My mother lives in a different state than me (she's in NJ). She lives in a condo where of course there are rules about construction changes. That narrows down her replacement window choices to "replacement" (not new construction); they have to be 8 over 8 grills (3 vertical and 1 horizontal making 8 boxes); white interior and exterior. I'd prefer she not get vinyl as I'm worried they'll warp. We want her to get a tax-credit qualified design. She has 8 windows.

Renewal by Anderson quoted $1500 per window. Seriously. I talked her out of that.

Then a local contractor quoted $1,000 per window but they were VINYL. She had signed the contract! Suave Frenchman with a pretty beard... I got the run-around canceling her order and getting the check back until I explained that I do reputation marketing for a living. Boom, they suddenly found the check and brought it to her house at 9:30pm last night! (If you ever need leverage with a local contractor tell them you will tell your story on every forum on the internet. It's not libel if it's true.)

That contractor swore they meant to quote the Starmark composite window for that price and it was a terrible mistake they put it in as vinyl and we can't get your check back because the bookkeeper's mother died. I mean PULEASE!

The owner seemed willing to make it up to me with a good deal but all he could come up with was that the Starmark was superior to Anderson 400, and he'd do either one for $750 but he thought the Starmark was better. I read a bunch of posts on garden web, people here seem to agree.

My guy in NH only sells Anderson and told me to get her the Woodwright 400 with Sunsmart. But it turns out that if you get the grills on the inside then the window no longer qualifies for the tax credit.

Add to this that my mother is on a fixed income. 8 windows at $750 is $6k. Her budget before the tax credit is $4k.

Can she even get a quality window for this money?