Yeah, that makes sense. We got two quotes that were about the same, but both Pella. Does anyone have other brand suggestions that we might want to look into? We don't want to cheap out on the windows, but we aren't married to the Pella brand if there's something else we might look into.

"We don't want to cheap out on the windows"

Then get away from anything Pella. What type windows, full framed or replacement insert type? What do you want the windows to look like interior wise (wood, vinyl)? Double hungs, casements, awnings? Who is to do the install?

full framed windows, double hung. We’d prefer wood but for budget I think we need to do vinyl.

Soft-lite, Sunrise, Okna, Kensington, Polaris - these are all good brands that will serve you much better than what you’ve seen.

How large the windows are and whether they're standard or custom sized will affect the price, as well.

we will look into those other brands. Thank you so much!!

I agree with the recommendations from Ultra...

Where are you located? That can determine what windows are available to you, and perhaps a referral can be made

We're in New Jersey. Can I ask why you guys don't recommend Pella?

Quality control, Fit & Finish, product quality, customer service are all lacking.

Whatever you do, make sure the windows match the 1915 style of your home. There's nothing worse than putting plastic windows on a period home.

If you're in an upscale area, wood windows would better retain the value of your home, as well as respect its history. Have you looked at Marvin? They make excellent quality windows, though not cheap. Are you in a historic district? That could dictate your choices.

Do you need to do all the windows now? Often one side of a house takes more weather and those windows are in worse shape. Are you making changes to the layout, like adding French doors? Don't replace windows unless you're sure you're not changing them.

We are not in a historic district. We have not looked into Marvin yet, but definitely will. We do need to do all the windows now and we are changing the layout in the back of the house.

You may also want to look into Andersen 400 Woodwright windows. My daughter just did these on her home and they are very nice looking. Outside of Boston it ran her about $1500/window installed.

I don’t have a historic home and we have wood windows now and will be looking next year at getting new windows and I prefer wood windows and probably don’t need full replacement because all trim and window mouldings are still in good shape. Just starting my research on new windows.

Good luck, Kathy!

I need to see the house

If you want a really nice looking vinyl window that looks nice in a very old home, look into Okna Windows. Ask to see the 800 series, its not only very nice looking, its extremely strong and made very well. This window is more efficient than any wood window and completely blows away anything pella offers and at a much better price point.

This is the house.

I wouldn't want the maintenance of wood windows, but vinyl windows on a historic house will look odd and frankly cheap. You have other options. Aluminum clad windows or fiberglass windows. Shop around. IMO replacement windows can be hugely overpriced many times.

Do your research and arrive at a decision that will meet your budget.

No vinyl!!

You guys obviously havent seen Okna Windows.

I second looking into fiberglass if the wood is out of your budget. I think vinyl windows will cheapen the look of a historic home.

Thanks everyone! We decided to go with wood on the inside and aluminum clad on the outside. I really appreciate all of your advice!

Curious what window you chose?

We are sticking with Pella. Our contractor uses them all the time, and we really like the looks of them. Most of the house will be the Lifestyle series and we are going to replicate the existing style.

I really appreciate all of the advice about vinyl looking cheap on historic homes. My husband was really on the fence, and all of your feedback helped us make this decision!

Any reason you can't restore the original windows?

Funny you should ask. A historical restoration company suggested the same thing when we inquired about painting the exterior and some porch repairs. There is significant chipping lead paint inside all of the windows. that was the reason we were thinking to replace. We’re going to get a quote for restoring them too. Does anyone have insight into which route they would take?

If you still had the original 1915 windows then I think it would be worthwhile to try to save them, but since the originals were replaced in the 50’s it really depends on the quality of the 50’s replacements.

IF the 1950's replacement windows are in good operating condition, then consider restoring them.

If they use iron weight ballasts on ropes, there is every reason to restore them. If they use some sort of spring ballast, then restoration may be more of a problem since there is little likelihood that replacement ballasts are available.

Even though they are single-pane windows, they will give you the same
climate resistance as a new double-pane windows if you add a storm
window. Good storm windows are a lot less expensive that replacement windows.

Whatever you do, think long and hard before using vinyl. These seldom last beyond 10 years without serious problems developing.

For more detailed information, you might read Your Old Windows: Restore or Replace.

We were actually totally mistaken about them being replacement windows. They're the originals from 1915 and they have storm windows. The historical restoration guy said they looked very solid. I guess our main concern is investing in restoring them, when buyers will ultimately be expecting or wanting new windows when the time comes for us to sell. Even though restoring them is cheaper than new windows, it's still a significant amount of money.

If they are original to the house, then that's more reason to choose restoration over replacement. I suggest you read our article before you make up your mind. No one here can give you the answer, just advice. Ultimately, you will have to decide what to do.

I had the windows and front door rehabbed in my 1928 house. No regrets. If a future buyer wants to tear out the original old-growth windows, that's their choice. Good luck with your window project, AL.

Three thoughts:

1) If the current windows are indeed original, AND you are keeping the rest of the home "period correct" (or at least close to it), then restoration would be very wise to at least consider. On the other hand, if the home is all chopped up and "modernized" as many old homes are, then the value of doing so loses a bit of luster. You used the word "historic", which makes it seem like the former, but historic and OLD aren't necessarily the same.

2) If you opt to replace the windows, I'd strongly reconsider your choice. I see that product fail due to rot within 10 years regularly.

3) Its utterly moronic to state that all vinyl windows will fail in 10 years, just as it would be to state that wood windows will, just because SOME do. You can find great wood windows, great vinyl windows, and great fiberglass or composite windows, just as you can find very poor versions in each material. If someone tells you to disqualify an entire material, I'd suggest that you disqualify their opinion. You will find dramatic differences in aesthetics, performance, build quality, and so on all within any one window material.

If you haven't already signed with your contractor for the window that you mentioned, once again, I'd suggest reconsidering. Put together a lost of your wants and needs for the project, consider the other factors of the home and neighborhood, and then decide on a window material that will meet what you need, followed by picking a great window made from that material-- and again, that is if restoration isn't right for you.

The best part about restoring the original windows is that they are usually made from old growth wood. The quality of old growth wood is far superior to any new wood you can use for windows. You simply cannot match them. Even if restoring them costs as much as new windows, it is still the best choice.

The only reason to use vinyl windows is if you absolutely cannot afford anything better. Sometimes the budget overcomes any other consideration and I do understand this. However, if you have any choice at all, please avoid vinyl.

Again, nothing at all wrong with a quality vinyl window. See HomeSealed Exteriors post above.

We bought a house from 1827 with 32 windows that all need significant work. Significant energy loss right now and no working cords and sashes. About half are original and the other half were likely installed in the victorian era. Ive researched a lot and there seems to be a consensus ( both from industry and the US Dept of Energy ) that property restoring historic windows will give you windows that last longer (50 or more years if properly cared for) over modern windows which might last 20 yrs. And, if you combine with an interior storm window/insert (we have Inow Windows—very simple) you benefit from the same reduction in heat/AC loss as a new double pane. I received a quote for new double pane vinyl windows which was over 35k, and also fully restoring which was 32k. We are going to restore but split it up over 2 years due to cash flow. Not going to install exterior storms due to cost and I’m not sure we need them. Our guy will also replace if he cannot repair rotted sills as well which i don’t think the big “window companies” do. Downside is we are on a year and a half waiting list.

Oh the 32k job is what the guy called a “100-year window package)

He also offered a package where for just $235 per window he worked onsite and repaired broken wood/sashes, put everything back in working order for every window, and re-weatherized windows but does NOT reglaze the glass.

Resources:

https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/design/windows-doors-and-skylights/update-or-replace-windows

Found our restorer here https://www.windowpreservationalliance.org

My 1803 windows are still working. The 1836 addition has its original windows. I wouldn’t want an historic home with replaced windows.

The data they use for thermal numbers for replacement windows is outdated. Best case scenario for a old window with a low-E storm installed is a U value of About 0.36 and about 0.26 for a new double pane vinyl and 0.18 for a triple paned. Air infiltration rates can vary greatly with old windows , any where between 5 and 1, a new window can vary from 0.01 to 3 .

Vinyl windows = a fixer-upper house; historic homes have wood, preferably original.

We redid all our windows one at a time ourselves it took awhile but was so worth it. There are plenty of sites to direct the the process.

@ HomeSealed Exteriors, LLC

Which companies, in your opinion make "great vinyl windows?" Just wondering.

@ toddinmn

What is the source of these revised u-values?

The u values are not “revised , “ they are just typical of many modern windows.

@ toddinmn

Sorry, I mis-read your post. But, a U of .36 is slightly higher than I normally see for single pane windows with storms. So, just curious.

https://labhomes.pnnl.gov/documents/PNNL_24444_Thermal_and_Optical_Properties_Low-E_Storm_Windows_Panels.pdf

What is your source?

I would look into thermally-broken aluminum windows. They are more expensive than vinyl but less expensive than wood or wood-aluminum windows, around 5-10% (depending on the brand). Aluminum is far more durable than vinyl, plus more energy-efficient (depending on the brand). They are powder-coated so they are more resistant to fading, chipping, and scratching as well. Generally, you can also get dual-color options with one exterior color and one interior color (this is something we offer with no upcharge but not sure regarding other brands).

Coeur D'Alene Lake Home · More Info

Coeur D'Alene Lake Home · More Info

Here's a historic-retro fit we did with wood-aluminum windows (full gallery here), to provide you with more examples while you deliberate on which route to take.

Hope this helps!

@StarCraft Custom Builders, Sunrise makes a great looking/performing vinyl casement, the Softlite Elements is very nice, and Okna makes a great vinyl window, some of which have hidden butt joined welds. Those units are top performers thermally and structurally in addition to looking pretty nice, certainly not what many homeowners expect a vinyl window to look like. There are other great vinyl options as well, but those three are pretty widely respected among professionals.

Most Victorian homes will not have casement windows . Even though there May be some vinyl windows that look great and better then some of the others not many are going to confuse vinyl windows with windows made from other materials, especially wood.

@AL AL. Am reading through many posts here as we are also in a position of choosing a window for our home. If you' re still around, are you happy with Pella Lifestyle? Thank you.