Here is a picture of one of the windows.

Forgive me for the dishes in the picture. :-)

This is the window some companies are recommending we turn into a picture window instead of the 4 panes.

1. Given that you have so many casements, full tear outs are recommended to mitigate glass loss and to be able to properly install.

2. If vinyl looks okay to you (some have paintable and stainable interiors) than that will certainly be your least expensive option. After that, I am not sure that fibrex offers any real advantage over a paintable or stainable interior. The next step would be fiberlglass with either a real wood interior or a stainable interior. Wood would be last on my list.

3. I do not prefer sliders over casements and I would spend the money and get what looks good and right to you.

4. They may not cheapen your home but if you like that look, get something that will mimic that.

There is some discussion on the RBA fibrex product here: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/windows/msg0510432217575.html?12

My own personal opinion is that it is the answer to a question that nobody asked : Can you make a product that does not look or feel as nice as wood, but has the same short 10yr warranty and same lackluster performance ratings ?(in comparison to the top performing vinyl and other composites)
Their woodgrain apparently has the same susceptibility to moisture damage as evidenced by the pic in that other thread.
I like premium vinyl, or other non-organic options such as cellular PVC or fiberglass. Vinyl will generally offer the best bang for the buck though, and the higher end units are much more attractive than you might expect.
...and just to clarify, despite my comments I don't think that the RBA is necessarily bad, just that it really does not offer anything that a wood or vinyl window does not.

This post was edited by HomeSealed on Tue, May 14, 13 at 16:18

Thanks, everyone, for the feedback. Please keep your thoughts coming. We have now decided we definitely want to do a COMPLETE INSTALL and not just an insert.

We live in WI and are considering the following few companies as of now:

1) WASCO http://www.wascowindows.com/ They come recommended by others, have a great reputation, build their own windows (can visit the local plant), and a solid warranty. They get the highest ratings on AngiesList.com. Salesman did a nice job. Our main concerns exist with almost every vinyl company which is matching the interior vinyl wood grain to the 1 x 4 wood trim we have around every window (and throughout our house as trim on everything such as floors, entrances into rooms, etc...) AND losing some window space because vinyl takes up more space.

2) STANEK by "Great Day Improvements" http://www.greatdayimprovements.com/ They too came recommend by others, have a good reputation, sell Stanek windows, and receive a solid review on AngiesList (WASCO has higher reviews). Salesman did a great job - very personable and not pushy at all. Our main concerns exist with almost every vinyl company which is matching the interior vinyl wood grain to the 1 x 4 wood trim we have around every window (and throughout our house as trim on everything such as floors, entrances into rooms, etc...) AND losing some window space because vinyl takes up more space.

3) Lowes. A local contractor we trust dearly is recommending the local Lowes store because the installer does AMAZING work according to this contractor we trust. The contractor is telling us to make sure we get this specific installer. He trusts the head guy and this specific installer to do a fantastic job. We meet with the head guy next week. They did this installer's house and he loves the results AND the price. The contractor has high standards.

Thoughts and/or things to consider?

Although i hate pocket sills, Stanek seems to be a solid offering.
Lowes is complete garbage and considered " low end" . High end vinyl is great, lowes is anything but high end.

Although i hate pocket sills, Stanek seems to be a solid offering.
Lowes is complete garbage and considered " low end" . High end vinyl is great, lowes is anything but high end.
I would definitely take a look at HiMark Windows. see if there is a dealer in your area, they are one of the nicest and energy efficient vinyl offerings available.
I think " HomeSealed' Exteriors may be in your area. They do fabulous work and offer solid products. They also offer an excellent composite with a stainable interior.

This post was edited by mmarse1 on Tue, May 14, 13 at 21:14

Wasco and stanek both have pretty solid offerings, although I'd have to agree with mmarse on the box store installs. In my experience, they pay out a fraction of what the "going rate" is to their installers, so if he is that good he'd probably be installing for someone else for twice the pay if that is the case. I dont feel as though any of their products match up favorably with your other choices either. You would be well-advised to throw the Softlite Elements, Sunrise Restorations, and Okna Himark into that mix also. U value and air infiltration ratings will be very telling as to the performance and quality to expect.

Thanks, HomeSealed, for your feedback. No one in our area has mentioned Softlife or Okna Himark. Sunrise is offered by a firm that we did not care for their appointment in our home (very used car salesman approaches). They said they couldn't match our exterior color and then later said they could for a 30% markup.

Do you think Sunrise is better than WASCO and Stanek?

I would first see the HiMark before you make a decision. Google "HiMark windows Wisconsin " or whichever state you are in to find their dealer.

Fibrex is not "wood based", it is vinyl based. To take an inoraganic material that does not rot like vinyl and then add wood flour (sawdust) to it makes absolutely no sense. Fiberglass is somewhat of a "niche" choice as well, but there are some nice products out there. I think that vinyl and wood offer the best choices on opposite ends of the spectrum depending on what you want from a window. The Sunrise casement is very nice, as are Okna's vinyl and composite options. The composite in particular has some crazy ratings (.16-.17) in triple pane with argon. I think that Homesealed sells Okna, not sure if he offers that or not.
Those are the top two for my money. Softlite is nice, but their casement is not as narrow-lined as the other two, or as attractive in my opinion.
I don't know anything about Wastco, but Stanek makes a good casement. Their double hung has a pocket sill which I am not a fan of.

DomiNation - We too went through the same decision process as you with existing casement windows. What it came down to us was what was going to give us the look we wanted. In our area (Wisconsin), I just did not see a vinyl insert or full replacement window that looked decent to me. Then I had to figure out who do the installation, and what the scope of the work would be for them, and what work would be on me to do.

We went with RBA, which has it detractors. Our other reasons for going with RBA was the installation process. They are gutting to the studs and replacing all interior and exterior trim, and this work was quoted in the price. The contractor has been awesome to work with and had taken great care to measure and match our existing interior trim.

Good luck with it all. I think buying a car is much easier than buying windows.

We have 12 banks of Marvin wood clad windows. The 3 worst ones are 120" across and 60' tall. (2 stationary middle windows with casement on either side..all same width)

The cladding has separated from the wood outside and the windows are rotting from inside out. 18 years old..UGH!! I am thinking fibrex sounds pretty damn good myself. No separation and more structural integrity. I don't want to let this go to long because I don't want the black mold getting into the studs below the window.

I have installed many vinyl windows and have liked them..not sure if they would make it 30 years which seems to be life expectancy of wood ones..well not these Marvins anyhow.

Even if they weren't rotting they need refinishing inside and for the life of me I can't get the wood smooth..tiny fibers sticking up(only done 1 window so far) I've tried every grit sand paper and am baffled and I have refinished loads of stuff.

I'm thinking sliders as all summer long everyday we open windows at night and close in am..slider easier than casement..

Old wood is WAY better than the new wood used in windows today..so the new ones won't be lasting 100 years..doesn't seen like much lasts anymore...yes this is a royal pain..which inferior product do I buy? Kinda like voting!! yeah I would rather be buying a car!!!