Whomever told you that your windows needed to be impact rated did you a disservice and made you a target for salespeople to push expensive impact windows on you. Impact windows only need to be used if you are not going to protect whatever windows you decide to install with approved hurricane protection. So, in a way, you might be viewed as an "easy mark" as someone stated earlier. Don't feel bad - I hear these stories every day. You would be surprised to hear the many folks that I speak with who say "I don't need shutters - my windows are hurricane proof!" There are no hurricane proof impact glass windows available to the general public. Simply stated, if you windows are made from glass - no matter what king - they're going to break - period. Click on the link below to see what happens to an impact window during a large missile impact event: Impact window test This leads to my next question of, "If you opt for the more expensive impact windows, how are you going to protect them from breaking?" You see, impact windows ARE resistant to hurricane wind load pressures but they AREN'T that good when it comes to being impact resistant. They are a "sacrificial" form of fenestration designed to break when impacted but remain in place to preserve the integrity of the building envelop and thus prevent pressurization of the structure during a tropical weather event. They were never intended to "survive" or "withstand" a hurricane impact. Quite the opposite is true. And as you can see from the video, once they are impacted they no longer pass air infiltration or water penetration standards and need to be replaced. Those impact windows weren't cheap when they were installed and they aren't going to be cheap to replace. So, no matter what windows you choose, protecting their investment cost only makes sense. Whether you decide on a high quality aluminum framed version with a 50+ year life expectancy or a pvc framed unit that only lasts for 25-30 years, protecting them is something to consider to avoid the expense, mess and inconvenience of having to replace them when they break. The bottom line is do your homework before you plunk down a ton of cash for new windows. There are dozens of types, styles, construction materials & methods, glazings and sealants used for manufacturing. If you're environmentally conscious you'll probably want to stay away from pvc because of their toxic hazards during the manufacture and disposal. However, if you're a "flipper", you'll most likely opt for the low cost of pvc and not worry about lifespan or toxic effects. If you're looking for something dimensionally stable, steel frames might be your choice. There's also aluminum, fiberglass and wood models to check out, as well. Once you decide if the up front expense or long term payoff is more important, your choices get easier. Good luck with your search.

Good morning Michelle, Have you considered fiberglass frames? This picture is an Andersen A series fiberglass window. I picked this picture because it looked reasonably close in color and style to the window in the picture that you posted, but there are many different styles of fiberglass windows on the market from many different window manufacture. Fiberglass windows and doors are more expensive than vinyl, probably more comparable to higher quality wood windows in price , but not anywhere near the price of steel.

your second pic has a lot of ornate trim for the white portion. do you plan on doing something like that? if not, yours will prob look like this some other examples (you could try and just do it white. if you don't like it, repaint or, just trying painting the door frame/trim white If you want to jazz up the front entry, do something like this get a larger pendant light, and think about doing something w/the porch floor. maybe brick, tile, a porch paint. lighten up the ceiling on the porch. maybe doing a bench w/storage. large potted plants, etc.

It's not in the budget to update the other windows with black frames. I will go with a white frame for the folding door if that will look best. Another option is a wood frame around the folding door. That would actually match our front door. Would that option work? Or would a white frame still fit the best?