Vinyl
The usual choice in Clark County. Good value, low upkeep.
Window features
The window, not just the price.
A quote is a number. This page is what that number is actually for — the material, the glass, the brand Mark orders it from, and the shape it comes in.
AI-generated imagery — not an actual Clearview unit
Why it matters
A small part of the wall. A large part of the bill.
Windows are a small share of a house's square footage and a large share of what it loses in a Washington winter. A failed seal, a tired weatherstrip, and a single pane of glass all show up the same way — a draft at the lock, a cold chair by the window, a heating bill that climbs a little more each year the unit gets older.
None of that means every window needs replacing. It means the choices below are worth understanding before you pay for one — whether that's with us or anyone else.
What it's made of
Vinyl or fiberglass.
Fiberglass
Stiffer, holds paint, costs more. Worth it on big openings.
Vinyl
Multi-chamber, welded corners
- Hollow chambers trap air, add rigidity
- Lowest cost per opening; the Washington default
- Best on standard-size openings, most colors baked in
Fiberglass
Solid pultruded profile
- Denser material, thinner sightline
- Holds shape over wide sliders and large pictures
- Costs more; paintable rather than color-molded
Both hold up in Washington weather. The choice is mostly about span: a wide slider or a tall picture window can flex a standard vinyl frame over time, where fiberglass holds its shape — which is also why it can get away with a narrower face for the same opening, shown above at the same scale. On a typical bedroom or bath opening, vinyl is the workhorse for a reason.
We install both. Which one makes sense depends on the opening size and what you want out of it — vinyl for most standard openings, fiberglass where a wide slider or picture window would otherwise flex. Mark will say which on site, not from a photo.
Which window
Cascade or Milgard.
Cascade
The standard window Clearview installs on most jobs.
Milgard
A step up in the window itself, same install — runs more per opening than Cascade.
Same crew, same install, a different window in the opening. Ask which one a quote is written around, and why — Mark will tell you what he is ordering and what it costs before anything goes on paper.
Glass
Double- or triple-pane, Low-E either way.
Every unit we install is an insulated glass package — double- or triple-pane, with a Low-E coating tuned for a Pacific Northwest heating season rather than the hot, dry climate that coating was originally built for. That is the difference between glass that looks clear and glass that is actually doing the job here.
A cloudy or fogged pane is a different problem entirely — a failed seal, not a coating choice. How to tell the difference.
U-factor
Heat lost through the window — lower is tighter
WA rebate range
0.27
0.150.30.5
Below about 0.3 is the range Washington utility rebates usually look for. A typical Clearview double-pane, Low-E install lands near 0.27; triple-pane goes lower still.
SHGC
Solar heat let through — higher means more free heat
Useful in our climate
0.32
0.150.30.7
This is where climate flips the advice: a hot, sunny region wants SHGC low to keep heat out. Vancouver wants a little more of it on south-facing glass, since that sun is free heat for eight months of the year.
Shapes and operation
Every opening, however it moves.
The style does not change what is in the glass — it changes how the sash opens, and how much of the frame you see once it is shut.
Slider
Two sashes, one slides sideways past the other.
Double-hung
Top and bottom sash both move. Usually tilts in to clean.
Single-hung
Only the bottom sash moves. The top half is fixed.
Picture / fixed
Does not open. Just glass in a frame.
Casement
Hinged at the side, cranks outward.
Awning
Hinged at the top, cranks out from the bottom.
Bay or bow
Projects out from the wall. Its own framing and roof work.
Arches, transoms, and other non-rectangular openings are measured and priced individually — not on this list, but not unusual either. Doors — sliding patio door and french door — are not technically windows, but Mark sets both on the same trip if you are doing a whole elevation.
Hardware and color
Whatever the line actually offers.
Locking hardware, interior and exterior color, and grid patterns all come from whichever line Mark orders — Cascade's options are not identical to Milgard's. Rather than publish a swatch board that might not match what ships, he brings the real samples to the measure, so you are choosing from what is actually available.
Warranty
Ask what's covered, and by whom.
The glass and hardware carry the manufacturer's own warranty — Cascade and Milgard each write theirs differently. The install is a separate promise, from Mark. Ask him to spell out both before you sign: what's covered, for how long, and who you call if something needs it.