Only going by what I have seen from other posts, Anlin windows - made in Fresno - are well regarded in your neck of the woods. Have you checked those out?

Haven't checked that out yet, but I will take a look. Thank you.

Do you know if the composite windows have thinner frames over their vinyl counterpart? I read people complaining about sealing failures due to expansion from the temp changes. I'm wondering if that wont be much of an issue in my area since the temp is more consistent.

+1

Haven't dealt directly with many windows on the Left Coast but they seem to be well liked and thought of.

As far as the frame question goes, it varies by window and while the fiberglass and composite frames tend to run a bit thinner than vinyl, there is no hard and fast rule.

Expansion and contraction should have no issue on seal failure if the windows (regardless of material) are engineered properly.

I would think vinyl would serve you well in such a temperate climate, if you can find one that meets the aesthetic requirements you have.

With your budget it seems like vinyl is your option. Stay away from big box store vinyl windows. Those tend to be the lower end. Milgard Tuscany is popular out here on the west coast, Simonton has a west coast product called daylight max, it's only at Simonton dealers, don't buy Simonton from Home Depot, it's a lower line. If you don't want Vinyl you can look into Marvin Integrity All Ultrex, it's a fiberglass window, might be close to your budget.

Taylor, any idea if the home depot Milgard Tuscany is the same as other window specialists? The home depot by me can special order any of the lines from marvin, anderson, and simonton.

They may be able to get you the window but what you really want is proper installation, aftercare, customer service and attention to detail. You have a higher likelihood of getting that with a window dealer, not home depot.

Good point