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wrote:
teabird wrote:

The way our bedrooms are, we have two identical sets of bay windows
each in the two top, front rooms. So if we replace one window, we
really need to replace all of them if for nothing else than cosmetic
reasons. Given that the other windows, while not rotten, would still
require a lot more work than I'd probably want to put in, I'm now back
to thinking we'll just replace at least the front six. (I'm still
thinking I might repair the rest, which are not in quite as bad
condition.) And given what I'm hearing, I'll probably just suck it up
and pay the $890 per window.

I'll probably still get one more quote, but I think my only other real
option in wood is Marvin.

Well, thanks for all the advice... wish we'd looked harder at the
windows before we bought this house! We love the house otherwise,
though, but this was definitely not something we had budgeted.

Jeff

My greek revival farmhouse was built around 1800, and we have a
hodgepodge of windows. A few are original, some were replaced before
1985, and we replaced a few in the past 20 years. I finally decided to
bite the bullet and replace all the windows at once. We found some
wonderful Anderson windows, double hung, double glazed, etc... which
are solid wood but clad on the outside, so they will not need exterior
painting, etc. The only metal parts are exterior - frames and sill.
Yes, many of the existing windows are not standard size, but the
installer has to re-frame the windows (new headers, etc.) anyway, so
he's sizing them all up a little. Installed, they will be $325 each for
"regular" size and $600 for the double-size windows. His price includes
the window, installation, and both exterior and interior wood trim.
I'll finally have all the exterior windows trimmed in the original
style, and I can stain the interior wood frames to match the rest of
the woodwork each room, instead of having to paint all the trim white,
like it was when we bought the house.

I really think you might want to consider using standard-sized windows
and just sizing them up where necessary. Check it out - it might work
for your architecture, too.