What You Need to Know About House Windows
When we built our home we wanted to make sure that we got the best house windows we could buy for our money. So I did my research on what would both fit our needs and be budget friendly.
Window selection starts when you originally select a plan for your home. A good place to start looking at plans is on the House Plans page.
When you select a Plan, it will have window sizes listed for each room. This is where you can start to calculate window cost. The more house windows, the more you have to spend. This is obvious.
What may not be as obvious is the size and shape of house windows that will determine a large portion of the cost. Of course another major consideration is the type of window you will use.
We chose aluminum double-paned windows with tinting (to reduce heat and fading of surfaces due to sun bleaching) in the house due to our southern climate. Our selection was based on what is commonly used by builders in our area (more on this later).
There are many selections in style and general types of windows to select. A good site to visit to help you choose the right house windows is ReplacementWindows.com
Very soon after selecting our plans we started looking for a supplier for windows. We knew it could take some time for them to be manufactured (especially with any odd sizes). So we started before we even broke ground.
In our search we started with name brand windows that we thought were high quality. We soon realized that they were very expensive. We kept looking and investigated locally manufactured windows.
We spent time looking at homes that were under construction by major homebuilders in our area. We made a note of the house window manufacturer and paid them a visit.
We found out that we could save 60% by using a local manufacturer. We also saved on our house windows by grouping windows together rather than having one large window in a room. This is aesthetically pleasing to the eye and also easier on the budget.
One other budget friendly tip I can give you is stay with normal sizes for windows. We chose common house window sizes that builders use frequently in our area. These sizes are produced in higher volume and at lower prices. Also when you need a couple of extras during construction due to breakage or additions they are easy to find.
We also went with double-pane glass and the same tinted glass color that the builders use commonly for the same reason.
We only deviated from this formula on one window, and with some negotiation got a good price on it also. This window is actually four separate components in three, in one frame, and one in another.
The best way to get a good deal on house windows is slow down do your research get what you need and what is best for you. Take the time to find a manufacturer that will work with you.
