I want new vinyl windows so bad I can't stand it. We have old aluminum windows now and they actually ice up on the INSIDE in the winter.

Angel, mine let so much cold wind in... it was so drafty...

One of the bonuses being on your own. Nobody talks you out of stuff. :)

Moni

Good for you, they look great. I was just mentioning to DH today that the best thing we did when building was put Marvin windows in. They were expensive, but they keep the house tight and warm.

Congratulations on the new windows. I had my old wooden double hung windows replaced a few years ago. What a difference it makes!! Much lower utility bills and much less noise from outside! I just love them. I'm sure you will too!!

Those are great, you're going to love them. Funny what makes us happy, isn't it....sometimes it's simple things like updating things on our houses ;)

I desperately needed two replaced when we moved a year ago, I'd been stalling (one was 9' wide) so hustled and had that completed and I painted, took down old formal drapery rods, before I listed the house for sale. It looked so nice, why did I not do it a few years earlier for me...

I hope you completely enjoy your new windows. Better in winter, cooler in summer, what's not to like.

At a 17,852.00 bid estimate, I don't see it happening anytime soon. (In my lifetime! LOL)

Good for you, Moni!

I did the back side of my condo two years ago.

Want to do the front, which will be the most expensive.

Yikes, how many windows do you have? I went cheap. window world, vinyl. Would have loved to go with wood, anderson for instance... but I don't think I will live long enough to make that worth it. :)

Very nice looking. We will need to do that in the future.
What company or brand did you get? There's so many advertisements for replacement windows it's confusing.

Wow angelaid how many windows do you have? That's a big number.

I have 6 that need replacing. My huge windows in the sun room and the atrium don't open and are good quality. I would like to replace both of the glass slider doors. I have a set of French doors already to replace the atrium slider just need to get it done. My husband keeps telling me he will do it but...

Congrats Moni! ENJOY!!!!!!!!

I have 17 windows. There was no real reason not to do all at once, cept the overall cost.

My bill is half paid. The other half I got 12 month no interest. Thus, no problem. Total price for the 17 is $5980.00

Almost could have paid for all, but since I am about to have a big 60th birthday bash I am putting on, I needed some money in reserve. :)

Anyone want to come and help me celebrate?

Moni

Congrats. You will enjoy the windows and save some energy costs also. My husband put some new windows in our house several years ago (Marvin brand). They are so much nicer than the 100 year old windows that were there.

Nice improvement, Moni!

We've done it a couple windows at a time over the years. Maybe cost more, but it was less painful financially.

Congratulations, it's a great investment. Doing taxes on Turbo this year they asked about any energy saving replacements. So you may get some help on that next year.

I need that too. My windows have the rope weights, don't open and have ice on the inside.

Did they have to rebuild around any of the casings? I expect a lot of damage to my old windows. I have 15 windows and I thought it would cost a lot more than that.

Congratulations Moni!!! Here, we have incentives to upgrade energy-efficient options. Rebates, etc.

Our previous apt had the best windows.......The windows are all sliders, and the screen went all the way across the window so that both sides of the windows opened. Loved that!

This apt has new windows as well, but only the screen on the one side. But the large picture window in the livingroom has 2 casement windows which will really be great for airflow. The other apt had the fixed picture window.

I have looked at window world and wondered if they do a good job. Yours look great. Are you happy with everything?
I will have all of ours at once since I don't have many. I do have one sill that will need some work. I have big windows that all slide sideways in the bedrooms only one that goes up and down.

Kim, you can come and look anytime. :)

Moni

Angela, your bid sounds high unless you have a lot of windows in a large house, you were asking for the very top of the line stuff or there were problems expected with the install. Were you going for "replacement windows" to be put into the existing holes or the install of completely new windows and having frames of the old stuff ripped out and then repaired?

New double pane windows make a huge comfort difference and give energy savings. For people living where there are temperature extremes, there could be enough energy savings to cover interest on a reasonable rate home equity loan and still have money left over.

I am waiting for my new windows. I'm going with Window World too. 18 double hung windows and a picture window. The picture window will replace 3 double hung windows. My cost is just a little more than Moni's. The picture window and the kitchen window get really harsh sun especially in the winter so I got the low E.

I have 6 windows that I didn't replace but I have been thinking I will have them measure those when they install the other windows. 3 are totally inside, upstairs looking into a sunroom. 3 are directly below them. Again inside but look into the screen porch. Why not? It's only money and with the power bills I've had this winter I think it will be worth it.

My windows are original to my house and I would never change them! The are in super great condition though, and I do have new storms on the outside of them. That makes a huge difference.

But I am holding on to the originals. :) They are beautiful.

1927 house, original no insulation, single pane windows, some with, some without storm windows

Didn't matter, when it was windy, it was drafty in here. I had insulation blown in the outside walls and more added to the attic. Made a HUGE difference on how much my heater kicked on, but it was still drafty when windy.

I hope, to see even more savings in the long run.

Besides, in the period when one can do without the AC on, I can now open the windows. Most would not open.

Oh, the joys of an older house... but oh, the joys of affording a house without making payments. You just can't have it all right up front. :)

Moni

Keeping my old windows/storm windows too. Too much negative input on the long term investment of vinyl.

Moni, where did you buy the windows? My daughter must replace some windows, and she was given a very high estimate. Yours is more reasonable. Also, are they single or double pane windows?

They look great, Moni. We got quotes from another company that friends recommended, and the price was sky high. We have a 5 bedroom house, so that is part of the problem. But it struck me as a rip off for $15,000 or more. Therefore, we still have not replaced our cheap, developer windows.

Window World Windows, double pane!

I love my Window World windows that I got last summer. Window World is the only window with the Good Housekeeping seal of approval. I had gotten estimates from two other places before I called Window World. Their price was the least expensive. Iowa had the coldest winter in 35 years this year. My gas useage was less than last year thanks to my windows. They almost pay for themselves. As Moni said, they also cut down on noise. I am three blocks away from the only hospital in town and three houses from an arterial street. With my new windows, nothing outside wakes me up.

A Good Housekeeping Seal is ONLY for products advertised in the magazine. It's not an independent assessment of alternatives. If only one maker of a type of product advertises in that magazine, then only that one would have a Seal.

I'm not saying that this window source is good or bad, but the seal is not a reason to make that choice. Anymore than you'd say "X is the best plumber because they advertise in the newspaper".

Lindy -- You might want to rethink having most of the windows done now but waiting on the others (if you can swing the extra cost now). I had my windows done in January (9 windows, plus the sliding-glass door in the LR -- left the basement slider alone).
With all the workers coming in and out, and having to be there (just in case, like spotting the wrong handle on the slider -- nonlocking, instead of a locking one), and the sounds of crowbars ripping out old wood surrounds and seeing just how big some of the window gaps were that they'd have to spray insulation in, well, it was a very long day, and it was freezing, and I just wanted them to hurry and be done!

I would want to get everything done at once instead of having them come back to do other windows.

Granted, the weather will probably be warmer when you get your windows done, and my freezing weather has probably skewed my viewpoint! (You might also be able to swing a little discount if your company knows you might spend a little more money with them.)

Kim and Jasdip -- thank you for mentioning rebates and tax incentives. (It's a good thing I'm procrastinating a little bit on doing my returns!)

I ordered my windows right after the home and garden show. I knew, there would be a discount at that time.

I also went from thinking 7 windows to all, cause this way, it is DONE. No mess again later. I waited till now for the install, cause it is spring break, and I don't need to take any time off for this.

:)

I hope for a tax rebate for next year. :)

Moni

Very nice Moni! What I wouldn't give for all new windows. I can hardly see out my front windows because they have etched with moisture in between the glass panes because a seal had broken on them not too long after they were installed and that is a too long story.

Last month I had a window replacement installed in my attic and it was almost $400 for one window. I am still waiting for the guy to come and pick up his money.

Moni, you are going to love having the new windows. What a huge difference it will make, having dual pane windows instead of single pane!

We have 33 windows in this house and they're all dual pane, but we still feel some drafts near the windows when it's windy outside. I don't even want to think about how much it would cost to replace all of them! I know we'd be more energy efficient if they were replaced with Low-E windows.

Those are some cheap windows! You just went with the cheapest($189) ones? We had two sets of double wide windows (can't remember what they were called) installed in the living room and it was over $2000 just for those two large windows. GAH! Used Weather Tite Windows. I'll have to use Window World the next time because that's super cheap!

There's a cardinal flying at them right now...gotta go close the curtains :( She thinks there's another bird she's trying to run it off.

the 189 windows are not insulated well. I only have 3 like that, cause I really enjoy sitting in the warm sun coming in on the south side windows, in the winter. If I had used the "better" ones, I would not feel the sun shining in.

All other windows are to keep the heat/cold out.

Moni

That is money well spent and they look very nice.

With the double pane windows, does that eliminate the need for storm windows?

Yes, Mammie, it does. I had window world windows put in at two other locations I lived before. Made the house warmer/cooler without spending more on my utility bills.

I did it a couple of years ago. Harvey windows. In my antique house it is so, so, so worth it! I absolutely love it. And they are easy to clean, tilt-in, and wonderful.

Happy for you!

I will definitely contact Window World the next windows that I ever need. We got the next to the top of the line windows, ridiculously expensive but they do keep the hot and cold out which we really needed.

4 story home, 18 windows, plus sliding glass door and two large skylights. Bid for our office came in at about $6,000.00 for 16 windows. They are smaller and all on one level. Wonder if that is some of the difference. Less labor and materials. They wouldn't have to erect, and move, scaffolding, rent a lift, etc.

Around 1980 we replaced aluminum frame windows and had insulation blown into the *totally-insulation-free* walls of our 1950's brick ranch home. It made a huge difference in our comfort. It also meant my DH wasn't struggling with storm windows twice a year. However...when we listed the house in 1999, our Realtor said this wasn't a selling point -- that most buyers just saw 'windows' -- every house has 'em. At least WE appreciated the change for many years. We also replaced two picture windows then. One in the dining room became an add-on bay with window seat. One became a slider in the kitchen eating area. We replaced the former back door in the back hallway with a small window.

Our current home (2001) has Pella Low-E architectural series casements and french doors. (And insulation!) Each casement has two fasteners that hook into the casement high and low, pulling it tight within the frame when you engage the latch. The french doors have three-point locks: Top, bottom and a deadbolt at the latch.

All of our side and rear glass has between-the-glass shades and muntins. Wide window casings look fine without drapes. I have interior-hung fabric roman shades with blackout linings in bedrooms and master bath.

The building review committee in our town demanded that we have simulated true muntin glass all around the house. (The little panes of glass with muntins between that you have to wash one pane at a time.) We got them to compromise. We put those on the front of the house and the 'fake muntins' between the glass everywhere else. If anyone has ever noticed the difference, I don't know about it.

This arbitrary spending of other peoples' money by a volunteer committee of busybodies (devoid of legal standing) rankles every time we pay a window washer to do the front windows. (DH can do the outsides of the rest in an hour.)

As I recall, we spent $43K on windows for this 2900 sq ft house. About $8K was the overage for the simulated true pane windows demanded by the building review committee. They had also demanded a wood shake roof. Luckily, our closest neighbors had been permitted to replace asphalt shingles with same a year prior -- so we were spared that initial and ongoing expense.