Yuck do not do vinyl. What is the style of home? Can we see drawings? I also lost sleep over windows because my build was priced for cheaper windows and I wanted real exterior muntins with an external profile and real (painted) wood inside. whatever the (high-end) brand, I would go for their architectural series. I have pella's and the difference they make is immediately noticeable on the house, and worth every penny of overage. Given the choice I would choose the highest quality windows over square footage any day.

Here are the plans- back side with screeped porch is south facing over a lake - so probably won't do grills on the back side- except the second floor -

Omg. Awesome dream home!! Marvin or pella architectural, aluminum clad wood windows. I chose pella because they have a dark foam divider between the glass to make the muntins look connected. Those type of details were so important to me: i love old homes with real windows, I get so much pleasure from the windows at my cabin that I knew I couldn't skimp at our home. I literally think about them every day since we moved in 3 years ago. I also considered saving money by not getting the better windows in back but in the end we realized it would be weird and in the end the savings negligible. Plus you are on a lake so will be often enjoying the view of your beautiful home from there. whether in a canoe, on the dock, or in the yard. Whenever (and I am actually not kidding one bit) I look up at my house and think how glad I am that the back has as much character as the front. all the new builds here have windows with flat, fake muntins and the backs, lacking any of the other architectural extras saved for the front only, are particularly bleak. Also talk to your architect about how he/she feels about mixing say transoms upstairs with double hung down or back/front. They should have an informed opinion. Transoms may give you more lake air But look weird mixed?

Both marvin and pella architectural come in color combos-I could really see your place in a dark brown natural shingle with hunter green windows.

Are you interested in talking about siding? I love your house so much I want to warn you against the current fascination with randomly slapping stone veneer here and there.

Good luck and congratulations!!

Yes a Marvin Ultimate or Kolbe Sterling would be perfect with Simulated Divided Lites, however I see nothing wrong with a high end vinyl (and you will save considerable $$$). You will get better performance from them (and I am a wood window guy). Anything Pella, not in anything I would build. Just my .02.

Millworkman im sure those windows have great performance ratings but they look and feel like butt. In a lake house especially I spend a lot of time looking out windows and plastic just don't cut it.

I have no skin in the brand game, just curious why you don't like pella. We have been v happy so far.

ETA: the butt comment is meant to be funny and is purely personal opinion and is not meant to disparage MWM's builds which I'm sure are great!

Thank you all for your comments and help. What about the Jeldwen Siteline aluminum clad Windows is so bad? Is it the customer service or the actual quality of the windows? I am just curious, the dealer we met with sells Marvin, Anderson, Jeldwen, and Windsor. I will start researching the brands mentioned above.

I forgot to thank you greenfish1234 for your comments on our house- we are beyond excited!

Great performance ratings at manufacture are one thing. Vinyl won't have that 10 years down the road when the builder is long gone.

I am confused - the bid the guy from Jeldwen gave us says the windows are made with Auralast Pine- So is this an aluminum clad window? It is so hard comparing types and brands. Thoughts on Auralast Pine?

Idk anything about the siteline and just looked up. As you can see the muntins are fake, either interior only or between panes. The flat windows lack the depth and shadow of real divided light. If you have never thought about this you may not think it matters, but it is one of those things that the mind sees and feels even when the eye does not. The house just looks better and (to some inexplicably) more authentic. Modern houses don't want all of the shadow necessarily, want cleaner lines, big open windows with no muntins. But your house is a classic traditional lake house and it wants those details. I would choose no "lites"/"grills"/muntins over fake ones because without the shadow and depth there is no point.

I can't answer your question about the specific window Britta-but generally I think aluminum clad means wood inside and aluminum outside. That is what mine are. The siteline you mentioned may have aluminum cladding but no muntins per my previous post. This doesn't mean that they aren't aluminum clad pine though.

Thank you so much- the pictures really help. I had no idea Windows would cause me all of this stress! I really appreciate the help.

Tell me about it. Many sleepless nights. One of the many odd things I never wanted to know anything about!!

go to this thread, scroll down and see my comments. We built on Lake Lanier about 6 years ago. AVI of Atlanta supplied our windows. They have an excellent showroom and technical support staff. [Link to Houzz thread on new construction widows[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/best-new-construction-windows-at-a-decent-price-dsvw-vd~5483170?n=20)

Thank you so much lkbum- your house is beautiful!!! I will get in touch with AVI Atlanta- we are in Madison. I really appreciate your help.

I have Okna Casments and its the number one thing folks comment on when seeing our house for the first time.

I believe we saved close to $10K to go this route vs other options. It was a no brainer as we wanted all white exterior and interior. Air infiltration rates blow many more costly options out of the water as well.

Lkbum nice place! Can you paint fiberglass windows?? Huge advantage over aluminum clad if they are equally durable!

Our contractor is contacting the window rep to get him to build a quote for the Marvin fiberglass windows- on the Marvin website it looks like you can get them in white or clear - ready to finish interior and have white, ebony or bronze choices for the exterior. lkbum- I can't tell from the photos, but can you tell me if the grills are between the glass or are they protruding? I hope that makes sense. Thank you!

Sorry for all the questions lkbum- but I love your French doors- are those also from Marvin?

Thanks for the compliments. Yes everything except the large Arc Top are Marvin Integrity with wood interior. The arc top is Marvin Ultimate (thistype of window was not available in the Integrity when we built, the finish color is identical. The grids/grills are Simulated Divided Lights (SDL), they are on the outside, inside and in between the panes. They cost more, but look really good. There is a thread where some Marvin Integrity windows had exterior finish issues and had to be repainted in the field. It did not look ”easy”, but can be done.

Picking windows in FLorida was much easier. They had to be impact resistant and comply with Miami-Dade code. Not many brands made the cut. Went with PGT.

Give us a call, we'd love to help you out!

In general, what % of our total budget should we use for Windows?

We used Kolbe windows. LOVE them, quiet, solid and stand up with our others.

We love using Kolbe Windows. They have many choices and they look great installed. They are very well priced too.

https://www.kolbewindows.com/

Figure your budget and then buy the besst windows you can afford. Percentage of budget is not a real number.

Changing some windows to fixed from opening can save you money. ERV energy recovery ventilation helps maintain your air quality

Can anyone comment on PlyGem Mira Premium windows for use in new construction in central NC?

Millworkman, could ypu please pm me? Thank you

Going to look at Marvin Windows tomorrow. Thank you all for your help- regarding grill color, I would love your opinions on what color to pick. We want the house to blend in with the natural surroundings- see lot site below- so cement siding in some brown or warm gray, standing seam roof- either slate grey or medium bronze. Stone front porch with stone steps, dry stacked pillars with stained beams. My first thought was to pick the bronze exterior color for the windows, but maybe I should go with the lighter shade of cashmere or the pebble. Greenfish1234 and lkbum- we really like the depth and divided panes you show in your photos. Thoughts?

Colors for exterior of window choices:

I like the Pebble Gray personally.

It is going to be so beautiful. At our camp in Maine the cabins have to be brown and green. I love this combo, since you will want to paint the cement board anyway. I googled brown and green cabin and weirdly I think I came up with one of our neighbors. Anyway from across the lake you can barely see the cabins-so pretty. Imagine this one with a stone foundation (don't let them run that stone halfway up the first floor!) and evergreen windows I think would be way better than this color, which is ok, but.

Another brown/green

My family members renovated a 200 year old family farmhouse in a barn red and did the windows in the high end Marvin in evergreen. I only have a pic of their chicken coop but it is painted to match the main house:

That being said, of the options you ASKED about...I really like the bronze :)

I like the SDL's, but I recall them being pretty expensive. From the inside, they look awesome. From the outside, not that big of a difference, at least during the day.

Lkbum I bet to differ-they look great!

greenfish (do you have any idea how hard it is to get auto correct to accept your name LOL), I was talking about the "simulated" divider (the piece between the panes). During the day, it's not visible from the outside. but from the inside they always looks incredible.

I can't speak to the other brands and/or which is better. However, since this is a "forever home" and you are wanting to invest in windows I recommend a wood-clad window. The powder-coated aluminum cladding on the exterior will outlast a vinyl (plastic) window and the wood interior will add thermal performance that far exceeds the vinyl options. Plus, the powder-coating on the exterior will protect from the high humidity environment of Georgia. Hope this helps!

Exceeds vinyl options. That sounds interesting.

What is the U-Factor and Condensation Resistance numbers on your window that you are referencing?

Ah! I have to agree with you there, lkbbum!

Windows on Washington Ltd For example, our wood-aluminum windows have a U-value ranging from U0.2-U0.125, in double or triple pane depending on performance desired. It is our experience that wood serves as a natural thermal barrier providing long term energy efficiency as well as comfort in any environment. We have yet to see performance in vinyl that competes in thermal performance as well as long term durability. Please let us know if you have found a different product --It is our goal to remain educated :)

Do you have an NFRC CPD number for that. Double pane numbers of 0.20 are quite low.

Are you quoting Center of Glas (COG) numbers or glass only numbers or are you quoting total unit number.

Windows on Washington Ltd We do! Here's a link to the NFRC listing data, here. The beginning of the list are triple pane at U0.17 and the double pane are further down the list. We also offer Tilt and Turn windows, which can also be searched on the NFRC site. The Condensation Resistance numbers are listed there as well. The U-values represent the entire unit.

So, your double pane U-Factor appears to be a 0.27. Good, but what about that "will add thermal performance that far exceeds the vinyl options".

I am quoting you directly from above about 6 posts ago.

There are more than a handful of vinyl windows that will best that thermal performance in the case of double pane and more than a handful that equal or best the thermal performance numbers that you show in triple pane.

To be certain, 0.15 is a good U-Factor, but it is only equivalent in this case to just the handful of vinyl windows that I know of personally not to mention the more exotics that are designed solely around performance.

I do love nice wood windows, but to claim they are more efficient because of the wood is sketchy science to put it mildly.

Ok. Appreciate your opinion, Windows on Washington Ltd. Have a nice day.

Britta, do contact multiple Marvin dealers for quotes. When I replaced all my windows, there was an $8,000 difference for the exact same windows. I gave the higher company the chance to meet the lower bid, and got quite a tongue lashing from the owner. Boy, did her true character come out!

Glo...you claimed that wood is a better insulator as a frame materials which is incorrect.

Most frames I have seen have chambers and/or foam filling which make them significantly more efficient than a wood frame. I know when I bought my Flir One, the first think I could see in my home was the wood framing during the winter. Wood is historically, the weak point in any wall assembly.

Glad to chat with you as well. For the record, there wasn't any "opinion" in my previous statements.