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I hope people who have personal experience with having impact windows installed in their homes, or who know about construction and impact windows, can give me some opinions.
I have an opportunity to buy impact windows from a stranger who lives nearby. He says he bought these windows to install in his house, and that they cost him $800 each - but he decided not to install 5 of them, which he is now selling together for $600. In theory, they cost a total of $4000, for a potential savings of $3400, which could really help me out.
I was intending to replace all of my windows eventually with impact glass, but did not plan to do so before at least next year, if not later. My current windows are original to the house, which is from the 1980s, and they are the worst windows I have ever seen. They are spring-loaded and nearly impossible to open or close even with grease (I have actually hurt my back multiple times whenever I try to use them), they do not have opening screens, and they are especially ugly. I would like to stay in my house, but there is always the possibility of a financial emergency and so my decisions need to also consider the possibility of resale. I am in a waterfront home so certainly these are in demand in my area and considered desirable.
I figured if I got a great deal, I could afford to have these 5 installed earlier in the main rooms of the home to make them more attractive.
I asked the guy for the measurements and model/company, and instead of answering the questions he replied with pictures. They look ok, but they look like they might have been kept outside for a while, and one has some very minor-looking damage to the wood on the exterior. I have to confirm the measurements at least, because I am not going to cut new window holes into my house.
Could somebody tell me what the concerns would be, and in what ways these might or might not be a mistake to purchase? $600 is cheap for 5 nearly new impact windows, but it is still a lot of cash for me right now and I don't want to throw that away. I don't mind if I later install the rest of the windows and they end up not exactly matching, and I don't necessarily need these to be perfect because nearly any new window would be a big upgrade from what I have now. But I don't want to somehow hurt the value of my house with them, or get taken. I've never installed windows before so don't know much about them, or how to determine their exact value. I thought perhaps I was getting a great deal, but now I'm not sure.
Sounds like a too good to be true deal. The windows in question would be double paned.
If the rubber gasket around the glass fails the thermal barrier is compromised. If the windows
dont fit your openings your're going to have a problem. Even if they are a little bit too small
it will require a carpenter to get them in right. Just thinking about the deal gives me a bad feeling.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StarfishKey
Hi,
I hope people who have personal experience with having impact windows installed in their homes, or who know about construction and impact windows, can give me some opinions.
I have an opportunity to buy impact windows from a stranger who lives nearby. He says he bought these windows to install in his house, and that they cost him $800 each - but he decided not to install 5 of them, which he is now selling together for $600. In theory, they cost a total of $4000, for a potential savings of $3400, which could really help me out.
I was intending to replace all of my windows eventually with impact glass, but did not plan to do so before at least next year, if not later. My current windows are original to the house, which is from the 1980s, and they are the worst windows I have ever seen. They are spring-loaded and nearly impossible to open or close even with grease (I have actually hurt my back multiple times whenever I try to use them), they do not have opening screens, and they are especially ugly. I would like to stay in my house, but there is always the possibility of a financial emergency and so my decisions need to also consider the possibility of resale. I am in a waterfront home so certainly these are in demand in my area and considered desirable.
I figured if I got a great deal, I could afford to have these 5 installed earlier in the main rooms of the home to make them more attractive.
I asked the guy for the measurements and model/company, and instead of answering the questions he replied with pictures. They look ok, but they look like they might have been kept outside for a while, and one has some very minor-looking damage to the wood on the exterior. I have to confirm the measurements at least, because I am not going to cut new window holes into my house.
Could somebody tell me what the concerns would be, and in what ways these might or might not be a mistake to purchase? $600 is cheap for 5 nearly new impact windows, but it is still a lot of cash for me right now and I don't want to throw that away. I don't mind if I later install the rest of the windows and they end up not exactly matching, and I don't necessarily need these to be perfect because nearly any new window would be a big upgrade from what I have now. But I don't want to somehow hurt the value of my house with them, or get taken. I've never installed windows before so don't know much about them, or how to determine their exact value. I thought perhaps I was getting a great deal, but now I'm not sure.
Thanks for the reply. Consider too the option that I might buy and resell them if they don't work for me - like if they were fine but didn't fit by a little bit.
So in addition to replies about whether people think this is a good idea for me, I welcome thoughts as to whether the risk is lowered by the ability to resell. I don't want to stiff anyone else either, but if they were decent windows and just had some minor issue, mightn't I recoup the cost since they were already marked down so much from typical impact window price?
Thanks for the reply. Consider too the option that I might buy and resell them if they don't work for me - like if they were fine but didn't fit by a little bit.
So in addition to replies about whether people think this is a good idea for me, I welcome thoughts as to whether the risk is lowered by the ability to resell. I don't want to stiff anyone else either, but if they were decent windows and just had some minor issue, mightn't I recoup the cost since they were already marked down so much from typical impact window price?
The cost of removing, installing, removing and re-installing may be prohibitive. Several years ago we got re-windowed. The measurements are down to the 1/4 inch. The size tags are till on each window.
The fit in the existing opening is the priority.
Not trying to be obvious, but how do you know that they are actually impact windows - other than the person who wants to sell them for way under cost told you that they were?
Do the windows have "MDCA" etched in a corner of the glass? That would indicate that they are impact rated.
Consider the seller picked these windows up for a bargain at some home center and is trying to turn a profit. Could be legit, but too many unknowns. I'd pass on this if I were you.
Not trying to be obvious, but how do you know that they are actually impact windows - other than the person who wants to sell them for way under cost told you that they were?
Do the windows have "MDCA" etched in a corner of the glass? That would indicate that they are impact rated.
Thank you for that "obvious" observation, because it is true. I did not know about the "MDCA," so thank you, that is really helpful. But also, I was just thinking this. Since I know nothing about impact windows, have seen them but never owed them before, I was concerned. On the other hand, I thought, buying new windows for $120 each is not the worst thing in the world, even if they are not impact they are better than what I have and that's not a terrible price.
BUT, I am beginning to be concerned about this seller.
I asked initially for the window measurements, brand/manufacturer, and model/style. The person did not answer any of the questions and just sent pictures (attached above), which concerned me because they were taken outside and I'm not sure if he's been storing the windows outside. So today I wrote back saying thanks for the pictures, but I do need to know the information still. This person seems very slow to reply to emails, so that answer may still be coming and I may still end up buying the windows if I do enough research about what he says they are and conclude it's a good risk (it's not like I'm paying $500/window or something). But what concerned me is I noticed that while I did not get a reply yet, these have been posted online again today, like maybe he is now looking for another buyer because he doesn't want to answer any questions. If I never do get an answer back (and it's too early to tell just yet), I'm not sure what that would mean but it can't be good. Maybe for some reason they were stolen? Or as you said, they're not actually impact glass? These were some of the thoughts that ran through my mind today, that had not occurred to me yesterday.
So it's obvious, but it's not that obvious, because while I do have street smarts it's hard for me to think of all the outrageous ways someone may try to scam you sometimes, because I am really honest and would never dream of trying to do something like that to someone else. Like it didn't initially occur to me that he might actually sell them as impact when they are just normal windows. I have been told by realtors before that you can tell impact glass by the kind of track it is on, and the sound it makes when you hit it - more of a dull thud. But, those may not hold true for all windows, I'm not sure.
So this is why I asked, because I felt there might be problems I hadn't considered - both in terms of construction issues, or scam issues - that someone else might think of right away.
We'll see if he does write me back and give me the information at least. If so, I can look up the style and see if it really costs $800 each, look at the details and see what exactly it looks like and identifying features, etc., so I could determine with a smaller margin of error if these are really what he says they are.
In regards to what Spring Hillian said, it was not my intention to pull my own windows out first. I was just going to buy them and store them, and then when I am replacing the rest have the window people put these in as well. If they measure the same as my current windows, they can only be so far off - and particularly if they are just a hair small, I assumed just like with any ordered windows that might have the same problem all one needs to do is tap in some slivers of wood around it, or some insulating foam, and secure it. More of a problem if it's a hair too big, but again the measurements that the windows were identified with by the manufacturer should tell one most of what you need to know. Hence why it is imperative that he tell me first what those identified measurements are - he ordered them so he should know.
Any other thoughts still welcome, because if I get satisfying answers from him I may still pursue this. But if he never replies there is no way, that is an obvious red flag.
As a follow-up, oddly enough when I asked the questions again this person never replied. He did give his name and phone number, but I assume he found someone else who did not ask pesky questions about what exactly he was selling for $600. It would have been polite to at least let me know he was "going in another direction." Yeah, not interested in buying something from someone that shady, and/or inept that it doesn't occur to him that when someone buys windows they need to know the measurements at the bare minimum.
Thanks for the replies giving me a chance to think over what could go wrong with this purchase. I didn't get a chance to test any of the theories out as it turns out, because he didn't even pass the lowest standard to make a deal happen...
You are saving yourself grief and money by not taking the deal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StarfishKey
As a follow-up, oddly enough when I asked the questions again this person never replied. He did give his name and phone number, but I assume he found someone else who did not ask pesky questions about what exactly he was selling for $600. It would have been polite to at least let me know he was "going in another direction." Yeah, not interested in buying something from someone that shady, and/or inept that it doesn't occur to him that when someone buys windows they need to know the measurements at the bare minimum.
Thanks for the replies giving me a chance to think over what could go wrong with this purchase. I didn't get a chance to test any of the theories out as it turns out, because he didn't even pass the lowest standard to make a deal happen...
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