Home Repairs

[JfizzleBlazer]

My mom is disabled and needs repairs done to her house. I've been buying all the materials for her, but labor is just too Spendy. So a buddy of mine and I have been installing hardie plank siding on her house the past week. It's been goingrather slow, cause we both have full time jobs and learned how to do it from YouTube videos, but it's been awesome seeing the progress. We have gotten pretty dang good at it too.

Next step is to install three windows. Anyone ever install windows before and have any tips? We wanna change the windows before we can finish the siding of course.

It's pretty great seeing the improvements just from a little research and hard work.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

What kind of windows are you taking out?

What kind are you putting in?

It's easiest if you have a worm drive. That's a saw. If not a regular skill saw will work. Are you keeping the windows the same size? Going bigger? Smaller? How old is the house? Do you have any pictures of your mom?

Fill gaps with insulating expanding foam. Caulk... caulk... caulk... did I mention that you should caulk a lot?

Buy new inside window ledge boards and trim, fuck reusing the old shit. You're saving on labor, do not skimp on materials.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

What kind of windows are you taking out?

What kind are you putting in?

It's easiest if you have a worm drive. That's a saw. If not a regular skill saw will work. Are you keeping the windows the same size? Going bigger? Smaller? How old is the house? Do you have any pictures of your mom?

Fill gaps with insulating expanding foam. Caulk... caulk... caulk... did I mention that you should caulk a lot?

Buy new inside window ledge boards and trim, fuck reusing the old shit. You're saving on labor, do not skimp on materials.

Taking out aluminum Windows. Most likely will install vinyl windows because those seem to be the most commonly available now. The house is 27 years old.

Keeping them the same size. Seems the easiest option

Two bedroom windows are 48 x 48

Living room window is 96 x 60.

Lowest prices so far I can find for these windows are through Lowe's.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Taking out aluminum Windows. Most likely will install vinyl windows because those seem to be the most commonly available now. The house is 27 years old.

Keeping them the same size. Seems the easiest option

Two bedroom windows are 48 x 48

Living room window is 96 x 60.

Lowest prices so far I can find for these windows are through Lowe's.

Don't go cheapest, this is your mom. Some vinyl frames actually get soft in warm weather and will sag or become untrue. Do some research. Also some windows insulate better than others.

Cut 6"s around the windows with worm drive/skill saw. Pull everything off until you can see the wood framing that the window is connected to. If there is rot/weather damage to wood rip it out, don't patch or repair. Just rip it out and re-frame the window.
Take old windows out. Put tarp on ground inside and out, sometimes windows break. It's easier to do this with 3 people. One on the inside, one outside, one with pry bar and rubber mallet coaxing the old windows out. After the windows are out check the frames with square and level. Houses shift, become untrue. How do the old windows fit? Bind? Don't open all the way? If the wood frame is just a little off bang on it with a hammer until true. A lot off, re-frame the window.

All of this is not hard, very easy. Common sense. Fun.

Don't worry of you chip the sheet rock on the inside. Sheet rock is easy to patch.

3 windows will take a day. Do the spare bedroom first. Then master, then living room, you'll get better as you go along.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Any recommendations for good pricing on decent windows? The ones I'm looking at right now are milguard, jeld wen and thermastar by pella.

And while I agree with you not going cheap, I pay half of her mortgage monthly as is, and I've dumped a few thousand into Much needed repairs my stepdad neglected for years

 

[SlyPokerDog]

You probably have a compressor and nail gun for the siding but I would use screws and cordless drill for windows. More of a personal preference.

Depending on how the old window to secured to the frame it might be easier to use a sawzall to cut the nails or screws holding the window to the wood frame then it will be to try and pry them out. Just jam that sawzall blade between the wood and the metal frame and start hacking. Don't worry if you take a little wood out.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Any recommendations for good pricing on decent windows? The ones I'm looking at right now are milguard, jeld wen and thermastar by pella.

And while I agree with you not going cheap, I pay half of her mortgage monthly as is, and I've dumped a few thousand into Much needed repairs my stepdad neglected for years

Pella has a nice double pain wood frame window that has the blinds built in between the two pains of glass. Those are really nice, blinds never get dusty.

Look for sales, Home Depot and Lowes will price match.

After you replace the windows you'll be ready to replace the sliding glass door with a nice french door.

Make sure you pull the window trim off before you start cutting on the house.

Oops almost forgot to mention, shouldn't be a problem but look for electric outlets below the windows inside of the house and make sure you turn off the breakers for those. Saws and wires do not mix.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

It's hard to find 96 by 60 windows btw. Can Lowe's special order them from pella for me? Or do you know if I can go through pella myself?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

It's hard to find 96 by 60 windows btw. Can Lowe's special order them from pella for me? Or do you know if I can go through pella myself?

Is that a picture window? Two windows that open with glass in the middle? What is there now? What do you want to replace it with?

Once you open up the wall you can always re-frame to a more standard size or even put in two (or three) windows where there was just one.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Is that a picture window? Two windows that open with glass in the middle? What is there now? What do you want to replace it with?

Once you open up the wall you can always re-frame to a more standard size or even put in two (or three) windows where there was just one.

Just trying to keep this as easy as possible. It's the third one in the picture

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Sweet.... the 3rd one is the easiest to install, lol. The top one would have scared the shit out of you because that much glass with flex and is easy to break. Take the two sliding windows out when install the window frame, less weight.

Might have to custom order. If you do it thru Lowes you won't have to pay for shipping.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Here is the big window

http://m.lowes.com/pd/Milgard-Style...-in-x-60-in-Actual-95-5-in-x-59-5-in/50017606

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Here are the smaller ones

http://m.lowes.com/pd/ThermaStar-by...8-in-x-48-in-Actual-47-5-in-x-47-5-in/3119695

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Looks good.

 

[barfo]

Fill gaps with insulating expanding foam. Caulk... caulk... caulk... did I mention that you should caulk a lot?

And be sure to post your caulk pics on that timberwolves site when you are done.

barfo

 

[BigGameDamian]

 

[stampedehero]

Taking out aluminum Windows. Most likely will install vinyl windows because those seem to be the most commonly available now. The house is 27 years old.

Keeping them the same size. Seems the easiest option

Two bedroom windows are 48 x 48

Living room window is 96 x 60.

Lowest prices so far I can find for these windows are through Lowe's.

+> Three man crew needed. Before you order measure three times. Check out a Utube vid with your crew so all of you know what to contribute. Need a shim pack. Need a three and six foot level. Need a drill with new quality philips head bits. Prepare window rough with suitable flashing. Have padded material under the window prior to install. If it slips you have a cushion. Any modification or alteration to the frame requires a building permit. Is that 96"x 60" a middle fixed pane with twin casements? Take aleve or advil prior to job to help ease the sore neck, back and shoulders after the install. Good luck. Prepare for a chiropractor if necessary. The windows should be lifetime warranty.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Finally was able to install the two smaller windows. Was pretty easy tbh. My buddy and I did it. Probably took a few hours to do the two windows. Still waiting on getting the big window.

This project is taking forever, but slow and steady progress. Have about two more months of summer to get everything done

 

[Mediocre Man]

Any recommendations for good pricing on decent windows? The ones I'm looking at right now are milguard, jeld wen and thermastar by pella.

And while I agree with you not going cheap, I pay half of her mortgage monthly as is, and I've dumped a few thousand into Much needed repairs my stepdad neglected for years

Look for specials on groupon too. We replaced our windows, 15 windows for $3999. Nice vynyl. Lifetime warranty with a company that has been around for 20+ years

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Bump for Hobbs.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Just a heads up, Lowe's is having 15% off special order windows right now. Score. If you go into the store, they can sometimes order windows cheaper than online. I got the 96 by 60 window for $285 after the 15% off. That's Sooooo cheap. From cascade windows through Lowes.

 

[MarAzul]

Taking out aluminum Windows. Most likely will install vinyl windows because those seem to be the most commonly available now. The house is 27 years old.

Keeping them the same size. Seems the easiest option

Two bedroom windows are 48 x 48

Living room window is 96 x 60.

Lowest prices so far I can find for these windows are through Lowe's.

Man, you replace all those aluminum windows and get rid of the sliding glass door, the heat bill in the winter might be cut in half.
Good on yeah!

 

[barfo]

the house 27 years old and the windows need to be replaced?

Is that normal? seems like windows should last longer than that.

barfo

 

[MarAzul]

the house 27 years old and the windows need to be replaced?

Is that normal? seems like windows should last longer than that.

barfo

I built a new house 30 years ago. All the windows and the 4 sliding glass doors all need to be replace if it hasn't been done.
I built this house 18 years ago and all the windows and doors are just fine. The difference between them is really amazing
Out with the aluminum and in with the vinyl double pane low e glass, big difference.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Seems like the late 80's was a shitty time for construction building. The Louisiana pacific siding was terrible, and Viking made shitty aluminum windows

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Spent most of the day doing more siding today. Almost done! Still need to install the big window once it comes in from special order, and probably have two more full days of work before we are done!

Then comes the lame part of painting....

 

[BigGameDamian]

I'm sure you wouldn't mind having Joanna Gains coming to your house.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

I'm sure you wouldn't mind having Joanna Gains coming to your house.

Nah, it's a lot more meaningful when you do it yourself. And you learn new life skills.

And to be honest, it's not that hard.

Most of the guys that work on these types of jobs aren't brain scientists. Watch a couple YouTube videos and even you bgd can do it too.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Son of a bitch. We put in the it window and one side doesn't close flush. So we are gonna have to trim some of the window opening.

Btw, we put in two small pella windows and the big window is cascade. The cascade Window is way better quality

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Son of a bitch. We put in the it window and one side doesn't close flush. So we are gonna have to trim some of the window opening.

Not uncommon at all.

And you're right, Pella used to be the gold standard in windows but the quality went down when Jeldwen bought them.