I could see mixing brands on one side of the house for rare situations, but I assume because of esthetics (consistent looks), staying with one brand is the norm?

What about if a large wall will have several windows and also a sliding patio door.  And you have an affinity for one company's slider but an affinity for another company's fixed and casement style windows?

I'm not sure staying with one brand is critical in most homes. Mixing them in the same array is difficult, but not impossible to overcome with a unified trim scheme.

One of the rules I find I use most is if the units are visible from the same place or not. Only the most astute observers will be able to tell if there are differences from room to room. Of course, same rules go for the outside where trim and paint can be used to cover up differences that are visible when you view things from a single location.

doors and windows are typically from different manufacturers anyway

Posted By Bob I on 04 May 2013 12:42 PM
doors and windows are typically from different manufacturers anyway

Bob,
true, but this may not apply to a slider patio door, where one might want to match them to windows on the same wall

In my search, one of the companies couldn't even match fixed windows with operable windows.  They said the frame was a certain size, and if it was operable, of course, that made the perceived frame even larger.  I gang up some windows which are a combination of fixed and operable, and this would make it look weird.  I would prefer that you can't tell if a window is operable or not based on the "frame" thickness.  So, even staying within a brand doesn't necessarily mean that all of your windows will match.  I am not sure if this was an issue with the one brand, but that is what they told me.  Their website is not very helpful.

One of the window dealers suggested to use nicer windows at the front of the house and in public areas of the house.  It was an interesting way to have some nicer windows with a lower overall budget.  I think he was suggesting casements versus double hung, or different lines with the same brand.  My wife was leaning that way, too, but I have convinced her that the windows have a function to perform as well as looking nice.  So, the private areas of the house would actually demand higher performance for me, insulating properties and noise reduction, so for me, it didn't make sense to use different brands or models in general.

However, we will probably use a different brand of entry door, because we are planning to have a wood entry door, and our other doors and windows will all be aluminum.

So, even staying within a brand doesn't necessarily mean that all of your windows will match

"Matching" is not the same as identical. Pursuing "identical" is useless.

our other doors and windows will all be aluminum.

Aluminum? What's green or efficient about that?

Posted By ICFHybrid on 06 May 2013 01:34 AM

So, even staying within a brand doesn't necessarily mean that all of your windows will match

"Matching" is not the same as identical. Pursuing "identical" is useless.

our other doors and windows will all be aluminum.

Aluminum? What's green or efficient about that?

I don't understand what you are saying.  Where did someone mention identical?  Please clarify.

Aluminum is probably the greenest material in the world.  Why are they not efficient?  I don't have the performance numbers handy, but they are way more efficient than many brands and models being discussed in this forum.  Are you just trying to cause issues?  Why don't you make the same comment about every inefficient double hung thread that exists?

Where did someone mention identical?

That's what you are down to when you are complaining about frame thickness. You should be able to mull together windows of the same manufacturer's line without worrying about the differences between fixed and openers.

Why don't you make the same comment about every inefficient double hung thread that exists?

Because there are too many of those threads to address. When someone is set on a double-hung for the look, there is not much that can be done about it.

Don't forget to ensure the same glass is used for each individual elevation. I have seen where 180 was right next to 366 and the difference was prevalent.

Posted By ICFHybrid on 06 May 2013 08:33 AM

Where did someone mention identical?

That's what you are down to when you are complaining about frame thickness. You should be able to mull together windows of the same manufacturer's line without worrying about the differences between fixed and openers.

If you read what I wrote, one manufacturer that gave me a quote couldn't do that or wouldn't do that. So, I am trying to provide information to the OP to ask that type of question. If you believe that all manufacturers can do this, you are wrong. I am trying to add some value to the discussion instead of just criticizing something you don't understand.

Why don't you make the same comment about every inefficient double hung thread that exists?

Because there are too many of those threads to address. When someone is set on a double-hung for the look, there is not much that can be done about it.

I looked back at your posts, and I see that you aren't using european tilt/turn windows, so you also aren't shooting for the highest efficiency. How do you know if your pella designer windows will have higher performance than my thermally broken aluminum tilt/turn european windows? I doubt that it will. So please stick to what you know. You complain about Lbear with his comments, and yours are exactly the same. If I don't like it or don't understand it, then it sucks. When someone asks how aluminum is green, obviously, they aren't clear on the concept of green. Aluminum is the most highly recycled material in the world.

Don't forget to ensure the same glass is used for each individual elevation

Excellent point. That will give you far greater eye pains than simply using windows from different lines.

so you also aren't shooting for the highest efficiency.

No, I'm not. Because I live in a relatively mild climate, I am shooting for the most efficient combination of performance and appearance.

How do you know if your pella designer windows will have higher performance than my...

I certainly don't know, but neither have I made any claims that they will.

Aluminum is the most highly recycled material in the world.

I'm quite aware of that, but energy efficiency is something that is also considered and there is also the initial cost issue.

Posted By ICFHybrid on 06 May 2013 03:38 PM

so you also aren't shooting for the highest efficiency.

No, I'm not. Because I live in a relatively mild climate, I am shooting for the most efficient combination of performance and appearance.

How do you know if your pella designer windows will have higher performance than my...

I certainly don't know, but neither have I made any claims that they will.

Aluminum is the most highly recycled material in the world.

I'm quite aware of that, but energy efficiency is something that is also considered and there is also the initial cost issue.

Your initial statement was "aluminum: what is green or efficient about that?" so, it reasons that you are saying it isn't green or efficient, so it would assume that you have chosen greener and more efficient windows. so, in essence, you have claimed that your windows are greener and more energy efficient than my selection. however, when i ask you to compare your windows to my not green and not efficient windows, you can't say that your windows are greener or more efficient. so, again, what was the value of "aluminum: what is green or efficient about that". zero from what i can see.

so, it reasons that you are saying it isn't green or efficient,

Or....maybe I am asking you to tell us "what is green or efficient" about it?

I have another question for you. Is there some other forum on the Internet where coming in with 16 posts and an attitude/chip on your shoulder is a good idea?

Posted By ICFHybrid on 06 May 2013 04:27 PM

I have another question for you. Is there some other forum on the Internet where coming in with 16 posts and an attitude/chip on your shoulder is a good idea?

I second that. He jumped all over me when he had 10 posts and used vulgarity against me in numerous posts. I think he might have been here before under a different name or he is just that type of internet personality. I don't understand why he can't disagree without attacking people???

Posted By Lbear on 06 May 2013 04:35 PM

Posted By ICFHybrid on 06 May 2013 04:27 PM

I have another question for you. Is there some other forum on the Internet where coming in with 16 posts and an attitude/chip on your shoulder is a good idea?

I second that. He jumped all over me when he had 10 posts and used vulgarity against me in numerous posts. I think he might have been here before under a different name or he is just that type of internet personality. I don't understand why he can't disagree without attacking people???

I thought you said that you were planning to stop posting to my posts. You are an amazing work of art. There you go again, lying and just throwing out flaming insults. Don't you see anything wrong with what you are doing. maybe, i will do like the two of you, and just continue to post on every topic about nothing, so i can high have a high post count, too. that would be great. the both of you attacked me, and now you get offended when i reply. isn't that odd?
Lbear,
1. you have accused me of promoting chinese windows
2. you have accused me of being a salesperson
3. you have claimed that I am mentally unstable
4. now you have accused me of using a different username
Exactly, I have only posted a few times, and yet nearly every one of them, you attack me and bad mouth me, and then you wonder why I feel compelled to respond. Why don't you do as you say, and quit responding to my posts. And please, mention how many posts you have, that makes it all the more believable. Why don't you look at what you are doing yourself, and get off your perceived pedestal. Your initial response to my window post was, "don't go for that chinese junk". when i question you, you talk about number of posts and whatnot. you are a racist and you are egotistical little person. i will continue to defend myself. if you could read, you would see, i only talk about your comments and your attitude, you accuse me of things that in the normal court of law would be libel, but here on these forums, there are no repercussions, so you continue to just accuse people of whatever suits your fancy on any given day. again, stop posting to my posts.

Posted By ICFHybrid on 06 May 2013 04:27 PM

so, it reasons that you are saying it isn't green or efficient,

Or....maybe I am asking you to tell us "what is green or efficient" about it?

I have another question for you. Is there some other forum on the Internet where coming in with 16 posts and an attitude/chip on your shoulder is a good idea?

Seriously, you want believe to believe that maybe you weren't being insulting with your rhetorically written question. Don't pretend that it was an actual question. I love how the number of posts makes you some kind of expert. It just tells you how many posts that you have made. Where is there a correlation between the number of posts and the person's level of expertise? None, but I guess it makes you feel better. So, why do you insult people who have few posts. Are you allowed because you have thousands of posts, and I have a few. And because I have a few, then I can't call you on it. I guess in your world, you are allowed to hit people, and then you get mad when they hit you back. I reread your comments on my post, and it was insulting and provided no benefit except to harass a new user. Amazingly, I didn't like it, and I called you on it, and now I have a chip on my shoulder. I provided my experience to a fellow forum user, and all you can do is add some flippant remark. I guess having all of those posts hasn't taught you anything about etiquette or manners. All of my initial posts are all benign, and then you and lbear feel compelled to just add some totally worthless personally attacking drivel, and you wonder why someone will attack back. If you insult me, I will continue to return the favor.

I'm surprised more manufacturers of windows don't also do doors. To us it only made sense.

Posted By Josh C on 09 May 2013 04:14 PM
I'm surprised more manufacturers of windows don't also do doors. To us it only made sense.

Who's us?

A lot of window manufacturers also make doors. Just about most, really...