House project started this week..........

[fred cook]

Just in time for the cold weather! I'm having all the windows in my house replaced along with the vinyl siding (changing from blue to brown!). All of the windows are the low E type, double panes and a slight tint. My sister had this done a couple of years ago and she said that she was amazed at how quiet her house became. A full day today with 3 guys working got 1/3 of the windows replaced and about 1/2 of the old siding stripped off. There was one window that was sized incorrectly that will have to be re-sent from the manufacturer but everything else worked out just right. The contractor is a guy that remodeled my kitchen a few years ago. Did a great job on the kitchen so I am comfortable that he will do a great job on the windows and siding. Later this afternoon, I helped pick up the old siding material and look for nails. I REALLY don't want a flat tire from all this!

[ckelly78z]

I wish you luck, speed, and skill with your contractor, it's so hard to find someone good at their craft these days who actually shows up, and does what he has promised.

My house needs new windows desperately, but going to wait until Summer.

[scotricker]

That sounds great.
My house, built in middle 80's still has the terrible original aluminum slider windows, with double pane glass, but very close together, not much air space gap.
I've been researching for a while, and need to get to this replacement project someday, too. I seem to be sort of set on Milgard brand from HD, and do the installation myself.

Could you please let us know what brand/style for your windows that you have chosen?
Please post pics when done for sure.

anyone have any comments about Milgard ?

[LWJ]

^^^

To answer above

I worked for a company that supplied Milgard many millions of dollars worth of material in a prior life. They seemed pretty legit. I bought their windows a few years ago and have been pleased.

Not sure the model, we bought a small frame design that didn't seem to be any more expensive and greatly increased our viewing area.

Also, we did a lot of research and hired a window contractor. Cost was lower than I expected in the end. And, my business is dealing with construction defect pretty regularly now so I know what can happen when things go wrong.

[fred cook]

Here in the deep south, the summer bugs (gnats and mosquitoes) are more of a bother than the wintertime cold air and rain! I actually pulled the trigger on this project a while back but it took a good two months to get the windows and siding material. The materials all were bought thru Lowes including the labor to install. Turned out that I had used the contractor several years ago on a kitchen remodel and know that he will do the job correctly and promptly. The windows are Lowes "Reliabuilt" brand, series 4900 (I think). They are vinyl clad aluminum with double sashes. The glass is the "Low E" double pane with argon gas filler. The windows appear dark from the outside but only slightly greenish from the inside. They are supposed to be good for noise and heat reduction. Looks like I will be waiting a few days for the properly sized window to get here but that should not be a problem. Everything else is on site. More to follow (including pictures).

[look 171]

Originally Posted by scotricker

That sounds great.
My house, built in middle 80's still has the terrible original aluminum slider windows, with double pane glass, but very close together, not much air space gap.
I've been researching for a while, and need to get to this replacement project someday, too. I seem to be sort of set on Milgard brand from HD, and do the installation myself.

Could you please let us know what brand/style for your windows that you have chosen?
Please post pics when done for sure.

anyone have any comments about Milgard ?

Milgard is a mid grade window. By that, I mean dollar for dollar, its a good window until you start getting into clad windows.


I like fiberglass windows over vinyl. It takes paint much better and much more durable IMO. There are different grades of Low E glass, so spec them out when ordering. If I had to order Milgard, Their Tuscany series would be my choice. Middle of the road. Good service, slow now with computers. Input this or that mnumber and wait. Back them, pick up the phone, they are out to fix what's needed within the week.

[Scott Douglas]

Originally Posted by scotricker

That sounds great.
My house, built in middle 80's still has the terrible original aluminum slider windows, with double pane glass, but very close together, not much air space gap.
I've been researching for a while, and need to get to this replacement project someday, too. I seem to be sort of set on Milgard brand from HD, and do the installation myself.

Could you please let us know what brand/style for your windows that you have chosen?
Please post pics when done for sure.

anyone have any comments about Milgard ?

We had Milgard put in a number of years ago. Got a new slider put in in the family room too.
All well worth the money and mess and highly recommend them. It is so nice to have windows you can slide open with one hand vs the two it used to take to get the old ones open. We're fairly close to the beach and the ocean air didn't do the old aluminum windows any favors.
We got Low e glass and were surprised at how cool the house stays, both summer and winter. We were impressed with how much solar energy they kept out during both seasons.

[fred cook]

After two days, just over 1/2 of the windows are in place, siding stripped off half the house, most of the stripped half wrapped and ready for siding. Today will focus on the rest of the front underlayment wrap, placing J molding and starting the siding. There are still 10 windows to go, mostly in the back and south end of the house. Four of the seven porch windows did get replaced yesterday. Very pleased with the progress being made! More to follow!

[fred cook]

Now, there are 14 of the 21 windows installed and some of the siding is up! About half of the house is wrapped and sealed. The windows have proven to be a very "snug" fit in the framed openings. A couple required some small mods to either the frame or the window. But, I guess that is actually a good thing. I went to Home Depot on Sunday and got some trim paint mixed. It wound up being close enough to the cream window color and to the brown siding color that a small dot on each sample was hard to find once it was dry. The only things that will have to be painted will be a small amount of trim around the (4) doors, the garage door and the (7) windows in the Florida room. Everything else, outside walls, windows, fascia trim, etc. is either brown vinyl or cream colored vinyl. The project manager (he doesn't like the term "contractor"!) is doing a very good, well planned job. Couldn't be happier! The beat goes on!

[masraum]

Very nice. Glad to hear that it's going well. I'm surprised that it's taken that long to do the windows, but I guess if the same crew is doing windows and siding, that would do it.

[Scott Douglas]

Our house was done in a day, and that included tearing out the old slider framing and putting in a whole new one. All we had to do was wait for the stucco to dry so we could paint the outside. No siding involved luckily.
Once I saw how easy it was I thought, I could do that. But not in one day. As it was, we just happened to chose the hottest day in August with a Santa Ana blowing really good. Talk about a mess in the family room!
All the dust ended up getting into our TV so it POPPED a good one when we went to watch that night. We ended up getting a new one so we could enjoy sitting in the family room looking out our new slider.
Like I said before, these windows have made a world of difference in our lives.

Pics when you're done, or it didn't happen, as they like to say.

[fred cook]

Originally Posted by masraum

Very nice. Glad to hear that it's going well. I'm surprised that it's taken that long to do the windows, but I guess if the same crew is doing windows and siding, that would do it.

Same crew doing all the work (boss plus 3)! Pulling off the old siding and wrapping the house properly is a real time eater! About 75% of the house is stripped and wrapped with 2/3 rds of the windows in and sealed. Probably 20% of the new siding is up. Tomorrow will be more work on the siding, replacing 3 (at least) more windows and doing some more wrecking if time allows. I've put the shades back in the living room and music/computer room and should get some more put in tomorrow. There is a small amount of trim around some windows and the doors that will have to be painted but that will not take long. Maybe I will get some pictures to post tomorrow! To be continued!

[Tim Hancock]

My wife wants our split level house resided and all new windows this coming spring/summer.... Too big of a job for me to tackle. Can I ask how much a job like this costs to have done?

[fred cook]

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

My wife wants our split level house resided and all new windows this coming spring/summer.... Too big of a job for me to tackle. Can I ask how much a job like this costs to have done?

I'm having this done thru Lowes, windows and siding. Because I chose to use ultra low E windows in one of the "upper" classes of windows (21 including a large bay window), this is going to run about $24K. The house is about 3,000 sq ft and will take about 30 squares of siding. Certainly not cheap, but I think reasonable for the quality materials and labor going into the job. We have lived here for about 35 years and this is the first major outside work that has been done in that time.

[billybek]

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

My wife wants our split level house resided and all new windows this coming spring/summer.... Too big of a job for me to tackle. Can I ask how much a job like this costs to have done?

Tim! Outside help? Say it isn't so!!!

[flatbutt]

Fred, I've found a magnet on wheels to be quite useful for finding nails , unless they're aluminum of course.

[911 Rod]

We had the kitchen renovated.
2 flat tires. Grrr

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by billybek

Tim! Outside help? Say it isn't so!!!

I typically avoid house work like the plague..... I do my best work out in my shop. I could live in a shack if it was just me so long as I had a nice big well stocked shop full of projects to work on.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by billybek

Tim! Outside help? Say it isn't so!!!

He DOES have a weakness!!

Good windows make such a difference, my house had “builder quality” windows when we bought it, which is a nice way of saying crappy windows. We would get little snowdrifts on the floor when the wind blew from the North during a good snowstorm. Now we have good Andersen windows and the house is quieter, not drafty, almost no spiders, and our bills went down.

[fred cook]

As of Friday afternoon, 20 of 21 windows were installed, caulked and sealed. All of the old siding is off except for one side of the back porch and most of the outside corners, inside corners, starting strips and "J" mouldings are installed. About 20% of the siding is in place. Starting Monday, the project manager will have his full crew on site to hit the siding install hard and heavy. Except for the window that had to be re-ordered because it was the wrong size, the rest of the house should be done. There is a bit of renovating to be done inside the back porch but I don't think that will take more than 2-3 days at most. Meanwhile, I've been putting blinds and curtains back up and moving furniture back into place. With a little luck, we will actually get to decorate for Christmas this year! The beat goes on!