Websnooper: I stated USGBC was a non-profit. Which is what they are. They are a 501C organization. That is how they are classified. They may very well make money. They may very well get tax credits. All of that is irrelevant to the fact that they are classified as a non-profit. All non-profits receive tax credits and exemptions, that is the reason for the non-profit classification. None of this is relevant to the conversation. Yes LEED can add to the cost. It can add a lot to the cost. Explain how that is relevant to the to what I said? No, I don't like LEED, but that is irrelevant as well. You don't have to seek accreditation to use the standards. Anyone can build to the standard and just not do the paperwork, which is what we typically see. We built a project that was to Passive House standards, but we don't have a Passive House architect or anyone certified in our area, so it is not technically a Passive House. I can build to the LEED base standard without any significant cost. Platinum is a different story. IF the use of LEED is causing everyone to go off on tangents then we can not use it. I don't care. You very rarely see vinyl products in high spec jobs. The only high spec job where we have used vinyl, we used Unilux. Technically I would call Unilux vinyl clad steel since they had so much steel reinforcement in them. $100K for the window package of a 3,000sqft house. Where do we see vinyl? Track builders, multi-family jobs, rental property.... Why? Because it is cheap. Do I see vinyl being used by big builders in 500K homes? All the time. Why? Because the home buyers are uneducated and don't ask about windows. Are some vinyl windows better than wood windows? Absolutely. There are crappy wood windows on the market just as there are crappy vinyl. I love it when someone says "premium vinyl". What exactly does that mean? Its a very subjective label. Every vinyl peddler I have met refers to their product as premium vinyl. Everyone who walks into my office tells me theirs is "premium". I had the Pella rep in my office with their "premium" 350 Series vinyl. It's definitely beefy'er than most and they polish the corners so they don't look like cheap vinyl welded corners. When he priced the project he had to start changing thing because they just can't make all of the composites we needed do to size limitation of the product. Who makes a vinyl French door? Nobody. Why? Because the material isn't strong/durable enough for high traffic areas, and by the time you add enough steel reinforcement to the product you have spent 2x the money of a clad wood or fiberglass product. They make sliding doors where all the weight rests on the rollers.

Kritlyn-We got our Hurd bid back yesterday and if we use Hurd versus Kolbe and Kolbe we will save about 20%. We have a lot of windows and doors so this adds up. But then I started looking up more about Hurd and some people have apparently had problems with them. There was even a class action law suit about some gas trapped in the windows. However, all this information was years ago and it wasn't talking about the impact rated windows. (Plus, Hurd has since been bought out and is under new managment..good or bad I don't know) I have also read one site where people didn't like Kolbe and Kolbe. But I know that in the San Destin area a lot of people use both Kolbe and Kolbe and Hurd for their impact windows. We don't know what we are going to do yet. Apparently our contractor has never heard of Hurd. They didn't say we couldn't use them but they did emphasize how comfortable they are with Kolbe and Kolbe. Then again, we do stand to save a lot of money and the Hurd windows have been repeatedly tested and are Miami Dade rated. This is hard isn't it?! I am putting a link because I found it difficult to find any impact information on Hurd's site. Apparently, their impact product is fairly new but there have been a few hurricanes where the windows got tested in the real world. If you find out something let me know too. Thanks. I wonder if I should start a new posting with Hurd in the title to attract those with any information about Hurd Impact. Maybe I will do that so look there too and hopefully we will learn something. Thanks. Here is a link that might be useful: Hurd Feel Safe

Well first off i have sold Kolbe for years now, people will have their opinions but i will put them a small notch below Marvin, very very good product just not there. As far as Centra i cannot offer an opinion as i had never heard of them until you posted their name. I have sold windows and doors for 20 plus years and it is odd in this day and age for me to have never heard of a major window brand so i will let you draw your own thoughts on that. Perhaps they are just a fairly local manufacturer, don't know but.....seeing there website and developments, track homes and condos would not lead me to believe the quality is there. Again just my opinion, plus they are vinyl

I think the door choice is mostly aesthetic vs functionality. Both will do a similar job by providing a large opening space with little obstruction on the sill. If you are going to be painting, primed is a good option. Factory finishing is also worthy of consideration. Couldn't hurt to get a Marvin quote.