I have been reading many of the postings and they have been very informative, however most of them appear to address windows in the NE of the country. Does anyone know if there is a better vinyl replacement window for my area than Anderson's? My quotes have been for Anderson 8500, Alside Excalibur, Simonton ProFinish, and a company manufactured window made in the Alside factory (off-label?). I live in the Orlando, FL area so we don't have to have the Miami/Dade county wind requirements, but due to the extreme heat, humidity, and daily driving rains I want to make sure I am picking a window that is well fitted to not only this area but to the measurements of my window openings. Needless to say the contractor's skill at installation is important too. I was leaning towards the Alside Excalibur windows due to the SHGC ratings (house faces West), but after reading the postings I may be better off choosing the Anderson 8500 series window.

I have received quotes from five contractors and none quote the same window, however four of them all sell several of the same manufactures. Why do contractors quote multiple manufacturers but will not help you compare them? This is a nagging concern and seems fishy to me. A little like a used car salesmen as in it doesn't really matter what they sell as long as they sell you the one that gives them the best supplier pricing.