Ended up spending about what I would’ve paid a pro, honestly. At least I learned a few new cuss words.
Man, that’s relatable. I tried putting in a bay window once—figured it’d be a weekend thing. Three weekends later, still picking caulk out of my hair and the trim looked like a Picasso. But hey, at least now I know how NOT to do it next time… maybe.
That’s the classic DIY trap—looks easy on YouTube, but reality hits different when you’re halfway through and realize your house isn’t exactly square. I’ve seen plenty of folks end up spending as much on tools, extra materials, and fixing mistakes as they would’ve hiring it out. Not saying it’s impossible to save money, but unless you’ve got a decent set of tools and some patience, the margin gets pretty slim. At least you get some good stories out of it... and maybe a new appreciation for trim work.
Yeah, I’ve run into that exact thing more times than I’d like to admit. You get halfway through and suddenly realize your window opening is off by half an inch, or the framing’s got a twist in it from when someone did a “creative” repair in 1978. YouTube makes it look like you just pop the old one out and slide the new one in, but every house has its own quirks—especially anything built before the 90s.
I will say, if you already have a decent set of tools, and you’re comfortable with things like shimming, redoing trim, and maybe even some basic flashing work, you can pull it off and save a chunk of change. But if you’re starting from scratch—need to buy a saw, levels, caulk guns, pry bars—the costs add up fast. Not to mention, there’s always that one trip back to the hardware store for something random you forgot (for me it was a brick mold chisel... didn’t even know what that was before).
Last time I did this myself, I figured I’d save at least $400 per window compared to hiring it out. By the time I bought extra insulation, replaced some rotted sill wood I found (surprise!), and had to redo the trim because my first attempt looked like a beaver chewed it, I probably came out $100 ahead—and that doesn’t include my time. The satisfaction was worth something though. There’s something about seeing your own handiwork every day.
Honestly, unless you enjoy the process or want to learn for future projects, sometimes just paying someone who does this all week is worth it for your sanity alone. But yeah... I definitely have a new respect for anyone who can get interior trim looking clean on the first try.
That’s pretty much the story with every “simple” home project I’ve tackled. I thought replacing a couple of old double-hungs in my 1960 ranch would be a weekend job. Ended up being two solid weekends, three runs to the lumber yard, and more than a few “creative” solutions when I realized the rough openings looked like they’d been measured with a potato.
I had most of the tools already—spent years slowly building up my collection—so that helped keep costs down. Still, there were a bunch of little things I didn’t expect, like needing to rebuild part of the sill after poking through some soft wood, or discovering that one side of the frame was out by almost 3/4" compared to the other. YouTube never shows you what to do when you find ancient carpenter bee tunnels behind your trim...
I’ll admit, the first window took me almost a full day because I kept second-guessing myself on flashing tape and getting everything square. The next one went faster, but I still ended up tweaking the interior trim for hours so it didn’t look lopsided. My wife was... let’s say, “patiently supportive” during my learning curve.
When I tallied up what I actually spent—materials, random specialty tools (oscillating saw was a lifesaver), and those inevitable extra trips—I probably saved a couple hundred bucks per window over hiring it out. Not huge savings for the time invested, but like you said, seeing your own work does feel good. Plus, now I know exactly how everything’s flashed and insulated.
If someone’s just looking to save money and doesn’t enjoy tinkering or problem-solving, hiring out is probably worth it for the peace of mind alone. But if you like figuring things out (and don’t mind some imperfections), there’s something satisfying about doing it yourself—even if your first round of trim looks like it got in a fight with a squirrel.
One thing I’d add: if you’re planning on doing more than a couple windows—or any other projects down the line—the investment in tools starts making more sense. Otherwise, yeah... it adds up quick.
YouTube never shows you what to do when you find ancient carpenter bee tunnels behind your trim...
That one got me laughing—been there, except in my case it was a mouse nest so old it was basically fossilized. You’re right, nobody warns you about the “bonus” critter history you discover in these older houses.
I totally relate to the “measured with a potato” situation. My place is early ’70s, and every opening is just a little bit unique. First window I did, I must’ve measured everything five times and still ended up shimming like crazy. It’s humbling when you realize the old stuff was more art than science.
Couldn’t agree more on the tool investment. I started with just a basic circular saw and a drill, but after my third “simple” project, I finally caved and bought a decent oscillating saw and a proper miter saw. Now I can’t imagine doing trim work without them. At first it felt like I was spending more than I was saving, but once you’ve got the tools, suddenly a lot of other projects start looking doable.
One thing I’d add—sometimes the savings aren’t just about cash. I had a contractor quote me for three windows and, no joke, it was going to be a six-week wait. By doing it myself, even with the learning curve and extra trips for shims and caulk, at least I had them in before winter hit.
I will say, you have to be okay with a few “character marks” here and there. My first window’s interior trim isn’t winning any beauty contests, but I’ve gotten better with each one. Kind of fun to see the progress, actually. And you’re right, it’s satisfying knowing what’s behind the walls—no mystery gaps or shortcuts.
If you enjoy the process and don’t mind a little trial and error (and maybe some colorful language along the way), it’s definitely worth tackling. If not, there’s no shame in hiring out. Some days I think about those six-week waits and almost miss the simplicity of just writing a check... almost.
That’s spot on about the “character marks”—I’ve got a couple windows that still have a gap or two hidden under a thick bead of caulk. One thing I’d add: measure the opening at three points, not just top and bottom. Old houses love to surprise you with a slant somewhere. Also, don’t underestimate how much time it takes to get the trim looking halfway decent. The first window took me all weekend, but by the third one I was down to about half a day. Definitely worth it if you like knowing exactly what’s behind your walls, but yeah, there’s a learning curve... and a pile of shims.
You nailed it about the trim—nobody tells you how long that part actually takes. I always say, the first window is for learning, the second is for fixing your mistakes, and by the third you’re finally just doing the job. Old houses are like that... full of surprises (and shims). I’ve seen some pretty wild angles on 1920s frames—sometimes you wonder if they built it after a few too many drinks.
Haha, yeah, those old frames are always a trip. My 1915 place had me scratching my head more than once—pretty sure the guy who built it just eyeballed everything and called it a day. Trim work is definitely where the clock gets eaten up. First window took me forever, second one was a little less embarrassing, and by the end I was almost convinced I could go pro... almost.
Honestly though, even with all the weird angles and extra shimming, I still came out ahead money-wise. Not by a ton, but enough to make the stress worth it. Plus, now I know every single window is actually in there solid (and what’s behind the walls... yikes). You’re right though, nobody really talks about how much patience you need for the finish work. It’s a whole different beast compared to just popping in the frame.
Props for sticking with it—those old houses will keep you humble.
Man, you nailed it with the “eyeballed everything” bit. I swear, every time I open up a wall in these old places, it’s like a new episode of “What Were They Thinking?” And yeah, the trim is where the real test of patience kicks in. I’ve done a bunch of window swaps now and still end up muttering to myself when that last tiny gap just refuses to disappear, no matter how many times I shim or tweak.
Honestly, I think you did better than most by coming out ahead at all—especially factoring in the weird angles and surprise “features” behind the plaster. Most folks underestimate just how much time the finish work eats up. Hanging the window itself? Not too bad. But getting that trim looking like it was always there, especially when nothing’s square? That’s where you earn your stripes (and maybe a few new curse words).
I totally get what you mean about feeling almost pro by the end. There’s something about doing it yourself—at least you know exactly what’s going on inside those walls now. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth the stress, but then I remember how much some contractors charge for “character” houses, and suddenly my DIY job looks pretty good.
One thing I will say: patience is probably worth more than any tool in your kit. The first window always takes forever, but you pick up tricks as you go. I still find myself taking twice as long on the first one in a new room, just because nothing lines up quite like you expect.
Anyway, props for sticking with it and not bailing after window #1. Old houses definitely keep you humble… and occasionally questioning your life choices, but hey, at least you know those windows aren’t going anywhere soon.
Yeah, the finish work is a pain, but I keep coming back to whether it’s actually saving money in the long run. I did three windows last fall—definitely took longer than expected, and I had to buy a few tools I didn’t already have. Even with all that, it still came out way less than what the quotes were from local installers.
But here’s what I’m not totally sure about: did you notice any real difference in your energy bills after swapping them? I mean, I know new windows are supposed to be more efficient, but with these old houses and weird walls, sometimes air still sneaks in around the trim or through spots you can’t see. Curious if anyone’s tracked their before/after bills and actually seen a drop. For me, it was pretty subtle—not sure if it’s worth the effort just for efficiency, or if most of the savings are just avoiding contractor markup.