NT, Vanguard, Berkshire Elite, Acri (Dallas TX area)

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DawnDFW
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NT, Vanguard, Berkshire Elite, Acri (Dallas TX area)

#1 Post by DawnDFW »

Hi. First, thank you for the wealth of info and wisdom. I'm looking for some advise. I'm in the Dallas area. I have 38 windows needing replacement and can't decide which is a better value. I plan to stay in the house for a long time. My key priorities are efficiency, sound isolation, reliability (low maintenance or trouble), price.

I'm looking for No grids. Single hung for most part. There are some picture (non moving) windows.

1) Vanguard Omega 12 with interior low E included. Quoted Ufactor=0.24 SHGC=.21 --> $25k

2) NT Executive series low E 366 double strength glass. Quoted Ufactor=0.29 SHGC=.21 --> $20k

3) Berkshire Elite XPSC glass option. Quoted Ufactor=0.28 SHGC=.21 --> $17k

4) Acri Windows Millenium series. I can't find much lit on this but owner came and did a sales pitch. He said its a proprietary window made by Vistamark with CoolPane3 glass but customized for them. He claims at a minimum it'll be as good as Vistamark's Quoted Ufactor=0.29 SHGC=.19 --> $21k

I'm leaning toward NT but wanted to see if the pros on this site agree or if they have a better suggestion. Also, was wanting to know if it's worth $5k more to go with Vanguard for the lower UF. How long would it take me to recoup that?

All the installers have good ratings on Angie's List or Yelp so it shouldn't be a factor.

Thanks in advise for any guidance.

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Windows on Washington
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Re: NT, Vanguard, Berkshire Elite, Acri (Dallas TX area)

#2 Post by Windows on Washington »

Dawn,

Great poster by the name of Randy knows the Texas offerings like the back of his hand. He will be along in a bit to provide some directed feedback.

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Randy
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Re: NT, Vanguard, Berkshire Elite, Acri (Dallas TX area)

#3 Post by Randy »

Hi Dawn,

Of the windows you’ve listed, Sunrise is the best product. One other measurement that you didn’t list is Air Leakage, and it’s a very important factor in determining window performance. In Texas we have two primary efficiency objectives; (1) keep indoor air in and outdoor air out (2) reduce the amount of solar heat that comes through the windows as much as possible. Any window with a low solar Low-E will do fine on #2, but few will do well on #1. Sunrise Vanguard is one of the tighter windows available in Texas, so it’s a great choice. (disclosure - I am a Sunrise Vanguard dealer)

I actually like NT Windows as a mid-grade budget option, however, I prefer the Energy Master, Traditions, or Presidential series. These are decent options, if the budget doesn’t allow for one of the better grades of windows.

One more critical thing to consider. As a general rule, contractors who are set up as direct dealers for high grade manufacturers (Sunrise, Soft-lite, Okna, etc...) are going to be more apt to use installation methods that match the higher performance capabilities of their window. Most contractors don’t put a lot of time into researching window brands, they simply go with what is easiest to get, cheapest to buy, offers the fastest manufacturing time, or a combination thereof. Their installation methods follow the same lines of thought (easy, cheap, fast), and that’s not good for the homeowner. A contractor who researches and carefully selects better products is typically more researched and careful in the installation system as well. Additionally, contractors who set up as dealers with the aforementioned brands undergo a level of scrutiny that most contractors don’t since they generally purchase from a local distributor who sells to any contractor that walks in the door.

I hope this is helpful to you, and best wishes on making your selection. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Spending time here researching on the front side of your purchase will help ensure satisfaction on the backside!

DawnDFW
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Joined: Fri Mar 24, 2017 10:23 pm

Re: NT, Vanguard, Berkshire Elite, Acri (Dallas TX area)

#4 Post by DawnDFW »

Hi Randy,

Thank you so much for your feedback. I'll have to take a look at the air infiltration numbers. So, in your opinion, Sunrise is worth the $5k increase?
Randy wrote:Hi Dawn,

Of the windows you’ve listed, Sunrise is the best product. One other measurement that you didn’t list is Air Leakage, and it’s a very important factor in determining window performance. In Texas we have two primary efficiency objectives; (1) keep indoor air in and outdoor air out (2) reduce the amount of solar heat that comes through the windows as much as possible. Any window with a low solar Low-E will do fine on #2, but few will do well on #1. Sunrise Vanguard is one of the tighter windows available in Texas, so it’s a great choice. (disclosure - I am a Sunrise Vanguard dealer)

I actually like NT Windows as a mid-grade budget option, however, I prefer the Energy Master, Traditions, or Presidential series. These are decent options, if the budget doesn’t allow for one of the better grades of windows.

One more critical thing to consider. As a general rule, contractors who are set up as direct dealers for high grade manufacturers (Sunrise, Soft-lite, Okna, etc...) are going to be more apt to use installation methods that match the higher performance capabilities of their window. Most contractors don’t put a lot of time into researching window brands, they simply go with what is easiest to get, cheapest to buy, offers the fastest manufacturing time, or a combination thereof. Their installation methods follow the same lines of thought (easy, cheap, fast), and that’s not good for the homeowner. A contractor who researches and carefully selects better products is typically more researched and careful in the installation system as well. Additionally, contractors who set up as dealers with the aforementioned brands undergo a level of scrutiny that most contractors don’t since they generally purchase from a local distributor who sells to any contractor that walks in the door.

I hope this is helpful to you, and best wishes on making your selection. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Spending time here researching on the front side of your purchase will help ensure satisfaction on the backside!

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TheWindowNerd
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Re: NT, Vanguard, Berkshire Elite, Acri (Dallas TX area)

#5 Post by TheWindowNerd »

Randy that was a great post.

wayne

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Randy
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Re: NT, Vanguard, Berkshire Elite, Acri (Dallas TX area)

#6 Post by Randy »

Thanks Wayne. Hope your year is starting strong.

RichardDFW
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Re: NT, Vanguard, Berkshire Elite, Acri (Dallas TX area)

#7 Post by RichardDFW »

DawnDFW,

If I may ask.

Just curious who you received your Sunrise quote from?

We live in Dallas and are also looking at Sunrise and Sunrise Restorations? The quotes we received were higher than yours. However, we did add NRG and wood interior veneer trim. 13 windows for $14.1K

Thanks,
Richard

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