anybody replace windows in their house of late? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Hogweed · #1 12-20-2008, 09:47 PM

old house w/ old windows. thinking of upgrding to more ee windows. trying to find out a decent price range to work in. looking for a cost per window figure and any help is welcome
thanks
gregg

raymr · #2 12-21-2008, 12:26 AM

I think the price will vary by region. Best thing to do is get 3 or 4 estimates and pick the one you like best (not necessarily the cheapest). Get references and look at their product samples to make sure the quality is what you expect. We replaced all our old single pane windows/storm windows with zero maintenance vinyl clad. If you are going to be there a while, get the best quality you can afford.

Hogweed · #3 12-21-2008, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymr

If you are going to be there a while, get the best quality you can afford.

that is truly the rub
we should have done it three years ago but couldn't "afford" it...now we're looking to move but it isn't a sure thing

Hatterasguy · #4 12-21-2008, 09:54 AM

On the new houses, we can get Silver Line or Atriums for about $200 a pop ish. Double hung, vinyle, hurricane rated. They are OK for the money.

http://www.atrium.com/

http://www.silverlinewindow.com/companyinfo.cfm

Were doing a higher end build now, and the owner picked Anderson which are about $400-$500 each, and IMHO suck. None of them close right, total junk. Atriums would have been better. They also had big snots of chaulk in the corners so they wouldn't fully close until that was dug out! None of the frames were straight, and they use an annoying hurricane bracket system. Took the framer twice as along to install them. I'm surprised because my dad installed this same window about 5 years ago in our house and they are great. Something must have happend.

Marvin or Harvey are the way to go for nice windows.

aklim · #5 12-21-2008, 10:21 AM

How about Gotta's favorite brand? Pella?

t walgamuth · #6 12-21-2008, 10:59 AM

If you have an older home with double hung wood windows and can find a craftsman capable of repairing the damaged ones I have found that repairing and painting the original windows, and installing high quality storms and wrapping the frames on the outside with aluminum gives an excellent result and is cost effecient.

I did this in my old home of 1866 and my old commercial building 1928.

On my new home 1991, I used Andersen windows. I have had no issues with them. Andersens in my experience are an excellent window but the frames are fairly flexible and care must be taken to install them straight. If you pull the frame out of its plane the window will not seal.

I actually wanted to replace the windows in my old office building but could not find any new windows at any price that were half the quality of the original windows so I repaired them and installed the storms.

catmandoo62 · #7 12-21-2008, 12:27 AM

i just put 4 new windows in.all triple low e glass.have you heard of habitat for humanity.well here in iowa they have habitat stores.they have alot of excess stuff from their builds and they also get overstocked items from lowe's.they have alot of odd size windows and are about 1/4 the cost of the big box stores.

Larry Delor · #8 12-21-2008, 12:39 AM

Block house, or stick house?
Since you need a permit to replace a window here (six screws out, six screws in), I may know of a guy that replaced some of his old anderson crank windows, with double paned vinyl windows. When he replaced his first (call 2x3) window, it cost him about $79. They have since broken the $100 barrier. A call 2x3 is around 3 feet wide, and a bit taller than it's wide. Sound is remarkably reduced, drafts are a thing of the past. You can no longer feel the heat radiating from the window when it is hot outside.
The trouble with older block homes, is that the window openings may not be a standard size. Same goes for stick homes...but at least with those, altering the opening isn't such a pain. (making sure the opening is square, can be fun too).

Oh...I saw this guy, replace one of his windows in just over half an hour. He probably took about 8 minutes to caulk the edges.

pwogaman · #9 12-21-2008, 11:48 AM

I replaced all of my windows with Andersen 400 casements. I got them all off of Craigslist, E-bay, or the Habitat for Humanity Restore (several locations). I saved over $3,000 getting them that way. I also saved a small fortune doing it myself. I did quite a bit a driving to get what I needed at times. For instance, on one trip (from Northern Virginia) I drove to Newark, New Jersey and picked up 4 windows, then to two stops in Long Island, New York where I got 5 windows, and finally across the Long Island sound via ferry (where I got an hour or so sleep) to Conn. and R.I. for the final stop. I completely filled the back of my Grand Caravan (with the seats removed). The entire trip took me 19 hours. The closest place where I got windows was less then a mile away (2 CR24s still in the box with tempered obscured glazing for my bathrooms for $160!!) All the windows were new and I got them for dimes on the dollar - mostly from contractors who ordered the wrong size or had a client cancel some work or make plan changes. I ended up mulling some together to fit the holes in my house, but with the Andersens it was not difficult once I figured out their standard sizing. It took me about 4 months of gathering to get everything I needed.

Hogweed · #10 12-21-2008, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwogaman

I replaced all of my windows with Andersen 400 casements. I got them all off of Craigslist, E-bay, or the Habitat for Humanity Restore (several locations). I saved over $3,000 getting them that way. I also saved a small fortune doing it myself. I did quite a bit a driving to get what I needed at times. For instance, on one trip (from Northern Virginia) I drove to Newark, New Jersey and picked up 4 windows, then to two stops in Long Island, New York where I got 5 windows, and finally across the Long Island sound via ferry (where I got an hour or so sleep) to Conn. and R.I. for the final stop. I completely filled the back of my Grand Caravan (with the seats removed). The entire trip took me 19 hours. The closest place where I got windows was less then a mile away (2 CR24s still in the box with tempered obscured glazing for my bathrooms for $160!!) All the windows were new and I got them for dimes on the dollar - mostly from contractors who ordered the wrong size or had a client cancel some work or make plan changes. I ended up mulling some together to fit the holes in my house, but with the Andersens it was not difficult once I figured out their standard sizing. It took me about 4 months of gathering to get everything I needed.

wow! great savings and a road trip to boot! i have a choice to do either 16 windows or include the attic for a total of 20. local contractor who works with my neighbor quoted $400 per installed...don't know if thats good or not

pwogaman · #11 12-21-2008, 12:11 PM

One of the bathroom windows did not exactly fit, but I was able to slightly modify the house to make it fit.

One of the windows I got from a salvage place was actually in an Andersen display. I just took it out of the display and put it in the house.

Emmerich · #12 10-20-2010, 11:41 PM

A buddy of mine worked for Atrium. He said the best windows come from Canada, but he didn't mention the names. Might be worth it up north, down south where it is warmer/longer, probably better to spend the money (the premium for good windows) on other insulating items.

Stoney · #13 12-21-2008, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hogweed

old house w/ old windows. thinking of upgrding to more ee windows. trying to find out a decent price range to work in. looking for a cost per window figure and any help is welcome
thanks
gregg

2 neighbors had Pella windows installed several years ago and have had nothing buy trouble with leaks and rotting of the stiles, sills, etc.

Pella's response is to refuse to honor the warranty and refer them to a local Pella contractor who demands 50% above the going rate in advance and then installs the same stuff that rotted out previously.

Pella evidently has been taken over by a conglomerate that has reduced quality to a minimum and refuses to honor the warranty given by Pella for windows manufactured and installed by previous owners/management.

Larry Delor · #14 12-21-2008, 02:55 PM

I hardly ever open the windows to start with, in order to keep the humidity out. My single hungs, can tilt in, so if I ever am tempted to wash the outside of the top window, I can do it from the inside.

Skid Row Joe · #15 12-21-2008, 03:53 PM

The last 6-plex we built, we used Pella. The last personal home remodel, we used Andersen windowalls. If I were building another personal residence, I would probably go with Jeld-Wen.