42K would be way Red Flag Low. What are you Not getting at that lowball price. Because it will not be apples to apples, that's for sure.

I've got door/window connections in Florida. PM me, please.

How many windows is "a lot"? What style windows? How many operables? How many and what size doors? Swing or sliding? The price range you state seems off for an apples to apples comparison. To get accurate info you need to give accurate info...........

Millworkman it is 12 windows (10 slide side-to-side windows, 2 picture windows), 4 sliding glass doors, 10 geometric trapezoid.

The 42k estimate is the same brand as some of the higher ones-Custom Window Systems and the same "line" of that brand. A couple of the higher ones are for PGT.

From my understanding PGT is a higher quality product than the CWS but something else is off then if the quantity, brand and MODEL numbers (including every bit of hardware) and Glass type are all identical. Are they all suppling the exact same flashing material and details? Have they all been properly vetted? Is one of them a fly by night chuck in a truck verssus a showroom dealer?

• Contractors can smell easy marks over a mile away, you smell like an easy mark to me and I'm over a thousand miles away. Did you write up anything that resemble's a scope of work? If so I can't believe contractors refuse to tell you why they charge twice as much for black as they do for white. You didn't ask even for black and white options from each contractor did you?

Klem1 I'm not an "easy mark." I own a very successful business in a different industry so I know how to negotiate and nothing goes over my head. I've replaced windows in other homes before, just never the whole house, so I was surprised by the variation in numbers. Yes, I wrote a detailed scope of work. And yes I asked for both colors from different contractors.

Millworkman not "fly by night" but the lowest quote is a wholesale distribution company that also installs. They mostly install for contractors I've heard--they don't give out the fancy brochures like the homeowner-oriented companies do that I got the high estimates from. Their reps don't wear nice polos like the homeowner-oriented companies. But their warehouse is local and locally well known, they've been around for decades, and came highly recommended by an investor friend and several contractors in other trades. Yes the other higher estimates were "showroom" type companies. I was just especially shocked by Home Depot. I expected them to be the lowest.

Whomever told you that your windows needed to be impact rated did you a disservice and made you a target for salespeople to push expensive impact windows on you. Impact windows only need to be used if you are not going to protect whatever windows you decide to install with approved hurricane protection. So, in a way, you might be viewed as an "easy mark" as someone stated earlier. Don't feel bad - I hear these stories every day. You would be surprised to hear the many folks that I speak with who say
"I don't need shutters - my windows are hurricane proof!" There are no hurricane proof impact glass windows available to the general public. Simply stated, if you windows are made from glass - no matter what king - they're going to break - period.

Click on the link below to see what happens to an impact window during a large missile impact event:

Impact window test

This leads to my next question of, "If you opt for the more expensive impact windows, how are you going to protect them from breaking?" You see, impact windows ARE resistant to hurricane wind load pressures but they AREN'T that good when it comes to being impact resistant. They are a "sacrificial" form of fenestration designed to break when impacted but remain in place to preserve the integrity of the building envelop and thus prevent pressurization of the structure during a tropical weather event. They were never intended to "survive" or "withstand" a hurricane impact. Quite the opposite is true. And as you can see from the video, once they are impacted they no longer pass air infiltration or water penetration standards and need to be replaced. Those impact windows weren't cheap when they were installed and they aren't going to be cheap to replace.

So, no matter what windows you choose, protecting their investment cost only makes sense. Whether you decide on a high quality aluminum framed version with a 50+ year life expectancy or a pvc framed unit that only lasts for 25-30 years, protecting them is something to consider to avoid the expense, mess and inconvenience of having to replace them when they break.

The bottom line is do your homework before you plunk down a ton of cash for new windows. There are dozens of types, styles, construction materials & methods, glazings and sealants used for manufacturing. If you're environmentally conscious you'll probably want to stay away from pvc because of their toxic hazards during the manufacture and disposal. However, if you're a "flipper", you'll most likely opt for the low cost of pvc and not worry about lifespan or toxic effects. If you're looking for something dimensionally stable, steel frames might be your choice. There's also aluminum, fiberglass and wood models to check out, as well. Once you decide if the up front expense or long term payoff is more important, your choices get easier. Good luck with your search.

That's unusual. Most building owners of 3000sf or more that call me - residential or commercial - are anxious to get away from impact windows due mainly to the high upfront as well as replacement costs.

Sometimes posts are self-serving. I just did a whole house reno on a newly purchased house. used Clearwater Window and Door on Gulf to Bay for impact PGT. Ask for James. Reasonably priced, good service. And yes, bronze costs considerably more. I went with white because of the added color cost for bronze. Don't need shutters, love the look of my custom windows!

Custom size windows are expensive. They can easily be double the cost.