Marvin Ultimate PIne or Mahogany Wood Clad?

NC1924

10 years ago

I realize there are many posts on Marvin Ultimate and I wanted to provide specifics to my situation. This is my first time purchase of window replacements and it's a lot of info to process. Thus feedback is appreciated.

Live in San Franciscio, CA. Our 6-condo building (stucco front & back) will be painted later in October. My condo is on the third floor and runs front to back of building. I want to replace the six windows in the front before the building is painted.

Following is estimate one out of three bids. Other two wanted to either use Milgard or custom build all-wood Douglas Fir. I decided Marvin would be best choice. And tired so not getting more bids.

Does the bid appear reasonable? Including the labor cost?

I am considering bare mahogany wood versus bare pine wood and am told that would double the price of each window. Does that sound reasonable?

I am also told these are inserts so am wondering how rain-proof this would be since I believe this means they use the existing frames.

Appreciate the feedback.

Three front windows
Mahogany trim
Exposed window measurements
29 X 67
35 X 67-1/2
29 X 67
Front bay window two (2) windows are the same size; Cost for window $1,848.00 ($924.00 each), labor $700.00 ($350.00 each) and debris $30.00 = $2,578.00

Middle window at bay; Cost for window $985.00, labor $350.00 and debris $15.00 = $1,350.00

Three front windows
Painted trim
Exposed window measurements
35 X 67
23 X 67-1/2
35 X 67
Front room office window two (2) windows are the same size; Cost for window $1,818.00 ($909.00 each), labor $700.00 ($350.00 each) and debris $30.00 = $2,548.00

Middle window at bay; Cost for window $983.00, labor $350.00 and debris $15.00 = $1,334.00

Comments (3)

PRO
Out of the Woods Inc.- Window & Door Specialists
10 years ago
Yes mahogany can be much more expensive. The rest it's hard to know because there's so many variables and we can't see what you have on the job site.
I'm assuming they're double hungs? If so it could be a pocket window (full window inside your existing frame) or sash kits which use the same frame and jamb liners are inserted and new sash are put in place. Based on the price it's probably a pocket window. Either way they should be fine as far as rain proof if they're installed properly.
NC1924
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you Fenestration_Taylor for your feedback. And helping me with my "window terminology".

Existing windows are deep brown aluminum single-pane single-hungs. At least 23 years old since that's how long I've owned the condo.

Replacements are the same look and color on the exterior as they need to match the same look and color as the other windows (of other five condos) on the front of this building.

Replacements will be double-pane double hungs Marvin Ultimate clad.

I looked up difference between sash kits, pocket window, and inserts. The exterior frame and sill are fine. The interior trim and sill are fine. Thus will be a pocket window (full window inserted into existing frame).

Proper installation and proper maintenance appears to be a frequent comment in the forum posts. Thus will keep that in mind with the contractor I chose.
Related Professionals
Cincinnati Window Contractors · Ruskin Window Contractors · Discovery Bay Window Contractors · Meadow Woods Window Contractors · River Forest Window Contractors · Tucker Window Contractors · Groveton General Contractors · Hutchinson General Contractors · Markham General Contractors · Medway General Contractors · Modesto General Contractors · Peoria General Contractors · West Melbourne General Contractors · Oak Forest Carpenters · Pearland Carpenters
lwerner
10 years ago
Hi NC1924, I couldn't respond to your email because you told Gardenweb not to expose your email address. So I'm responding here.

I ended up with a mix of Andersen 100, 200, and 400 series, plus one Marvin Ultimate window. The Andersen stuff is nice for what it is. It looks nice and operates almost flawlessly.

I haven't seen the Milgard clad in person, because the two sources I was considering (Bruce Bauer lumber in Mountain View and Direct Buy) didn't have any on display.

After seeing the one Marvin window I put in my kitchen, plus all the ones on display on Bauer, I would definitely say: get the Marvin if you can afford it. Their windows are extremely well made and look beautiful. I'm very, very happy with the big, cherry awning window in my kitchen.

I wish I had sprung for Marvin for the rest of the windows in my great room / kitchen and master bedroom. In hindsight I could have afforded it; my employer keeps throwing more money at me. They would have looked nice all in cherry, and my plans to stain the Andersen windows to match didn't work out. (More on that below.)

I know nothing about window economics, but I do do a bit of woodworking. Mahogany is very expensive wood and is also harder and tougher to work than pine or fir. A price delta of 2x doesn't surprise me at all.

Finally, go look at them in person somewhere, don't just use the internet and take people's word for things. With windows, the fit and finish really matters and you can't get a feel for that on the net.

One thing to check when you look at them is how much of the unit is wood. I ordered some Andersen 200 series windows and doors in stain-grade pine. The wood is nice, but at ordering time I didn't notice that the frame and tracks are plastic composite. The white frame would have contrasted too much with the cherry-stained wood I had planned, so I ended up painting the wooden parts white.

Laura