly. User error is not a window issue.

Windows on Washington has hit the nail on the head. I would heed his advice.

I saw the Okna 600 along with a few other companies and decided to go with Okna 600. I am paying $8100 for 10 replacement windows in all white. I feel we received very good pricing for what seems to be an excellent window.

I posted another post with more info. There has been a lot of price increases in the past 2 years according to all the companies I talked with because of all the inflation.

i will provide an update after install.