Recommendations for house replacement windows

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6teen
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Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2018 6:37 pm

Recommendations for house replacement windows

Post by 6teen »

Greetings! My wife and I live in a modest, cookie cutter neighborhood home. I would not call it a starter home, but definitely not custom or high end- just kind of middle of the road. I need to replace some windows. We have lived in this home for 16 years, but do not imagine that we will be here more than another five years or so because I am nearing the end of my career and doubt we would stay here after I am done.

I need to replace some windows. My wife had Anderson Windows come out and give us a quote. They are excellent windows and if I had a nicer home or planned to stay a long time, I would not hesitate to go with the company. They are nice, composite windows with nice features and a lifetime warranty. My current windows are the cheap vinyl windows that builders use.

I am looking for recommendations for a good window company appropriate to my circumstance.
bloom2708
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Re: Recommendations for house replacement windows

Post by bloom2708 »

Is there leakage between the panes? Or are the frames old/rotted?

If the windows are in good shape you can just replace with new glass inserts.

When I get a "leaker" condensation between the panes, then I replace that glass.

For brands, can you get different quotes from a Window place that has multiple brands? I want them to sell me based on the features and give different price points.
Topic Author
6teen
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Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2018 6:37 pm

Re: Recommendations for house replacement windows

Post by 6teen »

bloom2708 wrote: Thu Oct 28, 2021 12:02 pm Is there leakage between the panes? Or are the frames old/rotted?

If the windows are in good shape you can just replace with new glass inserts.

When I get a "leaker" condensation between the panes, then I replace that glass.

For brands, can you get different quotes from a Window place that has multiple brands? I want them to sell me based on the features and give different price points.
A little bit of both.... there is condensation between the panes on a few and I have gone that route in the past. However, I also have a couple where slight water damage is evident around the window inside the house.
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Sandtrap
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Re: Recommendations for house replacement windows

Post by Sandtrap »

6teen wrote: Thu Oct 28, 2021 11:54 am Greetings! My wife and I live in a modest, cookie cutter neighborhood home. I would not call it a starter home, but definitely not custom or high end- just kind of middle of the road. I need to replace some windows. We have lived in this home for 16 years, but do not imagine that we will be here more than another five years or so because I am nearing the end of my career and doubt we would stay here after I am done.

I need to replace some windows. My wife had Anderson Windows come out and give us a quote. They are excellent windows and if I had a nicer home or planned to stay a long time, I would not hesitate to go with the company. They are nice, composite windows with nice features and a lifetime warranty. My current windows are the cheap vinyl windows that builders use.

I am looking for recommendations for a good window company appropriate to my circumstance.
Make an appointment to talk to the customer service reps at the various local window/door contractor supply houses and visit their showrooms. The contractor supply places are the farthest upstream for the consumer in terms of costs and also referrals to very good reputable licensed contractor installers, etc.

Then compare with "home depot", box stores, etc.

The highest quality workmanship in the installation of windows and doors is worth as much or more than the window/door itself.
IE: A marginal installation of a high quality window VS and oustanding installation with attention to detail of a mid level quality window.
j :D
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LadyGeek
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Re: Recommendations for house replacement windows

Post by LadyGeek »

This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (windows).
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Tavistock1
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Re: Recommendations for house replacement windows

Post by Tavistock1 »

6teen wrote: Thu Oct 28, 2021 11:54 am Greetings! My wife and I live in a modest, cookie cutter neighborhood home. I would not call it a starter home, but definitely not custom or high end- just kind of middle of the road. I need to replace some windows. We have lived in this home for 16 years, but do not imagine that we will be here more than another five years or so because I am nearing the end of my career and doubt we would stay here after I am done.

I need to replace some windows. My wife had Anderson Windows come out and give us a quote. They are excellent windows and if I had a nicer home or planned to stay a long time, I would not hesitate to go with the company. They are nice, composite windows with nice features and a lifetime warranty. My current windows are the cheap vinyl windows that builders use.

I am looking for recommendations for a good window company appropriate to my circumstance.
I’ve replaced windows on several homes. Have used Pella and Anderson. Discovered harvey windows and never looked back. They’re only sold through registered contractors ( easy for them to register) . They’re less expensive than the other 2 options noted, perform ( at least in my experience ) better and just as attractive.
phxjcc
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Re: Recommendations for house replacement windows

Post by phxjcc »

Sandtrap wrote: Thu Oct 28, 2021 12:44 pm
6teen wrote: Thu Oct 28, 2021 11:54 am Greetings! My wife and I live in a modest, cookie cutter neighborhood home. I would not call it a starter home, but definitely not custom or high end- just kind of middle of the road. I need to replace some windows. We have lived in this home for 16 years, but do not imagine that we will be here more than another five years or so because I am nearing the end of my career and doubt we would stay here after I am done.

I need to replace some windows. My wife had Anderson Windows come out and give us a quote. They are excellent windows and if I had a nicer home or planned to stay a long time, I would not hesitate to go with the company. They are nice, composite windows with nice features and a lifetime warranty. My current windows are the cheap vinyl windows that builders use.

I am looking for recommendations for a good window company appropriate to my circumstance.
Make an appointment to talk to the customer service reps at the various local window/door contractor supply houses and visit their showrooms. The contractor supply places are the farthest upstream for the consumer in terms of costs and also referrals to very good reputable licensed contractor installers, etc.

Then compare with "home depot", box stores, etc.

The highest quality workmanship in the installation of windows and doors is worth as much or more than the window/door itself.
IE: A marginal installation of a high quality window VS and oustanding installation with attention to detail of a mid level quality window.
j :D
"local window/door contractor supply houses"

This is THE thing to do.

I used a Big Box store (rhymes with Dome Hepot) and had to threaten litigation...all via correspondence with the CEO's minions--because heaven forbid you can talk to a real person---and it took them 6 months to install 11 Milgard windows and sliders. AND these were retrofit windows.

2nd project, my contractor used a local place and received them all in 4 weeks and were installed by my contractor (new construction windows).
Including custom angled double pane clerestory windows.

Also, if using retrofit, you need to understand how much glass will be reduced by the frame-within-the-frame on the retrofit. If architecture details matter, go with new construction rather than retrofit--they are not much more and look better AND you don't lose glass area.

Good luck...and /sandtrap is correct, quality of install matters.
teCh0010
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Re: Recommendations for house replacement windows

Post by teCh0010 »

At our old house we had vinyl replacement windows installed. We met with several window contractors, most of whom offered several window options, and picked one we liked.

We picked budget vinyl double hung windows with a superspacer non metallic spacer. Argon filled, double hung, low e. This was probably 7 years ago and we paid about $400 per window installed and we're super happy with how it turned out.
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