Window replacements in older house.

Newf

Newf

Crew Member
Another non-fishing related post, sorry.

My daughter and son-in-law bought an older house in North Van a couple of years ago and are looking to do a full windows replacement this summer. They had a quote from Anderson Windows and have two more quotes lined up. The ones from Anderson are some type of wood polymer and come with a 20 yr warranty. Was wondering if anyone has used these guys or have first hand knowledge of their product or would recommend something different?
 
Newf. Do you know what the material is called? Modern vinyl windows are an excellent product, you don’t have to go too fancy, as I see ads on TV often for a product that they claim is many times better than vinyl windows but they don’t give a good reason why. Wood and vinyl are your two best insulators as far as window frames go.

I am very fussy and particular, and have a glass background, a few years ago I hired this company to do some work for a lady friend of mine. Call them.

Long Life Windows & Exterior Doors Replacement in Vancouver

Long Life specializes in locally made, custom window and exterior door replacement and installation for homes. Schedule your free consultation today!
longlife.ca longlife.ca

The showroom is on Boundary near 1st Ave. The salesman for your daughters area will come by.

I was most impressed with the product and the workmanship. If I remember correctly, they gave two options for the inside finishing. Either they would do the inside trim and finishing, or the homeowner could do it, and the price would be different that way. I would use them again.

Get the quotes done now because they will be booked by the time the warm weather arrives.
 
@Newf I've installed a good few Andersen windows. They're a well made product. Can't give any Intel on the supplier/installer in the OP.

You have two research tasks here: the windows themselves, and the installer. Renovation window installs are a niche, as you want them perfectly sealed into building envelope, but also as little disruption to existing finishes as possible. Achieving both is a challenge, amd those who consistently do it well are worth the money. So I'd be seeking out window replacement specialists first, rather than separate window purchase and hiring someone to fit them.

Hunt around, assess reviews, view work or talk to homeowners if possible. Did they leave a mess? Was the new interior finishing done neatly? Choose a window dealer/installer, then review the products they carry. They'll usually offer good/better/best tiers with pricing to match. Key performance items are U value, which is the inverse of R value (low U value indicates less heat loss), and solar heat gain, and again, a lower number is better.

Think carefully about overall value vs purchase price. On average, windows stay in place for 35 years. They all bleed energy every day, but cheap ones bleed more. Every day, all year. For decades.
 
Newf said:
Another non-fishing related post, sorry.

My daughter and son-in-law bought an older house in North Van a couple of years ago and are looking to do a full windows replacement this summer. They had a quote from Anderson Windows and have two more quotes lined up. The ones from Anderson are some type of wood polymer and come with a 20 yr warranty. Was wondering if anyone has used these guys or have first hand knowledge of their product or would recommend something different?
Click to expand...
Sly has provided good advice. If you need opening sash, choose casement, awning or similar hinged sash only. Sliders are leaky. If the home has a heat pump, you'll never need to open the windows. Fixed sash are less expensive and provide better performance. Adequately sealing the new windows is challenging. Rainwater must be directed outside the envelope. Extrusions with wide outside flanges, in combination with high-quality sealants and low-expansion foam can provide a decent outcome. The carpentry is straight forward.

There are many companies in this market segment. High profile companies use lots of marketing, sales tactics and finance programs that you pay for, to drive higher profits. Windows are pretty generic, all conforming to similar standards. Look for an established local company with good reviews.
 
Your best bet is to break it up. Find a window fabricating company, there are many. Use a window supplier that's in your budget. My personal favorite is Westcoast windows, but there are multiple good options. Then hire a carpenter or contractor to install them. I have a client currently in north vancouver. They wanted 5 windows across the back of her house. It was $7000 for the windows and about 7000$ for interior trim, exterior cedar trim and labour. Just to give you an idea.
 
I’d recommend Long Life, Centra, and Tyee Windows. Tyee has been consistently the most cost efficient lately. Two friends have tyee windows in their houses and no issues
 
if they’re going from aluminum to vinyl don’t do the cheap route with the large vinyl flange that just fits inside the aluminum frame replace the entire window if the house is stucco this means some cutting and trim work after in some instances. we had ours lined up a few years ago and changed our mind but I found that Dan @ authentic installations was very knowledgeable and deals with westek windows which were recommended to me by a friend in the reno industry I trust. I had a bunch of quotes including Anderson and was going to go that route.
 
Aquaholic said:
Newf. Do you know what the material is called? Modern vinyl windows are an excellent product, you don’t have to go too fancy, as I see ads on TV often for a product that they claim is many times better than vinyl windows but they don’t give a good reason why. Wood and vinyl are your two best insulators as far as window frames go.

I am very fussy and particular, and have a glass background, a few years ago I hired this company to do some work for a lady friend of mine. Call them.

Long Life Windows & Exterior Doors Replacement in Vancouver

Long Life specializes in locally made, custom window and exterior door replacement and installation for homes. Schedule your free consultation today!
longlife.ca longlife.ca

The showroom is on Boundary near 1st Ave. The salesman for your daughters area will come by.

I was most impressed with the product and the workmanship. If I remember correctly, they gave two options for the inside finishing. Either they would do the inside trim and finishing, or the homeowner could do it, and the price would be different that way. I would use them again.

Get the quotes done now because they will be booked by the time the warm weather arrives.
Click to expand...
The material is called Fibrex. Patented by Anderson and is a composite with 40% wood fibre in it. These are the guys you see advertised on TV on the time.

Thanks for the comments in all the posts. Appreciate your input and will pass it all along. It will give them some info to look at and consider.
 
Brando said:
if they’re going from aluminum to vinyl don’t do the cheap route with the large vinyl flange that just fits inside the aluminum frame replace the entire window if the house is stucco this means some cutting and trim work after in some instances. we had ours lined up a few years ago and changed our mind but I found that Dan @ authentic installations was very knowledgeable and deals with westek windows which were recommended to me by a friend in the reno industry I trust. I had a bunch of quotes including Anderson and was going to go that route.
Click to expand...
100% agree. Those Renovation windows look like crap. Huge flanges. At my townhouse, I had 4” cedar window trims that I removed to do a proper membrane tie-in. If it’s stucco, you gotta cut the stucco out and trim the windows after. But looks better and a better air seal than the overlapping renovation style windows
 
One more thought: if the exterior cladding is stucco, do not contemplate an installation and finish plan that would require stucco patching.
(A) no stucco contractor wants to do patches
(B) it will forever look like a patch.

The only way is to use a trim to deal with the gap, or budget for patching the scratch coat and reapplying finish coat to the entire wall panel that contains the window.
 
sly_karma said:
One more thought: if the exterior cladding is stucco, do not contemplate an installation and finish plan that would require stucco patching.
(A) no stucco contractor wants to do patches
(B) it will forever look like a patch.

The only way is to use a trim to deal with the gap, or budget for patching the scratch coat and reapplying finish coat to the entire wall panel that contains the window.
Click to expand...
Renovator style windows do have their place, this is one of them.
 
We used Milgard from Northshore Windows and Doors for our cabin. They supply a version which includes wood finish on the inside which we like as it ties into the cedar trims in that home.

Westec supplied an 18' 3 panel slider and the balance of the windows in house in North Van, we are happy with those for the most part. You can spend a ridiculous amount of cash on windows, friends windows package was 250k for a 2m build which I found insane. But to each their own...
 
ripper12 said:
i used centra windows out of Langley very happy with them . Check the r factor for different window you might take 20 years to recoup the price difference
Click to expand...
Had these guys do my parents place 10+ years ago....amazing! So was the warranty! Would deal with them anytime!
 
Aquaholic said:
Renovator style windows do have their place, this is one of them.
Click to expand...
Agreed!
Cutting out the old sash from a stucco exterior creates an envelope disaster. Removing the old window glazing and any mullions, leaving the exterior frame intact, is the correct method. Then back-seal and install the new sash. The overlapping flange can be decorated with a suitable casing.


Murray Frank is THE expert on Building Science in B.C.

In the presentation Ricketts notes that a "piggy-back" window installation is not suitable in high exposure areas - no nearby shelter from wind-driven rain or overhanging eave for protection. He also notes there can be a 20% reduction in the thermal performance of the frame, compared to a tear-out. This is minimal, when contrasted with the glazed area. It becomes negligible when windows are correctly flashed and sealed, then trimmed out.

The much greater costs and the envelope challenges inherent in a full tear-out makes it a poor choice in most situations.
 
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Corey_lax said:
100% agree. Those Renovation windows look like crap. Huge flanges. At my townhouse, I had 4” cedar window trims that I removed to do a proper membrane tie-in. If it’s stucco, you gotta cut the stucco out and trim the windows after. But looks better and a better air seal than the overlapping renovation style windows
Click to expand...
Incorrect in most instances.
 
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sly_karma said:
One more thought: if the exterior cladding is stucco, do not contemplate an installation and finish plan that would require stucco patching.
(A) no stucco contractor wants to do patches
(B) it will forever look like a patch.

The only way is to use a trim to deal with the gap, or budget for patching the scratch coat and reapplying finish coat to the entire wall panel that contains the window.
Click to expand...
Do not cut into stucco exteriors if it can be avoided. A complete tear-out is appropriate in high-exposure areas.
 
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Brando said:
if they’re going from aluminum to vinyl don’t do the cheap route with the large vinyl flange that just fits inside the aluminum frame replace the entire window if the house is stucco this means some cutting and trim work after in some instances. we had ours lined up a few years ago and changed our mind but I found that Dan @ authentic installations was very knowledgeable and deals with westek windows which were recommended to me by a friend in the reno industry I trust. I had a bunch of quotes including Anderson and was going to go that route.
Click to expand...
Do not cut into stucco exteriors unless absolutely necessary.
 
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