Home Improvement Question

[merithyn]

You all know that I just bought my first house last year. I need to replace all of the windows in the house (they're all original from 1936) and get new siding.

Right now, I'm soliciting quotes and estimates for just windows, just siding, and both at once from several different companies. If I can only afford one, it'll be the windows, as I'm pretty sure I'm losing a lot of money in heating/air conditioning. But I still want an idea of what the siding would be down the road.

I've asked friends for recommendations, I've looked through r/HomeImprovement for their recommendations. But this is a first for me - and a huge expenditure. I'm understandably nervous and I guess want to know what to expect to the best of my ability.

What I'm wondering is if there is anything that I need to be aware of or know that I'm not going to have any idea on until it goes left? Like, when you've done something like this, what do you wish you'd have known?

[Jacob]

No, I don't have any experience to offer unfortunately.

[Malthus]

I'm going to be in the same boat - my widows are ancient.

I replaced the windows in the front of the house, as these were original 1930s leaded glass, very decorative but in really bad state of repair. The contractor we hired took the windows, fixed them up, and sandwiched them between a couple of panes of glass - so they look the same as original but much better insulated.

They did a great job, but that is probably down to luck in choosing the right contractor - I don't really have any secrets or tips. We asked for quotes from a few places, chose one that was not the lowest but where the folks seemed decent.

Dealing with contractors always makes me nervous, I have no clue how to rate them.

[Josquius]

Likely be a big difference in cost between getting decent wood replacements and plastic ones.
I've always just used my dad or people he knows. Personnel recs tend to ensure you get someone with a clue and not a cowboy. None of your local friends have any ideas?

[merithyn]

Likely be a big difference in cost between getting decent wood replacements and plastic ones.
I've always just used my dad or people he knows. Personnel recs tend to ensure you get someone with a clue and not a cowboy. None of your local friends have any ideas?

The three places that I've asked for recommendations from so far were all recommended by friends. But there's a lot that goes into this - and it's not cheap. I don't want to go in blind. My parents had their windows replaced after I went to college, and my dad's whole family is filled with construction workers and carpenters. So the only real experience I have is from 100 miles away with family doing the work.

[Jacob]

The three places that I've asked for recommendations from so far were all recommended by friends. But there's a lot that goes into this - and it's not cheap. I don't want to go in blind. My parents had their windows replaced after I went to college, and my dad's whole family is filled with construction workers and carpenters. So the only real experience I have is from 100 miles away with family doing the work.

... might those folks bot be able to offer some insight into what to look out for and questions to ask?

[merithyn]

The three places that I've asked for recommendations from so far were all recommended by friends. But there's a lot that goes into this - and it's not cheap. I don't want to go in blind. My parents had their windows replaced after I went to college, and my dad's whole family is filled with construction workers and carpenters. So the only real experience I have is from 100 miles away with family doing the work.

... might those folks bot be able to offer some insight into what to look out for and questions to ask?

They've since passed, unfortunately. My people are not long-lived.

[Jacob]

They've since passed, unfortunately. My people are not long-lived.

[Savonarola]

CB and I just got new windows.  I should have asked up front who pulls the permits and sets up inspection (as it turns out they did, but it's something I should have asked.)  Also I should have asked how much damage they were going to do to the house.  (We have a stucco house, so you're in a different situation, but we had to get a handyman out to do mudding and repair the framing wire.)  Everything else went great.

[Grey Fox]

Windows :

Expect salesmen to lie.

Expect installers to take advantage of your lack of knowledge by trying to cut corners and cut cleaning.

Siding :

Why replace it? Old sidings last forever. Painting it might make for a great results & keep the charm of your house.

[merithyn]

Windows :

Expect salesmen to lie.

Expect installers to take advantage of your lack of knowledge by trying to cut corners and cut cleaning.

Already anticipated. Already have mitigation plans in place.

Siding :

Why replace it? Old sidings last forever. Painting it might make for a great results & keep the charm of your house.

Cheap siding was installed probably 10-15 years ago, and it shows. Additionally, I'm going to close in my back porch, and that will need to be resided when I'm done with that. I figured I might as well replace the crappy siding when I redo the back porch.

[grumbler]

I had my windows replaced when I moved into this place 19 years ago, and it was very successful.  I didn't go with the wood because I didn't want the maintenance hassle, but your results may vary and material might be better now.

Make sure you know who is going to fulfill the warrantee on the windows, because some will fail during the warrantee period and you don't want to discover that the warrantee company went out of business.

[KRonn]

About 20 years ago I replaced the windows in my house. The new ones have thermo-pane )pretty sure that's the term) which has a  kind of gas barrier between the panes so heat and cold don't come through. I assume all replacement windows would have the same.

The frames are some kind of hard plastic and don't require any maintenance. I can also fold down the windows, top and bottom, for easy cleaning from inside the house.  That's a nice feature and again I assume most replacement windows have similar.

[merithyn]

After months of hearing my bathtub faucet leaking - and being told it wasn't fixable without tearing the whole thing out - my bestie and I fixed the leak. I will point out that this was the same faucet that my ex shot down every suggestion I had for fixing it.

Two trips to the hardware store - is it ever just one? - and $38 has fixed the problem.

Next, I flush my hot water heaters!

[grumbler]

Two trips to the hardware store - is it ever just one? - and $38 has fixed the problem.

Duct tape has become expensive!