tax credit qualifying windows in Phoenix: need advice!

[sketch]

I am really glad I found this site. My wife and I decided to take advantage of the 30% tax credit to upgrade some (as many as the tax credit will cover) of our windows. We have horizontal gliders, single pane aluminum (original 70's construction, I guess) which I think are the cheapest style of window, and probably one reason why our electric bill is so high in the summer. We have made visits to stores and undergone a number of home visits.

Vinyl Install: Reps from Renewal by Andersen (too expensive, not very good looking) and Pella (thought this was a good brand, but am thinking twice after reading postings here, lowest price so far) both talked about removing the old glass and attaching the new window to the aluminum frame, somehow. Other vendors (Simonton through Home Depot, a Milgard vendor) are very dismissive of this approach. We don't understand the difference and if this is bad or good.

non-vinyl for the showpiece front window (rough opening 7'10x4'10" high): The wife loves the Pella Designer Series wood window with all the bells and whistles, including the third pane to create a space for an internal shade, 2 casement flankers (no sliders by Pella for this) with sliding screens (to keep out of sight), but unfinished (they want like another 400 to stain it). I think this is Al clad on the outside. Seems really expensive: 3600. I wonder if just the Pella vinyl windows are bad and the wood ones are good. Still, I am thinking I should be able to do better than this, albeit without the shade feature. I got a quote for an Eagle (bought by Andersen) clad wood window that has a shade, for about the same amount.

Without install, Home D quoted me a woodclad fiberglass Milgard for less than 1200, and a wood clad Jeld-Wen for 955, both of these plus tax. All our windows are accessible groundlevel window in a stuccoed block construction, so it seems like someone could install this window for 300 or less based on the quotes I have for the install portion; maybe they are low-balling that and jacking the material for tax credit purposes. Are Pella wood windows good, or would I be able to get something better for less?

I noticed people like Marvin, but a quick check of their site reveals their gliders do not qualify for tax credit, and I am surprised that some of their 250 (240? anyway, less than low-e 365) dual panes supposedly qualify.

I saw postings here that Simonton is a good window. Home D here gives quotes for installing Simonton vinyl windows. Had their Simonton guy come out and do his sale pitch and got a quote that does not tell me what line of windows it is referring to (all I know is they are vinyl) which for four medium sized horizontal sliders (3'10"x3'11', two 4'7"x4'11', 5'11x3'11") they wanted 3278 including tax ('no tax'). >800 per window? that seems high compared to what I see in the postings here, but I notice most of the postings here seem to be doing a lot more windows than us, who are going to limit ourselves to what the tax credit is willing to provide (5000 material cost to get the max 1500 credit). Maybe the small job gets a shellacking on the per unit price?

[Windows on Washington]

If you bulleted your questions, you will get many more responses.

On in install question, some people are talking about "jumping" the frame or doing a flanged front install. That is okay, it just leaves a section of high conductive aluminum exposes. If you have stucco, it is usually preferable to avoid the stucco damage.

Pella's wood is much better than their vinyl lines.

$800 per opening is high depending on the installation details and options.

[dutch]

I think you are looking in the wrong place. Home Depot, as has been said a million times here, subcontracts out the installation, so you really don't know who will actually be doing the job.

Go to the Milgard website and look up a dealer there. Same with other brands in vinyl.