Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I live in a 1992 house and the windows are originally. I think one has a shim and they don't seal amazingly and they will fog up they are basically functional
Is the return of replacing in efficiency and added value worth prioritizing replacement?
Yes, if you plan on living there for a while of course. If you plan on moving next year or less wouldn't bother. I have replaced some windows in my home and it is a lot newer then yours. I had cheap MI windows with no low e glass. I replaced with Anderson windows with triple low e glass. The rooms now are a lot less cooler in the summer when the sun beats on the windows. The glass is cool to touch on the back side. I was amazed at the difference.
Do YOU want newer more energy efficient windows in your home while you still live there and can you afford to replace them? If so...then yeah it's worth it.
If your question is "does spending 30k on new windows yield me getting 30k more than comparable homes in the neighborhood with their original windows when I sell my house"....the answer is a definite NO.
Will it potentially make your home stand out and garner more interest from potential buyers? Sure, maybe. But it won't mean that if your next door neighbor with similar floorplan sells there house for 300k with original windows; you can sell yours for $330k with new windows all-else-being-equal.
I think a lot of times perfectly good windows are replaced when they could be repaired. Weights can be replaced, seals/fogging can be fixed, etc. I think the windows would all need to be in pretty rough shape to justify complete replacement, especially in a warmer climate like here. I would take a look at repairing.
You wont recoup your money unless your windows are absolutely terrible. By terrible I mean you don't have any windows. If you replace your windows get a lot of quotes. I got about 10 and went with window world. They were the cheapest and very happy with them. Next cheapest was a few thousand higher. Don't let windows companies tell you how their windows are more energy efficient. We live in the south, it will make very little difference. They make the biggest difference in cold weather. Pay money for low e, thats definitely worth it if they get sunlight.
From a value perspective then you wont recoup your money either. Small value increase. Windows will be $350-$500 per window depending on options from Window World.
Are windows really 30k @_@ I was thinking like 4-6ish
$30k is on the high end depending on how large/how many windows there are in the house but definitely not outside the realm of reality. $4k-6k would cover maybe 3 or 4 windows factoring in installation costs. Realistically it would probably be somewhere in the $15k-20k range for a typical 2000 sq ft house to replace all of the windows.
I live in a 1992 house and the windows are originally. I think one has a shim and they don't seal amazingly and they will fog up they are basically functional
Is the return of replacing in efficiency and added value worth prioritizing replacement?
If so recs?
So for starters are they fogging up "on" the window glass, or "inside". The two are very different and fogging on the pane is normal.
I worked with a former HVAC engineer about six months ago. He designed and built systems for commercial buildings like office buildings and such. Now granted this was in TX but when faced with a similar decision he used window tint. Tint can reduce heat gain by around 60% and has a large impact on cooling costs. Another benefit of tint is 99% UV rejection (same as you'd get on new windows) which significantly reduces sun damage to furniture, paint, and flooring.
Another thing that can be considered is something called solar screens (google "Texas solar screens" and tap images). These are basically removable screens placed outside over the window to reduce sun rays from coming inside the home. They are extremely popular in Texas but have not caught on much elsewhere. What I like about them is you can remove them in the winter to take advantage of solar heating coming into your home during the day (and can use a colorless inexpensive UV tint on your windows to reduce UV penetration at the same time).
Next up for me would be age of the HVAC system itself. Going from an older R22 SEER 10 unit to a new 410a SEER 16 will be 40% more efficient. For an average sized home that translates into about a $400 per year savings, over a 15 year lifetime you've more than paid for the unit in cost savings. Plus new HVAC really helps sell your house. If using gas heat then obviously the benefit would be half as much. One nice thing about the newer 410a units is the heat produced is warm too, unlike older heat pumps.
Finally we come to replacement windows. Windows are actually fairly easy to replace yourself with a helpful partner. You can purchase them custom made for your size. I have a bunch of 30x60 in my home, single hung. Using Window Liquidators I get between $250-$300 per window using the high efficiency option. I have 14 windows of that size in my 2000 sq ft home.
Depending on the frames (mine are vinyl and of standard size) I can probably replace just the inserts for some savings and much less install hassle to boot.
You will most likely never recoup the cost of replacement windows if you pay someone to do it in energy savings unless your current windows are single pane. And still it would take decades.
You may get some money back on the back end if/when you sell. One thing I find interesting is very, very few "flipped" homes replace the windows...because buyers won't pay more for it.
Oh and adding insulation is so cheap and easy it should be done first. We have R45 insulation, I took it from R15 in our attic to R45-ish for around $300. Requires two people (blown in cellulose) but suuuuuper easy (just messy).
I live in a 1992 house and the windows are originally. I think one has a shim and they don't seal amazingly and they will fog up they are basically functional
Is the return of replacing in efficiency and added value worth prioritizing replacement?
If so recs?
Are you talking about removing the full window frames and installing complete new units?
I would think at least $1200--$1500/ window.
You need a good contractor to do this work because it involves exterior flashing and trim and siding, and interior trim, and paint for both.
Vinyl replacement windows that fit in the old frames after the sashes are removed are more affordable.
I would think $400--$600 per window.
There are tons of outfits that do vinyl replacement windows. Hard core sales tactics are common.
How many windows do you have?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
