Full swap is a pain, but worth it long run (unless you hate demo work).
That squirrel skeleton made me laugh—reminds me of when I demo’d my old kitchen and found a petrified mouse in the wall. Anyway, your numbers look pretty solid. I did 6 windows last fall, similar approach: full frame, $2,700 in materials, but I did all the work solo (big mistake for my back). Took way longer than I thought.
Curious—did you run into any weird surprises with your trim or siding after the swap? My exterior trim was a nightmare to patch up after yanking out the old frames.
Ha, the petrified mouse is classic. I swear, old houses are like time capsules for weird stuff. When I pulled out my dining room window, I found a stash of marbles and what looked like a 1940s lunchbox wedged behind the sill—no clue how it got there.
As for trim and siding, yeah, that was probably the worst part for me. The original builder must’ve used every nail he could find, so pulling off the exterior trim basically shredded half the boards. Ended up having to replace more than I planned, and matching the paint was a lost cause (even after three “close enough” trips to the hardware store). Inside was easier since I went with new jamb extensions and just cased everything in MDF.
Honestly, if you’re not ready for some patchwork or surprises in those layers, full swaps can really test your patience. But I still think it’s worth it—especially when you see those old drafty windows gone for good.
Honestly, if you’re not ready for some patchwork or surprises in those layers, full swaps can really test your patience. But I still think it’s worth it—especially when you see those old drafty windows gone for good.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve gotta push back a bit on the “worth it” part, especially if we’re talking about saving money. In my experience, swapping out old windows yourself only saves cash if you already have most of the tools and don’t mind living with some “character” in your trim and siding for a while.
Step-by-step, the costs add up fast:
1. Buy windows (not cheap, even mid-range)
2. Rent or buy specialty tools (oscillating saw, pry bars, caulk gun, etc.)
3. Replace unexpected damaged wood (almost always happens)
4. Paint and materials for patching
5. Your time—this job can easily eat up a whole weekend per window if things go sideways
Energy savings are real, but if you end up replacing half your trim and repainting the whole side of your house, you might not break even for years. Sometimes a good storm window or proper weatherstripping does 80% of the job for way less hassle. Just my two cents—sometimes “good enough” is actually good enough.
Sometimes a good storm window or proper weatherstripping does 80% of the job for way less hassle.
Totally hear you on that. I did a full swap on my 1950s place and yeah, the “hidden” costs were real—found rot under two sills, had to run to the store mid-project. If you’re not picky about perfect finishes, sometimes just tightening things up with weatherstripping gives you most of the comfort without the headache. That said, seeing daylight around my old frames bugged me enough to bite the bullet... but it definitely wasn’t a quick win financially.
I get it—sometimes you just can’t live with those drafts or the sight of sunlight peeking through the frame. But honestly, I keep coming back to whether it’s worth tearing everything out unless you’ve got serious rot or damage. I’ve messed around with both: weatherstripping and full window replacement. The thing nobody really talks about is how much “scope creep” happens when you start pulling old windows—suddenly you’re buying new trim, fixing hidden water damage, maybe even hiring someone for a bit if you hit something weird.
On the flip side, I did weatherstripping on my upstairs windows and it made a bigger difference than I expected for not much cash. Not perfect, but way better than before. For me, unless the frames are shot or you hate the look, tightening things up first is usually smarter money-wise. Full replacement looks nice in photos but my wallet still feels it... especially after all those unexpected trips to the hardware store.
Yeah, pulling out old windows is one of those “simple” projects that always snowballs. First time I did it, thought I’d be done in a weekend—ended up with a pile of rotted sill pieces and a week of swearing at my tape measure. Weatherstripping isn’t glamorous, but it’s saved me a ton of hassle (and cash) over the years. Unless you’re dealing with actual rot or broken glass, tightening things up usually gets you most of the way there without the drama.
Weatherstripping isn’t glamorous, but it’s saved me a ton of hassle (and cash) over the years. Unless you’re dealing with actual rot or broken glass, tightening things up usually gets you most of the way there without the drama.
I get where you’re coming from, but in my experience, weatherstripping only buys you so much time—especially with older windows. If you’re seeing drafts, foggy panes, or soft spots in the frame, you’re probably looking at bigger issues down the line. Here’s how I usually break it down:
1. Pull off the trim and check for rot. If the wood’s punky, that’s not a quick fix.
2. Measure the opening—don’t trust the old window size.
3. If you’re swapping the whole unit, budget for unexpected repairs (framing, insulation, maybe even siding touch-ups).
4. Factor in disposal costs for the old windows.
DIY can save you labor, but I’ve seen folks spend double fixing mistakes or missing hidden damage. Sometimes, just biting the bullet and replacing a bad window ends up cheaper in the long run than patching up year after year. Just depends how rough yours are.
I’ve done both—tried weatherstripping and replaced two windows myself last spring. Weatherstripping helped for a while, but once I had condensation between panes, it was game over. DIY window swap was about $300 per window (materials, disposal, everything), but it took me way longer than I thought. Did you run into any weird surprises behind your trim? I had some insulation missing and a bit of old water damage I didn’t expect.
I had almost the exact same thing happen—pulled off some trim thinking it’d be a straightforward swap, then found a gap where insulation should’ve been and a patch of rotten wood. Ended up running to the store twice just for extra foam and a bit of lumber. Honestly, that’s where DIY gets tricky. The cost per window sounds about right, but factor in those little “surprises” and your own time... I’m not always convinced it’s the bargain it looks like on paper. Still, at least you know what’s behind your walls now.
Honestly, that’s where DIY gets tricky. The cost per window sounds about right, but factor in those little “surprises” and your own time... I’m not always convinced it’s the bargain it looks like on paper.
Totally feel you there. When I swapped my first window, I budgeted for the window and basic materials, but then found out the sill was half rotted and needed replacing. Ended up buying a multitool just to cut out the bad wood—so there goes another $60. Curious if anyone’s actually tracked their total hours? It took me almost a full weekend for one window, which made me question if saving a few hundred bucks was worth it.