JT - sorry to hear of this situation but respect to you for helping her out! Taking advantage of the elderly should be dealt with with very harsh consequences by the law!

Sounds like you have a great Mom. I know it must be frustrating to live so far away. I wonder at some point if it would make sense to take over some or all of her finances. In such a way as it doesn't come across the wrong way.

In the meantime, hope things work out with the refund. I'd think there are MANY folks who would assist in this effort in your Mom's behalf.

Hugs to your Mom!!!

People should be giving OUR elderly discounts and not ripping them off.

One source of the problem is the rise of internet sites
such as ANGI (formerly angi's list).

The contractors who troll those sites and respond
tend to be bottom feeders who can't survive on
referrals or word of mouth.
Mostly because they don't have either.

So they sit and wait for a nibble and then
quote through the roof.
If they only get one job out of 20, its still worth it to them
as that one job is 5x what it should cost.

I also saw similar crazy prices when I shopped for a replacement window 6-7 years ago. Called actual wood window factory an hour north and they wanted $3500 for wood 28x40, no including install. kicker was that it would also take nine months since they were swamped with business. Owner was apologetic.

Luckily I found a glass factory 2 hours south and tempered low e double glass were $190 each. I really needed 3 windows so I made 4 with a router in my driveway for less than $1k and it took less than a day.

$9k for 8 hours of my labor?

Two years ago a picture window fogged in rental. Again I was getting quotes of $5000-7000. Glass prices have gone way up. 55”x45” tempered double pane low e with 3/8” glass was almost $500. 6 week wait for glass then routered new sash on sawhorses in my driveway. If I do it again I’m buying a router table. Sketchiest part was removing and disposing of the old non-tempered panes.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1732893460.jpg

I really don’t understand why the markup on wood windows is so high. Maybe because high schools don’t teach woodshop any more?

No doubt there are cheaper windows. The bottom line is this: Did they overcharge someone because they thought they could, or does the contractor change that amount for everyone.

Nothing else is relevant.

...... tool belt.

My home has Andersen windows and doors. In September I had the broken, double pane low-3 sash glass for 4 large windows and the tempered, double paned low-e glass in a large patio door replaced by my local glass shop for $1,489.54 total. The came out and measured, then ordered the glass. A week later they came out and installed it. They look/work like new.

Renewal by Andersen would have replaced them...for $15-20K.

Exactly my point in my prior posts.

I hope this works out for your Mom.

My home was built in the late 40s still has several original windows. They are double hung wood with aluminum tracks. They don't function that great and I'll need to replace eventually.

Andersen and the like must have huge markups judging by the number of door to door sales guys I get every year who want to give me an estimate.

Wow that is cheap! Maybe I better look for a cheaper glass factory.

What's up with the window that it needs replaced? I've had double pane glass replaced in my windows for around $150. I take the sash out, bring it to the window company and put some wood with 2" foam board in place of the sash. When the window is finished, out with the foam board and wood and back in with the sash.

Nick, One of the panes of a double-pane window is broken, and this is exactly what I plan to do: remove the sash, & add a ....2" foam board, (since its pretty chilly here now, about freezing) Then get some new glass installed & put the repaired sash back in... yes, its tool-belt time, wasn't expecting repairs over Thanksgiving week, I thought i only had to cook the 23 lbs turkey..



...& Baz thanks for your kind words !

My other option is a whole new sash from Pella, (not sure if it is for both sashes top and bottom?)
here is the price I was quoted :

Pls see below for the information I was able to get from the id # from your window.

Exterior is white, and the interior will be unfinished. The cost does not include tax, and the part can be shipped to the Showroom for pickup. $459.26

I had to replace mine during the winter too. I used a little tape around the inside too to seal things up until they could replace the glass. The wood was just for a little extra security while the window was out.

JT just went through the Anderson renewal quote, $38k for 2 regular two smack windows and front door. Yeah.. no. Ended up ordering the replacement lower sash and a couple videos later fixed two windows for $500, the others have parts to fix for $150. Front door adjusted and keep the $37350 for engine build…ver scammy process.

That was my situation...one broken pane of a double pane glass (several windows). I suggest that you don't even go to the trouble of pulling it out in advance. Just measure it and call a local glass place and get a rough estimate including install. Mine sent a guy out to measure. Then they ordered and received the replacement double-paned glass. They did not remove the single remaining pane until they were installing the replacement glass in situ.

We just had 13 windows repaired. Most removing the wood and replacing the ropes for the sash weights or replacing some broken glass. But two were completely rebuilt from scratch. Four men took one day to do the job.

The only downside was they did not stain the wood, an easy fix.

The house is 114 years old, and we are in an historic district with nosey neighbors, so we had to go original, no vinyl.
The upside, all the windows now open, both top and bottom. This really takes care of the flow thru ventilation that was used when the house was built.