Fair Price Forreplacement Mindows
I had a 4 unit that need windows BAD!! I got a Home Depot price of $127 + tax for the windows ( I need 32) and got a guy to put them in for $50-75 CASH per window depending on how involved it is---it is a stucco bldg. I pay for heat in this bldg also. Is that a fair price or should I put them in myself----have never done it but I am pretty mechanically inclined and I have the summer from school or is the job just too big for a rookie????
Thanks in advance.....I am learning more every day here!!!
You're getting a deal if you're getting someone to install them for that. But, they're not that hard to do yourself, if you've got the time, and want to save yourself several hundred dollars.
you say it is a stucco building. What is the stucco applied over? If this is a masonary building it is possible that the windows are set into channels that are grooved into concrete blocks. In which event, each window sash must be removed and then the remaining metal frame must be cut out (usually using a saw-zaw. A new frame must then be built to accomodate the new replacement window. In this event, it would be a steal at 50-75 per window. But there are other possibilities. BTW...if the aforementioned situation is accurate, the sizes of the new windows need to be adjusted to allow for the necessary frame work needed. Windows can be a very tricky situation. Unless you know what you are doing, I suggest you have home depot come on site to measure for the new windows. If they are ordered too large for the openings, you will have a major problem on your hands come time to install them.. My advice to anyone who isn't familiar with them is to only allow the person who measures them to be the one to install them. Because too many times, one person does the measuring and another does the installing and when a problem occurs, they pas the buck back and forth. Remember this when ordering replacement windows. Order them too small...and you can easily reduce the openings. Order them too big, and chances are, you will have a major job to accomodate them, because you will have to cut out the existing frame work. And to insure that windows will operate properly, you must allow adequate spacing to permit you to "kick a window either side to side or top to bottom to compensate for the opening being out of square or out of level. My advice, at least allow home depot to do the measuring.
Dave
Hi
hey Jenkie01!
What are you dimensions I know a place that has them for 99 apiece. They are great windows and probably is worth the 1hour drive if they have them.
Bri
:-D
P.S. Just got home from a Week at the Woodlands..EMMMMMM Woodlands[ Edited by Brill on Date 05/15/2004 ]
Almost all of them are 60 x 30. It is a wood framed building with stucco applied to the outside Or at least that is what I can gather as I did not have to rip up any walls yet, but in th ebasement it just looks like a normal sill plate. AND yos I would drive to save a few bucks!!!! Thanks I live about 15 minutes north of Scranton, on the way to Binghamton.
I know where Olyphant is. forget why I was there before but I spend a fair amount of time in Scranton and Taylor.
The place I get windows is called Hornings in Pine Grove its about an hour from u, all windows 99 dollars they are single pane double hung with tilt in sashs
Bri
I would highly recommend putting in a quality window if you plan to keep the property. A quality vinyl window shouldn't run you more than $250 (installed). Sure you can skimp on the windows but you are going to regret it. Oftentimes the local power company will finance the windows if you get something good at 2-3% (sometimes zero) because of the energy savings.
Just my opinion. GOOD LUCK
Is single pane OK ----I was going to get double pane, but for a savings of 30 bucks a window times over 30 windows---it really adds up.......
Here is the Info on the windows I use ,if you want to use it is as a comparrison. Oh and the quality of the window is first rate and I have no complaints they are 1000 times better than the 70 year old windows they replaced.
Superseal Manufacturing Company
Model: Infinity 2000
Vinyl Double Hung Double Glazed tilt in sashs
NFRC Info-
U factor: .49
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: .57
Visible light transmittance: .58
Hope that helps oh yeah and all sizes are 99 dollars
Bri
before you decide which window to buy. Be more specific. do you intend to keep this building, is it a rental?
Dave
Yes, I plan on keeping this bldg for a long time---I hope anyway....
GO for the windows that Bri suggested - no lead paint issues - never have to worry about them again - a real seller if the units are separately heated and the tenant has to pay for them - and a real savings to you if they are not!! - Vinyl is final and tilt in is great and extremely easy to clean - believe me - I had a four family in Massachusetts that had a total of 45 windows!!!!!!!
good luck!!
Regina
Here are my thoughts-
I don't know what a Superseal series 2000 is. Even the companies website only goes to a series 1800.
Tradesmans in the business regard Superseal as a junk line of windows. They will tell you that in some areas of the country Superseal windows take up 50% of their service calls.
A U value of .49 reveals alot about the windows you are getting, it pretty much sucks. In your part of the country anything over U .35 is not recommended. The solar value reveals a lot about the window you are buying in that is neither here nor there. It isn't doing much of anything. Those numbers instantly tell anybody who knows anything about windows that the windows are going to be cheap to buy, and they are going to be expensive to own.
Single pane? You're paying the heat? You plan on keeping this property long term? This is 2004 not 1950, single pane would be my last resort with your conditions and investing strategy.
$50-75 cash? That equates to $100 a window if you were paying somebody not under the table. Just an okay price, nothing special for you, but great for him. You better damn well know where he lives and you better be sure of that he knows what he is doing. You are giving him all of the advantages in the transaction and putting yourself at a disadvantage. I would only go that scenario if I had worked with this guy for years and knew his work.
If you still insist on paying him cash, I would do one unit at a time. Buy the windows for one unit at a time and have them installed one unit at a time. If you screw up the meaurments you only screwed up 1/4 of the windows, if the guy turns out to suck he only sucked on 1/4 of the windows.
If it was me, and I was trying to work within your budget of $5000, I would do the work myself, taking the money I saved for the installation and putting that into the windows. That extra $50-75 will buy you a dramatically better window and save you a lot of money on heat and frustration.
Davezora and Myfrogger gave you some excellent advice based on years of experience. I would seriously mull it around.
The plan you have now I would only do if I was going to flip this house and was trying to just do something cosmetic.[ Edited by The-Rehabinator on Date 05/16/2004 ]
Are these replacement windows that fit in the old frames? If so they're quite easy to install once you've done your first one. I just did about 25 windows on a 2 family I'm rehabbing here in NH and they weren't bad at all. I bought them at Home Depot as well. Our Home Depot has seminars occasionally that cover things like window installs. Check with them on these or just talk to the guys in millwork and they'll be able to walk you thru it. I'd definately use the double pain and buy only 1 the first time out to make sure you're getting the right size you need.
I needed a door hung and a friend or my (high end contractor) is going to hang the door and he told me while he was there he would show me how to do the windows..Upon his advice I got the double pane w/screens..a few buck more and he also he will show me how to pull all the window trim and insulate and sell the whole thing in. Said maybe 2 hours per window for a good job. I will let anyone know if it seems too hard.
The Rehabinator is right on the quality of windows at Home Depot. I buy my window from the local lumber yard and they are cheaper incost but way better windows (window products). I always charge at least $200 a hole to retrofit and if I had a bunch that I was doing (as in your case) I wouldn't send my guys for less than $100 a hole. I think your doing OK on the labor (depending on what part of the country your living in).
It really isn't hard to learn how to do. HIre the first one out and watch how he does it and you can go from there.
Personally I would hire it out, to make it look really good your going to need $500-$700 in tools or more (compressor, miter saw, nice blade for saw ( mine start at $100 each) pin nailer etc. and the learning curve. SO unless your real handy, want more tools, and have the time pay someone (preferably a handy many or a one man contractor outfit to do it....
[addsig]
Why are you considering changing the windows? I used to have a link to a study comparing single glaze to double glaze to single glaze with exterior storms, etc.,etc., etc, but unfortunately, that link is gone now. However, the gist of the government study was that EXTERIOR STORM WINDOWS ARE SUPERIOR TO NEW DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOWS. You read that right. When they checked the interior glass temperature of single glazed(old) windows with storms, to new double glazed windows, the single glazed windows with storms were warmer. The bottomline is that going with exterior storm windows eliminates the painting of single glazed windows, saves more energy than so called energy efficient double glazed windows, and saves money in initial purchase and installation costs. Forget about the new windows unless you are shooting for resale in my humble opinion. Hope this is of some value.
My storm windows cost about $90 a piece for good ones and you still have to paint the outside (and inside). Not worth it in the long run. You may save a little on R value but maintenance wise and utility wise I would stick to vinyl.
[addsig]
what the heck is a mindow???
I had my buddy walk me thru one on one of his jobs. Not much to it, but it took some time to do a nice neat job and pull the trim and insulate and caulk. It is a job I can do. But he is not a big fan of relacements either......But in my case the windows were literally falling apart and had been repaired before. I was tols to go to a local window and storm door guy and get his middle of the line windows. Nice -- welded glass lots of nice little extras and made heaver than the Home Depot windows---but they were 144 delivered and HD was 127 pick up.
I went with the higher end window because that is what the pro's use and they did seen like a better window--more heavy duty--to me 2 weeks to get the window -----ordered 5 and fifgured I can put 5 a week in all summer and then pay for them as I go.
[ Edited by jenkie01 on Date 05/29/2004 ][ Edited by jenkie01 on Date 05/29/2004 ]
"But he is not a big fan of relacements either" - I hope you mean cheap replacements and not good replacements
He had me but quality replacements, but he is a big Pella man and would put new pella's in over any replacements. He only does replacements to help someone out-like me. He is a pretty high end contractor/remodeler and takes no short cuts in his work. A true craftsman, but I and 98% of the people cannot afford him- but he has work lined up for the next 2 years---go figure
I have always said that people want to spend more money, you just need to give them an excuse..
We market ourselves as the discriminating owners contractors. I frequently will present two proposals for the work and they will choose the higher end one. My company started refinishing tubs etc. last year when I got bored and decided to attend a school to learn the process. We charge $500-$1000 (in the city it can go as low as $250) and I have them lined up (and I really am too busy to do many, I really just like it for my rehab). I give them an extra coat $5 in materials and they go for it.
[addsig]
Putting windows in is a piece of cake. DIY and put the savings into some good tools and better windows. You'll always have the tools and the cost savings with better windows will pay for itself. Hanging a door is more complicated than a window at least one that's your size. If you can do half decent trim work go for it.
Installing replacement windows in your descriptive situation is a piece of cake so long as you do your homework. Check to see how plumb-level-square the existing openings are.. Measure for the new windows allowing the recommended tolerance in size and factor in the aforementioned items and your job will go pretty smoothly. If you don't...that piece of cake is going to turn into a SH-T pie. And I guarantee you won't like the after taste either.
Dave
To everyone that repled --Thank you!!
My windows come next weeks and I will start putting in a few a week. I will pass on the door, though