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If you’re considering staging a major home makeover to your New Jersey or New York home, you may be wondering when to schedule a Renewal by Andersen of New Jersey & New York Metro home consultation to discuss your replacement window and patio door options. Planning an extensive renovation, one that includes replacing the majority of the windows in an older home, resurfacing the exterior building envelope, installing new insulation and upgrading the roof can be overwhelming for anyone. Planning your project in stages can reduce the financial and emotional burden and make the whole project more successful. Gaining the most benefit from each stage requires thoughtful planning.
Hiring a General Contractor Versus Using a Variety of Specialty Sub-Contractors
Unless you have confidence in your ability to vet local contractors, it is usually advantageous to consult an experienced General Contractor to oversee large projects. Since an independent contractor will financially benefit only when you complete work in his area of expertise, you may find every contractor recommends starting your project with their tasks first. Roofers will recommend you start at the top, insulation experts will suggest you add layers in the attic and interior wall spaces immediately and siding companies may say sealing the envelope is critical to maximizing return on investment.
Common Sense & Best Practices
It is just sound reasoning to repair a leaking roof before you install attic insulation. Otherwise, you would risk losing your insulation, and your financial investment, by encouraging mold growth if it rains. Replacing interior insulation batting if the exterior envelope is not structurally sound would cause similar problems with moisture infiltration.
Beyond common sense, there is another reason to time replacement window installation wisely, a reason some homeowners may not automatically consider. Updating the exterior surface for purely aesthetic reasons does not pose the same challenges as adding brick to a wood- or vinyl-clad home, and may be done at any juncture of the remodel according to your budget and preferences. Adding thickness to the exterior of a home after windows are installed may make windows appear recessed, unless they are moved after the exterior upgrade. Before ordering your new replacement windows discuss how wall thickness affects the fit, performance and appearance with your window specialists. Are you willing to live with a “less-than-ideal curb appeal” if you install windows before completing the exterior upgrade? Should you invest in temporary window “fixes” to improve energy-efficiency during the rehab project? Will new construction or insert replacement windows best serve your remodeling goals? Answering these questions will help you decide whether to budget for replacing all windows at the same time, or whether you should stage window installation in various rooms or sections of your home as the project progresses.
Rehab Order and Occupancy Status
Occupancy also impacts rehabilitation staging. Upgrading an occupied home is vastly different than rehabbing a vacant home. If you are living in an older home appointed with single-pane windows, most of which are severely damaged, painted shut or held together with caulk and silicone to due to age or improper original installation, you’ll want to consider how much it’s costing you in heating and cooling bills to wait until the final stage to update your windows. Ventilation is another factor to consider. It is very unhealthy to live in a home without adequate ventilation to move air throughout your home, especially during a renovation that kicks up a lot of dust and debris. It may be wise to use a top down approach where you replace the roof first, add attic insulation, close building envelope breaches (including window leaks and gaps), and then work on updating the exterior and installing windows.
Whether you are still in the process of searching for a general contractor for your New Jersey or New York renovation project, or you already have a rough outline of the project penciled on your calendar, we welcome the opportunities to meet with you to discuss staging your project to get the best results. We won’t insult your intelligence by telling you it would be wise to install your new replacement windows immediately without first discussing the integrity of your dwelling’s exterior and planned upgrades that may affect your windows. Please call us today toll-free at (866) 609-5033 to schedule a home consultation and window inspection or take a minute to fill in the short form on this page to request more information.
Learn Everything You Need to Know BEFORE Buying Replacement Windows