Analysis Paralysis - New Construction Windows for our forever home (TX)

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2Labs
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Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2020 11:19 am

Analysis Paralysis - New Construction Windows for our forever home (TX)

#1 Post by 2Labs »

I'm a researcher by nature, and I've hit a brick wall and overwhelmed. We're building our "forever" home that will have a LOT of windows in it (>70). The front of the house will be facing north, and west side will be the garage to adsorb some of the intense Texas sun. So really hardly any windows with any west exposure except those that will have either garage or storage area on the interior. The windows that will take most of the beating will be southern facing, and there are quite a few. Some are even large, the largest ones are 36 x 90.

Upon reflection of how we use our current windows, for a few reasons (allergies, humidity, bugs, etc) we virtually never actually open our windows. So right now we're mainly going with casements throughout the house, most of them fixed and a few that operate for egress and in some areas where we might in a blue moon actually open them.

Our current house has 10 year old vinyl windows from American Window Systems out of Ft Worth. To our untrained eyes, they seem fine after 10 years. They all open and operate just fine, no warping that we can tell. However, we're planning on being in this house for longer than 10 years.

So far, our builder has gotten a bid from his Pella rep that was comically low, but it was their encompass line. Which after I saw what line and did a mere 5 minutes of research, I eliminated it as an option.

We' ve received another bid for Burris that was about $11k higher than Pella. I've read good and bad things about them, so I'm unsure.

I've fervently read this forum, and Randy's recommendations. I know he is really high on DY TBA, but we're far enough north in Texas that we get some seriously cold winters sometimes (we had several days in the 20's just this past November, a few days in the teens in the Winter). So the high u-factor on the TBA scare me away. Some online efficiency calculators estimate I could spend $300 more per year to heat/cool my house with TBA around .4-.5 and SHGC around .17 for vs vinyl of .28 and .24 numbers.

I did talk to a NT dealer about their Presidential line, but I just can't get past the huge thick looking frames. I know this probably contributes to why they are a good window, but aesthetics are also a huge decision factor and they just scream "cheap vinyl window" to the untrained eye with how beefy their frames are. I've reached out for bids from Sunrise and Okna, but haven't heard back yet. Any reason why these are "better" than Burris?

Much thanks for the valuable resource!
Last edited by 2Labs on Mon Jun 15, 2020 8:30 am, edited 1 time in total.

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TheWindowNerd
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Joined: Fri Apr 17, 2009 3:05 pm
Location: SE PA & NJ; DFW/Metroplex

Re: Analysis Paralysis - New Construction Windows for our forever home (TX)

#2 Post by TheWindowNerd »

For us in PA Okna is the best. Maybe for you in TX too.

I have been a Pella installer for over three decades, before making this comment I hopped onto the national site they do not have an "Essentials" line, 250 or thermostar are there low end vinyl. I would not suggest any Pella vinyl product.
When mention essential it id make me think of "Essential" line by Marvin, a fiberglass window which I like and has no problems in heat or if dark color.

theWindowNerd.com

2Labs
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2020 11:19 am

Re: Analysis Paralysis - New Construction Windows for our forever home (TX)

#3 Post by 2Labs »

My apologies, I was going off of memory. It was the "Encompass" line, not essentials. I'll update my original post.

Thanks for the post, I'm awaiting a sales rep from Okna and DYC. Would the consensus be a DYC vinyl be better than Burris?

2Labs
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2020 11:19 am

Re: Analysis Paralysis - New Construction Windows for our forever home (TX)

#4 Post by 2Labs »

Just received notification no Okna retailers in our area.

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Randy
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Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2004 7:26 am
Location: Houston, TX

Re: Analysis Paralysis - New Construction Windows for our forever home (TX)

#5 Post by Randy »

Don Young’s vinyl is pretty equal with Burris to my mind. Sunrise makes one of the nicest casements in the industry. Hopefully you can get a quote on those.

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