What to do about the windows
For a long time Nick was planning on trying to refurbish the windows on the
first floor which are original to the house and we would replace the
aluminum-clad windows that are on the second floor that were installed in the
60's. But now that we are on year three of the first floor renovation, we've
decided that it might be best to put new windows in. I have discovered that
shopping for windows is nearly as bad as shopping for furniture! We had someone
come out last weekend and give us a bid. We want wood trim on the inside and
are going to put in double hung cottage styles windows throughout. We got the
bid back yesterday and we laughed. The company that gave us the bid does not
sell just the windows, but requires that they install them so they can guarantee
that the installation is done correctly.
So now we need to find some more options and figure out the pricing.
I absolutely love our old windows and the old glass, but the glass isn't
safe, the windows don't open and none of the old hardware works. We are keeping
the original trim work and will refinish that and reinstall it once we have the
windows in. This process is giving me a hint as to how difficult it would
be to renovate a home if you were paying someone else to do all the work.
And that's how Nick has built up his shop. When we find out how ridiculously
expensive it is to hire someone to do what we want, the price tag on the tools
seems like nothing.
So enough rambling. Now I know that I'll spend Friday doing more research
and trying to find good, quality windows in Seattle. I've got a couple of leads-
I'll let you know what happens.