hi! Yes it includes install! 12 windows.

and from forums and just general google searches and local reviews of install companies majority of reviews are about Andersen windows on the customer service and backing the product! That’s important to me especially if these people keep preaching to us about LIFETIME warranty! I want to know I won’thave problems if I need to use the warranty. I’ve read about Polaris where some have said they won’t return calls or it costs everytime they fix something or they say it’s not the product blah blah blah.. and seals breaking before 10 yRs.. and so on. But these people I’ve got quotes from talk highly of these products and they would never act poorly before 10 yr etc... so who really knows thats why I’m reaching out!

Not sure how someone is doing that for $500 per opening, but the UltraWeld is a very solid vinyl offering. Again, the price makes me a bit worried because it is well below the range this product should be at if it is painted.

"What’s important to me especially if these people keep preaching to us about LIFETIME warranty!"

Who is preaching about a lifetime warranty? What is covered by this warranty? Whose warranty is it?

Wow I could not have had that price 13 yrs ago $500.00 per window installed is quite cheap. BTW you experienced what happens when you buy cheap windows why do it again. I would not want a painted exterior that just adds to maintenence down the road .

Plygem vinyl windows installed almost a year ago. 20 units of triple pane, front box trim rebuilt, and new trim all around. Cost $9,500 then almost $1200 energy rebate, so $8400 total. I felt we got a great deal, the work was professional, comfort level is elevated, and we love the look of the finished product. Our energy bill was 10% less for the year! That will never pay for the replacement in my lifetime, but I sure enjoy no drafts in the winter.

Thanks!

the warranty is from the Polaris and Plygem. which varies on each window from what I read With the lifetime of the products. I’m asking if any of the companies or manufacturers are reputable and back the product since you find mixed reviews of it all online.

Patricia, I didn’t build the house to begin with so the current windows were not my choice. The estimate now if that’s what your referring to comes from a construction company that only installs mostly Polaris windows, he says he’s done it for so long he gets a good price on them. My friend actually used him as well and she had a very low quote to. But this is our forever home so I want to make the most educated buy I can.

The low price on the Anderson and Polaris would make sense if was material only. I sell Polaris and will vouch they stand behind there product but warranties can be difficult regardless of brand if you don’t have a good dealer behind the product.

And stay away from Plygems period.

Does Plygem make Simonton? The ones we were quoted was called the pro series. they only come in white and beige color options. I’m wanting a darker exterior color so that’s out of the equation I guess..! Unless they have another option but haven’t explained it yet.

also, these are basically just the windows with exterior color. This isn’t triple pane or the warm edge technology with SS spacer etc.. that stuff is all extra And glazings etc..

Any suggestions on higher end vinyl single hung windows With slopped sill for ranch style homes, brick front siding on rest of the sides?

Don't know but I do not think so. If they do that would eliminate me from ever saying to purchase Simonton even as the last resort.

Okna, Softlite, Polaris. What part of the country as some are regional.

Plygem has indeed purchased Simonton.

I’m located in Cincinnati Ohio. its very diverse we have lots of options. I did find out while googling the earthworks (?) is located right here in liberty township, oh but Im not aware of where the Products are sold.

besides our quotes, I have been to our local lumbar yard and they sell Anderse, Wincore, and Sprouse. They swayed me into 100series they said it’s much better than vinyl. he didn’t say why just said its material related, and didn’t actually Go into specs..!

Anderson can make a great window and a not so great one. My daughter just installed 11 Anderson 400 Woodwright windows and paid about $18,000 for windows and installation. However, the windows are 6 over 6 double hung and she lives outside Boston. They are wood on the inside and clad on the outside. I must say they are beautiful windows. The 100 series did not impress us at all. She is doing her windows in phases as they can't afford to do all 25 windows at once and wanted a quality product.

The only Andersen windows i would use myself are the A or E series. The 400 is an ok window, but I don’t care for their aesthetics, particularly on the outside, or the flimsy jamb liner or tilt mechanism. It also has very unremarkable performance characteristics. A quality vinyl window such as Okna, softlite or sunrise would be preferable. I think the 100 just looks cheap.

The 100 isn’t better than a good vinyl window. The material (Fibrex) is a proprietary Andersen product that they invented to upcycle wood and vinyl waste from other product lines. It’s not a bad product, just different. Andersen uses it in the frame of the A series but the 100 is the only line where they use it in the sashes.

I also wouldn’t buy from anyone who can’t explain why they think a particular product is better

The 400 series is pretty much on par performance wise with all of Andersen’s products and is typical for most wood products. Fibrex is also used in the Woodwright and Renewal sashes.

We did end up getting a sunrise quote for 12 windows, 2tone, for $9500 vanguard, foam filled, they say upgraded to Omni 12, which I think makes the window to dark and won’t let enough sunlight in.. and they said we could get R5 (?) on interior window.. but why is sunrises condensation rating so low?? makes me worried our windows will condensate all the time and cause damage..! Any thoughts? Thanks!

The rating is low because it has a low e coating on the interior surface of the glass. If this a dual pane unit that would be surface 4 or surface 6 on a Triple paned unit. You can google surface 4 low e to get more info. Us Omni 12 a dual pane or triple? Sunrise seems to promote this package to get lower U values, many pros will say just get a triple pane if low u values are desired. Anderson also has this glass package but does not seem to push it. Not only do you have to decide on Windows you also have many glass options available, what is best can be somewhat complex since each package is a trade off In U value, condensation resistance, visual transmission And solar heat gain.

Many years ago, we had Anderson Renewal windows installed. It was a fairly new product at the time. They are double hung, wood on the inside and clad on the outside. The screens are full screens because the windows are double hung. We spent $1K per window and we had 35 double hung and 3 no open windows. I still love our windows. They are awesome. And so far, we have had no trouble with them at all.

You need to decide if it is worth having double hung. It decreases your view looking out your windows because the screens are full. If you do not think you will open the top windows, then forego the double hung and save some money.

Thanks!! everyone!

your absolutely correct! soo many options and Numbers to configure to make the best educated decision when spending thousands of dollars!! Part of me thinks windows won’t last long so why not do the cheap one and redo it 10-15 yr again! I know I wouldn’t do that but with all the thinking out into windows it’s a lot .

does the lower condensation rating mean your guaranteed the windows will condensate and it will become an issue? I’d rather not deal with condensation on our windows. Or do you suggest going with a window that’s rated higher in condensation?

yes the windows are double panes! but they said the R5 will go into the interior pane is how I understand it.

Where do you live? Proper glass packages are highly dependent on climate. Sorry if I missed it earlier, but the Houzz app is not great...

It is much easier if we go by the U value instead of the R value and even easier if we are going the U value of the window unit vs center of glass only. That being said it looks like Sunrise can only achieve a u-value of 0.24 / R 4.166 . The lower condensation rating only means it is more likely to condensate. Humidity levels and temperature play the main variables as to when it will. I would not recommend that glass for my area but some pros claim to have no issues in some areas. I have had very minor condensation on my windows when temps get sub zero even though my windows are around a 0.18U/ R5.5.(triple pane with no Low-E on the interior). In all fairness the brand I sell has no Interior low-E options nor do I have any direct experience with it.

Thanks!! I guess we have a decision to make. Would you rather have a higher condensation rate vs a lower one? I’m wondering if going with Polaris window would be better, like ultraweld or thermaweld. I noticed their condensation rate was much higher if. It doubled!! I don’t understand much of window language, but I do know if ratings are low and high and where you don’t want to be.. we don’t live in south or west!

cincinnati, Ohio

Sunrise can get better/higher condensation number with different glass packages, there U or R numbers are very similar to Polaris if the window is equipped with the same glass package. I’m gonna refrain from saying one is better than the other but they can be optioned to perform similar with exception that Polaris does not offer an interior low E coating. Your temps are a bit warmer than mine so condensation is less likely.