I am replacing an original, small (~24x30) 22 year old double-hung Crestline window due to excessive moisture damage in a bathroom. The previous owner did not have proper ventilation. I have compared several windows and I was hoping to get some feedback on what features make a quality window. Here are my notes, hopefully they are not too long winded. We are planning to stay in this house for at least 20 years. Any feedback is appreciated.

I am avoiding replacement windows because I think the insulation in the rough opening is poor and I want to redo it anyway. Since I plan to take the trim off, I see no reason to not do a full frame new construction window. Any flaws in this logic? I also found 24x30 is not a standard size so I will probably increase the RO to match a standard size. All quotes are with ~25" x 35". For some quotes I don’t recall what the glass upgrades were, but once I narrow the decision, I’ll re-quote as needed.

I decided I didn’t want vinyl windows. At first I started looking at fiberglass windows due to moisture concerns. I don't know if the stain/seal on the original windows wasn't sufficient or if it started to fail, but moisture and condensation have damaged the existing window. All of the bathroom fixtures (tub, toilet, etc) are tan not white, so if I plan to move away from the existing stained woodwork and go for fiberglass, I'd like to find one with a beige or tan interior.

I looked at the following fiberglass double-hungs:
-- Marvin Integrity - only white interior (not quoted)
-- Pella Impervia - only white interior (not quoted)
-- Peachtree 600 series - only white interior ($325)
-- Marvin Infinity – offered with tan interior, nice replacement window, no DIY - must be installed by Marvin ($435 + $300 install)

Wow! That is expensive for such a small window. So I began looking at aluminum-clad wood windows. I’m thinking that if I take proper care of the window in the bathroom and re-seal it as necessary, it should last as long as a fiberglass one. Here are my notes and impressions from each window I’ve seen so far:

Peachtree 700 series ($252)
- OPTIONS: LowE glass (need to bump this to ZoE5 w/Krypton to meet tax credit), no grilles, unfinished interior
- OBSERVATIONS: integral nailing fin, internal latch, 0.75" thick glass unit
- SEALS: No hollow bulb seals, flexible "C" shaped vinyl top/bottom, vinyl strip "hairs" on sides, I think it had some sort of interlock where the sashes meet in the middle
- OVERALL: The first aluminum-clad window I looked so I may have missed some things…A nice window

Marvin Ultimate ($370)
- OPTIONS: LoE366 Argon, no grilles, unfinished interior
- OBSERVATIONS: 0.7" total glass unit with 0.125" thick glass interior and exterior, wood jamb above inner sash, tilt feature integral with latch, non-integral nailing fin
- SEALS: "C" shaped vinyl top, hollow bulb middle and bottom, foam filled bulb sides
- OVERALL: A nice window but pricey…almost as much as the Infinity

Pella Architect series ($302)
- OPTIONS: don’t recall glass options as quoted, no grilles, unfinished interior
- OBERVATIONS: 0.625" total glass unit with 0.098" thick glass interior and exterior, can see balance in jamb, clad fit not impressive, flat sloped sill, wood jamb above inner sash, metal latch rails on jamb, non-integral nailing fin
- SEALS: foam filled bulb top/bottom/sides, hollow bulb middle, male/female frame/sash meeting
- OVERALL: Maybe it was a little beat up since it was a floor model but it felt a little loose overall and I was just not impressed

Andersen Woodwright ($252)
- OPTIONS: don’t recall glass options as quoted, no grilles, unfinished interior
- OBSERVATIONS: 0.695" total glass unit with 0.125" thick glass interior and 0.087" thick glass exterior, Fibrex sill, Fibrex clad sash, wood jamb above inner sash, non-integral nailing fin
- SEALS: I think it had some sort of interlock where the sashes meet in the middle, need to go back and look again at all seals
- OVERALL: I was quite impressed with the fit and finish of this window

I plan to go to a different dealer and check out the Woodwright again. I’ll get another quote with options that meet the 2009 tax credit -- the quote seems low and I thought it would be more in line with Pella and Marvin. For the price, the Marvin Ultimate didn’t blow me away. The Pella and Peachtree were just OK.
I will most likely install this bathroom window myself. If it goes well and there is room in the budget, I may replace the other main windows in the house to take advantage of the tax credit. The main house windows would definitely be aluminum clad-wood, so I’m doing this bathroom window research with an eye towards the rest of the house.

Hmm, quite a long post. Any suggestions on what to look for would be great. I’m interested to see if my notes are consistent with evaluations by other people in their own travels.
Thanks,
Chris

The Woodwright I saw last night was not as impressive.
SEALS: hollow bulb top, foam bulb bottom, interlocking flaps in the middle where the sash meet. The sash sides ride on plastic rails and the rails sit on what I'll describe as a see-saw type mini compression jamb.

Out of all of these different types of seals, I am unsure what is considered a good type. I've heard hollow bulbs lose their capability over time. The Andersen mini compression jamb seemed neat - not sure how well it works. Although their air infiltration is low so it must work well.

This will be a tough decision.

Andersen Woodwright - $270, $327 (two different dealers)
Peachtree 700 Series - $280
Marvin Ultimate - $370

I like the Marvin but have a hard time paying almost 40% more than the Woodwright. I am leary of the Fibrex material lasting as long as Marvin's Al-clad. The main houst windows face east and take full sun until noon so I have concerns with expansion and fading/flaking.

I'd personally stay away from Fiberglass unless you like to maintain your windows...Just like any quality Fiberglass entry door, you will need to paint and maintain ANY fiberglass product, regardless of "coating systems." Read the warranties....Unfortunately, this is a FACT.

From opinions I've heard and research on the web be wary of the Pella line as i'm not sure if the class action lawsuit against their aluminum clad product has fizzled or not....I do know that if you do ANY search on Pella problems waaaaayyy too many pages come up with customer complaints. I'd stay away from that. I'd personally wonder why any company uses Aluminum to clad wood...why don't we clad our homes with aluminum anymore??? hmmmmm

Plus - Any idea which has a larger glass to frame ratio. I would prefer more visibility to wood.
- Screen options - question about advisability of paying more for the smaller mesh with claims of higher/clearer visibility.
- Need window that meets criteria (.3, .3) for 2009 tax credit.
- Also need 1 window this size for a bathroom window that sits over a tub/shower. So would have to be good with high interior moisture. This would need to be bronze exterior but white interior is fine.
Sorry for so many questions - I am going nuts with window choices!