Hi, I am living in a home built in 1997 and the windows are the cheap builder's windows and screens. I would like to replace them with some type of energy efficient, cost effiecient window. Especially where the sun hits directly into the window all day long. We have the top of the line screen that we started to put on two of them. However, I think replacing the window with a high quality window would be better then putting in top of the line screens. I live in a very hot climate and no snow ever. What window types are available? I have never bought windows, and do not know anything about them. Since we have lived here I approached this from the inside with thermal drapes, black out drapes, heavy duty drapes on top of the thermal drapes, etc. I would love to open the drapes to see outside and not worry about the heat transfer. What are the types of windows? Are they expensive? What is the cost of installtion of say a regular window? I am afraid I will get ripped off with either the quality or the price or both. Please give me suggestions and thoughts of how to proceed. Thanks ~

I have a question. I have a 1962 full brick split-level house with a full finished basement. I would like to add one large window, or a row of french doors to the front or back side of the basement den, because there are none. Behind the wall is the grey concrete block. I would like to know if there is an average cost of doing this so I can at least determine if it is worth the research. Can someone please help???