"Assuming cost ISN'T the deciding factor, is the Anderson a better window?"

Even more so if it is the Andersen is by far the winner of those two. I would not even consider anything by Windsor,

So i just visited a neighbor who has Anderson and she was complaining she couldn’t do inside mount wood blinds or shades on her Anderson windows. Is that true?! That’s a dealbreaker. What’s a quality window that allows for inside mount shades and blinds?

The depth of your walls and type of installation will have play a bigger factor in this. If you are doing 2x6 walls And full frames windows you should have plenty of room. If your neighbor did inserts with existing 2x4 construction it would be the same as what they had. And probably around 1 1/2”.

I have to look again but I believe it’s 2x4. Should I look at jamb extensions? I need to be able to hang inside mount blinds in bedrooms and dining room.

Any 2x4 walls will be an exterior vs. interior mount.

Here is what my contract says:

General Structural Framing:

• Lumber: 2x4 interior and 2x6 (where specified) interior walls as noted and exterior walls 24" on center unless otherwise noted. Use of treated lumber where required by code for posts, joists, bands within proximity to concrete or ground. Sill on sill seal and continue termite flashing. Penetrations sealed at floor, bottom/top plates, etc. Joints sealed in band joist.

• Sill plate at new addition: 2 x 6 pressure-treated pine.

• Floor joists, Microlams/LVLs, engineered trusses and roof rafters per agreed upon construction

drawings.

• Steel Beams (varying sizes) Steel Pipe Columns

Sounds like the walls will be 2x6 and windows with nail fins. This should give you amble room. You can use the factory applied jamb extensions or make your own. Your contractor should be able to tell how deep your jambs would be and explain the options of the jam.

What if I add in Marvin Elevate (renamed old integrity wood/ultrex)

I've been having the worst time with the local Anderson dealers.

Wrapping this up. I’ve gone with Marvin Elevate and 2 Marvin essentials for replacements of vinyl casements in a room that’s remaining with other original vinyl windows. Excited to move On to door selections!

May I ask which Anderson dealers you where working with? I live in the northern Virginia area and one the options that we're considering are Anderson windows. We live in a two story colonial home and also trying to decide between wood and vinyl windows.

My builders sales rep at TW Perry. Other salespeople seemed okay but my Builder’s account required this sales rep. Also I learned that both TW Perry and Smoot lumber have been purchased by a large conglomerate SBC so they won’t compete with each other anymore as they are separat entities.