window recommendations for house in NoVa?

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kbmidura
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:30 am

window recommendations for house in NoVa?

#1 Post by kbmidura »

I have a 40 year old house in desperate need of window replacement. I have been searching through this board for an hour now, and have already learned quite a bit! (I think I'll skip that estimate from Lowe's for their Pella windows now!)

I was wondering if any of you could recommend a brand of windows for our situation.

12 double hung windows, 8 of which are approximately 36 x 54, and four of which are approximately 24 x 54. Two casement windows that are 48 x 54. Also, two newer-but-cheap patio doors that we are considering replacing with French doors.

Oddly enough, though we live in a warm climate, our house is so completely shaded by trees that windows letting in heat has not been a major factor for us. Our air conditioning bills are quite reasonable. We have a much bigger problem with our windows letting heat out in the winter, and also with them being terribly drafty. Our bedroom faces west, and is always the coldest room in the house, especially when the wind is blowing. This is because the room has three of these old windows.

So, I'm looking for windows that let in as much natural light as possible and that will hold in heat in the winter. It is a very ordinary 1960s house with plain painted trim so function is more important than looks. White should be OK for both the inside and outside, though it would be nice if I could find some windows in an off-white color to match the trim. It seems like vinyl will do the trick, but I'm open to suggestions. I am not necessarily looking for the cheapest alternative, but on the other hand, this house definitely does not require anything fancy.

The budget is somewhat flexible but I am hoping to stay under 10K for the whole job--we might skip replacing the patio doors in order to accomplish that. I could also skip replacing the two casement windows, but it would better if they matched the other windows, I think.

I have made an appointment with the local Renewal by Andersen dealer, and I would like to get at least two more estimates from other suppliers before making a decision. How about Home Depot, for example? Any and all recommendations welcome!

Thanks.

FenEx
Posts: 553
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 11:18 am
Location: Illinois

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#2 Post by FenEx »

I used to give out recommendations on the East coast, even with those that have extremely good products... and I always end up embarrassed. Be very careful.

JScott
Posts: 508
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 5:06 pm
Location: Kentucky

#3 Post by JScott »

You have a Milgard plant in Fredricksburg. You will have plenty of choices I am not aware of as well. Its usually better to look at the folks around, check references, length in business, etc...and make your best choice for meeting your needs while using the board to guide you to a decision based on experiences. The most important consideration will be installing the windows to an acceptable level of quality for your home and environment.

cojo47
Posts: 20
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2006 8:27 pm
Location: Silver Spring, MD

#4 Post by cojo47 »

We've been looking for windows for a house in Washington DC for a couple of months, and have not yet found anyone to work with in this area who even begins to measure up to many of the mid-western and western installers who post to this board. Very sad to say, but instead of getting advice about what might best suit our needs, we seem to encounter salesmen who push their favorite products .... And they don't seem to know the first thing about windows. For example, DC (and Northern Virginia) is a "mixed" climate, but primarily a heating climate - i.e,. you spend a lot more on heat than on air conditioning. So while you will probably want a low U value for your windows, you may not want the lowest Solar Heat Gain window (despite the fact that the local sale reps push it). In most local showrooms when you ask the sale reps for something as basic as NFRC specs they don't have them and often don't even know what they are.

Having said that, you might wish to check out the listings of window installers given in the Washington Checkbook (www.checkbook.org - but go to the library if you want the full information which is not available for free on the web). At least it provides some basis for assessing customer satisfaction.

As for your choice of windows, it sounds as though you are in the vinyl price range based upon quotes I've been receiving in this area. Some of the vinyl windows do come in a satin or off white, which won't knock your eyes out quite as much as those harshly bluish bright whites of others. From reading this board I would suggest the Simonton 5500; you can find dealers in the area on the Simonton web site. I also like the appearance of the Huntington by Kensington, which you can find at American Home Center in Beltsville; AHC's checkbook ratings are very high, and their pricing is very competitive, but take the boss's impatience with lay folk with a grain of salt (if you can). I don't know if the Kensington window is as good as the Simonton.

If, in your travels, you identify a knowledgeable, quality window expert, please do pass on the information. Good luck!

kbmidura
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:30 am

#5 Post by kbmidura »

Thanks, all. I have kept looking into it, and finally decided that the best way to get the most window for my money might be to install them myself. So, I went to Home Depot, and actually got a salesperson who knew what he was doing. I ordered one Andersen window that is low-e but will let in plenty of light, and will try installing it in one of the basement rooms of my house which won't be obvious if I screw up (: It is white, but I don't think I mind that enough to pay for a different color--our trim is off-white so it won't stand out too much.

I figure I will try that, and if it goes well I will order the rest of them. I have a lot of experience with home renovation projects and I didn't see anything in the installation instruction that I looked up online that I can't handle. If it does not go well, then I will go ahead and pay for installation. Either way, ANY windows will be a huge improvement over what we have now! And, if I can replace them all myself for a cost of about 4K, then that will surely pay for itself over time.

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Windows on Washington
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Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:23 am
Location: DC Metropolitan Area-Maryland/Virginia/DC

#6 Post by Windows on Washington »

kbmidura wrote:Thanks, all. I have kept looking into it, and finally decided that the best way to get the most window for my money might be to install them myself. So, I went to Home Depot, and actually got a salesperson who knew what he was doing. I ordered one Andersen window that is low-e but will let in plenty of light, and will try installing it in one of the basement rooms of my house which won't be obvious if I screw up (: It is white, but I don't think I mind that enough to pay for a different color--our trim is off-white so it won't stand out too much.

I figure I will try that, and if it goes well I will order the rest of them. I have a lot of experience with home renovation projects and I didn't see anything in the installation instruction that I looked up online that I can't handle. If it does not go well, then I will go ahead and pay for installation. Either way, ANY windows will be a huge improvement over what we have now! And, if I can replace them all myself for a cost of about 4K, then that will surely pay for itself over time.
Thats great if you have the talent to do it but most do not. There is an opportunity cost to absorb there as well if you could be doing something else and making money at that. How many windows are you looking at replacing anyway....?

Andersons warranty leaves a little to be desired in my opinion as well.

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