From an 2010 thread on warranty here is some excellent input from @xoldtimecarpenter and jives with the biz law course that I audited years ago on contract law. If there is forum member with legal background it'd be nice to get their opinion on this. After my prior post I read about "stress cracks" caused by thermal differences and realize these can happen fairly easily especially on larger windows and so a warranty that is skimpy here as Kolbe seems to be is not positive. His/her post also made me laugh: "Window warranties aggravate me about as much as faucet warranties, which are only slightly less annoying than setting my hair on fire with kerosene and putting it out with a brick. I don't know of a single window manufacturer that really stands behind its product. Almost all claim to have life-time warranties, but if you read the warranty, they actually promise very little. At most they will, eventually, send you a replacement part, but actually getting the window fixed is up to you. Not to be impolite, but this is crap. The window fogged up because it was not manufactured properly. There is no other explanation for fogging of an unbroken window. The homeowner did nothing to cause the problem. It is entirely on the manufacturer, who, if he was actually standing behind his product would also pay for the labor to install the window. I am not at all impressed with the fact that a window company makes a video showing the homeowner how to install replacement glass. Why should the homeowner have to install it? He didn't cause the problem. If we install windows for a customer, and they have manufacturing problems, we take care of the problem. We deal with the manufacturer, we install the replacement parts. And we keep track of our time and costs and bill the manufacture for them. If they have not paid in 90 days, we sue. Most people are not ware that the manufacturer's written warranty is not the only warranty a homeowner has. By law the manufacturer warrants the windows to be merchantable, workmanlike, and fit for the purpose for which intended. If the manufacturer violates these warranties by, for example, providing a dual-glazed window with seals that leak so the window fogs up (not merchantable, not workmanlike), he has to pay for the parts AND the labor to install the parts. That is the law, and has been the law for over 100 years. Manufacturers' warranties are not written for the purpose of protecting the customer, they are written to avoid, as much as possible, their duties under these common law warranties. The effort is only effective if the customer lets the manufacturer get away with it. We never do, and we never lose. My suggestion for homeowner is not to deal with warranty issues themselves. Get the company who installed the windows to deal with it. You may have to pay them to take care of manufacturing problems (but not installation problems -- that's on them). That way you avoid the finger-pointing that is common in window warranty claims. The manufacture says its an installation problem, the installer says its a manufacturing problem and no one does anything. Take pictures, get invoices, keep close track of your costs. Add them up and bill the manufacture. The company will probably deny their liability since labor is not covered by their written warranty. Don't spend any time trying to explain your rights under common law warranty -- just sue in small claims court. The judge will provide all the explanations necessary. At $15-45 to file a small claim, it is one of the best judicial bargains around. Keep in mind also that most window companies are members of the Better Business Bureau and as members have to submit to binding arbitration if your ask for it. Ask for it. Let the BBB collect for you. Stop taking crap from manufacturers over warranty issues. Regards,"

mushcreek thank you for helpful reply. Do you know if one can mix all ultrex with the wood/ultrex combo? Not in same room - and quite possibly not on same side of house. Will be using oak trim throughout - instead of pine in current house - so that should help scratch-wise also. I’m not looking to make my house/windows scratch proof, just want to slow the “process” a little. Also: many years ago I had a house on sloped property. Garage was tucked into slope with windows a couple feet up outside ground height. Had an oversized lab 90+ pounds who loved being outside but had a history of thunderstorm fear as he had been in a home struck by lightning. I worked from home at the time in a room off the garage. I’d leave the garage door open when he was outside (had triple fenced in property) and on nice days door into house also open. Working one summer day when the wind suddenly picked up. Went into garage to call dog in only to find him hanging from the window which I believe was partially opened. Back legs outside on ground, front legs hanging over my head. Broken glass everywhere. Unreal. Two garage doors wide open and he chose window. I pushed a filing cabinet under him to stabilize his front half and ran out in the now raging storm to calm him and pull out remaining glass before easing him back through window. Not one cut on either of us. I don’t know how I did it as I’m barely 5’3” and a flyweight. My other dogs watched the whole process with interest. Episode actually became a turning point: dog learned he could trust me even when dealing with his strongest fear. I taught him to come to me when he sensed a storm approaching and eventually he dozed through them. While I naturally think of him during every thunderstorm I also think of him when dealing with my own personal life-storms, and learned there’s a “safe-zone” for each where I can evaluate situation and move forward.

#1 hire a window pro that only does windows do your window install and let a sider do the siding. Forget the notion of wanting “ one company to do it all”. #2 mezzo is not regarded as a solid window., in fact no alside window is. Another brand “ jack of all trades” contractors seem to use are MI Windows which are horrible. Just as bad as pella vinyl. There are high end vinyl windows that are more energy efficient than any well knon wood window brands. Look into Okna, soft lite, kensington, or sunrise. These are top performers and good looking as well. where are you located? Some brands are regional.

I think the lead time was about 6 month or 7 months when we ordered. My memory is starting to get a bit hazy. I think we ordered in July 2021 some time. We started demo Nov 2021. They left our original windows in until the new ones arrived. They arrived in waves though... probably half arrived on time, then a couple weeks later we got a couple more, then a couple more. We had one corner glass window that was basically just a frame (glass is ordered from a glass shop locally). It was not square and had to be unistalled (our contrator did all the installing). He said the windows were not perfect (they are handmade by people), but that they were better than most that he's been installing. I found a local Kolbe guy (I think he's some sort of engineer, but I could be wrong). He was really helpful connecting me to the right people and getting a fix for the not square window. Kolbe's repair guy (he drives all over the western states fixing window problem) came out and cut the frame and put it back together so it was 90 degrees. We got it installed and then the glass guys installed some window piece upside down. Ugh... so had to order new strips of wood from Kolbe which took a few more weeks. Our window shop Window's N Things in Canoga Park was good and kept following up with Kolbe. I also called Kolbe directly and they were very honest with me about how long everything would take. Overall, I'm happy with my windows. It's just a process. Good luck.