Marvin 100%

Thank you! Any concern using both Marvin Elevate double hung and Marvin Signature Casement windows? Will the aluminum wear differently than the fiberglass? Will the fiberglass need to be painted at some point?

Can't add much to the two gentleman above you, except the I agree completely. I see no reason not to be able to use the Elevate with the Ultimate Casement. And the fiberglass should not ever need to be painted realistically.

Another vote for Marvin. You can mix the lines, but you need to pay attention to the location and if they can be seen at the same time. There are slight differences in looks, but not sure most would notice unless they are in the window business or just went through the buying/selection process themselves! Why/where are you mixing double hung and casements?

Marvin has been my go to window of choice for 7 years. I've mixed product lines (Integrity with Infinity, Elevate with Essential, Integrity with Ultimate, Elevate with Ultimate...). I typically mix them when a certain size just does not work, and the only size option is available in another model. The color and design are not distinguishable to the eye. A current build has Elevate DH and casement, and an adjacent wall has smaller Essential DH's. You can't tell the difference. The only difference in this case is noticed from the interior, as the Elevates are wood and the Essential are PVC. But they are all in separate rooms and painted white anyway.

I've never used Windsor. But I've used Anderson, Pella and Milgard. Marvin is hands down the better quality product, IMO.

Thanks everyone!! You have all been super helpful!! Chispa - Our architect designed our home to have casement windows with a 2x3 grid pattern in the main portion of our home (the area with stone). He designed the rest of the home to have double hung windows with a 2x2 grid pattern. We were really torn on whether we should stick with one type of window and grid pattern, but ultimately we have decided to go with the architect's vision for our home (attached is his rendering). It sounds like we can't go wrong with Marvin windows. It's a big decision, so I really appreciate you all taking the time to respond!!

Has anyone here used Sierra Pacific windows? Our builder had us visit another dealer today who sells Kolbe and Sierra Pacific. The dealer could not say enough good things about Sierra Pacific and recommended them over Kolbe. The windows were visually appealing to us and the price was right on budget. Marvin is still coming in over budget by 12%, but it's not enough of an overage to be a deal breaker, but it would be nice to stay on budget, if possible. Just wondering if anyone has had experience with Sierra Pacific and how they compare to Marvin windows?

The Marvin Essential is fiberglass not PVC.

I always avoid casements that open onto a porch and when possible I avoid interior screens.

Are the casements French casements with no post in the middle? I've seen problems with the operation of those windows.

Each leaf of the double front door will need to have a clear opening width of 32" when open 90 degrees to meet the IRC if that is the building code unless both leafs operate with knobs.

Otherwise its a nice house.

Thanks, RES2. Our architect's idea was that it was an original stone English Country house that got "added" on to over time and that the windows take on a slightly different appearance to accentuate that storyline. Is the casements opening onto a porch a concern because of furniture placement? Or is there another reason? Just curious. The casements did have a post in the middle, but the Marvin dealer removed them because there was one window (upstairs middle) that did not have the post and he said they need to all be the same. He did not mention that being an issue, so I will check back in with him on that. Thank you!

I would question how much the dealer must make on SP versus Kolbe to say that he prefers the SP, because the Kolbe is the better window.

SP is on the level with Windsor and nothing I could ever recommend. As oberon476 alludes to he buys SP at a better price point and makes more money than he does on Kolbe.

I don't like walking into open casement windows on the porch but perhaps these windows won't be opened often or maybe the porch won't be used often. If these are Marvin "French" casements, the two leafs open together with one crank which is stressful on the hardware. Perhaps they've improved it in the last decade. Its quite wonderful when the windows are open. Also, since they both open its less likely that someone would walk into the outer edge of the open sash.

I agree the architect's concept is a good one. However, early American builders often substituted double-hung windows for casements even for the Post Medieval English style (1600-1700) of the first buildings in the American colonies that predated the Georgian style of the 1700's. There are few examples left but the best known one is the House of Seven Gables in Salem, MA built in 1668.

Thanks Oberon476 and Millworkman! I think we're going to stick with a mix of the Marvin Elevate and Marvin Signature windows. Any advice on fiberglass front doors and side service doors? Our Marvin dealer recommended Therma Tru "wood like" double doors and the Sierra Pacific dealer recommended an Aurora "wood like" double door. For the side service doors they both recommended Therma Tru.

RES2, thank you! The casement windows on the porch will not be used much - my husband suffers from seasonal allergies and rarely ever do we get to open the windows. I am interested to see if I can get more info on the Marvin French casements and will be talking to the dealer Monday about that. And thank you for sharing a little history on early American builders. So neat to hear (and see!) how things were done 300+ years ago!!

This a great forum and you got great info from highly respected professionals IMO . Sometimes I just like to sit back and listen.

Look at Provia, Homeguard or HMI for your front door if you can. They are infinitely better than TT. TT is a decent door and as low as I would go on the food chain. I would not use Aurora (Jeldwen) for any of the doors.

Do all of these manufacturers offer a "French casement" (2 leafs open with one crank with no post between them)? I'm only familiar with the Marvin Ultimate version.

The double entrance doors seem inappropriate for an English country house.

I installed three Marvin french casements (push out-not crank) last year. I live in Philadelphia but these windows let me pretend (as I push them open) that I'm in Paris.🤦‍♀️ Love love love them.

Thanks, Millworkman! We have a Provia dealer here, so I am going to give them a call.

RES2, May I ask what you would recommend for a front door?

Laura, thank you! Glad to hear that you are loving your Marvin french casement windows! It sounds like we can't go wrong with Marvin!

@millworkman

We also want windows with wood on the inside and aluminum or fiberglass on the outside. We’ve looked at Marvin and Windsor and actually really like Windsor, to me they appear to be high quality. Why are you so against them, have you had a bad experience? In another post I saw that the company was reaching out to you for a one-on-one conversation, have you followed up on that offer? Are you still skeptical?

I’d really like to know more about your opinion.

Btw., thanks for the suggestions for a front door, I was told to look at Therma Tru, I will look into the other 3 companies now.

"In another post I saw that the company was reaching out to you for a one-on-one conversation"

Nope, I no longer sell residential and have not in some time. No desire to speak to a salesman as I have no dog in the hunt. You will also notice that none of the pros on this site have ever had much of anything good to say about Windsor or refute my opinion. The company was horrible when I did deal with them and still have friends in the business who say it is the same. They are known for poor fit and finish, poor quality control. mediocre at best performance values and a very weak (at least in my area) dealer network, which I strongly believe has much to do with the issues I mentioned.

Thanks!

"...to say that he prefers the SP, because the Kolbe is the better window"

Not only do I agree, but I actually think Kolbe is better than Marvin, at least in the wood clad line (not familiar with their other lines). However, where are you located? I thought Kolbe distributed mainly only in the Midwest, but perhaps they've broadened their distribution in recent years.

"I thought Kolbe distributed mainly only in the Midwest,"

Nah, Kolbe is and has had a very strong presence on the East Coast for years.

@laura Do your French casements open flush against your exterior? Or 90 degree?

@Lindsey Donner, I have Marvin push open French casements on the front of my house. I just checked and mine would open to 90 degrees, but they set the stopper on the rail at about 45 degrees so that is where mine stop at the moment. My windows are set back into the stuccoed block walls, so there is no way that they would be able to be pushed flush against the exterior, as they would hit the outside edge of the window opening at approximately 110 degrees.

For a window to open flush against the exterior it would have to be set forward of the exterior wall or have an opening/hinge mechanism that pushes them forward first before they can swing open flush. Not sure I am explaining all this clearly! Not an expert, just someone who went through the window buying process exactly 2 years ago!

Thanks! Makes total sense. We were in Ireland where the b&b windows were french casement pushout and could open all the way. Cant remember the hardware or specifics on it…just remember it being awesome. probably wouldnt pass code in the states

@Kate what did you end up choosing? We are going to use Windsor Pinnacle's (they are great here in the high, dry alpine desert of the west). I remember the awful rotting Marvin issues of years past (they had a period where the sills were rotting in a lot of their windows. We looked at both, and having used to have Marvin's, I was shocked at how cheap and flimsy they felt in contrast to the Windsor's. We were told Windsor's performed like Kolbe's, didn't have as high-quality detailed finishes as Kolbe's (like immaculate seams/connection points on mullions, etc). I've lived in houses with Kolbes and Marvins.... and now building our own, we're deliberating between a Marvin multislide vs. a Windsor multislide and I was curious if anyone out there has installed/used a multislide door in their home and can weigh in!

New Flash...every wood window manufacturer has has sills that rot. EVERY ONE.

As far as the comparison, what model Marvin are you comparing to what model Windsor. I have used both and I cannot remember a scenario where I thought the Windsor was better built. By a long shot.

The Marvin and Kolbe comparison is certainly more consistent than the Windsor and Marvin comparison. I am no Marvin apologist either. They are NOT without issue or foul up.

Comparing Marvin Ultimates to Windsor Pinnacles... I was looking at the multislide last night, and I don't like how the track for a given panel doesn't run the width of the door opening... am I crazy?

" was looking at the multislide last night, and I don't like how the track for a given panel doesn't run the width of the door opening "

For which manufacturer?

@millworkman - oops, for Windsor. The Marvin multislide is amazing. Solid track and impeccable glide.

" The Marvin multislide is amazing. Solid track and impeccable glide. "

Yes they are. In my opinion I would not put Windsor in a dog house.

@earthlyepicure We went with Marvin windows. We have Windsor windows in our current home and the amount of cold air that passes through them is insane. We live in Ohio and during that cold spell our windows had ice on the inside and the temperature near the window was registering 20+ degrees colder than what our thermostat was set at. Now granted our current home is 18 years old and the windows are original. We ran over to the new house that same day and there was no cold air passing through the Marvin windows. We also purchased two Marvin sliding doors (Signature Ultimate) and they are amazing. They are a solid door and glide beautifully.

We have the same issues with our less than 1-year-old Windsor single hung windows. I have videos of a tissue blowing around just inches from the window from the wind coming in. I have tried to work with our builder with no luck. I have had Windsor out 3 times and every time they say, sorry that is just the way they are made. I have called and talked to the president of Windsor, and I am waiting for a response. We had put in Marvin Ultimate in our other home and had no issues. In this home it was too far into the building process to change. In our brand new "Luxury home, as advertised" we have ordered all new Marvin windows at a cost to our pocketbook.