Energy Efficient Window Cost

[Ronbo]

Admittedly I'm clueless about the cost of energy efficient replacement windows, but I just got an estimate that floored me.

My house has 23 windows and 3 sliding doors. All are to be replaced with double pane windows and a composite-type widow frame. I had a proposal from Pella Windows which came to just over $53K.

Is this just way out of line? I was expecting about $10K. Anyone done this recently?

[dipso]

I just did mine at my house.
I paid about 150.00 a window and 700.00 a slider. Vinyl, dual pane , tinted, low-e.
I did the install myself.

[wrecktech]

That seems very excessive to me. Over $2k a window and door. There is a company here that advertises here for $300 a window installed. Not sure what size that includes. That would be about $7k for the windows.

[MRM]

I happen to represent window manufactuers, so I know something of the subject. There are wide variations on the price of windows depending on who you buy them from and when. You can buy windows direct from a manufactuer, a wholesaler, a retailer like Home Depot, or a contractor. Some get quantity discounts and pass them on, some charge you their cost plus 25% in addition to labor. The only way you can tell whether you're getting the best price is to go to lumber yards, Home Depots, and contractors and let them bid the job for you. I just heard from another attorney who was representig a guy whose house needed repairs from bad construction defects, and he told me he got a high Pella bid from a contractor, and on a whim he sent his client ot a local lumber yard to get an Andersen quote (Andersen is usually more expensive) and the lumber yard offered the Andersen product for almost a third less than the contractor wanted for the Pella product. You just have to shop around.

Make sure you compare apples to apples. The bid you got sounds like it's for a full frame removal and replacement including labor and interior trim. A lot of places will replace just the sash (the glass part that opens and shuts), leaving the frame in place. The cheap window replacement quotes you hear are for an all viny window replacement. That's lower quality that you probably want. You can save money if you do a replacement that saves your interior trim.

As a disclaimer, I do represent Andersen Corporation, but I would recommend you look into their remodeling product "Renewal by Andersen". It is not the cheapest around, but the quality is excellent. It will probably be cheaper than the Pella quote you got. The Pella quote seems quite high just eyeballing it.

Pella is a decent brand, and I am biased, but I think that the top tier (excluding custom specialty brands) are Andersen, Marvin and Jeld-Wen.

[Gogar]

I just did my house two months ago, it's a 1928 brick home that had the original single-pane windows.

I used Champion Factory Direct, which has a Factory in Denver and makes vinyl replacement windows, patio doors, and patio rooms.

http://www.championfactorydirect.com/

My house has 19 windows; 10 big ones and 9 little basement ones, and I paid around $11k for a job similar to what MRM is talking about, where they use the existing window frame and drop in a replacement insert, and wrap the outside of the old frame with color-matched aluminum trim, (similar to gutter trim). Inside the house, all you really have to do is clean up, sand a little, and maybe repaint your existing frame.

The windows are vinyl but i'm very happy right now, and I -think- I paid an ok price. The Pella quote for the same job was $24k. but was not really a good comparison, because it's kind of a different product. But ANYTHING is better than what I had, for sure!

I think I did ok and I would've had to sell a car to afford the $25k scenario, and that's not happenin' right now.

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by MRM

As a disclaimer, I do represent Andersen Corporation,

MRM are American craftsman windows (sold at home depot) made by Andersen? Would their top of the line 9500 be a good choice?

[911pcars]

For another POV, check with Milt. He suggested and installed some reto-fit windows in my Mom's rental unit. There are window price points for every persuasion.

Sherwood

[livi]

Wow. With that price it would take at least 10 years to recuperate the cost I would think?

[charleskieffner]

heres the drill with pella:

call them.

3-4 weeks to show up.

measure broken glass or estimate damage repair.


give you 6-8 week later appt.

show up replace glass or repair window.

CHARGE YOU OUT THE ******* ARSE!

and yer gonna tell me there is a slowdown in building here in arizona.


i am dealing with 37 year old pella dual panes with roll up screens. giant PITA!

wood gets distorted from hot cold expansion contraction moisture blah blah. arizona is extreme on everything.

i would NEVER BUY A PELLA WINDOW after what i have been thru with this 10000 sq foot home! EVER! GIANT PITA wayyyyyyyyyyyyy OVERPRICED and CRAP CUSTOMER SERVICE EACH AND EVERYTIME!

i actually cringe when owner comes in and EVEN TOUCHES A WINDOW! it is a sure bet it will not open or close properly each and every ******* time!


TINT THE FUCHERS WITH MEGA DARK TINT! wayyyyyyy cheaper and just as effective.

plus i know a really good 3m tint guy home/auto and it is a huge energy savings this timew of year on western exposures.

pella is a joke and a stroke!

oh yeah i have been dealing with these pella clowns for 10 years. know the bend over drill real well!

[MRM]

Rick, I'll check. I know the Andersen branded windows better, but I know who to ask.

[David]

I'm having windows installed right now. 8 windows and a sliding glass door. The windows and door are vinyl double pane E-glass Atrium for about $3,000. I'm not sure how much the labor is since they're replacing the siding too, but I would guess about $2,000 for installation.

[John_AZ]

MRM,
I have seen ads for all degrees of thermal value for windows. Is there a point when the difference is not worth the expense? Can the technology hold up to AZ heat-112 degrees for long periods/days, west facing windows?

I do not want to go with rolling shutters or tint. After reading Charles post, I am surprised he did not mention aluminum foil
Thanks

John_AZ

[charleskieffner]

sidebar(love that goofy ass term) .............gas filled energy efficient green windows west exposure have cracked a coupla times. these are less than 3 years old. 2nd story PITA repair from inside(plaster not drywall). pella states gas heats up, builds pressure on glass and they crack. hmmmmmm!

the last thing i want to do with a window EVER is to have to do it over again all the while being bent over. what the hell does pella think there windows are????

a porsche?????

aluminum foil would be good but newspaper is better...........GIVES IT THAT CRACK HOUSE LOOK! hahahahahaha LOL!

[JeremyD]

I just did a whole house of windows - 165 mph double pane - for around 18,000 = local company - green tinted glass - many custom sizes - with pella you are paying for their marketing. Shop around - and if you are in CA then definitely talk to Milt - he's probably forgotten more about windows than most people know.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Was it a Pella Store? Typically they are the cheapest way to buy Pella, same prices to contractors and homeowners. I see Pella as middle ground, not the best, not the worst. Also, remember that the Pellas with the blinds between the panes are not sealed, and therefore not nearly as efficient.

Another vote for Andersen. My father-in-law is a contractor, and highly prefers Andersen (they're in his new house). They'll send out parts for 20 year old windows, no cost.

$53k sounds very high, I'd get some other bids. Remember though, you get what you pay for. Avoid the generic vinyl ones.

[sammyg2]

I replaced 11 windows in my house with the dual pane aluminum retro-fit windows from home depot. I did the labor myself (about 1 day) and total cost was under $4k and that included a large 8 foot slider.
That $53k quote is waaaaaay out of line. At least double what it should be. Tell em to pack sand.

[John_AZ]

Originally Posted by charleskieffner

sidebar(love that goofy ass term)
aluminum foil would be good but newspaper is better...........GIVES IT THAT CRACK HOUSE LOOK! hahahahahaha LOL!

In the "Boulders" area ($,$$$,$$$.$$ housing) no less. LOL

John_AZ

[sammyg2]

Say what you want about tint but they make some that is energy efficient but isn't very dark at all. It's also cheap compared to replacement windows.

Another thing is, it's much harder to break into a house through a window that has tint film on it.
A regular window means a spring-loaded center-punch and you're in. With tint it takes a lot longer and a lot more bashing. More noise, more time, perp runs off and says to heck with it.
Not that big of a deal around here but if i had a vacation home that was empty part of the time I'd go for security film at least.

[MRM]

I can't don't know specifically how anyone's low energy glass works other than Andersen's but I assume they are the same. Andersen's glass is made so that the amount of solar energy that it absorbs depends on the angle of the sun. In the winter months the sun is at a lower angle, so the rays are supposed to be able to enter the home, giving some solar heat. In the summer the sun is higher, so the solar radiation bounces off the ground first and hits the window at a lower angle. The glass is supposed to be able to reflect more of this solar radiation when it bounces off the ground. In addition the low energy windows have double panes that are filled with Argon gas. 20 year warranty against seal failures . . . I'm just sayin' . . .

[chapo]

May not be that far out of line. Some things to consider:

1. Are they retro fit or new install? If stucco, siding, etc needs to be removed and replaced, along with new flashing and waterproofing the cost can be substantial.

2. Does this include interior trim? Wood or MDF?

3. Cost of windows. Currently building a house with Loewen clad windows. Cost of windows UN-INSTALLED and unfinished on the inside $185,000.

4. Window type, Aluminum, vinyl, wood clad, aluminum clad?

5. Vinyl retrofits are an affordable way to go and don't look too bad. you can trim out the inside with some casement moulding to get a better look.

For 10k you can get the vinyl look. Get more bids. I like the Andersons too. The vinyl doors are a little cheesy and flex in the middle sometimes if you go that route. Hope this helps.