Go to Home Depot and get an estimate for the 400 series Andersen double hung window. They should be around $750 each in your sizes. The patio door should be around $1000-$1500. Installation should be around $300 per window and $500-$1000 for the Patio door. This assumes no major issues with the installations and you should get a break for having everything done at once.

You should be able to get everything done for around $5000. The Renewal by Anderson quote is a joke.

Out of the advice above I would ping Windows on Washington over the balance. Just my .02.........................

Ok, so here's an update. I took people's recommendation and called Home Depot. Would you believe they came right out?!

The guy told me apartment wasn't fancy enough to justify expensive windows which I found pleasantly amusing, and he recommended Simonton's 6500 range. This brand didn't make it into any of the comments above. Any thoughts here? I believe they are vinyl throughout. This brand apparently didn't have a suitable patio door (they were all sliding ones). So the price for just the 4 windows and a basic install was $3850. That would still leave me needing a door. He said to take my carpenter to Home Depot and pick out one there. Then let the carpenter install it. He said this would save me a ton of money. Like I said, this was a highly unusual conversation, on Easter Sunday, amplified by us wearing masks and standing 6 feet apart.

For comparison, I asked him to price out the Andersen 400 line. These were wood on the inside and fibrex on the outside. The 4 windows were $7200, the door was $4900 for a total of ~12k. As a reminder RBA's "if you give us your credit card right now" price was 16.5k.

Everything was going well until he said that with either option, I'd need my carpenter to rip out the old frames and build in new ones. Once that was finished, he would come in and do the install. Definitely don't want two cooks in the kitchen, especially when you have to pay both of them, deal with coordinating things, etc. Renewals by Andersen were going to handle all of this, which is certainly appealing.

Renewals by Andersen suggested their line was better than the 400 series sold in HomeDepot. Though some comments here suggest otherwise??

Do I want wood or is vinyl just as durable? The windows coming off are close to 100 years old. Highly unlikely they make them like they used to, but I'd still like to never have to deal with them again.

I will try and get a quote on Soft-lite (though there are no dealers very close) and Marvin next. @Joseph Corlett, LLC, WinDoor look very expensive, but might as well price it out! Maybe in the interim RBA will come back with a better price, though that's probably wishful thinking.

@dennisgli, my experience here in Brooklyn is that 9/10 contractors are looking to screw you. I have such bad experiences that I'm now naturally drawn to places that have a corporate office as a means of recourse should s**t hit the fan.

Message me I can see if I can reach out and find you a contact for one of the brands I mentioned. Simonton is ok, not anywhere near the quality of the others. Stop with the box stores if you want anything good quality.

Hey @millworkman, thank you!! Definitely want to take you up on your generous offer but there is no way on here that I can find to send you a message. Can you drop me an email if you are comfortable with that?

I will shoot you his email. Hang tight for one second.

We had Renewal by Anderson with the Fibrex material installed in our old house about 17 years ago -- all our windows plus a new patio door; the quote we got was middle of the three window estimates and included all the interior trim and replacing frames. Compared to the other two, it was the best overall. Everything the company did for us was quality. They were excellent windows and we never had any issues. It was a reputable local company. We since moved last spring and the windows here at this house -- which is in a nicer neighborhood than the old place -- are vinyl Simonton who knows the line (probably low end). They don't have a quality feel at all, they feel cheap. The interior vinyl trim that covers the window frame is cheap. There is literally nothing exceptional about them and I'm guessing they were the cheapest option. I won't be surprised if they give us trouble and we have to replace them in 10 years.

@melle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/ the HD contractor literally said the Simonton was good enough for my apartment. Thank f^&k I have a good sense of humor and appreciate both candor and honesty. Though to be fair, he proposed the top of their line as a decently priced mid-range option. Your experience sounds totally in line with that conversation and my expectations of what I'd end up with. Thank you for sharing!

I hope you don't mind me tagging along and asking a question on your thread.. for a new build..would this seem about right? you get a window schedule, a budget and the name of a place your builder uses (assumably to get in on his discount) So you take the window schedule, go look and pick out the kind of window you like? get a price/quote.. then order?

So to what AS said..you wish you had gotten more involved, would that have meant that you went out and found a window source of your own? and would you do that the same way as I laid out above?

For the completeness of the story, we're now at quote 3.

I reached out to three authorized Marvin dealers and was amazed by the range of the responses. One needed a major lesson in customer service, one was meh, one was fantastic (and of course that one only sold them but didn't install - ugh!). So Mr. Fantastic, who ironically enough was the place you found on Google @dennisgli, recommended a contractor.

The quote is ~14k for 4 Marvin Elevate windows and 1 Elevate inswinging French door (wood interiors, fiberglass exteriors). The glass is low E2 and the door is tempered.

Some questions:

-Is low E2 glass appropriate for NY?

-Should the installed work come with jamb extensions, trim or stools? This quote doesn't.

-Do people try and negotiate on the price or is that crass?

I want to get down to 10k. If negotiating isn't an option, I may need to downgrade to fiberglass to get there.

Options: Marvin Integrity (Essential) (Fiberglass; Double Hung) or Andersen 100 (Fibrex; Single hung). Thoughts?

A couple comments.

When I replaced my double hung windows (and installed an outswing french door) I liked Marvin the best. But the quote was too high and ended up going with Andersen 400 inserts because I thought the price was more reasonable - same contractor and same supply house. There were a few sills that were rotted and replaced - but since they were inserts the stops, stools, aprons, etc. were reused - and that's what I wanted.

Rather than "negotiating" (what are you willing to give up?) I'd get a another quote for comparison. Then you can decide whether to go back to the "quote 3" contractor. It may be that they were recommended because they were the "best" which may also mean the "most expensive". But I get the feeling that you want (and need?) a really good contractor based on your comments and past experiences. So maybe sacrificing material quality to get the cost down is the best path?

Hope that helps.

@Rachel L Low E2 should be find for your climate zone. Depending on the orientation of your house and how the rest of the systems in your house were designed, you might consider Low E1 because it allows for more solar heat gain which helps in colder climate zones. I would make sure that ALL of the specs meet the energy code for your zone before purchasing.

Typically LoE2 is standard by most window manufacturers, i.e., no upcharge. It is also appropriate for your climate. LoE1 that SawHorse suggests is a less common request and will carry an upcharge (you already think the quote is too high), and I personally don’t think it’s worthwhile because Brooklyn is Climate Zone 6, and gets plenty of sunny hot days.

Is your quote for double pane or triple pane glass? If it’s for triple-pane, you can save a good deal by opting for double-pane. I live in a colder climate than you, but opted for double-pane instead of triple-pane Marvins to save money. I have been happy with the double-pane, no complaints and no window condensation in winter.

following

@Shannon_WI - I wish that was the answer, however, all the quotes thus far have been for double pane. I actually inquired about triple pane and was told that my windows are too big for that to be wise as the sheer weight of them can be a liability in the long run. Didn't expect that!

@dennisgli your comments are all spot on. What am I willing to compromise (because quote 3 guy wouldn't move on price) - well I've decided that so long as they don't look cheap, I won't lose sleep over having fiberglass or vinyl windows over the more expensive wood. I won't compromise on quality (neither in the window or the installation).

So off I trotted to get quote 4. This guy was an Okna dealer and 1) only could provide me with the windows not install them (not ideal in my view) 2) recommended wood for the door over vinyl (he only did vinyl) but couldn't be bothered sourcing a wood door for me (because Okna don't do them and anything else was just too hard).

This encounter made comparisons between the previous quotes challenging because there was no installation and no door involved, but the price for his high end Okna 800 series windows were $550 each (just the framed windows). That price sounded reasonable enough, the windows actually look alright (judging from the web) & their energy efficiency specs seem good in my google educated mind.

A positive from quote 4 is I learned about a potential vinyl window option from a respected brand, the negative was this guy wasn't right for me (or the job) for oh so many reasons (another of which was the generous offer to come to his house to view the windows because his showroom was closed and that's what he has installed in his house -- ok, nice enough -- followed by bring some pretty women along too because my wife just died recently --- OKKKK, thank you for bringing me back to the reality where I hate NYC contractors)!! I consider myself a pretty lighthearted person, not easily offended, however, I found that comment too much.

So where am I now -- a Marvin dealer/installer that I contacted a couple of weeks ago got back to me (he's shut down for the pandemic so I'll excuse the delayed response). I noticed from his website that he also deals with Okna -- good, as that will give me some pricing options from the same person instead of all this running about because one person deals with this brand but not the other. He's coming out Thursday. I ready mostly good reviews about his work on a few different websites, so a positive is he's been in business for some time.

The craziest part of all this is I've yet to see an actual window in person thanks to this pandemic!

Gotta find the right solution soon - this is draining the life out of me.

Fingers crossed for lucky quote 5!!!

Still waiting on the quote from guy 5. He was very, very nice which is a big tick in my book, so I'm praying his quote is reasonable. I've asked for pricing on the Marvin Elevate and Ultimate line.

Something I neglected to consider throughout this process -- security. The location of my windows and doors are very accessible - basically they start ~2 feet off the ground. I refuse to go down the bars route and live in a prison, but still want to make safe choices. So from the perspective of trying to stop (or slow down) a burglar, which is a real consideration in this area, would single hung windows with the fixed upper sash be a better option than double? Given the accessibility of the windows, I am imagining someone sticking their arm through the top opening of a double hung window (when open), reaching down and simply opening the lock. The windows I asked for have a child safety device which can limit the window opening to 4", but the device itself which pops in and out, could probably be accessed via the top of an open window by a skinny armed burglar or a fat armed one with a hook.

Does anyone have any experience with this aspect?

@Windows on Washington Ltd @millworkman

I see no security advantage to a single hung over a double hung. If they are locked, they are both the same in terms of ultimate prevention.

I agree with WoW. No advantage to the single hung in the way of security.

Went to a Renewal by Andersen presentation (they offered a free dinner at a local BW which was remarkably quite good). So we had the presenter come in and get us a quote. That was for 3 x 5' French patio door and 3 bay windows (just over 2' wide, 4-5' high, 2 opening). The presenter and manager for the region even said "wow", followed by "I guess I shouldn't have said that" when the prices came up.

We ended up going with a local manufacturer. Much superior product (we think). Triple-glazed coated glass, 4mm vs 3mm of Andersen. thermally-broken uPVC-fiberglass Rehau frame, triple gasket around the doors (seals real good) and 2 pins locking the top edge of each door, 2 pins locking the bottom edge, and 3 pins connecting to the other door.

Undiscounted price for 1 RbA door (albeit installed) was a little bit more than 3 doors from the local manufacturer, uninstalled (FWIW, about C$10.5-11k) for full-frame door. Installation by a company recommended by the door company (they don't do installations) ran just under half the price of one door (C$4.5k), finishing on the outside only. I had to finish the inside myself which costed another $300 or so in materials.

Where in NY are you? Long Island and Buffalo have rather different climates. Window coatings shouldn’t necessarily be the same throughout a house. High solar gain is often used on southern exposures, low solar gain on western and maybe eastern. LowE2 doesn’t refer to a particular coating, just the number of coatings. When considering coatings, insulation and solar heat gain characteristics are different and both must be considered.

nexp - OP says plainly where she is in the OP, and it's mentioned several times in this thread.

For those following, would you believe I only finally got a quote from the last mob I approached over 3 weeks ago!!

The price seems much more reasonable (which is the only reason I'm being so patient). Can someone please look over these specs and see if everything looks good? The only change that I can see needs making is that weird STC/OITC tempered glass. What I asked for was lamination (in thinking about making the door more secure), which from a quick google search tells me STC is for sound. I then called up Marvin and they said I want to ask the dealer for their impact tempered glass (IZ3) if security is what I have in mind. Does that sound about right to those in the know? This is a big piece of glass and a big entry point so I want to slow any would-be burglars down. I figure if a glass is rated to stop a hurricane, then it should also double as a security feature.

Marvin Elevate: $11,300 with tax and installation

Another consideration is to go with the Ultimate door. Quite a bit pricier (+~$2,000). Not sure of any advantage apart from the fact that clearly adding lamination to this product is not an issue (you can see that line item). Also, they offer a storm insert for the screen door (+$350). Might be useful in Winter, though maybe I can get such an insert made for the Elevate screen door locally?

I priced out the Ultimate windows, but it is hard to justify another 2k over the Elevate, particularly when the Elevate windows seem to have better energy specs (U-factor 0.28 in Elevate; 0.31 for Ultimate).

And one final thought - are there any benefits from a warranty perspective to have a Marvin certified installer do the install vs a general contractor recommended by a Marvin dealer? I can envision if something goes horribly wrong with the installation and you went with a Marvin certified installer, then there might be more recourse in dealing with Marvin directly down the track should, for example, the installer go out of business or they refuse to acknowledge fault.

I hope I am close to a decision point here. I'd love some of your insightful thoughts.

Would love your final thoughts @Windows on Washington Ltd @SawHorse Design + Build @millworkman @mike_home @M Miller Hoping I'm on the home stretch.

Based on the unit prices that I normally quote, those numbers aren't far off for our region. Probably that much more reasonable for NYC. Laminated glass would be the slightly more "burglar resistant" glass, but laminated glass is usually a pricey option. Its expensive to make and that gets passed right through.

I am not really up to date on today's pricing but does not look awful to me either. And laminated glass does get pricey on new windows.

Our standard for our clients is Elevate due to the increased performance. My clients also like the option to be able paint a different color in the future so the fiberglass in elevate is a good choice. I also have elevate on my house.

Here is an interview I did with Marvin regarding their elevate product at the 2020 International Builders' Show.

Order is in... finally (stupid Coronavirus)! Upon many recommendations from you kind folks here, I went with the Marvin Elevate range, with IZ3 laminated glass on the door for some added security. Total installed, $11.5k.

This is the kind of door I went with, wood inside, fiberglass outside. Would anyone put a storm door in front of it for extra energy efficiency and security or are storm doors a thing of the past? It would certainly keep the snow off the door in Winter.

@Windows on Washington Ltd @millworkman @SawHorse Design + Build @M Miller

Sounds good. Looking forward to some progress pics once its done.

As far as a storm door. I probably would not as that will entail drilling into the fiberglass. Of course you certainly can if you like fresh air and would use the screen regularly.

Marvin sadly don't offer any storm door options for Elevate, but they did have a screen door which I got (so there's the fresh air part ticked off). Trouble is it only has a flimsy handle (no added security) and doesn't offer a glass insert to replace the screen come Winter (no extra energy efficiency), so I wondered if I was better off scrapping it and getting an actual storm door instead like this:

https://custom.homedepot.com/custom-doors/p/Andersen-4000-Series-Full-View-Aluminum-Storm-Door/306553458/29400-34-x-80-in/29383-White/29410-Left-Hand-Outswing/29997-Quick-Change/29394-Clear/31253-Traditional-Nickel

The guy at the shop said storm doors and windows are a thing of the past, but it makes so much sense to have them. I'd ask them to install it at the same time, so that any required drilling would be done properly.

I am sure that would work fine. I am not that up on the Andersen Storm Doors. I do know at one point they had purchased the Forever Door Co. and I really disliked those doors.

I wouldn 't let his opinion change your mind. There are companies who specialize in storm doors. I had double glass doors on my last house and eventually added storm doors. it looked good and the security was great. Mine were I think Fox Weldoor. Quality storm door is worth it.

In the colder climates I’d Say storm doors Are not a thing of the past. Boosted U-value, the ability to ventilate with a screened opening and as you mentioned , keeping snow off the door Sill. Typically the storm gets screwed into the brickmold/ door trim and not the door. Heat build up between the 2 can be a problem especially doors with a dark exterior color. In those case you might want to consider a door with a ventilation panel. Might want to check out Marvin’s warranty to see if a storm door effects it. Looks like your door go in to a screened or enclosed opening with would make benefits of a storm door less beneficial. Ive had good luck with the Andersen storms doors and even with there cheaper Emco lines and even have one on my house. Pro-Via makes some nice storms but cost more and need to be special ordered.

Thank you!!

@HU-746880, sounds like your set up was very similar. Did you get much heat trapping/condensation between the glass storm door and your glass door? What state did you live in so I can compare climates?

I wondered if heat trapping was going to cause an issue. @toddinmn, good call. I just called up Marvin and they said it wouldn't void the warranty. I don't understand why they don't offer any storm door options themselves?! Especially being a company based out in the frigid Midwest (which I'm also guessing you're from!). A venting panel seems to be a smart solution - why don't they all have this?! A quick google search doesn't show many storm doors that incorporate such a feature (except of course the ones with retractable screens). Do you have any particular ones in mind? Cost wise, the basic screen door from Marvin was ~1k, so I can't foresee others being much more than that.

I am in the metro area of Minneapolis.

The heat build can be a problem on some but not all. The most common problem is when A door with a glass panel that has a vinyl frame holding it in, I have seen the vinyl melt. In you case you may have a different material holding In the glass that is not as heat sensitive as vinyl. My house has a storm door facing a heavily shaded back yard which gets no direct sun and reduces heat build up even though my doors are dark brown.With storm doors that have screens built in you can just lift the glass panel a little to get air flow, but full view glass storm doors are typically the worst for heat build up. 1k is definitely on the high end even for a quality storm door, but might be worth it has some appearance advantages. If you go to Gerkins website and look at there model 906 storm door you will see what I mean. I would not get one with a venting panel if I feel it was not needed since it takes away from the visual appearance and will also let in more air which could take away from the performance. By the way Gerkins storms are nicely built but good luck finding a dealer let alone one that any on hand to view In person. Storm doors and windows may be dated to some but I think we’d see 90% less problems with wood windows and 1/2 the problems with doors in my area. Another nice option to consider is the locks . Some storm doirs have licks the are able to be re keyed down they can have the same key as the prime door. One of my pet peevesas a contractor And landlord is having multiple keys. The cheap storms doors like I used do not have this option but it didn’t matter sunset. I can’t remember the last time I locked my doors.

I took my storm doors off my vacation rental property in Western NYS due to the heat problem. My main doors are painted a dark color and in the summer they would get so hot they could literally burn you. I could swap the glass out for a screen in hot weather but it’s a pain and those glass inserts are super heavy. Plus when the screen is on it’s almost unavoidable that someone eventually pushes the door open with their hand and tears the screen. I haven’t had any issues in the winter with it getting too cold or anything. I like it so much better without the storm door that I just had the storm removed from my residence.

Several years back I was peripherally involved with folks testing temperature extreme between storm door and inner door.

They observed that for west facing doors in Arizona direct sunlight the temperature in the space between the doors could well exceed 200°F.

Thank you @toddinmn! I just looked it up. Model 916 incorporates everything I'm looking for, but you are sure right about their distribution network. It is hard to understand why manufacturers haven't all introduced such vents to alleviate heat buildup if this is a common issue? Though Gerkin put the vent at the bottom, not the top where the hot air would be accumulating!? I guess some questions in life will have to go unanswered!! I'm glad you live in a place where you don't have to lock your doors. Definitely not the case here, hence why I got hurricane rated glass in NYC. One of my next projects will be working out what security system to install.

@lwfromny, if someone puts their hand through my stupidly expensive screen I will have a cow!! Thank you for sharing your experience - those are all very good points and super useful. Especially the weight of the panel.

Well the door/windows were installed.... FINALLY.... but not without issue (typical).

Issue #1: The screen door came with the handle on the wrong side, so it had to be sent back. Given I was tossing up a storm door, I took this as a sign and am swapping Marvin's simple screen with a Provia storm door: https://www.provia.com/storm-doors/decorator

It has a deadlock, so I'll get some added security, and an extra glass barrier come winter for energy efficiency. This area gets no direct sun, so hopefully heat buildup between the two glass doors won't be an issue. Any flaws in this plan?

Issue #2: The window areas are already framed and the plan was to return drywall on the top and sides, however, this window came in a lot smaller than I had anticipated. None of the others are like this, though the guy insisted it couldn't have been much bigger. So how do I handle this? With 1/2" of drywall in place, I still have 1 3/4" of framing material visible on one side, and 1 1/4" on the other. If I build the wall frame out, then the opening itself gets smaller which I guess isnt the end of the world but not ideal as we do have to get in and out this window, so the bigger the better. Is there any clever (but attractive) framing to do around the window itself so the drywall can stay where it was supposed to be and I can hide that plywood?

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Issue #3: This caulking job just looks so sloppy to me. It is like this everywhere. Am I being too picky? I did a job 1000x better than this in my bathroom and I was only armed with a youtube video and a caulking smoothing tool.

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Issue # 4: Is the wood really that soft that I'm going to get gouges like this everywhere?? I've asked them about it and they came back and filled them with putty (there were such marks in just about every window), but I'm left concerned about how these frames are going to look in a few years.

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Last issue is the door won't lock properly, but they are filing a claim with Marvin to have someone come out.

So all in all, my batting average isn't very high. As always, your expert opinions are most needed and welcomed.

No problem with #1 unless the heat build up is underestimated.

Hard to say on #2. Windows can be Sized according to the exterior dimensions as well as the interior ones depending on many things. I’d trim it to match the others this may need drywall added or trim or both..

The type of caulking they used does not smooth out like most and I prefer not to tool it at all. It is good stuff but I would have not if used it where the trim meets the stone. I would have used Vulkem 116 that was matched to the stone, it is grainy and blends in.

Pine is fairly soft so take care when removing sashes or tilting them in. The weatherstripping is damaged imo, If these units are prefinished it should be fixed properly.

Thanks @toddinmn!!

Hopefully the heat buildup won't be an issue. I called up Provia (such nice people) and after describing my set-up and the lack of direct sun, they said it shouldn't be an problem.

For issue 2, the window that came was smaller than the exterior rough opening, which leads me to believe it could/should have been bigger. My general contractor had already framed the walls using the original windows as guides, so this smaller window throws everything off. Anyway, they are in now. Have you ever saw drywall put in at an angle, where I'd start it where the wall framing is and angle inward to meet the window frame, or is that a ridiculous thought?

The caulking you use sounds more sensible. Alas, that ugly, gloppy white caulking with whatever crap blew by in the wind and stuck to it is in, so I guess I'm going to have to live with it.

And the softness of the pine, oh if i knew this, I might have made different choices. The guys filled the gouges with putty, but of course you can still see them. Brand new windows and they are already looking cruddy. What a bummer this all is.

I have a dark brown door with a storm that is not in direct light and have not had a problem, I think you’ll be good.

Dud they have to use wider trim on the outside of the window on issue #2, how does that look? Does the framing stick out past the window on the inside, I would not want it angled, if that is the case the framing should be cut flush with the frame. The caulking is somewhat typical and would be difficult to rectify. Even though pine is soft i think the damage is from being handled a little aggressively. Have a rental and the pine windows look great after 20 years. Use due care when taking the sashes out or tilting in as this is when most damage occurs to the window and weatherstripping.

Hi again everyone, window guys are back to rectify some of the outstanding issue (some I’ve had to deal with myself).

They are installing the screen/storm door and had to take the aluminum capping off that they had installed about 6 weeks ago. I didn’t see this last time as I wasn’t outside with them, but there is NO flashing used. There’s the frame, the insulation, then the aluminum capping on top. I assume the windows are all the same too.

Is the capping itself really enough to protect the inside of my home/walls from moisture? This has to assume that ZERO moisture gets in. It’s not like every single seam on the capping is caulked. What do you folks in the know do?

Just got a quote for 2 small double hung windows and one bay window from Andersen for $8000 after discounts. Does this sound high?

It’s customary to start a new thread instead of bringing a 3 year old one back from the dead

"Does this sound high?"

No.

"Just got a quote for 2 small double hung windows and one bay window from Andersen for $8000 after discounts. Does this sound high?"

Only way to know is to get several estimates.

When you say Andersen, do you mean Renewal by Andersen? I know the Renewal by Andersen franchise in my area is notorious for quoting high prices with high pressure sales tactics. Get more quotes with the same windows from a contractor whose expertise is window installation.

"Just got a quote for 2 small double hung windows and one bay window..."

You might get a quote for Marvin Essential or Marvin Element fiberglass windows. When we replaced our condo windows, the quote from Renewal by Andersen was very high.

Sounds low for my area. Bay windows can get very pricey depending on size and options, that a pretty average price for the bay alone.

I also wonder if this is from a Renewal by Andersen, or just some dude that is quoting Andersen windows?