I have Phantom Screens on my doors as well as Phantom's Serene Screens for my windows. *PROS* -crystal clear unobstructed view out of your windows; it's amazing what a difference that makes. *CONS* -they are a bit high maintenance because you have to periodically silicone spray the tracks and keep them clean or they won't glide smoothly -high winds could cause them to retract. we had two magnets installed per screen as extra insurance. -they are PRICEY - approximately $500 per door and $200 per window. -if your window screens are mounted on the outside (for example when there isn't enough clearance for an inside mount), you need to use a telescoping wand to pull the screen down, which is a bit of a hassle. We only keep the window Serene screens down during the fall and spring which is when we typically open the windows. Geez, it looks like the cons outweigh the pros! Nevertheless, I highly recommend them.

I am a grandma and tried to install myself since the $ was the same to buy x 2. My brother helped and we got it up. I have had to replace the closer as it stuck and I had to take it off to close the door. The lock never came out on the door either. My closer (which I was soo excited I could put on myself) now is also bent when I was attempting to take the dam lock off and the top lil thing that goes in and out when you shut the door was locking. what?? I had to go around the house and keep forcing that thing down w a screwdriver. I thought I may attempt DIY's but I told a friend I just CANNOT complete this storm door nightmare.. I have a nail where I am using a twistie to keep it closed in the meantime. I guess I also need the Lock Replacement. argh

I'm interested in re-opening this thread as we just put a parlor floor deck on the rear of our house last fall, and put a custom OUTSWING door to the deck since the kitchen right inside is small (we're in NYC), knowing we would want a retractable screen this spring. Well, it's nice out and I want to leave the door open but really can't without a screen so it's time to get one ASAP. Our door isn't that wide (31.5") so I'm concerned about a frame making the width too narrow. I don't want something so "framed out" that we lose too much width. Also, we have cats one of whom always wants to go outside and might push against the screen, so I'd want something sturdy once it's closed so he only goes outside when we open the door to let him. (Once the cat learns it won't give way he won't try much more but at the beginning we need sturdy) we also have kids some of whom may push against it without realizing it's there. I've been researching this and have learned that Mirage (based in Canada) and Screenmobile (based in CA) use dealers that won't work in New York City (although the Screenmobile dealer in West Caldwell New Jersey was really nice and helpful and knowledgeable today), and Phantom is a floating mesh system and might not be pet-resistant (and including installation will cost around $500, which sounds high to me). Lowe's carries the Larson 39x81 for $160 or $200 including delivery, but it's either possibly overly framed out or has no bottom frame so my cat could render it relatively useless. And Home Depot has the ODL which is $120 or so but a dealer warned me that it's a relatively cheap product and "you get what you pay for" and suggested I go with the Phantom dealer in Brooklyn. I plan to go to his showroom but also wanted to ask others' opinions. ODL doesnâÂÂt seem that bad and itâÂÂs still on my list. Has anyone heard of Window Fix Inc? Any suggestions generally? Is $500 reasonable vs. $120-$200 from a Home Depot or LoweâÂÂs thus returnable if we donâÂÂt customize it and it just doesnâÂÂt work? IâÂÂm tempted to go the big box route this year and upgrade in a year or two if we need to. Thoughts?

Dennisgil and Patricia, thanks so much for your comments. My intention wasn’t to insert myself, but I see how it looks Iike that. Yes, his estimate came in higher. Even backing out the things that were added, it‘s about 15% higher. It was a lump sum bid, so no breakdown. He said all the subs were about 10% higher. (though as this bid process was going along, I asked how the bids were coming in, and he said the roofer was on target with his expectations.). At this point, I guess I should forget about the estimate. (I thought getting one would be good, a sanity check, to know if we were on the right track. Even that was on the high side but not a deal breaker). So I guess I need to just focus on the current bid. What do you do when the bid comes in higher than you wanted? My architect’s advice is to look for “relief valves.” We cut a couple things that had been added on. I was also looking for things to cut like the ”nice to have” items. i.e. don’t expand the size of the bathroom window, just replace. (Admittedly this won’t save a fortune,but finding several of these things will move in the right direction). How do you do this when it’s a lump sum bid? When I remodeled my guest bath 10 years ago, that GC had a breakdown by plumbing, electrician, etc. She also was happy having me source materials (though everything had to be onsight the first day). How can I make an informed decision on materials without the price? I.e. How much is the upcharge for the “clear screens?“ I’d like to know, so I can decide if it’s worth it. (The upcharge on the retractable screen over the sink is definitely not worth it to me, for example). FWIW, on the french door, my architect said yes the door w/ alum exterior is better and for $1800-2000 he said it was worth it, compared to the $700 wood door.. He wasn’t sure the alum door was worth it if I’m paying $3200. With all these prices adding up, I’m not sure the alum door is needed, since the existing door fared fine and had the bonus (to me) of allowing me to paint the exterior, to create a design element. These are small examples, I know, but even if these small things only add up to $10K that’s still money from my pocket. Am I so wrong trying to save that? Previously, GC made the hard sell to go with custom cabinets, and then last week the hard sell to go with his custom cabinet guy, who seems excellent, like a master woodworker, but....I live in a nice but not super $$$ neighborhood. My architect recommended his own custom cabinet guy (who has done work for arch’s house) and that bid was about 15% less (I need to get an apples—to-apples bid; hopefully within the week) I feel like I’m being asked to just trust his judgement and go along with whatever they say. How do I find the right balance of being an educated home owner making informed decisions vs. a cheapskate micromanager? FWIW, my process to date has been to work with my architect to get his guidance. He wanted to see the bid to review the costs, and was disappointed that it was a lump sum bid with few price details. Thanks for your help.