Your budget is 10k but you prefer 7k ??. Who wouldnt !!! You can easily accomplish that goal by purchasing a low quality window. Then you can spend another 7k in 5-7 years and repeat the process. From that perspective, 10k looks like a very good option.

Read “our budget is UNDER 10k”...I was looking for ideas, suggestions, and options...not an evaluation of our budget. We already had an insanely ridiculous quote from Renewal by andersen for $22,000.00 for our 12 windows. Which is ridiculous to spend in our neighborhood as this is not our forever home.

Post this to the window forum here on Gardenweb, replacement pro's are there regularily.

Do you have a material in mind? At that number, I think you are going to be regulated to vinyl...which is not a bad thing to be honest. Any storm or impact protection requirements?

For a smaller budget like that I would try to find a small independent licensed handyman who can install vinyl windows purchased from a big box store. The windows may not be top quality but will be better than what you have. If you have mostly standard sizes and no custom sizes. I had a home that was only 15 years old and the windows were crud. I think they used rotten wood. Had to have full frame replacement, not just replacement windows. Did half of them one year and the rest the next year. It's not rocket science to replace windows, just need someone competent and knowledgeable.

Thanks everyone....I had no idea that $10,000 was considered a small budget when it came to windows! I though Andersen was bat sh*t crazy when they quoted me over $22,000.00...I looked at the salesman and said, “sir, that is nearly 10% of what I just paid for this house, ain’t happenin’”

oh yeab and they quoted me $15,000.00 for a basic sliding door....

talk about sticker shock

I would have to disagree with your wholeheartedly Izzy Mn. Everything about what you said is pretty much the undeniable formula for a project that will go terribly.

Are there good handymen out there that have a great set of skills...absolutely.

Are there a couple of decent windows at the big box stores...few and far between, but there is one that I can think of that I might use in a pinch.

The combination of the variability and unfamiliarity with proper performance, installation, consumables, and enforceability of warranty (workmanship and product) is a disaster waiting to happen...and usually does.

I forgot to answer....we live in Florida so I don’t know if we are required to have storm or impact resistance...we aren’t coastal so that might help

Izzy, I definitely wish I had someone who cared like you BIL! That is so kind of him! I have a family member who used to build multi million dollar homes for a living and won’t so much as help my DH and I install a cabinet knob...bummer

Izzy Mn...that is definitely a different scenario and an ideal one as it pertains to benefiting you. Perfectionist, builder, and your wife's brother do all work in your favor. That is a magic combination and you did luck out.

I need a BIL who is a Car dealer and maybe another one that is a doctor. I got stuck with some BIL's who are as boring (career wise) as I am. Great guys, but without fun jobs.

We did do a lot of quid pro quo when we were all starting out. My husband and I were at their house for many weekends when they were building their first home, offered by us, not asked. Help with more grunt work since not really skilled at construction... Laying sod when it was delivered with a group of family/friends. Painting, staining, whatever. So yes he kind of owed in the bank of favors, but we all really appreciate it when needed or given. Now if I could only have a BIL/SIL who gave away free vacations!!!!

I forgot to answer....we live in Florida so I don’t know if we are required to have storm or impact resistance...we aren’t coastal so that might help

Yes, that is the new code. The price you were quoted is actually quite reasonable, I fear. I know someone with a small 50s house in Miami who had to spend $23K on new windows in order to put the house on the market. A friend replaced a front door in West Palm and that was over $1200 for a plain door, because now all exterior doors must open out, in addition to being impact doors.

Impact sliding doors around here average about $4K per opening.

We had used Window World in our old home...double hung windows with e gas or something of that sort and they did 12 windows (some were custom sized) for $7,000.00...so clearly we will be contacting them again because I’m not interested in spending $25,000.00 on windows for a home that will never even be worth $300k unless something crazy happens to the market

There isn't a "standard" sized window in the replacement market. At roughly $600 per opening (i.e. $7,000 divided by 12 windows), there are quite a few good windows that you can look at.

WOW Ltd, really?? I would love some advice going forward if you wouldn’t mind??

they did 12 windows (some were custom sized) for $7,000.00...

Sure, back when all you needed was regular windows. But I 100% guarantee you aren't going to get impact for anywhere near that.

3 years ago writers block? How recently did code change?

Also I called our county building code office and they stated that impact resistant is not a requirement since we are not coastal and far enough inland

Renewal by andersen is crazy money. You can do much better than that. Do some local homework and find a contractor with a good reputation. He'll no doubt know the local suppliers instead of just going to a big box store.

I'm in the northeast and had 11 windows replaced for about a 1/3 of what Renewal quoted (even with their "must sign now!" discount). This was after listening to ~3 hours worth of sales pitch stuck in my own kitchen. Don't like their sales/marketing style at all. I think the Andersen product is an ok product.

A neighbor is a retired contractor and he arranged for a couple of guys to come in and install our replacement widows. I went with Harvey Classic vinyl windows. Windows were custom built to measurements by our contractor so there wasn't a lot of shimming/adjustment for the install. Our house is not super high end and I didn't want to spend the premium for wood interior/vinyl clad exterior windows. Harveys are double pane/E-glass. Have screend and tilt for easy cleaning. I replaced a slider also but opted for an Andersen unit because I don't like vinyl frames on panes as big as a sliding door.

11 Windows were installed in a day. Very happy with the result.

Thank you sdello! Yes the Andersen pitch turned me off as well. The guys was ADAMANTLY putting down every other window company and visibly annoyed that my toddler wanted to be part of the process. It just left much to be desired...and the price, seriously insane IMHO!

i will keep up with my research!

Soft-Lite has a presence in Florida as does Simonton. Both will have better options in their line up than WW could offer.

Thank you windows!! I appreciate your help!!

As someone who works with everything Andersen makes that is not RBA, it's unfortunate that we're all branded by their reputation. They are a franchise, you can beat their prices on inserts all day long with the private Andersen dealer I work for. Even comparing our full tearouts vs their inserts, we are still right there with them or less-and I like the core product lines better than RBA anyway.

I would encourage you to consider someone like a small AW dealer(not HD either) before you completely discount Andersen's offerings.

We live in PA and also replaced all of our windows through Window World and were happy with the product and our budget was less than your 10K. We got vinyl, double-paned windows with low E argon glass to combat the heat or cold depending on the season.

Wellll Wentzylvania....all I have to say to you is this....

FLY EAGLES FLY!!!

E-A-G-L-E-S

but seriously, thank you for your feedback! That’s assuring! Have you noticed any positive effects on your energy bills since having them installed?

E-A-G-L-E-S is right!!!!!

We noticed a minor improvement in our bill, but definitely notice a difference when we sit in front of the windows.

Maybe we should ask Carson what he would do!

Well wentz knowz best!!

Honestly I don’t think anything will be worse than these metal single pane garbage windows we have now

For the once a year I clean them, I love the tilt-in feature and the vinyl. :)