The Essential line is less expensive. Its not uncommon to mix and match, however there are some design differences, so its important to plan accordingly from both the interior and exterior. For example, you may have them in different rooms, but if they are next to each other on the exterior, the difference may be noticeable.... It just requires a little more planning to make sense of it.

I have been going through a similar exercise. I have Elevate in an addition and was considering using Essential for the renovated areas, which are all bedrooms and baths. I decided the difference in appearance from outside was minimal, and I planned to simplify the interior trim. I got a quote for Essential in custom sizes to match the Elevate windows sizes I had already installed.
That resulted in a price higher than Elevate! The custom sizing was causing the price jump. So if you do it, it only makes sense to use standard sizes which, for reasons known only to Marvin, are much more limited, and completely different from Essential to Elevate.
I've decided to stick with the Elevate, except for one bathroom that would benefit from all-fiberglass. Good luck with your build!

Thank you for the quick response! I absolutely agree, and I think that the placement would be fine, with the casements being solely in the dining room and master bedroom area and not close enough to other windows to to be “standout” different. I just wanted to make sure that wasn’t TOTALLY taboo. Thanks again!

@Seabornman thank you for the quick response! Thats definitely not something I would have thought of, so I’m glad you commented here. I guess I need to Amend the bid, and go from there. I have some flexibility with sizes, so I’ll probably grab my Marvin essential book and take a gander at the sizes that aren’t custom before I get that ammended bid. Thanks again! Any information is so helpful....I’m going crazy trying to pick windows. Lol! Good luck on the renovation!

We went Elevate except for window in shower is Essential. We wanted to go Bronze/Bronze essential but it was more than bronze/pine Elevate from what i can remember. So we are painting our Elevate interiors [went with pine]

Thank you for the comment Trish! We actually just got our second bid in today. It was $7,000 lower than the first bid. So we actually decided to keep them all elevate, except for our shower which has two windows. I’ve seen others post about The difference in price between suppliers...and that’s no joke. Glad we were able to keep the elevate. I think the essential is a great product....I just loved the feel of the elevate so much. Good luck I in your project!

So 2 Marvin installers were 7000 apart in price?

Melissa, yes. Apparently, the second company works directly with Marvin, and the first company does not. (If I understood them correctly.) They are both great companies, and really great people. The first just couldn’t get to our price point.

Thanks.Hopefully I find a good deal in Westchester NY. Can you tell me the average price per window please?

I got my final quote on windows, all casements. I was a little surprised that the Essential casements in a similar (standard) size to the Elevate are more expensive. And, judging by the prices Amanda quoted, casements are more expensive than single hung.

Hi Amanda. What area are you in? Your 16 foot slider price is sooooo much less than our builder quoted us than I think I need to shop around. Thanks!

Amanda - yes, wondering what style of door you ordered for your 16' door? I'm trying to figure out the best solution for our appx 14' span... with view. I'm so lost. Thanks!

@lisachew5 I live in Arkansas, but the distributor is from Missouri. I was pleasantly surprised with that price!

@hapahaole We ordered the Marvin elevate patio slider. Doors and windows are HARD To make decisions on. I about lost my mind trying to decide. But I found a wonderful salesperson, and she was so helpful with decision making!

Amanda, are your windows installed now? The window decisions are making me crazy! Did you do the essential with the wood interior? Are your grilles between the window or wood? I’m doing black interior and exterior in the common areas and black exterior, white interior in the beds and baths. Do you feel like you made the right choices?

I mean do you have the elevate with wood interior?

Here's a picture of my Elevate with pine interior. We painted the interior SW Urbane Bronze. sorry bad quality but get idea.

Trish, what size are those windows? Did you use the regular casements or the narrow frame?

@lisachew5 they are normal size single casements. we did 4 in a row. I'll have to look up sizes as it's been a hot minute.

looked it up

2 right hand and 2 left hand

29" X 71 5/8" each

Wow! Those prices are pretty impressive. I only got one quote, but I guess I should shop around. I've been going crazy too deciding on windows. I wasn't happy with the Pella product at all, especially the fiberglass - it has a wood grain look to it and looked really cheap to me when we went to see a house that had it installed.

Anyway, we have decided to go with Marvin, but can't decide between all four of their options - Modern, Ultimate, Elevate and Essential. Previous owners replaced original aluminum single plane aluminum windows with terrible beige Milgard vinyl windows. I wish we knew what the original windows looked like to get a sense of the style. I doubt they were originally double hung in this home built in 1978. They are LARGE and they replaced with cottage offset single hung with the lower half smaller. The seals are all broken so need replacing.

Now we are racking our brains - Do we keep the single hung? Do we go more modern with top fixed and bottom awning? Or go double casement? ...ugh too many options! I'm also scared of going black on the interior although I always think it looks nice in photos. Your casements look fantastic!

Show a picture maybe we can help with the window stile that would look the best.

Marvin Elevate and Essential are so different in design and style they should only be used together where they cannot be easily seen together from the inside and outside.

I'd better start tearing my windows out then! I'll share a pic when it's finished.

@millworkman Here are the windows - thanks for any input you have!

How about an exterior elevation? Personally I am leaning toward an awning beneath a fixed unit in about the same approximately proportions as the existing single hungs but as I asked for would like to see a exterior elevation of the entire house.