There is quite a bit of misinformation that you have been given Mr Jones, I'd definitely take some extra time to sort through it all and make sure that you have accurate facts. I'll go through some, all of which are easily verifiable: Manufacturer and material : All three are very reputable, with Andersen and Marvin having a longer history. That said, Okna has indeed been in business since the early 90's and is a top 100 manufacturer as well. The 3 materials have similar histories as well, as none have been used commonly in a residential window application for more than 20 yrs. All three have their merits, although all three do represent a small "niche" . Vinyl and wood are FAR more common. There is no clear winner here IMO. All are suitable with no decisive pros or cons, particularly considering that each individual product is designed and engineered to exploit the respective materials' inherent strengths, and mitigate its weaknesses. If there is one that I'd put slightly behind the others it would be the Renewal, as adding wood flour/sawdust to vinyl really doesn't add much. Appearance: This depends of course on what areas are examined, however the Marvin all ultrex integrity is by far the slimmest. The Renewal and Starmark are both somewhat bulky by comparison, although neither is very bulky compared to some other products. Despite the slim lines, the all ultrex Integrity is actually the least attractive based on the feedback that I hear. The wood/ultrex on the other hand is bulkier. This category is in the eye of the beholder. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Interior appearance: well stated. Some folks would prefer the rich, real wood interior (Integrity) with only a 10 year warranty, others would prefer the synthetic stainable with lifetime warranty and no maintenance (Starmark). Winner again depends on the individual and their needs/wants. Hardware: The Renewal and Starmark both have more attractive hardware options than the Integrity IMO. Both are all metal, both have multiple finishes available. Performance: Here's a big one. To accurately compare, it is necessary to look at apples to apples glass packages. At .25 for a standard double pane package, and .19 for triple pane argon, the Starmark runs away with the win here. With equivalent glass (surface 2 low e, argon fill), the the Renewal and Integrity are .29 or higher. You can switch to any other glass package across the board, and apples to apples the Starmark will be multiple points better. This can be verified via CPD number (certified products directory) at nfrc.org Air Infiltration: Another big one. The reps that you have spoken to are either flat out lying, or being highly manipulative. The only window of the 3 that sees that .05 AI number is the Starmark. The other two are in the teens at best, if not .2+. I would request a structural test data sheet for reference. If renewal or Marvin will provide it, make sure to compare the size of the window and configuration. It is highly likely that your rep(s) are using casement or picture window ratings to compare to the starmark double hung. The starmark is .01 as a casement. Patio doors: Since this was mentioned, the differences as stated for windows continue for patio doors. If the real wood interior is preferred at the expense of performance, then the Marvin or renewal options are better. The Starmark will be a much better performer, but without the real wood interior. Installation and durability: On durability, this is another area that would trend toward Starmark based on containing no organic parts that can rot, and also on the lifetime warranty. Renewal and Integrity are each 10 years (20 on glass). Installation itself will vary by dealer, and should be given proper weight. One cannot speculate on the quality of installation based only on material however. The only thing that could possibly be considered on that line of thinking would be availability to contractors I suppose. Integrity can be purchased by anyone, whereas Renewal and Starmark are exclusive products where dealers are regulated by the manufacturer. One important thing to note, is that comapanies that install Renewal windows are NOT owned by Andersen. They are a dealer that exclusively carries that line and meets Andersen requirements, however they are not actually part of Andersen. Price: This again will vary by dealer and area. Renewal has a reputation as having the highest price, using high pressure sales, and also of posting thinly veiled, inaccurate info where THEY talk poorly about competitors (not to say that is the case here, of course). That said, I'm sure that there are some great Renewal operations across the country, just as there great Starmark and Intergity dealers. Ultimately, these are three windows that are solid to excellent, and each have their own pros and cons. You are unlikely to go wrong with any of the three, it really depends on which options most closely aligns with your goals for the project. It sounds like that is the Renewal at this point, I'd only recommend getting the accurate performance information, and then perhaps that would (or not) impact your decision.

We install and finish a lot of Marvin windows. Factory pre-finishing is the best way to go, but only if you can live with white or one of the six colors they offer, which often is not the case when retrofitting an existing home and matching the woodwork on site. We are in the mid-west where the climate is not ideal most days for staining them after installation, and we try to find a place on site that has the space and conditions so that we can finish the windows and patio doors before installation, but sometimes, if space is a concern or the smells from drying varnish, we have finished them in the "shop" (heated garage) and then transported to the site. It is my understanding that a lot of painters in this area as well would opt for finishing the windows after installation, without disassembly, and would only do visible areas. Especially in new construction, that is the norm for the industry. Windows are delivered early in the process to get the building closed in, and the painter comes in much later to prime, and then later yet to paint the trim and walls and finish windows. In most cases, the builder would balk at paying the double time it takes to disassemble the windows and do it right, even if the climate that week allowed it. The thought process is that if you can't see the bare wood, then it doesn't need to be finished, but this is contrary to the manufacturer recommendations and common sense, unless you are a builder trying to pocket some money and you are OK with providing the substandard quality to your buyers that they might as well expect from most builders. I also have had painters tell me that they never bother with pre-conditioners, but I have run tests and even sent one painter pictures of the evidence of how much difference there is. I'll try to post them here.

I'll let you know in a couple of weeks I just purchased SP for the front (historic view) of my home. Candidly - if they fail 5 years earlier on average, I make out significantly better from an expense standpoint. The first quote I had from Pella and Marvin crested $40K (not a lot from some perspective, enough to make me reconsider life) I shopped and researched and settled on SP - backed by a 20 year warranty for any wood rot on their clad window and backed by a very reputable and financially strong local dealer. I finally through caution to the wind and went with builder grade rear facing windows and could not be happier - they are architecturally consistent and backed by a so so warranty - at the price installed ($4000 for 11 windows) I am thrilled with the cost benefit ratio. The SP are significantly more - but by mixing the two brands I saved $30K and can do it all again in 15 years if need be. Good luck sounds like a fun project.

Hi, E Weiss, It looks like you've got a lot of responses to sift through! I just wanted to chime in and ask if you've considered other window materials? I think wood is beautiful but you're right they are pretty expensive especially when you want to replace all the windows in a house or building and without regular/frequent maintenance they won't last long. Even aluminum or fiberglass cladded aluminum windows eventually need to be replaced because water/moisture can find its way behind the cladding. I think I read that you're in an area that experiences lots of rain or snow? If you would consider something other than wood I would recommend looking for a fiberglass window vendor. A quality fiberglass window can outperform a quality vinyl and will certainly outperform an aluminum window. They'll also last longer than wood windows with much less maintenance. I can't recommend any specific product line for you, we're in Texas and used to sell Milgard's Ultra Series but Milgard was acquired by another company and they've left the state. Milgard may have also stopped selling the fiberglass Ultra series. It looks like fiberglass-windows.com suggests Marvin, Milgard, Fibergrame, and Pella as fiberglass window manufacturers. Good luck with your replacement project! - Ariana