Replacement Windows?

[renateb]

I had Marvin windows installed 7 years ago. Awsome windows. Wood on the inside that had to be stained. I didn't want vinyl on the inside. Cut back on noise a lot. I broke a clutch on a double hung window (my fault totally) and they came out and fixed it for free a few years after install. They were more expensive than Pella, but a side by side comparison they are a much better quality. They don't look like replacement windows.

 

[magik]

Replacing my windows was one of the best home improvements I've done. I had very crappy aluminum windows before; I was only able to open 2 windows in the entire house.

Now I can easily open every window, they are much more energy efficient, and even though they're vinyl, they look basically the same as the other windows did from the outside, which was important for my HOA rules.

They were expensive, but one of the best things about them is they came with a *double* lifetime warranty - basically, they are totally covered for the entire time I own the house, plus if/when I sell the house, the warranty transfers to the new owners for however long they own the house as well - a pretty good selling point. And the warranty even covers things like caulking around the windows, which a lot of warranties don't. I ever need the windows recaulked...I just need to call them up and they'll redo the caulking, no money from me. Plus no-fault glass breakage coverage - so even if it's my fault if the glass breaks in a window, they replace it under warranty.

They're from a local company that manufactures its own windows.

 

[semo233]

Our builder is a good friend of ours and within the past 7 years or so, Anderson came out with a line of replacement windows. This is all he uses. When we did some remodeling that requiered some new windows, he installed the Anderson windows. They are REALLY nice and efficient!

 

[d96j97]

I had to read everything on this thread. We're needing to replace 15 casement windows in a stone home that is 67 years old. We wanted to do it soon because of the tax credit. We want very, very good windows. I'm so tired of feeling the wind blow my sheers when they are next to the windows. I had no idea of how much it would cost...hoping for around $5,000 or less.

 

[brota]

I am getting 6 Casements replaced 3 3 Windows and 3 2 Windows.
So far for Vynyl that will meet the tax credit.
Lowes is about $6500
Home Depot $9400
Pella Home install $12k

 

[NotUrsula]

We used Renewal by Anderson in our 1934 double-wall brick home. They were the only ones that we could find that could be put into our very thick walls with our existing angled-brick outside sills. (We are in a historic preservation district, and they are strict about what kind of replacement windows can go into the original part of the house.) They are vinyl-clad on the outside and raw wood on the inside; we did the interior staining ourselves to save some money.

We did it in three waves, using a sale credit each time. Each set of windows (we did 6 at a time) cost about $4K w/ installation. There was a difference in quality among crews; the crew that did the final set wasn't quite as good, and we have had some fit issues with one window that tends not to close properly unless you fidge with it.

I would say that your DH might be able to do it if your walls are true and the windows are standard-sized. With a house that old, you may well run into size issues and have to have them custom-made unless you want to reframe to make new standard-size windows fit properly. Have the window company do the measurement -- that way if the size is wrong it's their problem, not yours.

I will say that our windows have saved us a fortune in heating and A/C, and the quiet is amazing. The front room of the house is 15 feet from the street, and you don't hear traffic at all unless someone peels out or a siren comes by.