What's the style and look of the interior of the home. Could be that wood is a no-brainer when it comes to materials selections.

Thermally broken aluminum frames are a tough sell on any areas where you have a definite cold season. Aluminum clad is not the same thing as aluminum here.

Personally...I wouldn't pass on a home because of composite vs. wood. That said, there are consumers that are purists and want wood. If your home speaks to that type of consumer, the $3K will be money well spent. Just depends on the home, the look, architecture, and the ultimate variable...the buyer.

From an energy savings standpoint, I don't know that you ever get the $3K back if that is your question and that money would be far better spent on something like interior air sealing prior to insulation, but I can't tell if that was actually a question or I am making that one up.

@wow thank you! Style is the ever "transitional" exterior and interior. :) sorry for the late response; I didn’t realize the max character limit when copying/pasting an image vs. uploading -- I confused the system lol.

Exterior Hardie siding (combination of artisan lap and panels – all white) with cedar accents. Interior open concept w/radiant floor heat, minimal window lines, no exterior trim planned.

Black interior and exterior windows, all wood floors, open stair, etc. The goal is pretty high end with all the bells and whistles down the road; huge kitchen and island and dining area, windows with views from the rooftop, etc.

Attached is the front of house design if helpful; ignore off center panels, I’ve not updated to land center of windows.

To your thermal note, I may have my terminology wrong; here is one window spec.

To your purist comment -- very good point -- it makes sense that would be the place I would get the $3k back...so maybe I am splitting hairs...

What about adding Argon Gas fill? If not already there that will generally add another couple of points. Andersen may include that already in retrospect. Is there a better glass package you can move to that will drop the "U" value? Not that familiar with the Abdersen Glass options these days......................

Hi @millworkman -- They are all smartsun 366 (Low E366) but I do have a question out to my windows person regarding getting a handful of them down to .30 max. Out of the total there are only a few that are pushing it up and I'm not certain why (yet) :)

With a few modifications I should be able to get there...just another new build detail! :) Thanks!

Update -- changed a few large windows to .30 and less -- I'm there. thanks to all!

My apologies for bringing up something you weren't asking, Charlotte-but is there a reason you wouldn't consider the A-Series or 400 Series Andersen? We sell the full range of Andersen, from the most economy line to the top luxurious lines-and I would recommend both the A or 400 over the E Series. They're all available in black.

Anderson makes the best patio sliders. When it comes to windows you can do better. Why are you considering Anderson?

Andersen is not a bad window by any stretch. I agree with @quasiexpert as well in that the style of home you have there might more adequately "jive" with the A-Series when it comes to narrowness of the profiles as well.

@quasiexpert and @wow and @fixer687 -- thanks so much for the feedback!

My understanding on the A series is that they are far more expensive than E series (far, far more expensive). And given we are doing black on black, I was also trying to balance that the interior wood would be painted anyway as I've not seen any black window frame with wood trim options that really 'jived' with me on the style (interior).

Our floors will be some version of a white-washed/light wood (still on the hunt for that perfect color :) and interior frames would be white.

I believe the E series has about a 3 1/2" frame (if I recall correctly) and we are still trying to avoid exterior trim altogether with the hardie plans we have. That would make the frame acceptable to me, given the visual size. I do generally like things 'chunky' if you will, but in balance.

Regarding the 400 series, most of the companies I contacted here in the Seattle area pushed me away from them as they were "replacement" windows...although they appear very popular.

And honestly speaking as to why Andersen -- I connected with a dealer through a friend and also shopped out Marvin. I didn't see much positive feedback on Milgard overall.

My uneducated guess :), is that they really are all about the same quality-wise as long as they are installed properly and @wow and @quasi -- I will definitely have to take a look at the A series (I've only had the opportunity to see the 100 and E next to each other, which led me to the E); I do quite like the slimmer interior profiles.

Thanks again for all the feedback!

Other way around. The A Series should be less expensive.

+1 to WoW

@Windows on Washington Ltd et al., let's say that one was a complete window newbie. It seems like the overwhelming advice is Anderson 400 or Marvin Integrity. What is it about the 100 series that makes them "builder grade crud?"

Nothing to my knowledge. They are designed to occupy the entry level price point for Andersen that would be similar to the all Ultrex Marvin Integrity or the 450 and Impervia from Pella. Despite the recent quality concerns posted on this forum about Andersen, I have always found them to be quite decent and happy to help the end user from a factory support standpoint.

I always tell clients that you must weigh the aesthetic component here. Its the equivalent of test driving a car. The car could be the highest rated on all the magazines, but if you hit your head on the pillar getting in an out...you will hate it. Same with the windows. Yes...you need a quality product that will last. Yes...you should look at air infiltration and the thermal data and use them as comparison points. And Yes...you need to see what and how you like the internal and external look because you are gonna be staring at them for the rest of your time in the home.

Well stated, WoW.

Sam: Who else called them "builder grade crud"? Did I miss it in an earlier comment?

I would say the 100 Series is still decent quality and perform quite well; but as WoW said, it's a matter of convenience & aesthetics as well as performance. If you like the clean lines of the 100's exterior, but the casement screen style bugs you on the interior-guess where you're spending almost all your time? If you like the exterior but like being able to open your top sash of your hung window-single hung is not for you. If you are like most people & don't open your windows-then you couldn't care less about those things.

South Alabama still isn't Arizona in terms of strength of the sun.

I would stay with one manufacturer on the windows even if you decide to split the models from front to back. Just easier and provides more leverage if you run into issues.

@Windows on Washington Ltd Any thoughts on the windows I've been quoted versus the Anderson 100s? If I did vinyl on the back and aluminum clad on the front, which series Anderson for the front would you recommend?

I am not sure that vinyl is a great fit for that architecture to be honest. What did you think of the 100 series? I see no reason why that series would not work throughout given the slightly modern appearance of the building design.

@Charlotte0124 what did you go with?