Need Window Plan Advice & How to Rank these Window Companies/Lines?

building2017

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

Been reading through old window threads researching window companies and window product lines and features. Doesn't sound like any one company has a consensus for tried and true results.

After talking with various local sales reps and researching, our home will likely use three types of windows to get the best blend of form and function for their various placement and use:

19 Casement Windows: Impact glass, unsure if going with Aluminum Clad-Wood or Fiberglass-Wood
22 Awning Windows: Impact glass, considering all fiberglass for these as they will be used in a clerestory as part of a passive heating and cooling design, will receive significant direct heat and weather during some times of the year, and be open more often than the other windows
7 Sets of French doors and 2 single doors hinged: NON-impact glass (to be able to accommodate thinner stiles re: code, these are all protected from the elements by porches and will have their own hurricane mitigation); unsure if going with Aluminum Clad-wood or Fiberglass-wood
11 fixed windows/sidelights: some impact and some non-impact depending on their placement, unsure if going with Aluminum Clad-wood or Fiberglass-wood

Questions:

**Any advice on the above plan as it relates to specific products and/or companies?

**For the experts out there and/or those whom have built or lived in several homes... Knowing window lines and companies shift over time, as of right now, how would you rank the following companies in regard to the overall best combination of window quality as highest priority followed by price and customer service if problems arise?

Anderson (E Series for doors/window, 100 Series for Fibrex awning windows - no green ext. color)
Kolbe (Ultra for windows/doors, Forgent/Glastra for awning windows - no green in exterior colors)
Loewen (local sales rep loves these most for impact, but I just read the laundry list of problems some are having in a recent thread so haven't read further.)
Marvin (looking at Ultimate or Elevate for windows/doors and Essential/Ultrex for the awning windows - one green in exterior colors/not as many options as the exterior clad-wood colors.)
Sierra Pacific (which some forum members consider garbage and others seem to apparently love; don't see a fiberglass option for the awning windows)
WeatherShield (Contemporary Line for French doors, Premium Coastal for the rest, sounds like they don't make a fiberglass option anymore for the awning windows)

Comments (5)

millworkman
3 years ago
1) Marvin

2a) Kolbe

2b) Loewen

2c) E Series Andersen

78) Sierra Pacific

79) Weathershield

Not idea if the lower 2 numbers are correct as they were just for effect.
mark1993
3 years ago
We are custom building a new house and have all Sierra Pacific windows. They are casements and awnings. They look beautiful; black with narrow grids. They came highly recommended by both our builder and architect.
Related Discussions
Need advice on floor plan for living room, french doors or windows?
Q
Comments (24)
NafNaf--Forgive me I am not sure what is different in what you are suggesting? Virgil-- I am not good with the descriptions, but the the house sits in a hill and the sunporch is above the basement patio at least for part of it, the garage is under the house. The lot is pie shaped with the great room facing the narrow end of the pie. I have been working on this all morning and moving furniture in my current living room and measuring and graphing again to double check. Right now my plan will fit a 7.5 x 9.5 sectional facing the west wall, that wall will have built ins and house the tv. The far end of sectional will be about 8' from the TV, this is the exact set up we have in our current home and the configuration is very cozy but nice, also the "L" will be open to stairs, hall etc so not closed off. On the fire place end, I feel like I can set furniture(possibly a pair of 4' settees arranged opposite or a combination of smaller chairs and a settee) about 4' from the back of the sectional and comfortably flow between the sitting areas on the stair side---I measured with the swing of the doors etc. I am keeping in mind that yes its tight if the doors are open but that will not be often. So with my furniture arranging I realized that the slider will just not fit, its much better with large windows that open. I am thinking 4, 6' casements.
...See More
need some urgent advice on window seat vs. bay window
Q
Comments (25)
Sophie - I disagree. I did not design this. I have no pretensions to being a designer and for many other aspects of the renovation we have indeed had formal plans drawn up. [I also know from experience that having an architect involved is far from a panacea .... but that's another story or stories]. For this room we knew we needed to replace the large leaky picture window and instead of replacing in kind we asked whether it would be possible and reasonable to build a window seat and what would be involved. We showed the contractor many pictures of window seats and shared the required dimension ranges (not exact dimensions) from various articles. He said a bay window would take care of it and no separate plans were required. I include the manufacturer's literature excerpt that says their Bay and Bow windows can be used as window seats. It seemed (and actually still seems) a reasonable solution. Projection Window Bay and Bow windows are like a piece of fine furniture for the façade of your home. These unique windows project from your home, creating additional space that can be used for a variety of purposes, such as a window seat or displaying meaningful trinkets. Our vinyl windows (typically double-hung or casement windows) are inserted into a solid frame to create this unique look that adds style to any home. Bay windows typically have three lites (one central fixed lite and two flanking operational lites) at 20-25-degree angles. Bow windows most commonly consist of four lites, all of which can be fixed or operational, set at 10-15 degree angles. The contractor asked us to describe what we wanted to the window vendor as well and we did. We never used the term bay window. We only talked in terms of window seat. The window vendor also did not dissuade us or suggest we needed an addition instead of a window. The window vendor spec'd the window we needed. Given that we have 8 foot ceilings - this would have been a really good place to catch that a 52" bay window wouldn't be long enough to provide a seat at a reasonable height off the floor. I think that's the key flaw here - plus someone's telling us that (unless I'm wrong) we weren't going to get the wood backing. Tomorrow should be interesting ...
...See More
Need vinyl window advice for new construction
Q
Comments (19)
Thank you for posting this question. I am going to be building in Wake Forest soon, and most builders up here use PlyGem. I don't really know anything about them, but I have noticed on all the new houses that the window glass has a wavy appearance from the outside. I don't understand why they look like this. Wondering if a different brand would look more flat.
...See More
How much compensation to ask window company who screwed up your order
Q
Comments (22)
Window Genius' comment to Angel18432 Nothing Angel18432 said was any hint at extortion. I think what happened to the original poster falls under consumer protection. By giving a deposit you are in a contract to exchange goods/services for money in a reasonable time frame. Forgetting to place an order for 7 months- which is questionable - is not a reasonable timeframe that they had the OP's money without an agreed upon explanation and extension. She said "I would have the windows installed and then try to negotiate a price reduction" Nothing wrong with that asking for a discount or something after they are installed. "and don't pay them any more $$ till the job is complete to your satisfaction." Oh that is a given. Nothing more to be paid till after the windows are installed and I would even hold back 10% of the balance. Here in Ontario Canada it is called the Ontario Construction Act and NORMAL BUSINESS PRACTICE. OP You may have something similar in your area.
...See More
dan1888
3 years ago
Marvin fiberglass.
ceilsan32
3 years ago
If you choose aluminum clad wood, be aware of the maintenance issues, particularly in certain climates. Years ago, the upper end of some brands of wood casements were made using Douglas Fir. When the casements were left open for long periods of time, the windows failed to close properly. Although I doubt that's an issue at present, it's something you may wish to inquire about. If you're seeking virtually no maintenance, go with fiberglass. It lacks the warmth of real wood, but avoids maintenance on wood sections. W hatever you select, you'll need skilled craftsmen to provide you with superior installation skills. You'll notice that some parts of the country have experienced many more installation problems than others, dependent upon the brand. Marvin appears to have a stellar reputation. I agree with millworkman's rankings. Loewen makes great doors, as well. Research the dealer's/installment team's reputations, as well as the company's customer service/warranty.
D B
3 years ago
I have sold and installed Marvin, Andersen, and Sierra Pacific.

I rank them in the same order:
1. Marvin
2. Andersen
3. Sierra Pacific

Need Window Plan Advice & How to Rank these Window Companies/Lines?

Comments (5)

millworkman

mark1993

Related Discussions

dan1888

ceilsan32

D B

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US