Hi Krista,

Whether or not its worth it to you to install high-end windows really comes down to - is it worth it to YOU?

Before you go to far however, you need to define "high end".

First question, where do you live? High end in Florida or Texas may not have the same meaning as high end in Minnesota or Maine.

When you say high end are you talking primarily about what the window looks like, or are you considering performance as the most important consideration? Or perhaps a combination of the two?

Are your current windows and trim wood, and if so are they painted or are they stained? Do you want to match the current window's look - i.e. stained wood versus painted (if that is applicable)? Have you considered the various options available including wood, fiberglass, vinyl, aluminum windows?

You mention that the current windows "retain water". It might be worth a few minutes to go a little more in depth per that statement, especially when you mention that the current windows are rotting. And in the same vein, how old is your home? Are the current, rotten windows, original?

I know a lot of questions, but if you are planning to spend a good bit of money on new windows, and you asked the question in here, answering those questions may go a long way to getting you some useful answers from the pros who hang out in here.

And trust me, there are some really good and knowledgeable people who answer questions in this forum. They will give you solid, non-biased opinions based on many years in the industry and loads of knowledge.

Stand by for a real eye-opening education.

Thank you Oberon476 for the thoughtful questions and response. I guess when I say "high-end" I mean "name brand" and "expensive," and I recognize that that is not necessarily the same thing, which is why I am reaching out for advice. I don't know if the big names like Andersen, Pella, etc. are worth it, or if I am paying for the name. If they are over priced, other recommendations would be helpful. I am trying to contact window companies directly, rather than go through Home Depot. Maybe I am going about it wrong?

I am considering both performance AND look. I feel like maybe I am being superficial though, but I know that is totally personal.

I live in Massachusetts where the windows are exposed to weather extremes of very cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers. There are two sets of windows (first floor and second floor). The first floor is wood trim inside and I DO want to recreate that look (stain). The upstairs is in our bedroom and its painted, and I really don't care about the look all that much in our bedroom because no one is in there but us, whereas we entertain in the other room. I do want them to look the same from the outside though, but maybe these things don't matter as much as I think they do. like I said, this wall doesn't face the street. Currently all sills are painted on the outside.

We have sort of considered various options regarding material, but I am really unsure which material is best for our situation. I originally was thinking vinyl because I didn't want to deal with this rotting in the future and thought naively that vinyl was the only way to avoid that. In my mind, wood = rot. However, I was just told that the "high-end" wood actually lasts longer AND looks nicer than vinyl, which comes with a different set of problems.

My home was built in 1983, but I am unsure if they are the original (my guess is yes, but I am really not sure). The company, which I can't remember off the top of my head, is out of business. We bought the home less than four years ago. We also MIGHT be able to get away with replacement, rather than reconstruction, but we're not sure yet how damaged the sills are. I don't want the maintenance of it though, particularly on the second floor (scraping, repainting them, etc). However if that means we save a TON of money, then I guess its something we could do as needed. Its about weighing the costs, and I'm struggling with that right now.

I guess because I am not in construction I don't really know how to elaborate on "retain water," but I can tell you that one of the sills downstairs is spongy to the touch. The other one looks worse (paint chipped and some shards of wood coming out, obviously rotting) but it is actually less spongy and I think ironically in better shape even though it looks a lot worse. None of the other windows in our house get like that and they are as old, if not older, as far as I know. That side of the house is very shady, and the sills are in a brick wall. The rest of the house is wood siding. Is there anything else I can do to inspect the windows to make this more informative?

Thank you all!