1. Okna, Sunrise, Soft-lite for vinyl. Marvin, Andersen E series, Kolbe for wood.

2. One of the best window experts in Chicago is a guy named Dave from Strong Windows.

3. Spray foam insulation/sealing around the perimeter is essential.

4. Double hungs are typically a little better built window overall.

5. Yes, that’s a sufficient amount for vinyl windows, but if you’re wanting wood it would need to be considerably higher.

Thanks! We definitely want vinyl (probably white). I contacted Okna, Sunrise and Soft-Lite this morning and just waiting to hear back. Soft-Lite forwarded my request to Meister Windows and Siding.

I am in the Chicago area, and I just wanted to say that I called Dave from Strong Windows, and he was really nice, and the most informative and helpful contractor I spoke with. I ended up not using him cause I chose wood-clad which he doesn't do. If I wanted vinyl, I would have definitely gone with Dave. Keep in mind that no matter what window you choose, the contractor you use will be key to whether your windows work well or not. Not to mention the stress/aggravation factor if you end up not liking your contractor which you can't put a price on.