All you folks looking to paint white vinyl windows in dark colors: the issue actually is more than whether the paint sticks, but there is a solution. in the same boat, I researched this last summer. Turns out that light colored windows, if painted dark, could absorb enough additional heat from the sun to warp the windows and affect their fit and performance. so there are two possibilities here, or three if you count leaving them alone. You can paint them a light color. Use the Zinsser primer that's good for plastics, and use any good quality (say that again: GOOD QUALITY! Cheaply made paint doesn’t cover, stick, or last like the good stuff. It just doesn’t.) light colored paint. But if you really, really want a dark color, all is not lost. Both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams manufacture paint specifically for vinyl siding, trim, or windows in a limited range of colors that includes some nice darks and brights. It’s formulated to reflect light so less heat builds up. You’ll have to special order it and it costs more. Your paint store person may not even realize it exists, but you can show them on the manufacturer website. Worth it not to have to replace those windows.

I have installed hundreds of Amerimax and Simonton windows, and others. I own a home that has Amerimax windows that are 12 years old. They are junk. I didn't think they were junk installing them, but having a home 12 years later with them... The glass is not failing, they operater (sliders), but where the sashes come together they are loose, and none of the locking mechanisms tighten the meeting rail either. They are stark white vinyl, which shows dirt and is difficult to clean. They have yellowed slightly on the sunny side. Some of the vinyl trim pieces have warped. As far as Simonton, I've been back to jobs in under 10 years, and I've see misshapen sashes, etc. I used to also sell vinyl windows. I had to quit as I felt I was lying. Granted, there are better products than Simonton and Amerimax, but Milgard is NOT one of them. IN new construction, you really have to be bad to screw up the installation, but you have to make sure the jambs are shimmed properly to the frame, and it's very common that this is not done. Residential replacement takes skill and finesse, and I have seen so many butcher jobs. IMO, we will see more and more fiberglass in the marketplace, and vinyl will begin to fade in popularity. I think the only reason vinyl ever got to be so popular is because of it's thermal properties, not it's appearance. Colored/painted vinyl, IMO, will never hold, and you will find the warranty on the finish is 10 years or less. I am getting out of the window business soon. I'm tired of it. But the only window product I will recommend anymore is Marvin, in good conscience. Marvin is only company I'm aware of that doesn't have a vinyl line, and won't do vinyl products. It is a company with integrity and superior materials. I think to much is made of numbers, though they are important, yes. Laboratory numbers will not be field numbers. A great window will hold it's numbers in the field and not be different 5 years later. Vinyl is great for certain applications. But basically it is a soft plastic. It expands and contracts a lot. The Vinyl guys on here will not agree with this post, obviously. But if you're building a new home, and your going to stay there, of all window materials out there, vinyl is the worst choice. Marvin is the best choice. There are options in between, excluding Milgard, and Jeld-Wen, which IMO are also inferior. Just my 2 cents. My apologies to the vinyl guys - I used to be one. I'm ducking for cover now. Good luck with your project. Hope it turns out great :)

I'm going to say something on this very old post. I hope everyone is happy with the choices they made on their windows and doors. So are we. We replaced all 17 windows in our house late 2022 with Renewal by Andersen (some single casements, some double and triple sliding windows) and are ecstatic with the results. Comments about trying to find windows, find a contractor (our always reliable fantastic contractor that we've used for years said no to doing the project due to the size and complexity of the windows), etc. are true. Was RBA expensive? Yes, chokingly so! BUT....the team that did the measurements, and the installation, were superb, and we could not recommend them more highly. One stop shopping as they say, We would go with them again in a heartbeat.

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?