Replacing single-pane metal windows (Austin, Anderson: sales, apartment, second mortgage)

[nina_online]

I am in a time crunch and under a lot of stress. I need to select a house to buy soon. I hope it's okay to ask here. The house was built in the 70s and has single pane metal windows. I think we'd need to replace them, definately before winter, as I am very temperature sensitive. There are 18 windows. Any thoughts on price for decent windows. I know IRS hard to answer with limited info, but ball park - I dint know ifm it's $5k or $20k.

Thanks very much.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by nina_online

I am in a time crunch and under a lot of stress. I need to select a house to buy soon. I hope it's okay to ask here. The house was built in the 70s and has single pane metal windows. I think we'd need to replace them, definately before winter, as I am very temperature sensitive. There are 18 windows. Any thoughts on price for decent windows. I know IRS hard to answer with limited info, but ball park - I dint know ifm it's $5k or $20k.

Thanks very much.

No matter what, 18 windows will 'hurt' a bit. From what I've seen, the metal windows from the '70s require replacement of the entire window, rather than the sash, in order to achieve energy efficiency(and qualify for any rebates/tax credits). A lot will depend on the condition of the structure around the window frame...material will also be a factor--wood, siding, brick, stone?

I can't imagine it will be less than $10k to get any sort of energy efficient replacements installed. Depending on the structure, it could likely be closer to $15k. It might be a situation in which replacing some of the windows initially would make it more comfortable without busting the piggy bank in one smash.

If, by chance, you can get away with sash 'only' replacements, you could expect to pay +- $250 per unit for the sash and possibly make it a DIY project(if you are handy or have a friend who is ).

This link is just a basic intro to the different possibilities involved:
Replacing Your Windows

Looks like the Energy Star Tax Credit isn't too much help:
Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency : ENERGY STAR


Good luck!

[nina_online]

Thank you so much. So your numbers include installation? We are definitely not DYIers. The whole window would need to be replaced. Exterior material is brick on first floor, vinyl siding on second floor.

Thanks again!

[red bird]

You can do it for 10k or less. Aluminum, Double pane, low e and install. Not the best but average to good. We renovated our house and I had about that many.

You probably have aluminum now given your house age. Look into only replacing the panels only? You may just have builder grade window which limits your options to nothing
except replacing the whole window. The install is going to eat your lunch so do your homework on installers and a mason.

[cmaxmor]

Call Home Depot. Really. They have great prices on nice windows and do the install, too. We have 8 windows and it was about 3500.

[someguyatx]

The internet can only guess, if your windows are all huge or non standard size then the cost will be much greater. Call a few places, companies who do this can send somebody out to give an accurate estimate. Some may give free estimate and others may charge but apply credit if you choose to purchase from them.

[je4xff]

We had a similar situation. 18 will be expensive. Our "standard" sized windows (4' x 3') were around $500 each - while our huge (5' x 6') and sliding doors were around $1000 each - installation included. The tax rebates the next year were nice. BTW, it's not so much the winter you should be worried about. We went our first summer with single paned windows and the AC had to run nearly constantly due to the terrible insulation - and still couldn't cool down enough. The new windows make all the difference. The replacements were vinyl btw - not sure they look as nice as aluminum, but they are energy efficient.

Also, be sure to get multiple estimates - some of the window sales people are very high pressure sales guys - much worse than aluminum siding or used cars salesman in some cases. I won't mention the company (one of the expensive brands), but the guy we who came out tried desperately to get us to commit on the spot - and the amount he was quoting us would have required a hefty second mortgage - no joke. He even got quite rude and pushy when we refused to commit...

[mimimomx3]

Anderson will set you back about $20K, but you will get some really beautiful windows, solid, and well installed. They dfeintely add value to your house!

[buffettjr]

I would recommend against going with Home Depot. To be fair I haven't used them on contractor services, but I did a tremendous amount of research when replacing the 13 windows in our home. Just about the only place I trust anymore for honest reviews in Consumer Reports, and they noted terrible customer satisfaction from people who order from any of the big box stores. The reason is that they hire subcontractors to do the install, and those subs are not as accountable with their large contract to Home Depot as a business that deals directly with you. I experienced this when ordering several expensive appliances from Sears. It wasn't Sears delivering but rather two sketchy guys who have their own truck and were subcontracted out. They actually yelled at me for buying a fridge as large as I did because it would be hard to install. Imagine a business yelling at you for buying a $2,000 item from them!

About the windows, I got several bids from several different companies around town. I really liked the idea of wooden windows because I thought they'd look much better in my 1937 home. I came to find out that they are not considered robust enough to be pure wood on the exterior, so they are actually covered with vinyl (I think) to protect them, which makes them look just like cheaper vinyl windows from the outside. I knew they would be more expensive, but did not realize they'd be 300% more expensive and look exactly the same as non-wooden windows on the outside. All my wooden window bids came in at around $15,000. Companies like Anderson lied to me and offered "interest-free financing" but if you took that deal the price of the windows went up. How is that different from paying interest?

For Vinyl windows (I think they are vinyl...I can't remember all the specs anymore) I got a bid from Window World. Their bid came in at around $5,000. This was for the nicest windows that were double pained, and filled with argon gas in between for added insulation, and with a low E coating on the inside to block UV rays, plus install. I was a little nervous going with them because in my research I'd read horror stories online about installs. Then folks would come in and accuse them of being a window installer for a different company, and similar accusations would fly back and forth, and I'd have no idea who to trust. In the end I went with them because they were remarkably cheaper, but the windows had a good rating from Consumer Reports, and they claimed to be the largest window dealer in the nation. I figured if that was true yet they were terrible I would have heard about it more frequently.

In the end I paid a little over $5,000 for my windows and I absolutely love them. I got legitimate 0% financing for one year, which I'm still paying, and I happily got the install done in time for the $1,500 federal rebate. That rebate isn't around any more unfortunately, but Window World handled all the paperwork for the forms for my city of Austin rebates and the federal rebate. The install was great, my salesman was very amicable and not pushy. He came off as an employee who lets his product do the talking, where as some of the other companies came off as sketchy guys who really need to make the commission (though I shouldn't say that about the Pella guy, he was very nice and knowledgeable, but their wooden windows were again around $15,000). He happily came back a second time for a second demo when I wanted to show my wife (I did all the first round demos myself to weed them out).

We've been really happy with the windows. They've made the home quieter, and I think they've helped keep the house cooler in the heat, though I don't have stats to back that up yet. I'm really, really happen I didn't go with the wooden windows, because the truth is you don't really notice it. They're both white windows, I have the blinds down most of the time anyway, and when they're up almost all use see is huge, open glass panes. Going in, I didn't want vinyl because I didn't want my nice hourse to have cheap-looking apartment windows, but these don't look that way at all, and now that I look back, the thought of spending an extra $10,000 for something I wouldn't even care about now is nerve-racking.

Hope all this helps. I'm taking the time to write this because I had a hell of a time finding decent information on forums about windows, and having just gone through the process a few months ago thought I could help.