Replacing House Windows

Let me start by saying, I'm not a do it yourself guy. I'm no UroTrash (thankfully).

I need to replace ALL THE WINDOWS in my 20 yr old house. Original builder put in NORCO builder grade windows, casement style, and they are junk. the seals are all gone, windows cloudy, and some of the frames are dry rotting.

So, out they go. Total of 38 4-5' tall by 24-36" wide casements.

Called Andersen 1st. They have a replacement product that looks nice, has a 20 year guarantee, and they install it.

TOTAL COST, with all the discounts I could squeeze out of the estimator...... $43,000. That's Forty three THOUSAND DOLLARS.

the job includes custom mfg of the correct size window, removing the old window and casing, replacing it, and re-cladding the outside of the window. There's no painting, ever, as they are a composite material that looks like wood, but isn't. Went with the upgraded screen, (You can barely see it) and the lights are inside the window, making them easy to clean.

Am I crazy, or is this a whole ****load of money for this kind of work? $1250 an opening?

I'd love to hear suggestions, alternatives, or, from someone more knowledgeable than me, that this is the deal of the century, and that the Andersen Replacement product is the best on the market.

ANYONE??? comments, suggestions.

Dave M

 

I was going to guess $1000 to 1100 per opening so I wasn't too far off. If you want a high quality, lifetime window, Andersen is excellent. However, the following are comparable:

Hurd
Pella
Marvin
Jeld-win

You would be more than pleased with any of the aforementioned. Get them all to bid and they will chisel each other down, saving you thousands $$$.

 

Dave, I can take care of the window removal for you. All I need is a sledge-hammer and some gloves. .

 

If placed in service after Dec. 31, 2005 and before Jan. 1, 2008, you can get a small tax deduction (up to $200 annually) for using energy efficient windows (like Energy Star).
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=154657,00.html

State Energy Efficiency Index
http://www.ase.org/content/article/detail/2356

 

Yea, be careful of energy ratings...a friend's house burned and as soon as he touched it the City came in a mandated current Code compliance.

Which you would want anyway.......IMO.

Good Luck, man...

 

I've had several bad experiences with Pella service.

If cost is an issue, you could try looking at a 'lower end' brand like WeatherShield.

 

Wow, $43000 for new windows!? I just finished taking out the 8 screens on the back of my screen porch, reframing the openings to standard sizes, and installing new vinyl-clad double pane windows. Even with the cost of windows, siding, lumber, paint, and caulking, I doubt if I have more than $1100 into the whole job, but I did all of the labor myself. The windows were $80 each on closeout at Lowes.
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$43K was after the 5% discount negotiated by the homeowner's association, and after the $100 per opening discount because of the quantity we were quotinig.

$43K included removing the old windows and casings, custom mfg. casement windows to fit the existing openings and installing them.

And yes, $43K struck me as about 2X what I should have to pay, maybe a little more.

I have three more quotes coming.

it was this stuff..http://www.renewalbyandersen.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1077824355930&pagename=Renewal/Page/RbAHomePage&c=Page

Dave

 

I'll do it for $10k. It might not be done right, but it'll be done.

 

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm.............................


[size=+6] NO!!![/size]

 

just let the idea sit for a while and come back later. You might reconsider...

 

UM.........................................................



[size=+8]NO!!!!![/size]

 

fine, $15k and I'll do a good job.

 

US$43K is AU$58K. You could buy a block of land here for that. You need a smaller mansion. That or kick a window out every week and do it that way.

 

Its just the quantity of windows that's causing the cost. I did 12 windows in my home (same windows you're looking at) and it was around $10k. Although, I removed the interior trim prior to them coming, and I was getting the house re-sided anyway, so they didn't have to worry about too much finish work on the outside.

I would think that your cost-per-window would be a fair bit less than mine, but on the other hand the exterior finishing could be a bear. If you know (or can find) someone who is a carpenter you could have them do it on the side so long as you're OK with the things that go along with that. You'd probably save yourself a bunch. The other option is cheaper windows. I don't think other quotes are gonna come in at 1/2 your quote with the same quality of windows.

On the other hand if you have even minimal woodworking knowledge, putting in windows ain't all that hard. You could probably do 6 or 8 on a weekend working slowly and if you got a couple of friends more still.

 

Find a manufacturer that's been around for a while that'll custom make them for you. Doesn't have to be a big brand name. Stick with the painted aluminum instead of vinyl, IMO. By shopping around you'll be able to get them done for a fraction of that previous price.

 

Considered kicking, just didn't look like it would work for me.

As to the MANSION, we barely fit!!!

Course, I do have four kids and a giant dog.

Here's a back yard view of the MANSION!!! I love that. Gonna tell the kids we're living in a Mansion!!! WOO HOO!!!!

Now my neighbor, with the 22,000 square foot home, he has a mansion. I have an arial view of that attached.


Dave M
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It's going to be expensive but the custom sizes are what's really killing you. Give Pella a shot. They have frame extensions to fill the gap and fit your existing openings without going custom. You can also go through the product cards of all the manufacturers and try to find one that has standard sizes that match yours. Don't forget about $200 extra per new window to stain or paint the inside.

 

I reccomend Marvin windows. We put them in my parents' home and we have been very happy. FYI, if you do use them, make sure that when they come to measure the openings for the window cases that they manufacture the windows correctly, since when I had the windows ordered, the crew came out, took the measurements and made some deduction in the measurements which their computer system automatically added back in, so we got windows delivered that were 3/4 inch too big and the house is made of brick. The owner of the company came out and gave me a sob story saying that if I didn't let them cut 3/8 inch off of each side I was going to force him to order new windows and he would have to eat the cost on the ones he had originally delivered, and he would go bankrupt. I told him no, deliver me new windows at the proper size, and then I bought the wrong sized ones at cost for our guest house which had not been built yet.

 

You have a lovely home.

 

I have Hurd aluminum clad wood.
I have been very satisfied with them.
$43,000 WOW !!!!!

 

Im sorry.. I never saw this thread till now.


Am I to understand youre going to pay $43,000.00USD for replacement windows?!?! Are you out of your ever loving mind??


What is the window count and what kind of windows?

$43,000.00 would be over 100 windows. If your house is that big, you can afford it!

Im in NJ, by the way and no, im not a contractor. I replaced my windows myself years ago. Believe it or not, its not hard. Even paying someone to do it is no where near $43,000.00. Are they building a new house around the new windows?

 

$43K is stupid! For $43K I'll drive out on my own dime, stay in the nicest hotle I can find for 2 weeks and then take the second half of the year off! Home remodleing work is becoming like doctors/dentists...you pay through the nose if you can't do it yourself.

Back on topic, it's probably possible to get to that number if you are doing every window custom size to drop right in...custom kills you.

As such, look into using the closest stock size windows you can find and custimize/modify the trim inside and out to make the stock size work. If that's your house (Tan stucco) it shouldn't be that hard to match the stucco/paint if the opening is adujsted a little (would be much harder with lap wood/vinyl/siding, shigles, etc).

In the past couple of years I've used both Pella and Marvin windows in both remodles and new construction and have been very happy. I personally think Anderson is overpriced/overrated, and I like Pella.

A stock size casement window close to 50"x36"/24" shouldn't cost more than $250 each.... That's under $10K for materials if you are doing 40 windows.

Get some second opinions, contact a small time carpenter/handy man with a good rep and you'll be surprised at the $ difference.

 

Thank you Waxy.

dm

 

Working that angle now. Unfortunately, with the housing/remodeling boom still in full swing out here, getting someone good is easier said than done.

I'm going to talk to a couple more "window specialists" and pay a visit to the Pella showroom in my area.

Thanks to all who've given input. Just re-affirms my intuition.

$43K for these windows is STOOPID!!!

DM