Windows are a very good investment whether moving or staying. If the windows are old or you just simply buy " cheap windows" just to sell the house, i guarantee the home inspector will pick up on the fact that you basically bought a band aid in preparation for sale. He will flag it and will bring it up at closing as a bartering chip. Invest in quality and if you sell, have your realator mention the brand. Example, this home has new okna windows, soft lite windows, sunrise windows ect..,,

you win whether you stay or go. Keep in mind you will obviously save money on utility bills but the biggest impact will be on your newly aquired comfort. Its hard to quantify comfort.

Yes, definitely. We replaced most of ours a few years ago. The look and function is so much better, and we see the money savings.

Windows are very important to me and if a house had old crappy windows, I'd consider it a major factor.

This really is a gray area IMO. There are multiple factors to consider and every house will be different and the condition of the windows are some what unknown as well as your market. You could put in the best vinyl there is and someone like my wife will think it is cheap looking, you could put in nice wood Windows and price yourself out of the market or leave no money for other improvements. Without seeing it would be hard to say and just my opinion, I would talk with your realtor perhaps and get there's.right now I am remodeling a house I am moving into which is getting upper end window, triple glazed and other upgrades. The house I am moving out of is getting mid grade dual pane no upgrades and will be focusing more money towards flooring and kitchen needs. Pictures or a better description of your windows would help.

We asked ourselves that very same question several months ago.

We were planning to replace all the builder-grade casement windows in our 40-year-old house. Most of them are in good shape but time has marched on and we looked forward to stopping some drafts and saving some energy. When the estimates for good vinyl windows put the replacement cost around $10,000 we pushed "pause" to see if this was the most effective way for us to spend money.

We had an energy audit of the house done. The results showed that, for our house, with several common energy-saving measures already in place, new windows were well down the list of improvements we should make. Certainly, new windows would operate more smoothly and allow us to incorporate features like low-e film, which we're currently using with window films. New windows also would let us change window types, finishes, etc., But we weren't interested in making cosmetic changes. So we're insulating in several more places.

Maybe if we choose to stay in this house many more years, we'll re-examine replacing windows. But, right now, we could have spent a small fortune on windows and not addressed the real heat-losers in this house.

Window film is NOT a good investment steve_o. However, LowE thats embedded in the glass and NOT a film in conjunction with an inert gas is a very good investment. Combine that with a solid window with a low air infiltration rating and you have a solid investment.

If you are looking to get all your money back along with a return in a few years then invest in stocks or bonds.

new windows not only enhance the look of your home, provide energy efficiency, but they also dramatically increase your comfort level. Unless you enjoy wearing a jacket when you stand next to your windows in the winter or enjoy holding a fan when standing next to your windows in the summer, new windows make both economic and common sense.

I'd agree with the above that it depends on the efficiency, appearance, usability, and overall condition of your existing units. In most cases, if there are substantial issues that have you even considering it, it will likely be at least a decent investment.

To clarify, be very weary of claims that windows will pay for themselves in energy savings as those claims are often bunk, however when the resale value and other factors are considered, it, like almost any home improvement, will bring some ROI to the table.

I'm sorry, guys -- just not seeing it.

We actually did replace a couple of our existing windows because the glass packages were broken (not failed) and could not be repaired economically. We went with Sunrise casements. They weren't cheap, but they're high-quality windows in the biggest openings in the house and we wanted to do better than we would at Big Orange/Blue/Green or W----w W---d.

The new windows are finished the same, inside and out, as the old ones. So it's not like we "enhanced" the appearance of the house in any way. The new windows are a little easier to operate than our existing windows, but that's not anything on which most people would put a high value. Resale? More than one real estate agent has told us the only windows buyers care about are Andersens and Pellas. Any other brand? If the windows work, they don't care. Our existing windows still work.

The 10-grand estimate was a bit breathtaking. What really made us think, though, was that we still felt air circulating near the new windows during the winter. Shouldn't happen with tight new windows, right? That's when we called in the energy auditor. Turns out we’re getting a lot of air across our exterior walls, which -- being 40 years old -- are only 2x4 and not sealed at the roof as code requires today. Not a window problem.

Beyond that, figure we're in the house for even 20 more years; 10 grand worth of windows (plus the $3600 for those already installed) comes to a little less than $700 a year. On a house that costs a bit more than $2,000 a year to heat and cool (plus feed the water heater, range, and dryer on the same bill). (We do all this without wearing jackets and fanning ourselves inside, btw.) We've done a fair amount of work here to drive down energy costs.

So if we replaced all the windows, we'll have spent well upward of $13 grand; we wouldn't see that much back; the windows would look just the same as they always have; and they wouldn't be a selling point for the house. And air still would be migrating across our walls.

Maybe our situation is unusual. But I'm hard pressed to use the term "investment" here. A good investment should return your money and then some. I'd rather spend that money on the stock market. At least there we have a chance of getting ahead.

This is about all I have to say about HomeSealed's comments.

Steve_o , your example is so flawed on every level. Im also somewhat skeptical you installed new sunrise windows and then claim they dont really look that much different than the originals, i just find that hard to believe.

When a realtor mentions to a buyer that a home has either okna windows, soft lite, or sunrise, the prospective buyer may have never heard of them but rest assured, they will immediately check the internet and research the mystery. Thats when they notice the value and see those brands are much more energy efficient than the andersen's and pella's of the world.

From consumer advocate Clark Howard

Answer is probably not!

Clark Howard knows as much about windows as i do about chinese calculus.

I listen to Clark Howard....

There's no end to what you "could" spend money on. Windows are low on my priority list. As is stuccoing a house.

Where in the link did Clark say that windows are a bad investment? The only thing even close to negative that he mentioned was to have realistic expectations if you think that they will pay for themselves in energy savings, a point that I made earlier. In fact, I'd say that any sales person that says otherwise should be viewed with an increased level of skepticism... It may be presumptuous of me, but I think that he'd agree that the degree of wisdom in the investment depends on the condition of the units, the other issues in the home as they pertain to energy efficiency, and of course the price being paid and quality of product.

harry wild only thinks they are a good investment if they are Crestline Acclaim fiberglass windows!

Here what Consumer Reports saids about it in the link and I show it below:

"Forget what the ads say. Saving money on your energy bill is not the reason to replace your windows--it could take decades to recoup the $8,000 to $24,000 you'll spend on new windows and installation. Energy Star-qualified windows can lower your energy bills by 7 to 15 percent. That's only $27 to $111 a year for a 2,000-square-foot single-story home with storm windows or double-pane windows, $126 to $465 if your home has just single-pane windows, according to Energy Star."

HGTV discuss this exact question too!. You get back about 80% back depending when you sell you home!. Sooner, more return to the maximum of the 80%.

That is not in the link that you posted Harry. You posted Clark Howard not Consumer Reports.

That said, I don't disagree with the Consumer Reports comments. The one thing that should be remembered though is the ROI from improved home value. That, incidentally, WAS in the Clark Howard article, and will be approximately 70%+ according to the Cost Vs Value report... and when the payback period from energy savings is recalculated based on that info, it becomes much shorter. This can then be compounded when products of higher efficiency are purchased (better u values and air infiltration ratings), as well as when energy rates rise, which they always do... Did consumer reports state the ratings of the products that they use to achieve their findings? I suspect they are drastically outdated.

Again, I strongly agree with the premise that windows should not be purchased based on a payoff in energy savings, and that payoff will be in a number of years (if not a couple of decades) in most cases, but certainly it can happen within the service life of the product, which should easily be 20-30 years + for a quality unit. How many home improvement projects can say that? ... And why such venom for a product that can actually pay for itself in energy savings by the time its service life is complete? ... I know why, because of all of the sleazy companies that have promised 40-50% savings which is purely bogus, but again, the pendulum of backlash is swinging too far the other direction here.

In my experience, it's very rare that homeowners purchase new windows strictly as an investment in their home anyway. People buy windows because the windows they have won't open, or they're rotten, or they leak water, or they're making the house uncomfortable, or they're just plain ugly.

The premise that somehow windows have to pay for themselves is ridiculous. Nobody expects new carpet to pay for itself, or a new roof, or a pool, or just about any other home improvement project. We improve our homes because we want to, because we enjoy the benefits of the improvements and if it increases the resale value of our home, so much the better.

"Steve_o , your example is so flawed on every level. Im also somewhat skeptical you installed new sunrise windows and then claim they dont really look that much different than the originals, i just find that hard to believe."

So flawed on every level? That's quite an attitude.

We replaced wood Weather Shield casement windows with Sunrise casement windows. The old exterior window trim was painted white; the new window exteriors also are white. Inside, the old windows were finished in that mid-70s dark finish; the new windows are finished in the same color (yes, we had to pay extra for that). We went with Sunrise in part to avoid the diminished glass area of other brands or insert windows.

In the eyes of someone who does not spend 50 hours a week looking at windows, they look just the same. What should I be seeing that's so obvious?

"When a realtor mentions to a buyer that a home has either okna windows, soft lite, or sunrise, the prospective buyer may have never heard of them but rest assured, they will immediately check the internet and research the mystery."

I think you have a very optimistic view of most home buyers. Maybe it's different in Dayton. Around here they recognize Andersen and Pella (at least in part because they're good-sized local employers); some will recognize Marvin (just upstate).

Beyond that? Highly unlikely. Andersen and Pella are way oversold, as you can tell from the number of people buying those brands from big-box stores because they recognize the names -- even if a modicum of Internet research would reveal how deficient those windows are compared to readily-available alternatives.

Like I said, maybe things in Ohio are totally different. But this certainly is what I'm seeing here as just a poor ol' slob who gets to pay for windows.

"We improve our homes because we want to, because we enjoy the benefits of the improvements and if it increases the resale value of our home, so much the better."

Here we hit the nail on the head. If installing new windows makes a homeowner's life better or more comfortable, then they can decide if it's worth the expense to them, just the same way they decide if a nicer car or a designer dress is worth the extra expense. No qualm with that.

But the title of this thread is "Would you consider new windows a good investment?" For most people, the answer is no, because windows are expenses, not investments. If one has to buy windows, is it worth spending money on better windows (or, more importantly, better installers)? In most cases, it is. But, relative to other ways to spend money on a house or other places to put saved money, windows are no more an investment than a floor, a roof, a new car, or a fancy handbag.

Agree with 90% of that stevo, but the handbag comment took it a bit too far. A handbag is a true expense. Flooring partially returns investment via improved home value. Windows, insulation, lighting, and other such improvements go a step further and return in value + energy efficiency. A car returns savings on mileage if applicable, but does not add value to a larger investment like home improvements do.There are distinct tiers and that is unarguable. The degree to which those returns are achieved is the only thing that is debatable.

Definitely go for new window ! I always believe in investing in new windows than going for patch works with the old one. People often find second hand to be cost effective compared to replacement. In case of second hand windows just consider the amount of maintenance work done to be carried on and its limited longevity which in itself vindicates my stand. I can comprehend the difficulty you are in to decide which to go for. There are many window and door installation services like Landmark Home Solutions which may be of help for you. When I had renovation done for my house, the first thing I did was to replace all my old windows with brand new ones. Save your time, money and energy. Having said that , I have seen many people go for maintenance of old windows. Some think of the finance and others because of the nostalgic or emotional attachment associated with it. Refer this blog on why you should replace your windows and doors http://www.landmarkquality.com/blog/general-category/replace-windows-doors . It is for you to decide based on your budget and taste. I strongly suggest you to invest in new windows . Anyway don't take rash decisions. Take your own time. Best of luck

Do you work for landmark? What a wonderful fellow coming on to the houzz site and offering his free advertisment. Imagine a world in which every company did such a noble act. After thinking about it, sounds like landmark is on the desparate side of things.

My realtor said that buyers in my neighborhood look for new windows /HVAC/hot water heater/refinished floors as a big plus as no one wants to buy a house and then gave to spend money replacing these things. It leaves them money to do the things they want to do, not need to do. Investment? No. Greater sale ability? Yes.

Suzanne,

I agree with your post and gave you a "like"!