In article . com, DerbyDad03
says...

On Nov 10, 1:48 pm, marson wrote:
On Nov 10, 11:54 am, Banty wrote:





In article , willshak says...

on 11/10/2007 11:52 AM DerbyDad03 said the following:
On Nov 10, 10:42 am, willshak wrote:

on 11/10/2007 10:22 AM DerbyDad03 said the following:

On Nov 9, 9:54 pm, Girlygirl wrote:

Hi all,

I need some advice. I should have done this sooner but just thoug=
ht
about it.

I just signed a contract to have my windows replaced. I spent all
summer researching windows and also changing my mind a billion ti=
mes
about what options I wanted. So, it's now mid-November and I fina=
lly
got it all figured out and signed a contract. I live in New Jerse=
y=2E
The job will start within approximately 8 weeks. (It's a fairly b=
ig
job cuz it's an old house and there will be different windows/opt=
ions,
even the front door). Anyway, 8 weeks would mean this will be done
sometime around early January - middle of winter. Now I think may=
be
that's a stupid thing. I've never owned a house before so I don't=
know
what I'm doing. Is it stupid to have this done in the winter? I m=
ean,
aside from the house getting cold and the inconvenience, is there
something else I should know? Like, might there be installation i=
ssues
or problems that only occur when installing in the winter that do=
n't
occur in the warmer months? Anything I should be looking out for?=
??

Thanks.

New-to-home-ownership.

Ask yourself 2 questions:

1 - If you were doing it yourself, would you be more relaxed and
comfortable on a sunny 70 degree day or on a dreary 20 degree day?

2 - When are you apt to do a better job...on a warm, sunny day when
you're relaxed and comfortable or when you're hating life 'cuz your
fingers are stiff, a frigid wind is blowing in your face and you're
bundled up in a jacket and hat?

Attitude has as much to do with a good installation as does the
quality of the materials and the skill of the worker.

Why not see if you can reschedule for early spring when any cold
weather issues, perceived or actual, simply wouldn't exist?

She's not going to do it herself. The contractors are going to dress
warmly. I have done outside contracting work when it was snowing or
freezing rain was falling, or had fallen. I have had to broom the s=
now
off floor joists to be able to walk on them.
You're probably going to get a job done sooner when it is off season
work. In warm weather you'll probably get put on a list and have to=
wait.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

She's not going to do it herself.

Never said she was, never implied she was. My post was about
attitude.

Anybody that's done a fair amount of construction/remodeling/repair
work has probably worked in less than favorable conditions. Did you
enjoy walking on snow covered floor joists or would you have rather =
it
been 70, sunny and dry?

Sure, but the Winter money was just as good as in the Spring, Summer,
and Fall.

Do you think its possible that you might not
have noticed something or done something due to the distraction of t=
he
snow and bad weather?

No. In warm weather, there are just as many distractions, maybe more. =
No
one is standing around doing nothing when it is cold.
I just came in from raking the leaves on a damp and chilly November
afternoon. Had it been nicer, I would have stayed out longer and
probably done a better job. Due to the weather, I did a "good enough"
job.

I do a lot of physical work when it is very cold out. I dress in layer=
s,
including my legs, but after a while, I start sweating and the outer
clothing layers start coming off. Maybe it is because I was born in
December, and in the NE US, and have lived in the NE all of my 70 year=
s=2E
I'd rather work when it is 40=BAF out rather than 99=BAF.

Do I want my windows installed "good enough" or do I want a
contractor that is in a good mood, enjoying life and more apt to
notice the little things like a piece of trim out of place or a
section of caulk that could be fixed, but doesn't really have to be?

Why do you assume that people who are working in inclement weather are
in a bad mood, or careless, or inattentive? Maybe they are in a better
mood because they are getting paid, rather than being laid off for the
winter.
Skiers, snow boarders, and snowmobile riders are certainly in a good
mood, and careful, and attentive.

She already has a contract, which should give her a little priority
with the contractor, so it can't hurt to make the phone call and ask
if she can be rescheduled. It's obvious from the OP's statements that
time is not of the essence. As I said before, if the job is done in
the spring, any cold weather issues, perceived or actual, simply
wouldn't exist.

Well, you're not going to do the job, and others may not have the same
aversions to working in the cold.

I got my siding installed in the winter. I had hired a contractor I us=
e all the
time and has always done good work for that and other work. I was fle=
xible; I
would have happily waited until spring, but he and his crew wanted to g=
et the
job done.

Amazed me - but they dressed warm; I did some snow shovelling around th=
e house
but they kept it clear too, and it got done.

Windows would present a problem of cold air coming in in the process of
installation; but that can be held to a minimum unless problems are dis=
covered.
I don't see an issue. Not with the job; not with worker attitude.

Banty

I work as a contractor in the upper midwest. We always fight a
perception that work can't be done outside in the winter. This is
just not true. I have framed houses, changed windows, built decks,
etc in all months of the year, and scoff at the notion that quality
suffers. Frankly, I would take a 10 degree day over a 90 degree humid
day hands down. I am not exaggerating. People just don't realize
that you can dress for cold and your body acclimates. If you feel
cold, hypothermic, hands numb, etc. then you are not dressed right.
If your contractor says he can change windows in the winter, then
trust that he knows what he is doing and go for it.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

What I find interesting is that I said "ask for early spring" and a
number of you have come back saying you'd rather work in the cold than
in humid, 90 degree weather. You'd get no argument out of me on that
one! :-)

However, if I understand the OP's post correctly, she's has some
questions (concerns?) about her choice of a mid-winter installation,
and has already taken a considerable amount of time scheduling the
job, so I still see no reason not to ask for a delay until spring if
it will eliminate her concerns.

I just re-read the original post, and all she wants to know is if replacing
windows in the wintertime is a reasonable thing - if there are any special
concerns.

I think the answer is - no.

I asked if the siding job would be delayed until the spring, but that was based
on the kind of attitude marson was talking about. I just didnt' know it was no
big deal to do this in the winter weather (I'm in upstate New York, by the way).

My contractor said it was no big deal; after some years and quite a few jobs I
trust him; the siding job got done.


I mean no disrepect to any one who works outside in the winter. Heck,
I spent a year in AK and replaced many a runway light and repaired
cables cut by the snowplows during the dead of winter. That said,
given the choice, I would have rather done the work in April instead
of February.


Sure. But no reason for her to wait. If *she* had a reason to wait, it would
be different. But it's not that - she just wants to know if the job can really
be done well in the wintertime.

Banty