First thing I would do is forget the Menards/HD/Lowes and find a true window supplier or a good quality lumber yard and see what they recommend. As far as Sliders these are typically the worst performing window you can purchase. You may wish to think about reframing the openings for either casements or double hungs. Minneapolis has pretty severe winters and you would have much tighter units as far as air infiltration and other performance values if you do.

You mention bedrooms. Check your local codes and that will dictate what type of window(s) you can put in. I agree with millworkman, avoid the big boxes if you can

isn't a slider just a DH turned on its side? if i went to a DH, it would have to be a dbl wide unit. does a dbl wide DH unit usually cost more than a single slider like i have now? its not really a visual issue. i think a dbl wide dh unit would have a nice chunk of vertical wood in the center of the 2 units? i prefer more glass, less wood if possible.

you are correct some what in that a slider is very similar to a dbl hung turned on it's side. The major exception being that very few are ever used anymore in house construction. So the weatherstripping and technology in engineering them is basically still in the early 80's because of the minimal demand. Thus they are about as energy efficient as an early 80's dbl hung which is minimal at best.

but a dbl wide DH will have a horizontal and vertical wood portion separating (4)pieces of glass. my last house was all DH windows. this house is 1/2 sliders, 1/2 casement. guess the builder had some stock he wanted to use. all the bedroom windows are sliders. 2nd story part of house.

ok then, maybe look into casements for the replacements which are the tightest and most efficient window made

menards quoted me $800 for a 38x63 casement. 75 for custom height fee and 75 for width fee. but it does come with screens. woohoo.

Unfortunately that doesn't mean a thing to anyone as you gave us no info as to brand, model, material that it is made of, or anything else. As I mentioned yesterday I would almost NEVER but a window from a home center. If you buy it good luck but I would be careful if I were you.

i get your point. saying its a lowes window is like asking what a red car costs. not much detail to go on.

Disclaimer: I am not in the industry. I'm a homeowner who did research for several months before purchasing vinyl sliding doors and windows earlier this month. I'm happy to share what I learned.

The critical aspects of window installation seem to be (1) ordering the exact correct size (our window sizes are absolutely non-standard), (2) selecting a quality product (good quality frame and sash material; more rather than fewer chambers; thicker vinyl; heat welded joints, not screws; looks well-engineered) and (3) following the flashing and wrapping instructions of the window manufacturer to the letter. Otherwise your warranty is void. There are many free how-to videos on line that show to install a window. We were going to DIY, but found a building contractor with 25 yrs experience who is having a slow year. His prices were extremely reasonable and he's installed 100s of windows and doors.

Here are the window manufacturers which professional window installers think are the best quality product with the best stand-behind-their-product service: Amerimax, Anlin, Great Lakes, Marvin, Mercer, Milgard (mid-grade), Simonton, Superior. Harvey, Gorrell, Soft Lite, Sunrise, Okna, PGT. I'm sure there are more. Some are available only in certain regions.

Here are manufacturers that professional installers generally don't have a high regard for: Accuweld, Alside, Anderson, Atrium (filed for bankruptcy), Certainteed, Comfort Line, Gilkey, Jeld-Wen, Kolbe, MI, NuView, Pella, Primax, Serious, SilverLine, ThermoView.

Some companies make products specifically for the big box stores that are NOT the same quality as their standard lines. Confirm the spec's and the model numbers for an accurate comparison.

I found the best price at a local hardware store with an excellent reputation that caters to the building trades. Check your local Yelp listings. The reputation of the place you buy from is as important as the reputation of the window manufacturer if there is any problem down the line. The warranty on a good window lasts as long as you own your home and in some cases can be transferred to the next owner. So, it could be in force for a long time.

Check to see what the local building codes require and whether you need a permit to install windows and doors. A local building inspector can be a second set of eyes to make sure everything is done so that the windows are air-tight and water-tight.

If you order and install energy efficient doors and windows by Dec 31, you can get a 30% refund on the materials up to $1500. The deadline MAY be extended into 2011 but that is not confirmed.

That's all I know.

Great summary! You did your research and it shows.

The tax credit of up to $1500 will not carry over into 2011 much to the industry's chagrin. A credit of up to $200 for windows and $500 for exterior doors was a part of the recently passed and signed extension of Bush tax cuts.

What type of glass did you get in your windows? Also I am sure the list you gave if for your area as well because my list would be different. Plus your list has new construction or full frame units as well as replacement type unit which are generally done by different types on installers, so it is a tough comparison and maybe not 100% fair.

millworkman - your point of new vs replacement units is quite valid. Do you know of some companies that excel in one or the other type of unit? I got low-E, argon gas, etc. that would qualify for the tax rebate with values of U <.30 and sghc .30. we lucky to enjoy the mild climate of n. california. no freezing temps hurricane winds rain. but then again got our earthquakes>

francesca, can you give an example of 1 of your units. any that are 36Hx45W? you say vinyl. does that mean no wood core? is it a unit designed to go into a rough opening? or an insert? typical cost?

Joe, we live in a very indoor-outdoor "glass house" with 8 sliding glass doors, some as large as 12' wide. We have only 6 windows in the whole house. We are replacing 2 windows in the kitchen:

1. Window 1: approx 24"W x 44"H, fixed pane (in industry parlance, "picture window"). Since it is right next to a door (a 10' sliding door), it had to be tempered (local building code). A Simonton 7300 vinyl window ran $167. The best price I got for a Milgard Tuscany with SunCoatMAX Energy package was $113.20.

2. Window 2: approx 96"W x 44"H, horizontal slider, X-O-X. The Simonton 7300 ran $498 which included an upgraded ultra-vue screen ($10 extra). The Milgard Tuscany would run $423.20

Both Simonton windows have the energy package with Low-E 366, double glazed, argon gas that allows us to get a 30% energy rebate, so the first window was $167-50=$117 and the second was $498-149=$349.

Installation costs were all over the place from $100 per window or door to $1000 to $3000 per window or door! Crazy!

Retrofit into an existing window frame would have been less expensive. However our original frames were not high quality and "new construction", or putting the window into the rough opening, would allow us to preserve as much glass as possible, without having a big fat frame.

We live in a very modern home with very thin aluminum framed windows and doors. So, aesthetics were important. We sought as thin a frame as possible. The Simontons were only 1/2" wider than our original aluminum windows. So, they worked with the decor. They were noticeably thinner than the Milgards

Here's a fascinating tidbit. One salesman who sent me a quote accidently sent me his margins. Here's an example:

Milgard Tuscany 22 3/4"W x 42 1/2"H, U=.28, SGC=.22
Cost: $122.88
Selling Price: $178.17
% Gross Markup: 45%

I don't believe the vinyl windows have a wood core. I saw the cross-section examples at the showrooms, and they all seemed to have multiple vinyl chambers. The more chambers the better, I was told.

Hope that helps.

I also live in Minneapoils and just replaced all my windows. I ordered new construction windows because I'm doing the siding too and it makes for a better install. Go to ABC Supply on E Hennepin and talk to Rob. I did a lot of shopping around and got a great deal there. Big box windows are garbage. I got triple pane DH with grids custom made for not much more than the big box junk. (u-factor of .23!)

Ok musky, I will play along. What brand windows, what type of glass, who did the install, was it done properly?

They are Vinylmax Radiance. Low e argon triple pane. I did the install and that's what I do for a living. I've never worked with this brand before but they seem like pretty good windows for the price. I still have to add jambs but that's no big deal. Are you on the same millworkman that's on THP?

No, I am not. Sounds good on your windows though.

talked to ABC. they can get stock units from kolbe, that are 38x63 for 450. custom HXW would be 200 more. these are wood core, clad, wood interior, low-e units, sliders. so 650 for custom or 750 for custom at lowes. but now we are comparing 2 different units that might be totally different.

Isn't 38x63 what you're looking for? Can you get a stock unit that's 38x63 at Lowes? If not, then isn't it 450 compared to 750? Either sounds pretty fancy. I was looking for economical vinyl DH's and ABC worked out good for me. I got custom made triple's with full screens and grids for a few hundred more (total) than crappy Jeld-Wen double panes (Menards) that were standard sizes and I would've had to change my RO's a bit (smaller). Are vinyl windows out of the question? Mine were no extra cost for custom sizes. There were just price catagories depending on square inches (my small kitchen sink window was the same price as my larger bedroom windows).
Well anyhoo...Good luck!