Thank you for the feedback. I am concerned re Pella standing behind its warranty in the event of window failure. My concerns are based on posts I've read re other people's experience as well as the Pella dealer warning that we should have them install as Pella would void its warranty should the contractor not strictly follow the required install instructions. Of course, his quote is 10 - 15k higher than Marvin's, and we can't afford it. We do like the product itself though, and the options available. eal51 - you're right. The cost savings offered by Anderson do not justify reframing the windows. I just received the written quote and realized the additional labor costs to cut down and fill in the windows account for almost $3,000 of the total cost - money that could be going towards the product itself. I was hoping for feedback on Lincoln, which appears to be a well-made window with many options similar to Marvin and Pella. This isn't our "forever" home, but we would like a quality window that functions well and also adds value to the home for future resale, and without breaking the bank! Thanks again for your comments.

Moisture between the glass would not be caused by poor installation. Rather, it would be caused by a defective manufacturing issue or due to some type of unusual situation where the normal wear was affected. For instance, extreme variations in temperature due to orientation or something going on regarding the interior of your home. I design and specify windows for homes in Florida almost all of them on the water or close by. Sierra Pacific offers a 30 year warranty on its 2605 finish and 20 year warranty on its patented Coreguard wood treatment and I would consider those windows. Andersen performs well too but they reduce their 20 year warranty to 10 years when on the coast. In my 40 year career, I have had great success with Andersen and SP and would run away from Pella if you are looking for an aluminum clad wood window. Just my opinion based on more than a hundred installations.

+1, the Elevate is a good window. There's nothing "second rate" IMO about fiberglass as a material. Its not always the right fit, but I personally think that the Elevate is superior design to most clad wood windows. The outer half of the window frame is fiberglass which isolates the wood from exterior conditions better than most clad products. I'm sure that this is not likely the case in SoCal where you are located, but around here in WI, the only thing "trusted" about most wood clad windows is that they will be mushy in less than 20 years. Inorganic materials (fiberglass, vinyl, composite) are very appealing for that reason, but again, with a very mild climate these issues may barely register for you.

Hello! Update: WIndows/Doors Choice is now between: (A) Milgard thermally improved A250 aluminum 16 windows - mixed casements and sliders, 3 sliding patio doors 96" X 82" and 1 sliding patio door 72" X 82". Quote for those installed is $44,000. or B) Milgard Ultra C650 fiberglass 16 windows - mixed casements and sliders, same size and number doors. Quote for those installed is $65,800. My understanding is choice (A) the fiberglass windows and doors will comply with Title 24 for my Bay Area home. But as they are $20K more, with fatter sightlines, we are considering hiring a company to provide us with "as built drawings" (floor plans) for our home, and we then hire a Title 24 consultant. My home will then be evaluated for energy efficiency and given a number. By undertaking other energy saving measures (new furnace, R38 insulation instead of more basic, and other measures I know not of, but hope to learn) we can make up the difference for the U value of 0.38 for Milgard thermally improved aluminum, which just misses the 0.30 of Title 24. Milgard standard aluminum has a U value 0.45. Has anyone else gone the energy survey route with a good result? Are these facts correct? Are these quotes fair for the Bay Area? This second contractor is also installing Hardie Board as I noted in my OP. (The first contractor failed to get back to us in time, and so here we are months later. Marvin still not an option, as he's not a certified installer and we'd have to buy them outright.) We are trying to move fast to avoid yet another price increase. Thanks. Should I start a new thread as Sierra Pacific is no longer in the running?