Simington vs. Great Lakes Windows

[NewCondoOwnerVA]

Hi Everyone,

I was hoping to get some opinions on Simington and Great Lakes Windows. I'm a new condo owner and want to replace my windows. I live by a really noisy road so I was thinking about getting triple pane. Plus my den is mostly windows so it gets chilly in the winter.

I'm just a beginner and haven't been to a dealer yet, but wanted to get your opinions on these two companies. I've seen their names come up quite a bit. I'm looking for a good solid window that won't break my bank, but that won't leave me thinking I wish I had paid the extra $200 (or other amount) for a much better product.

Thanks!

[InfoSponge]

Simonton and Great Lakes both make midrange to high end windows. You'll find an equivalent Great Lakes is a bit more pricey, most likely, because there might be only one "exclusive" dealer serving your area. If you live in a more extreme climate and also need serious noise control, look into triple pane with laminated glass. Laminated glass does add to the cost. If the costs are too great, you could consider laminated glass only on the windows closest to the source of noise (though all would be best, of course).

[NewCondoOwnerVA]

I appreciate the response InfoSponge. I went to a window dealer today and we talked about a variety of options. One of them was the Schuco 3 pane window wich was pretty pricey. We also talked about adding a mon-ray (?) pane to a less expensive window to cut out noise control. But I realized that the spacing between my window panes is very narrow and the guy said that most likely whatever I get, especially if there is more space would probably be better. The Schuco's seemed impressive but not sure I can afford it, with the the labor too. Installation is more expensive than I thought. But I haven't received an official estimate yet.