Totally agree on the hidden damage thing. Last summer, I started what I thought was a simple window replacement on a place built in the 80s. Turned out the frames were hiding some serious termite issues... ended up doubling my budget. Always good to plan a buffer.
Yeah, I get the buffer idea, but honestly, doubling your budget sounds pretty extreme. I'm about to tackle window replacements myself, and now you've got me second-guessing everything, haha. I mean, I know surprises happen, especially with older houses, but termites hidden behind frames? That's like a homeowner horror story.
Still, I think it's important not to go overboard with the buffer. If you plan too much extra money, contractors might sense it and suddenly "discover" more issues—you know what I mean? I'd say keep a reasonable cushion—maybe 20-30%—and do a thorough inspection beforehand. Might save you from a nasty surprise or two. But hey, ask me again after I've actually done mine... I might be singing a different tune then.
Haha, termites behind frames... been there, seen that nightmare. You're spot-on about not going crazy with the buffer—doubling your budget is definitely overkill. In my experience, 20-30% usually covers most surprises, but here's a pro tip: spend some extra time checking the flashing and sills during inspection. Those sneaky leaks can cause rot that's invisible until you pull the old windows out. Trust me, finding mushy wood is not the kind of surprise you want mid-project... ask me how I know.
"Trust me, finding mushy wood is not the kind of surprise you want mid-project... ask me how I know."
Haha, I've definitely uncovered some surprises myself—nothing like pulling out a window frame and realizing it's basically held together by paint and hope. Your advice about carefully checking flashing and sills is spot-on. It's amazing how much damage a tiny leak can cause over time. Still, your 20-30% buffer sounds reasonable; most projects I've worked on fit comfortably within that range. Good luck with your project—sounds like you're on the right track!
I feel your pain on the mushy wood surprises... I remember pulling out an old bay window and discovering the sill was basically mulch underneath. Definitely taught me to budget extra for hidden rot repairs—lesson learned the hard way.
"Definitely taught me to budget extra for hidden rot repairs—lesson learned the hard way."
Yeah, been there myself. Pulled out an old casement window last summer thinking it'd be a quick weekend job... ended up spending two extra days rebuilding the framing because of hidden rot. Now I always poke around with a screwdriver first to check for soft spots. Curious though, does anyone factor in a specific percentage or amount extra when budgeting for these surprises, or do you just wing it based on experience?
I usually tack on about 15-20% extra, depending on the age of the house and what I find during initial inspections. Learned that after pulling siding off to replace a window and discovering a whole section of studs was basically mulch... not fun. Now I always budget a bit more generously, especially if it's an older place. Better safe than sorry, right?
- I usually go with around 10-15% extra myself, but your story about finding mulch-like studs makes me reconsider... maybe that's too conservative for older homes.
- Had a similar surprise when replacing a back door—thought it'd be straightforward until we found water damage creeping into the subfloor. Definitely not fun.
- Curious though, do you guys factor in extra just for structural surprises, or also for things like upgrading materials or unexpected design changes mid-project?
- I've noticed sometimes once the walls are open, it's tempting to upgrade insulation or wiring while you're at it... and that can really blow the budget.
Yeah, I usually set aside around 15%, but honestly, after pulling out old windows and finding rot underneath, even that felt tight. Plus, you're right—once walls are open, it's hard not to upgrade insulation or wiring... slippery slope for sure.
Yeah, 15% sounds about right on paper, but man, reality hits different. When we swapped out our windows last year, I thought I'd accounted for everything, but nope—found some nasty water damage behind the siding too. Ended up redoing insulation, vapor barriers, and even threw in some Ethernet cables since the walls were open anyway. Definitely learned to budget a bit extra for those "might as well" moments... they add up quick.