Been thinking lately about how drafty our place gets in winter, and it got me wondering... say you had a typical 3-bedroom house, nothing fancy, just your average suburban home. And let's say the windows are pretty old—like, single-pane, rattly, and definitely not energy efficient. If you decided to bite the bullet and replace them all, what kind of budget would you realistically be looking at?
I mean, I've heard some horror stories from friends who ended up spending way more than they expected, but then again, others seem to have gotten decent deals. I'm not looking for top-of-the-line luxury windows or anything, just something solid that'll keep the heat in and the cold out without breaking the bank.
Anyone here done this recently or have a rough idea of what you'd be comfortable spending if you were in this situation?
"I mean, I've heard some horror stories from friends who ended up spending way more than they expected, but then again, others seem to have gotten decent deals."
Yeah, that's pretty much spot-on. Prices can swing wildly depending on where you live and who you hire. For a typical 3-bedroom suburban home with average-sized windows, I'd say you're probably looking at somewhere between $6k and $12k if you're going for decent mid-range vinyl double-pane replacements. Could be less if you find a smaller local outfit or catch a good seasonal deal, but I'd be skeptical of anything significantly cheaper—usually means cutting corners somewhere.
Also, keep in mind that installation quality matters just as much as the windows themselves. I've seen folks spend big bucks on fancy windows only to have them installed poorly, leaving gaps and drafts anyway. So definitely do your homework on installers too.
It's a chunk of change for sure, but honestly, replacing those old single-pane rattlers makes a noticeable difference in comfort and heating bills. Worth it in the long run, IMO.