First, you need to separate the windows from the doors in order to compare the prices fairly.

Second, if you want us to help you need to tell us what model windows and what operation type. Are the Marvin's the Ultimate model or the Tilt Pac? Are all of the windows aluminum clad? Jeld-Wen has changed the name of Pozzi and Norco to Jeld-Wen Custom Wood and Jeld-Wen Wood Siteline EX.

I don't know why any nail-flange window would need to be installed any differently than any other nail-flange window except that some have flanges so poorly applied that they must be sealed before or during installation. I also don't have any idea what a "luxury window" might be.

Your architect should be able to talk to window reps and clear all of this up for you.

We have 12 different sizes specified.

33 - 2852 Dbl Hung
47 - 2640 Case
8 - 2640 Fixed
9 - 1840 Awning
4 - 2040 Case
7 - 2036 Case

Other sizes from 2046- to 3066 in quantities of 2 and 3. None are huge picture windows. Mostly there are casements with the dbl hungs, fixed and awnings indicated above. The house is an Arts & Crafts style.

The doors are standard sizes.

3 sets of 5080 French doors
7 sets of 4080 French doors
2 2980 Single doors

-low E II glass w/ argon
-7/8" SDL- no spacebar
-clad exterior- dark brown, pine interior
-Oil rubbed Bronze Hardware
-1 5/16" brick mould
-Kynar finish

After sitting down with my calculator this morning, I ciphered out some figures.

Marvin Ultimate Clad Windows and Doors- $140,000
Loewen (whatever their basic clad window/door is)- the rep said this morning ~$125,000
Jeld-Wen Wood Siteline EX (Old Norco)- $88000
Weathershield- $120000 (Kynar extra)

The Jeld-Wen's price is more within what I expected. Are they as good as the Marvin? I didn't ask if Jeld-Wen comes with the Kynar finish or if it was extra.

Thanks for your response Mightyanvil. I hope this info will help out in any advice.

Prices can vary depending on which window you select with the different "bells and whistles". Installation and having a professional contractor is critical.
A vinyl window can be purchased for around 41000. When you upgrade to clad or a product that is already trimed then the price will increase. Trim (interior-exterior) can be purchased local an applied by the trim carpenter. For a accurate bid, you must submit a set of plans. Trans, installation and freight is x-tra.

Just saw your post...I am the owner of a lumberyard in MD and am currently building a house for myself. I have access to Loewen, Marvin, and Jeld-wen...among others. I chose Jeld-Wen Premium for the windows and Jeld-Wen Custom for the patio doors. I was shocked to see the price difference in the units on your job as Jeld Wen was by far the best value, at least for me. I am building the Amelia Place plan from Southern Living and John Tee with a few modifications. A couple of reasons I chose Jeld-wen...The summer months are very humid here in MD and Jeld-Wen has Auralast wood standard (20 year warranty against rot) The way I bought them they were siginicantly less then both Marvin and Loewen. If you have any questions or I can help in anyway please let me know.

The Marvin Ultimate is one of the best made windows out there. While some Jeld-wen windows are pretty good, I don't believe any of their line of windows approaches the Marvin Ultimates. While their are good reasonable price windows and bad high-end windows - I don't think you are going to get any good moderate priced window to be "as good" to a very good premium window.

You may want to consider the Integrity line by Marvin and/or Tilt-pac. I think they split out the Integrity line recently (though not sure why).

you probably haven't seen the thv window. it is fully composite material without any wood fibers. the triple pane window is by far the most energy efficient, and cost effective. it has no metal spacers, and is completely free from the expansion and compression problems related to wood windows, and is stronger than any re-enforced vinyl window. thv gaurantees a 100% fill on the insulating gasses, (yes gasses, argon and krypton) and uses a hard coat silver low-e. with the specs you provided i've come up with these figures:
33 - 2852 Dbl Hung $21,516.97
47 - 2640 Case $24,440.76
3 sets of 5080 French doors $3,287.56
7 sets of 4080 French doors $6,909.45
2 2980 Single doors $1,678.72
8 - 2640 Fixed $4,154.48
9 - 1840 Awning $4,673.82
4 - 2040 Case $2,336.91
7 - 2036 Case $4,154.48
total (including tax and labor) : $73,153.15
50yr. warranty on ALL components included.
do the research and e-mail me if you have any questions.
thanks,
adam white
columbus, ohio
loboblanco80@yahoo.com

I am building my own home in MD, and would be interested in communicating with smackie - as I am looking to buy Jeld Wen windows too and would like to sede if he can help me. Please contact me, if you know how I can write smackie..Thank you

The following post is submitted to clarify some misinformation noted in the initial post.

"I've been told they (the Loewen windows) are the 'only luxury window made in America.'"

The Loewen window company is a Canadian entity, and not a United States corporation. Unless the source was referring to "North" America, it is not a factual statement.

As a side note, it is common for salespersons to use price differentiation to establish an interpretation of quality level between products. Sometimes, this practice is used in a deceptive manner. In our business, we can generally rely on the Andersen, Eagle, Kolbe or Marvin windows to be the more expensive products. The Loewen windows are often found to be expensive one day and inexpensive the next. I can only assume this to mean that the import tax or customs duty fees increased or decreased in a given week, or more likely that there is a marketing game being played in order to establish a "sense" of quality.

Regarding the reference to "luxury", I would assume the source was somehow depicting a particular product as being the only window manufacturer used in luxury home construction. This would also have been a false statement, as the above mentioned U.S. window manufacturers all provide their products to the luxury home construction market.

The one comment I would like to add is that Loewen windows are made from Douglas Fir whereas most of the other manufacturers use pine as their standard wood and may or may not offer Douglas Fir as an upgrade.

My understanding is that Douglas Fir is a more durable and stable choice of wood.

Doug fir is most definitley a more stable wood, however Loewen use mixed grain which is likely to raise and splinter when stained or even primed the first time requiring much sanding. The Marvins use Ponderosa pine which I feel is not a very rot resistant wood,I personally would look into LePage which uses a Eastern Pine as its std(same decay resistence as doug fir, much higher then ponderosa pine) as well as as a standard there are no FINGERJOINTS in the wood anywhere

ATTN: Smackie

I was searching the web for the Amelia Place house plan by John Tee and came across your post on this site. I know it is a long shot, but if by chance you see this post...Wouldyou please contact me? I have questions and would love to see finished pics if possible.

Thanks!

Damian J. Jakubik
djjakubik@cableone.net