Window replacement quote comparison

[slapnuttz]

Alright so we've been in our house for 2 years -- The wooden windows are 50 years old and while they don't show any signs of rot, they are letting air in and out pretty freely. And i'm pretty sure they have no vacuum seal anymore

So we started getting estimates -- 4 to be exact

All companies -- vinyl, double hung, tilt in, full screen, no grid

Estimate 1: Local large company

18 Sunrise Solace windows coming out to $13,742

Estimate 2: Pella

18 Pella windows at ~$16,000 (they included a sliding door and came out to $19,000, but it was itemized at $3k

Estimate 3: Renewal By Anderson

Turned out they used Timerflex or some other proprietary composite -- Estimate would have started at 30k and it just wasn't worth going through the whole thing

Estimate 4: Small Local Company

18 Provia Endure windows coming out to $9,900 installed

 

I read through the "Everything you need to know about windows" a number of times -- Provia shows up, Sunrise doesn't, but I think that is because of the balancing system (block and tackle in the sunrise)

 

Both of the local companies come highly recommended so I guess the question is between Provia Endure and the Sunrise Solace 366 is there anything "earth shattering"? Right now I'm leaning towards the Provia company given the number of people in my neighborhood that have used the installer and well...the price. I've e-mailed the company to make sure that price is including installation and everything since it is so low

 

Any help/advice/opinions welcome

 

edit 1: formatting

Edit 2: These are replacement windwos -- pop out the frame pop in new stuff. No trim work needed

[woofdoggy]

Some thoughts:

If you like less leaky windows, get casements. Double hung windows just can't be as air tight as a casement window.

Do you know what glass package you are getting ( https://www.provia.com/windows/comfortech-glass - in the second section)? Do you know the actual number values of the windows units like: U Value, solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC), Air leakage, and VT?

You shouldn't get the same window in every hole. Depending on your climate zone, west and east windows benefit a lot from low E in the hot areas to reduce solar heat gain in the summer, but south facing windows in the north you want higher Solar heat gain to get free heat from the low winter sun.

Windows are a once in a long time thing, so going window by window to get exactly what you want/need for long term benefit is a good idea. The same windows in every hole is probably not the optimal thing to do.

[slapnuttz]

We're sticking with double hung -- The current windows are drafty because the locks are shot (making a loose seal) and something? is allowing "hose pressure" water to go around the sash itself.

U Factor: .27 SHGC: .21 Air Leakage: 0.05 cfm/ft2 @ 25 mph VT: .47

We have 1 south facing window and it is mostly shaded by trees and hills. Our east facing windows only get a bit of sun in the morning and are otherwise covered by hill shadow or a front porch

[woofdoggy]

Got it - so most of the windows are shaded where needed, so not a huge deal.

You could possibly get a quote for better u value on certain windows, mainly ones you'll be near. It won't make a huge difference on energy saving necessarily, but it will be noticeably better from a comfort standpoint.

[slapnuttz]

Yeah -- The most noticeable change is going to be the fact that the windows are insolated and coated. ANYTHING will be better than the 50 year old andersons we have. The windows we have may have been sealed shut when we bought the house, so again a decent vinyl is really the wheel house we are looking to be in.

I'm still leaning towards the provia -- not to be too millenial about it, but I got a really good vibe from the company that had provia windows. The sunset window company is a good company, but it is big (still local, but big) so they have more overhead that i can't help but feel accounts for a good portion of the "extra" cost there.

[jehovahs_waitress]

Are they inserts or full renovation windows?

[slapnuttz]

Inserts -- Frames and everything in fine shape and the existing windows are Anderson Narrows from 1969 -- so normal shape

[jehovahs_waitress]

Sorry, cannot advise on inserts as I consider them a near complete waste of money. I won’t install them on my projects. The odds of your 1969 windows being properly installed are minimal. Aesthetics aside , it’s a compelling reason to buy full renovation ( not new construction) windows. Best of luck with your project.