Need help on Replacement Window Brands/Dealers - Long Island

Hi - I have a 1925 Colonial home and want to replace the windows. Not having any luck determining which windows are the best, or a least good. Looked at Lowes, Home Depot and Sears. All have good "pitches" but it's all so confusing...Anyone have any recommendations?
Vinyl or wood?
Thanks in advance!!

Take a small amount of time and read several post on this site.

To decide between vinyl vs wood, you need to assess your goals and priorities for the project. Vinyl is going to offer better performance, less maintenance, and a lower price, but to beauty of wood is unrivaled.
On choosing between vinyl products, forget those fancy sales pitches and all of that impressive sounding jargon. The thermal and structural performance ratings of each product are independently tested, and give you an excellent indication of quality, as well as a reflection of how all of those other features will actually effect performance.
Look primarily at u-value, air infiltration, and design pressure... None of the options that you've seen thus far are top performers in any of those areas. Top performing products are HiMark, Softlite Elements, Sunrise Restorations, and Polaris Ultraweld.

Can't add much to what has been said already. You have two very distinctive and different options on the table.

Most find that they do like the look of wood but not at the price of wood.

If the window that you need is white (interior), you are hard pressed to legitimize the additional expense of wood in that case.

Please add additional details and decision criteria and we will help try to steer you decision with advice.

Windows on Washington

3/25/13 - update...Well I had Lowes and Home Depot come out and quote me on replacement windows. Sears never bothered to show up or call...
Lowes offered 2 styles of Pella in vinyl...I like the 350 series based on look and available options/upgrades like the screens and grids. The quote is around $16k...He also quoted me $27k for Pella 850 in wood...
Home Depot quoted me on Simonton VantagePointe vinyl...6500 series @ $16k and 6100 series @ $11.5k
Any insight on the Pella 350's or the Simonton 6100 & 6500?

The Pella 350 is a pretty good looking window but I still cannot put up both thumbs because of the pocket sill. I am not a fan of that design and for good reason.

The Home Depot window is okay.

Have you tried some local contractors?

Limack
How many windows are there? Are they all double hung?
Any grids?
White interior and white exterior?
Agree,, not a fan of pella vinyl at all. Many other higher quality vinyl window offerings that are much better designed.

The Simonton 6500 is the only one of those choices that I would consider. Can't comment on the pricing without more detail as laid out by masterext.
I would second the recommendation to look into some established local window companies as well. Much like the bargain $185 window types, box stores pay a fraction of the going rate to their installers which leads to a revolving door of subs, who may or may not be very well qualified in the first place. If you like Simonton, the 5500 is the equivalent of what HD labels as a 6500, but as I mentioned earlier, you may be able to get a better performer for the same (or better) price.

hello - well I read your responses - thank you!! appreciate the prompt responses and the wealth of info...I researched the Okna, Softlite, and Sunrise companies...The only one that I could find that had a dealer near me was Okna...The company was great to deal with so far and they were prompt in connecting me to a local LI dealer...I spoke with the local dealer/contractor, who was up front, gruff and completely honest...He gave me info Home Depot and Lowes did not even touch on, like u value, the wind testing, air infiltration, etc...Pretty impressive for an introductory call. They are coming out next week to price the house.

I am looking to replace all 34 windows. Looking at grids since I think it will maintain the integrity of the house, (c. 1925)...Looking at mostly double-hung, with a casement in the kitchen.

Sounds like you are on the right track! Keep us posted on the progress.

It is a shame that so many companies do not provide all the info clearly and concisely for you to understand what you should look for in windows. I think they hope the can dazzle you into buying something that is not worth what they project. It is a constant battle to educate and help homeowners get the right type of info on products and installation.
I march on.

I just received a quote from Power Home Remodeling Group, who sells their own window, made by Northeast Building Products, out of PA...The product looks nice, the warranty was awesome - double lifetime, very sturdy looking window...

Any input on this brand?

The quote for all 34 windows, 32 double hung, one double slider and 2 slim picture windows was $26,700...which included the grids on the top only in each window.

There is nothing that differential about their warranty in this case and many folks will have similiar covrage.

The window is average and outfitting it with tempered glass makes for a nice demo but adds nothing of any real value except where required per code.

What were the performance numbers like? U-factor, air infiltration, dp, shgc, etc?

In my opinion that's at least $200 more per window then what their window is really worth. It's a contractor's grade window with double strength glass that features tempering on the inner lite of it's double glazing. The fact that they demonstrate most of it's regular features as being "state of the art" really doesn't separate it from any other $200 window in the market as it really doesn't have anything else special about it all. I actually think their Sashlite glazing as a detriment, and not a benefit longterm.

If you viewed that window side by side to an OKNA/HiMark 500/800, Soft-Lite Elements/Imperial LS, Sunrise, or Affinity product you would see exactly how inferior that window really is. Power has sold windows within the last ten years from two other window manufacturers that are now out of business. I've talked with several home owners that keep calling for warranty service on these products and all Power kept doing was sending out rookie sales reps to sell them new windows.

hello!
Well the Okna dealer came today and priced the windows...
34 windows = 33 dh, 1 double slider...all with 6x0 grids on the top only.
quote = $14, 350
Needless to say I was shocked by the price...A lot lower than I had thought...

Looks like this is the route I'm going to take...Thank you all for your assistance.

I will provide updates on the progress...