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I was quoted $1500. per window regardless of size, to replace ~12 standard size windows in which we know the wood is fine - with middle of the road Pellas. This is a rural area with few window shops nearby.
A lot of time in new construction,the windows are installed into the studwall, before any siding or anything else is attached. Basically, nail them in and go home. For replacement, everything that's been attached to that studwall, siding, drywall, trim inside and out, has to be either removed or modified so the old window can be removed, and the new one installed. Then any flashing and other weathersealing tape or whatever has to be re-applied and everything else had to be put back together. There is a fair amount of labor involved.I probably asked this before but why do they need to know if it is a new installation or a replacement project?
Ahh.. Yeah, sometimes the nailing flange around the perimeter of the window is a different style. One may be wider for new installs and narrower for replacement.No,no - I understand that the installation is obviously different.
But when I go to choose windows on these sites, they offer windows that are either for new installation or replacement as in they are somehow constructed differently. Is there something about the frame which is made differently?
Thanks.
It depends on what's there. Replacement windows in some old construction with old double hungs has the old windows removed leaving part of the perimeter frame in place so new windows fit into the old frames. That's common when replacing with new double hungs in old brick buildings in the east. Not common in the west. You may have seen east coast window replacements on This Old House or other rehab shows. In my business there's no difference between new and replacement windows other than replacements rarely are standard sizes.
I feel lucky after reading this. I only have two windows I need to replace.
We used to charge $500 labor per window for installation of a new wood window, stain, trim and varnish. And that was back in the 1980's. Then whatever the window cost plus 15%. Its not easy work. There are a lot of potential problems. Matching stain, filling nail holes, letting varnish dry, getting the old window out was the scariest part. Have to measure correctly too. Measure wrong and it doesn't FIT! I never really liked doing it. Too risky. Tracking in and out of the house. Hard work. Hard to do right. Im into having mine fixed now (I don't do carpentry work anymore). I found a guy that can rebuild wood casement windows from scratch. Just the part that opens and closes, which is all I need. He reuses the glass. Then put in new hardware. WOW what a craftsman. And it all matches up pretty well looks wise. Stain and finish is always a bit different. Has a table saw, jointer and router and such. Quite the setup.