Cooper wrote:

"Joshua Putnam" wrote

The mullions on vinyl are in between the panes

That's one of the bigger drawbacks we found when considering replacing
our 100-year-old windows -- we definitely don't want windows that look
like someone put strips white electrical tape on them, which is what the
between-the-pane vinyl pseudo-mullions suggest. They're about as
attractive as wood-grained contact paper on a station wagon.

The mullions in the dual glazed are just like what are found in some
Andersen & Pella, unless the Andersen & Pella have the snap in grid (Yuk).
As you can see, the design is also done with wood windows.

Most people find when purchasing a century home, they end up being a money
pit. The ordinary average Joe doesn't earn the income it takes to properly
restore a century home with properly designed windows/copper gutters/slate
roof etc etc. So they end up looking for alternatives which include doing
nothing at all. Or, having an old house slapped together. I think you're
finding this out already, by looking at vinyl windows for a century home.

I think you're now tilting at windmills, too, Coop...looking to see the
alternatives is what you've been promoting. So when he did and didn't
like what he saw, that's fair.

I agree that for cost-saving many shortcuts have been made by all
manufacturers--some of these are for energy conservation, some for ease
of cleaning/use for the modern home, some simply for the convenience
of the installer, others simply to cut cost.

Can't argue that if one is planning on restoring a classic, one had best
have deep pockets. But, there's nothing new about that, and there's
nothing wrong about expressing one's opinion that these newer features
are not one's "cup of tea"...

It's taken about $40k to re-roof and repair/restore the barn for
heavens, sake, and that's with all the work done by myself and one hired
hand (who was a homeless ex-aircraft mechanic who ended up in town after
being laid off at Boeing/Wichita) that was an excellent hand but not
expensive at all as compared to "professional" labor...and that's a
barn for heaven's sake, and it wasn't really in all that bad of shape
(except Dad had decided 20 years ago he wasn't going to spend the money
on it as we hadn't made a decsion to return and he knew it would outlast
him w/o doing anything).

Roof -- 60 sq 1/2" cedar shakes @ $95/sq (got a deal there) -- ~$6k
Replacement Siding -- 2000 l-ft 3-1/4" T&G fir (custom) -- ~$3k
Paint (40 gal primer, 80 gal finish) -- ~$8k
Miscellaneous lumber, etc. (swag) -- ~$2k
Labor -- ~20k

That doesn't count any of the additional tools, safety equipment, the
JLG 40-ft boom lift I found on eBay for $5k (best thing since sliced
bread around the farmstead for repair/maintenance), 22 sections of
scaffolding to reach 2-high one side eave-high, etc.