Upstate NY - New Addition, Existing Structure

For all those Replacement Window decisions - just read, review or post a question. You will be helped!
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kmunn
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2006 11:53 pm

Upstate NY - New Addition, Existing Structure

#1 Post by kmunn »

Greetings. I've been reading quite a bit about vinyl "replacement" windows on this board and the old board and I feel like I have a decent handle on things but figured I'd run my analysis by everyone here to see what you think.

Basically I'm adding on to an existing home and in the process, removing the existing ugly vinyl siding, replacing it with hardiplank and generally performing some signficant renovations on the interior. Most of the existing windows are a pain in the butt to lift and close, have ugly seams and generally appear to be modular home contractor grade vinyl. With many I have to lean hard on them just to get the locks to twist close. Since I'm adding on to the first floor, the new windows and old windows will be within sight of each other so I figure if I'm unwrapping the house anyway might as well consider removing and replacing the existing 15 DH now instead of later.

Since our preferred finishing scheme is solid colors, white trim, white windows and I prefer low/no maintenance I figured I'd stick with a vinyl of better quality rather than buy wood or something else and just paint over it again and again. We're using a construction manager to line up subs and so forth (saves us 25%+ on construction costs) and I'm not sure if we can acquire high end windows (ie Schuco) for installation without paying a premium for the installation side since it is really a new construction install not a replacement with the trim repair and so forth. Is there some professional back-channel that I can point my construction manager to for these types of windows? Hope I made some sense there.

I suppose it would be possible to hire a window company (Fenex you reading this?) to come do the install when the framers and so forth are ready for them if the window manufacturer/dealer won't allow the builder to do the installs. How is this normally handled in a new construction situation or a mixed situation like this?

If my #1 priority is getting as energy-efficient a window as makes sense for my latitude (Kingston, NY area), my #2 priority is that it looks really good inside and works smoothly and my #3 would be cost. Since nobody posts the prices of the better windows without installation and that's what I really need since installing just about any new construction window will cost just about the same, I'm sort of flying blind with that part of it. I know a no-extras Marvin Integrity will run me ~$240 at the local Williams Homecenter (not vinyl of course). I read on here that installed cost of a window is approximately twice the window's cost itself - not sure how true that is in many cases - so if I see other Shuco quotes at $700/hole then perhaps they run in the $350 range.

So for those of you still awake after my filibuster - my two questions are, from above, (1) how is this situation typically handled as far as getting these special windows and/or getting them installed and (2) besides Schuco can you suggest other very good looking (nice seams), very good operating (open/close/lock smooth) brands in the top end of the efficiency spectrum?

All comments welcome on any misinformation I have picked up. Sorry so wordy. I look forward to your responses.

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