On Jul 18, 7:28 am, Norminn wrote:
wrote:
I love old homes with original stuff, so I am partial. I would not want
to put new windows in one, but it isn't my problem ) If you are
relatively handy, you might be able to repair the bad parts if you can
have matching millwork done. Depending on the rest of the house,
keeping original windows might bring a higher price at sale. It's kind
of fun to mess around with old windows - worked on some at my daughter's
home, but didn't include such major work.

Do you have wood storms? What condition?

No, unfortunately the wood storms are gone. I currently have a bunch
of corroded, falling-apart aluminum ones -- another reason for the
upgrade.

I'd love to refurbish what I have, but just don't have the time (and
probably skills) at this point. If I do end up replacing them, I'll
store the originals in case someone later on decides they'd like to do
something with them.

I've been giving this some more thought .. it dawned on me that a 100
year old home doesn't seem nearly as old as it used to )

What parts are in need of replacement because of rot .. sills, sash,
frame? I would itch to work on them if it was my house..one of those
jobs I can't resist. If there is a real good woodworker in the
neighborhood, they might enjoy participating by fashioning the wood
parts you need to replace. If the rot is minor, wood filler works
wonders..I filled in my daughter's old wood storms that had stood in the
garage for about 100 years. If handled gently, they will stay together.
It was more of a sculpture project than a repair )

23 new windows is one hell of a lot of $....if the rest of the house is
original and hasn't been "modernized", I would patch them up, make them
look decent, and find a buyer who wants to restore them.

The main rot issue is in the stops between the sashes in a couple
windows. Now that I've looked into it more, and since most of the
windows rattle, maybe upgrading the stops and re-puttying the glass
might help with efficiency. I also just came across a site that
suggests a way to make the stops tight enough that you can remove the
sash counterweights and fill the weight cavities with insulation.
Seems that would cause a lot more rubbing on the sashes though, and
wear them down over time. I still like the idea of putting in double-
pane glass, but if I'm selling in a couple years, maybe just upgrading
what I have would be good enough.

Regarding the modernization of the house, it's pretty much still all
original, except for some drywall here and there, and attic insulation
we added last year. The woodwork is beautiful, except for some paint
drips that (which we guess) the previous owners allowed to happen
during their hasty repainting before sale. Our inspector remarked on
what great shape the house was in. Interestingly, the only part that's
in rough shape is this shoddy addition that looks like it was put on
in the 60's or 70's that we'll need to rip down eventually.