The quality of vinyl has a huge impact on price what does your architect suggest ? I had all good quality vinyl windows in Calgary Canada they are still awesome 20 yrs later .Why are shopping for windws without some input from the architect or the builder.

Quality vinyl is fine for that climate. Different dealer all buy at different price points, based on sales volume, how they order, etc., etc.. All the brands you mentioned are good quality products with the exception being S/P. Just my 02.

Pella is a very well known company in Canada, so thought their brochure might be helpful. Suggest reading up about pro’s/con’s of vinyl, as you only mentioned you were told it was fine and there may be different quality levels/choices within the same brand. After research and reading consumer reports, comparing guarantees, select based on its value/quality, and head to dealer offering at the best price.

I’m sure dealers are aware of competitors’ prices, but right now especially, Covid may have a big influence and have no choice, based on supply especially/when purchased from manufacturer (their cost higher), low demand, higher costs for transportation, etc.

https://content.pella.com/cs/groups/public/documents/document/mhat/mdy0/~edisp/p-064036.pdf?_ga=2.26387387.720924298.1639926168-1208833891.1639926168

AVI in Atlanta and Alpharetta is the area Marvin dealer. We used and have been very pleased with our Marvin Integrity (now Elevate) windows. Fiberglass exterior, wood interior. Our windows take a beating in the sun and still look great after 11 years of service.

Thanks so much for all your input and replies....

@Patricia Colwell Consulting - I DID consult my builder who mentioned SP - which i have noted is not very highly regarded on this forum.... Hence i set out on my own research and will hand over to him once i have narrowed down my brand...

@millworkman Precisely ! "quality vinyl " where "quality" being the key word... how does one tell from one vinyl to the other? Most times we are not even seeing the actual product. And they all appear fine in the beginning - which one will stand the test of time??

I do agree that all dealers prices likely vary based on what they buy it for, hence key is to buy from the "right" dealer... Since they are all shipped directly from factory, doesn't really matter where / how far dealer is from home. Being new construction, there is nothing to "measure" as such....

@lkbum_gw Thanks! Its precisely the kind of information I need from people in the industry or in the area who can recommend Specific dealers.... I will call AVI...

Others, please chime in with any more input....

All prices with or without installation?

@Jeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor Without - since the builder will install.... I was told it will be cheaper as well as less co-ordination this way?

Curious what lead times you are getting since you are about to purchase

You have a list with a few good options there. While architects and builders are great at what they do, they aren't typically fielding calls about failing windows 10, 15, 20 years down the road, so I wouldn't have them at the top of the list in terms of recommending quality windows.

As far as pricing, as already alluded to there are a variety of factors, from the price that each dealer gets from the manufacturer (typically based on volume), to the business model and overhead of the individual dealer. A company with a full staff of employees, health insurance, a fleet of vehicles, marketing efforts, etc etc will need to charge more than a one man shop.

I should also mention that it DOES matter how far the dealer is from home, as it will be very rare for a manufacturer to ship your windows to the build site. They will ship them on a truck (typically along with a couple hundred other windows) to that dealer. The dealer will then deliver or have them ready for pickup.