I've got to quickly ready my fixer-upper for resale, so I'm suddenly switching to general contractor mode to do a lot of the things that I've been meaning to get done.

Among these tasks is replacing the windows.

This morning, I recieved an estimate from one company, who offered a price for their self-manufactured windows with argon and a product they sell from another manufacturer, without. I'm also expecting another estimate this evening or in the morning from another fellow, who buys windows off-the-rack and I'm pretty sure, based on our conversation, his doesn't include argon.

The bid that I have on-hand is about $1500 less for the windows without argon. There's also a difference in frame-width, so the argon isn't the only difference, but the salesman says that his windows have an R-value of 3.3 and the other company is around 2.8 and the literature says the argon-free has a U of .34 and an SHGC of .35, while the argon is .30 and .21, respectively.

My instinct is that because I'm not going to be living in the house, I probably should go with the lowest bid (from a reputable company), but I've never bought a house with dual-paned windows or argon gas. Does anyone have any opinions or experience about whether, if I were to go for the argon, it'd have any effect on the eventual purchase price or the appraised value of the property?

As I told my wife on another subject, I feel that anyone looking to buy the place will offer down in $5k or $10k increments, so the $1500 might not result in a bid-down, but if it resulted in a higher appraised value and a different starting price, then that might be another matter, altogether.


Thanks in Advance

 

If it's lick and a promise time, skip the argon and keep the extra $. I really don't think you're going to recoup the $1,500.00 in the sale price of your house.

 

In this case I agree. You won't be re-couping much of the window investment anyway. People EXPECT good double pane windows on a flip. Surprised the cost is that much different, you can normally add argon to a window for $10-15 per. Make sure you do get Low E glass though. I think that should be a requirement in any window.

Hey, be a nice guy and leave the new owners with all the manufacturer info for the windows. They'll appreciate it 6-8 yrs from now when they need a lock or sash replaced.

 

A typical house will have around 15 to 20 windows so you are saying an extra $75 to $100 per window. Either you have a lot more windows or something is different. Gunguy is correct $15 to $20 for argon. Sounds like a salesman trying to push you into the higher priced windows. Get another set of prices and tell them you need the argon and low-e but can’t justify the quoted price. When he sees you going out the door, the price will come down. But have another option in hand. Don’t feel bad about playing hard ball, he is.

Bud

 

I am in the window business and can tell you that a good window will ALWAYS have argon. however,just because you have 2 windows both with loE and both with argon ,that does not mean they are equal or even close for that matter. most windows will lose their argon over the years but a good window with a good spcaer and the right sealants applied correctly will maintain over 90% of the gas over 20 years. i laugh when i see people going with the cheapest price when it comes to windows. cheap is ALWAYS more expensive. a smart homeowner may ask if the windows have loE and Argon,why take a chance for 1500 bucks when the total cost of the house is at least a few hundred grand? even if its a cheap window with argon.

 

Thanks for the responses and I apologize for the delay in acknowledging them.

I have been reading and keeping a check on this forum and thread, but I'm also having to hire contractors to do the necessary things that I haven't done and decide what partially finished thing, I'll need to farm out or just give up on, altogether.

I'm sure the fellow from the window company would tell us that his in-house manufactured window was better than the product he doesn't produce. He told me on the phone about thicker glass, smaller frames and a better seal, but all that isn't as important to me because I'm really just going to sell.

I also have to be somewhat bothered that because he's more than a hundred miles away, he has never seen my house and he might not even know from what it is constructed, so I don't know how that'd effect the installation part of the bid.


I mentioned in my OP that I was expecting another bid from a local contractor. Now, I'll be the first to admit that the local guy, who came to the house, measured and explained how he'd install the windows isn't selling anything as "special" as the first guy's high-dollar window, though they might be close to the first guy's JeldWens (though maybe not), but his estimate came in at 44% less than the first guy's higher price and 25% less than his other.

Though, I didn't bring up the idea of argon for the reason offered by krypton and he didn't mention it, either.


Again, thanks for the guidance and for the information which helped make my decision.

 

I just noticed where you are located. Why would even consider a window that does not have all the features needed in your VERY hot climate??????? Definitely has resale value!!!!!