Window Retrofit in frame home

[ESM]

I'm down in Central Florida and am pricing out replacement windows. I called Home Depot and got a price on their Simonton windows that they install for you. This is a higher grade window then what they offer in-store.

The windows are all dual pane, argon filled, low E, double hung, all vinyl. Since it's FL, they are rated for hurricane winds up to 120mph. The installed price for 8 windows, 1 5' slider, and 1 6' slider is $10,500. This includes the following window sizes:

3 @ 34x75, 1 @ 52x49, 1 @ 52x37, 2 @ 36x49, 1 @ 18x35, 1 @ 5' slider, 1 @ 6' slider. As you can see, I do have some larger windows.

I'm trying to determine how good or bad this price is given the type of window and the sizes. Any thoughts?

[RayV]

Seems high to me but I'm in NE. Is your home standard frame construction or concrete of some sort? What material is on the exterior of your home (wood, vinyl, stucco, etc.)? Replacement windows usually leave some portion of the existing window frame intact so the condition of those is important.

Cost aside, I would not have windows installed by a Home Cheapo contractor. A few extra bucks is money well spent on an upgrade you will probably only do once.

[George]

Really hard to say on the price but I would get a couple estimates from REAL window companies. Home Depot subs the work out and it is quite unlikely that you'll be getting a truly competent installer not to mention the fact that if (when) you have a problem with the windows or installation NO ONE will take ownership of it Home Despot will say "its the subs problem" the installer will say "I work for Home Depot, its their problem". I live in SW Florida and there are plenty of contractors that specialize in window replacement, do yourself a BIG favor and call a couple of them.

Good Luck George

[ESM]

Home is frame with stucco on the outside. I've talked to a few people and they all say a retrofit on a frame with stucco house can be very labor intensive. It usually involves chipping out stucco around the entire window, pulling the window, refitting, and re-stucco.

Home Depot guarantees the windows and the installation for lifetime, so that seems to be a benefit for them. They used licensed contractors only (required in this county). From the way the warranty is, and what they told me (i still need to verify with additional managers), if there is any issue with the install during the lifetime I live in the home, they fix it free.

[JimL]

Price may be a little high so get another estimate. But then we can't see what extra work is involved.

[Harry Avant]

Last month I had 13 windows replaced. My home, while not in Florida, is stucco over a frame, built about 50 years ago. The general contractor I used has done a lot of these and there was some very minor chipping of stucco at one window only. I guess it depends on who you have do the work. I had Milgard double pane for all replacements.

"ESM" wrote:

[Kirby Nomad]

It would be beneficial, to determine a competitive price, based on your other estimates.

[Al Bundy]

"George" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Where do you get this from? That's BS. You have a receipt from HD, Lowes, Acme Window Co or whoever. You purchased it from them. You never hired, agreed, signed any contracts with any subs. You legally only have one participant to beef with.

[Dan_Musicant]

:Home is frame with stucco on the outside. I've talked to a few people and :they all say a retrofit on a frame with stucco house can be very labor :intensive. It usually involves chipping out stucco around the entire :window, pulling the window, refitting, and re-stucco. : :Home Depot guarantees the windows and the installation for lifetime, so that :seems to be a benefit for them. They used licensed contractors only :(required in this county). From the way the warranty is, and what they told :me (i still need to verify with additional managers), if there is any issue :with the install during the lifetime I live in the home, they fix it free.

I personally wouldn't do it without getting references and checking them out. Find homes similar to yours that had their windows replaced by these HD/state licensed contractor's, talk to the owners. Find people who will talk to you frankly and honestly and at length, who had similar work done recently and some time ago and determine how thorough and reliable these guys have been. Unless you are pretty confident, don't sign.