Kitchen Window (casement/awning?) + Okna pricing in MA

[mszabo]

I will be replacing all the original wood windows in my house. I currently have 13 Double Hung windows of various sizes plus a double casement window above my kitchen sink.

1) My first question concerns the kitchen window. I believe this window is about 39" wide. I'm somewhat concerned with the glass loss if I replace this with 2 replacement casement windows. Seems like it could be a loss of another 8" of glass if you include the post between the two windows. Does anyone have any thoughts on how these work out? Could a single casement window be made for the whole 39" space (for a reasonable price), or would an awning/slider/ or even a double hung be a better choice. Awning seems like a nice visual choice but I'm not sure how much ventilation there would be when say I burn something in the oven.

I've received a price quote from my local Okna dealer windows w/o grids and the double pane argon filled glass (U=~0.25)

500 Series: $6350
Starmark: $10720 + 2340 for woodgrain trim.

We like the idea of a wood colored trim, however stepping up from 6K to 13K is quite the hit. Our dealer stated he doesn't sell the OKNA 800 series which appears to come with a 'wood' finish.

2) I don't mind (much) paying for a better window the $2500 for wood trim actually bothers me more than the $4000 for a composite material. What exactly is the wood trim on a Starmark window is this price difference justified?

3) Anyone have an idea of the price difference between the 500 and 800 /w wood laminate would be? Would it be worth asking the dealer (there is only one in my area I believe) to look into this further?

4) Is the simulated wood even something to consider? I haven't seen any demo's with this option so is it really cheezy? For that matter I haven't seen a lot of window pictures from manufacturers showing the look of their vinyl insert from the inside with the traditional wood trim surrounding it. I'm just assuming it might not be very attractive.

[Windows on Washington]

1.

39" is a bit outside the max width on the Okna casement. You may get them to make it a bit wider if you ask. The twin casement will usually cost you about 6-7" over a single between the extra lineal on either side and the mullion post.

If it is close to 39", you could always put a wood buck to narrow it down to 36" and probably still loose less glass.

2.

The wood interior on the Starmark is a paintable and stainable laminate. It is similar to Marvin's Everwood interior (not quite as nice though because of the welding marks). The Starmark is a nice window but may be unnecessary depending on your requirements. The composite is a nice material and does have some advantages over a standard extruded vinyl, however, it is a bit bulkier and will cost you a bit of glass.

3.

Price difference between the 500 and 800 series is usually around $50 depending on the dealer. The laminate charges should be about identical.

4.

Depends entirely on what you want the window to look like. If you application calls for a white window, why bother with the wood. If you want to stain something or paint a custom interior color, you are going to need the wood-like interior.

[mszabo]

Well what it calls for is a bit up in the air, hence why the question . Certainly the current windows are stained wood and all the trim around matches. So it seems like it would be best to get the windows to match that, although the $7K jump for that is a bit scary. However my opinion is pretty much based on my house and the few houses I've been in recently. Certainly in New England there are a lot of 'traditional' houses around so mostly I've seen all stained wood. So having not seen a replacement window stuck in with a stained frame around it I can't really judge how awkward it would look. Of course for that matter I haven't to my knowledge seen a replacement window with the simulated wood. I imagine simulated wood could potentially look pretty awful.

I suppose painting all the windowsills to match the window could be an option as well.

[Windows on Washington]

Window4U has several pictures of the Starmark with stained wood.

Dave...can you post them up?

[Window4U (IL)]

The stainable woodgrain of the Starmark looks exactly like wood, and I mean exactly. It is a beautiful finished product.

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[davidmack4444]

Frameless cabinets, which exhibit a modern appearance in keeping with the design movement of "minimalism," are typically constructed of particle board, which features a high degree of dimensional stability, adherence to dimensional standards, absence of warping, and uniformity.

Kitchen laminate

[lookingForWindowsDC]

are the Starmark the same as the Okna 800?
If not what are the differences?

[Windows on Washington]

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