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bardia_ghajari

how much better are new high end window vs old windows + storm

B G
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago

Hi everyone,

Main question is, how much better are new high end window (new construction style + best practices) when compared to older 1990’s single pane Marvin window + storm ?

I apologize in advanced, kind of long, but I just can’t make a decision because as its my father's house that he built with blood sweat and tears.

I have a two family house and in the portion of the home that I live in, my late father built, but didn’t have a chance to finish. He tinkered with DIY projects and changing his mind every day for the past 30 years, until the day he died. So everything in the house has meaning to me. I am in finally in the position mentally to finish his house for him. I have the funds to make it exactly the way he wanted.

So here is where the confusion comes in from. We are finishing his house, and everything is coming together the way he would like. Since my dad never finished the house, all of the windows except one have no trim and no exterior brick on the outside. The windows were never finished on the outside, they were preprimed 30 years ago and never painted. To finish the window to match the house, we would have to stain+poly the window trim. Then we would have to sand and paint the exterior. A few of the windows need new weather stripping (5 dollars a window from Marvin , I checked) , and adjustments, and locks installed. Precovid, I thought it would be easier to rip the old windows, get high end vinyl and trim the windows out in painted wood. This would be a perfect balance of cost savings of not having to poly and stain, and not dump money into old windows.

Now I am at a dilemma. Replace the windows he put in, or fix up the ones he has. The main reason for my hold up is, with covid, I’m at least 1-2 month out with new windows and contractor wants to finish. And so do I. Also now that I think about it, its not really good investment as there are already storm windows on the doors, and I’ll never recoup the cost since the house is jointly owned. The coowner’s windows are from 1960, and they usually “Forgets” To close the windows in the winter. Gas meter is the same, So ill never recoup the cost. Its only going to be from a comfort point of view. So my question to you guys is how much more comfortable is new window with best practice install when compared to a old window with storm?

My mom likes to be toasty in the house, so I don’t mind changing them to but, ascetically, the old windows match, they aged to a honey pine that matches all the trim of the house. they are what my dad put in, and I very found of.

Any help, or words of wisdom here?

If it makes a difference, Marvin is ~4.7k(elevate), provia high end endure is 3700. for 1 double hung, and 4 twin double hung windows. Labor would be the same either way.

Thank you in advanced either way.


pictures for ref! https://imgur.com/a/vTGU9Ei Notice the one window he trimmed out and how beautiful it looks. Notice how the other windows are not trimmed out and unfinished on the outside


also to add, I still have 8 patio doors, 8 half rounds, to replace in the other section the house he built but did not finish. These windows totally rotted out because the company went under during 2008 crash. so I have a lot more money to spend on windows coming up.

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