Replies

1. 
   curley | Mar 20, 2004 04:32pm | #1

   Click on advance search for "pella" and hang onto your seat!!!

2. 
   ANDYBUILD | Mar 20, 2004 04:58pm | #2

   IMO Pella isn't worth the money at all

   Anderson is!

   Depends on what look your going for.

   For me in spite of the cost I used Marvins which is a fabulous window and door.........but they charge for it.

   I pretty much think Marvins are the best on the market.

   Andersons come in second because of quality and price.

   BE a pane : )

                    andy

   "My life is my practice"

3. 
   WayneL5 | Mar 20, 2004 06:09pm | #3

   I like Andersen casements.  Besides their other quality features, the sash on the inside, where it touches the glass, is vinyl.  The rest of the interior trim is wood.  By having the part that touches the glass made from vinyl you won't get black mildew stains and rotting like wood will do if you occasionally get some moisture on the glass.

   Quality windows will not get moisture in most rooms, but if your humidity is especially high or you get sub-zero temperatures even the best windows will get a little damp.

   
   

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   Edited 3/20/2004 1:27 pm ET by WAYNEL5

4. 
   Piffin | Mar 20, 2004 09:41pm | #4

   Andersen, because you are not only buying a window, you are buying a company to back it up. Pella is marginal in that department.

   get the 400 series Andersen. The 200 series is lighter with fewer options and a cheap hardware for low budget markets, like HD. If you want the quality to surpass Marvin, the Andersen KML line is worthy

   edit - I just noticed tht you are planning to buy at the local big box store. That will probably be your wort choice if you ever need sevice after the sale, and if they tell you, "It can't be done that way" or "Sure, we can do it that way" there is a 50/50 chance that they are wrong

   Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

   
   

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   Edited 3/20/2004 2:58 pm ET by piffin

5. 
   timkline | Mar 21, 2004 12:28am | #5

   I think you should base your decision on more things than just asking  " Which is the best window maker out there ?" Personally, I think any of the manufacturers named above plus at least 5 or 6 others are fine and close enough in quality that you should ask yourself other questions.

   You ought to consider the style of house that you have now and which manufacturer makes a window which best fits with what you've got. You don't want the new product to blatantly stand out from the rest of the house.

   For example, if you have a home built in the 1920's which has a custom and historical feel, I would not consider an Andersen product for the job. Others here may scream, but to me, the proportions of their products lend themselves to use in buildings built after 1950.  They are fine windows but not for historical applications.  In this use, you may be more satisfied with a Marvin product.

   You should also look at the exterior of the existing windows. Are they wood ?  If so, a wood or aluminum clad exterior on a new window would probably match better than a vinyl clad unit.

   carpenter in transition

6. 
   tyke | Mar 21, 2004 04:46am | #6

   I use Andersen exclusively and I find their casements a fine product. The only problem I've found (through my sixteen years) of installing the Andersen casements are the hardware. I ve gone from working for a contractor to be a self employed carpenter to a Building contractor . all in the same town. So I have been called back to some of the Houses I helped build 16 years ago for repairs. and the biggest problem is the hardware rusting and causing operation problems.Anymore,I order them with corrosion resistant hardware.

   I have put pellas in twice and let me just say  pella is not my favorite for type of window.

   but thats another subject altogether.