Update on windows

Avatar for zaboz
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Update on windows
3
Wed, 08-25-2004 - 9:11am
This isn't directly debt related, although it could be!

I posted last week about how we have a home equity line

of credit open and we are considering new windows.

But I started having second thoughts about racking up

more debt when we can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

We had the first company come in last night and the

estimate was about twice what we expected! There's a

home improvement estimator online that told us

it would be about $3500 at the high end (for similar

glass and frame). The company quoted us $7000!

We have a very small house with only 8 small windows

and one larger one. This was the "economy" quote, getting

some of the things we really wanted (bay window for example)

would have been $10,000! Ouch.

But of course there was a "first visit incentive" of 10%

off. We were very firm (not at all like us!). We told

him we appreciated it but we had some homework to do

and that we were expecting a few more quotes. He asked

about financing and when we told him it was all in place

his eyes LIT UP! But finally he left us with the literature

and offered to extend the 10% until tonight.

We both agreed we should wait. In fact,

the more we read, the more we're convinced we might be able

to do it ourselves. My husband has done a fair amount of

carpentry work around the house (a large fish tank mounted in the wall

in between two rooms and a woodstove, which involved cutting our roof!),

so I reallly think he can do it. That would give us the flexibility to do

one window at a time and save us a lot of money.

Plus, then we could afford to save up for the patio door I want too.

Sooo, at least for the moment we resisted more debt!!

Avatar for cl_phocid
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: zaboz
Wed, 08-25-2004 - 10:47am

Good for you!

All my best,
Danni

Avatar for zaboz
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: zaboz
Wed, 08-25-2004 - 2:05pm
Yeah, the 10% off was definitely a pressure

tactic! We told him that there was NO WAY

we were making a $7000 decision on the spot.

So of course he "found" a way to extend the discount

for 24 hours. He had all the standard lines

like "I'll do whatever I can to save you folks some

money". Arrghh, he had all the classic saleman pitches down.

Its encouraging to hear that your dad did his windows himself.

The more I read the less intimidating it seems.

My only concern is that both DH and tend to jump

into projects and then have a hard time completing them.

It'll be an awfully cold winter if the windows aren't sealed

and trimmed correctly! THAT'S when I would call a professional!


Edited 8/25/2004 2:07 pm ET ET by zaboz

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-30-2003
In reply to: zaboz
Wed, 08-25-2004 - 5:10pm
I'm sure his eyes DID light up, lol!

However, when you are doing with cash, you have unlimited walk-away power. You can do the whole "That's not good enough" line when you have the cash to back you up.

Good for you to wait!

Lisa