replacement windows

I have an older all brick bungalow with double hung windows and old storm windows. The windows are in pretty good shape but rattle and are drafty in the winter. I'm also tired of painting them. The storms are old and need to be replaced. I have been looking at windows and I found a replacement window that uses the existing window opening. It's called zap-pack by jeldwen-The caradco line. (Home Depot carries them) This window comes dismantled in a box. The kit comes with the sashes and jamb liners that fit in the existing window. They are double pane low-e, tilt in, aluminum clad with solid pine frames and appear to be a pretty good window. I am somewhat skeptical of the kit but it's literature says it's a very efficient system and you do not have to disturb the existing interior trim. It appears to be a pretty simple installation. I found it on the web and the company has been around since 1866. Does anyone know if this is a good alternative to replacing the whole window expecially when you have plaster walls and beautiful oak trimwork? These windows run around $150.00 a piece. I checked with pella and they have a replacement window that is assembled in a frame that just fits into the existing window opening but they want $400.00 apiece. I am just wondering if anyone has had any experience with them? Thanks

 

You are comparing apples with oranges. The zap-pack is an inexpensive way to replace your windows. Pella is very top-of-the-line. For slightly more than the zap pack, you can get windows that come fully assembled, and fully warrantied. A retrofit window will not disturb the plaster and won't cover up but a little bit of the oak trim work.

(Wait about 24 hours, and 54regcab will be along telling you to simply weatherstrip your existing windows rather than replacing them. Sorry, but that poor horse has been beat to death in the past week!!)

 

I did do some checking today and did find out other options as you say than zap pack. I thought you had to take the frame out of the old window to replace the new one but thats not the case. The reason a called pella was they had a window with pine interior and many of the stores in my area carry all vinyl. I know it is personal preference but some tell me that it will not look bad to have an all vinyl window verses a window thats aluminum clad exterior and pine interior to stain to match my oak woodwork. It seems that it might look odd to have all oak stained woodwork interior with white vinyl windows? Any comments? I spoke to a certainteed dealer and they have what appears to be a nice vinyl window for around $200-220. A building trades school instructor told me he puts those windows in the homes the school kids build and he really likes them. When it comes time I think I will have him show me how to put the first one in and then do it myself. They really appear to be pretty simple to install. Thanks for your help.

 

So who says you have to settle for WHITE vinyl?? Every window company I know of also offers a tan or almond frame. That would certainly (at least, in my opinion) go better with the oak.

Jeld Wen, Certainteed, Pella, ... You are still all over the board as far as price, warranty and quality. For now, ignore "quality". Find 2 or 3 windows in the same price range with similar warranties. Some companies express their warranties in a certain number of years. Others have "limited lifetime" warranties -- that means it is covered for as long as YOU own the house. That is all well and good, as long as the company is around to back it. Still others offer warranties that are transferable to the next owner of the house.

Don't be misled by price. Read the threads in this forum that started in the past 2 or 3 weeks. One major retailer charged a person almost $10,000 for a slider and 8 windows. Myself and one other contractor who is a regular in this forum would have done the same job, WITH THE SAME (or very similar) WINDOWS for about 1/3 that price.

Buyer beware, and SHOP AROUND. Take good notes. Trust me, shopping for a car is nothing compared to shopping for windows!

Another key is the NFRC festation rating label and Energy Star rating stickers. Your local utility may offer a rebate for installing windows with the Energy Star rating label. How much of a rebate, and how it is computed, varies. Ask them.

 

Can you give me some good options on vinyl double hung replacement windows for my home? I live in central Illinois so the weather is somewhat unpredictable. my house has 17 windows with 14 of them being about 28x58. The other 3 are smaller 20x30. i think i would like to have the low-e argon filled glass that tilt in. As I told you before I'm still not sure if I want to have a pine interior to stain but it may not look to bad to have an almond color vinyl. Can you get the almond color on the inside and white on the outside? I have all white trim on the outside and would like to keep it white on the exterior. i read the other threads and read that some used the home depot line which i believe are american craftsmen. I've heard they are ok if your not staying in your home long but they're not a good quality window. I plan on being here for 10 or more years. I'm looking for a good reliable sturdy quality window that would be in "the middle of the road" as far as price. Even though my existing windows are in good shape I'm with you in going modern. I'm tired of painting and my wife complaining of sticky windows!! Winter time I can feel the cold air transfer. What would you be looking at if you were replacing my windows? If it matters my house is a story and a half all brick bungalow built in the late 20's. I appreciate any brand names or series model you can recommend. What should I definately stay away from? Thanks again for you expertise!!!

 

White outside and tan (or almond) inside? As sure as I say "That's not an option", SOMEBODY will jump in here and prove me wrong!! Let's jsut say that of the 6 or 7 window mfgr's I have dealt with and the 10,000 or so windows I have installed, I've never seen it.

Given that the exterior trim of the house is white, you really need to stick with windows that are white outside. THAT look is important. Whatever goes on inside can be covered or offset with the window coverings.

Maybe Tn...Andy will jump in here. He uses Simington windows. They are a good window, They're not a Marvin or a Pella, but then, they aren't priced like a Marvin or a Pella either. Very possibly they offer a line with vinyl frames that have an oak inside trim. They are available in your area. I am familiar with EPI and Amerimax windows. Not sure if you would find them in Illinois. To the best of my knowledge, neither of these two offers what you are suggesting.

Another option would be to go with a good window that is white vinyl, inside and out, and use an oak trim to tie the window to the jamb trim. More contrast than I care for, but not a bad look by any means. There are millions of kitchens done with white melamine and oak, and they look just fine.

 

Leaping in here.....owwww.......I think I hurt my bum knee.....bedrest til Saturday ??? Man. ....I hate that



Nah, I've never seen white/almond combo's......several makers DO have a woodgrain finish on the inside, including Simonton, but it's a surface applied deal that IF you scratch it, the unlying vinyl color shows, so you have to be carefull.

I built a rental house last year with white vinyl and used red oak on the extenstion jambs and casing, stained the oak a light color and I think it looks great.....since you can't post a pic here, email me andyd@planetc.com and I'll send you a pic.....

As to windows, I like the Simonton Reflections series, the 5100 model, mechanical frame and welded sash......I think the woodgrain adds about about $30 to the base price (here) of $153.00. LowE adds $20.

I would avoid windows from any of the BigBox stores like HomeDepot......the staff there usually doesn't have a CLUE about anything they are selling.....Go to a supply house that sells vinyl siding and windows to small contractors......they will more likely be knowledgeable about the windows they sell and give you service if you should need it later....and THAT is as important as the brand of the window....Service after the sale is a totally foreign concept at the BigBoxes.

 

Andy,

PLEASE don't talk about knees!! I'm still getting over what happened to mine last summer, and that is NO JOKE!!

Shadytree,

You got the same info from both of us. Go to a Big Box store and you will probably get 'Price'. 'Quality' -- maybe yes, maybe no. 'Service' -- they will give you a funny look. According to Andy's signature, choose any two!

Simonton, EPI, or whoever... you are looking at mid-grade windows. Some will have features that they think are better than the other guy's. Now you are comparing a $25,000 Ford with a $25,000 Chevy. (An apple with an apple.) As long as the festation ratings and warranties are similar, you aren't going to go too far wrong.

Step up to a Marvin. Pella, Sierra Pacific, Anderson -- now you are getting into the Porsches or Rolls Royces of windows. Nothing wrong with that, IF that is what you want, what you can afford, and the house you are putting them in justifies it.

 

I purchased MY windows at Home Depot for $90 each 32" x 60"
Vinyl with tilt in sashes.
Yes I could have bought pricier windows but I only paid $20K for the house I didn't want to put a lot of $$ in it.
The old windows were dry rotted.
The windows are white vinyl and Trimming them out with pine looks pretty good if you ask me.
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/bigguy...c=bc%26.view=t

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/bigguy...c=bc%26.view=t

Service at a "big box" store ?
A joke, but the quality was pretty good for the price.
Now for a $100,000 house I might would have gone with something nicer.

DO NOT buy from one of these window companies who is always advertising on TV, they charge 2-3X what a regular contractor would charge !!!

 

Alside makes a good middle of the road replacement window. They come white or beige inside/outside or oak woodgrain (not painted on) with white or beige outside. Your 14 larger ones would run about $225 with white and Low-E. Smaller would be around $150. Woodgrain add about $50. This is wholesaler price; This price is subject to mark-up depending on installer, when I install I sell at my cost. Check out alside.com for dealers in your area. As far as I know, they are not available thru the big box outlets. Thought this would give you something for comparison.