u/Miserable_Abies_9327

Hello, fellow homeowners. I’m looking for window recommendations.

I’m a 33F in Ohio and purchased my first home in August 2021, so I’ve been here almost five years. The house was built in 1955 and is 3 bed, 1 bath, about 1,143 sq. ft. Four of the windows (on the sides of the house) are newer, but the rest are likely original and very outdated. I don’t even use them because I’m honestly afraid to open them. They’re old storm windows and really difficult to operate. Both my front and back doors are also older, though I did add new screen doors when I moved in.

Long story short, I know I need to replace the windows and doors. They’re overdue. I recently saw ads and got a mailer from Renewal by Andersen promoting a “May deal” with two years, zero down, no interest on windows and doors. It sounded great at first. But after having an in-home consultation, I started questioning it.

They offered financing options, including 10 years at 6.99% interest if I start paying right away. But if I go with the advertised 2-year option, the interest rate jumps significantly afterward, making it a much worse deal long term. It felt a bit misleading, or at least like they’re heavily promoting something that isn’t actually the best option.

After assessing my home, the rep recommended replacing the front and back doors, the front windows, and all the older windows, keeping just two of the newer ones. He also suggested combining my two front windows into one larger window by removing the center post, which he said would help save on cost.

Here are the quotes I received:

• ~$77,000 total, about $581/month for 10 years at 6.99% (includes a bay window in front) - This is more than my car note monthly lol
• ~$50,000+, about $369/month for 10 years at 6.99% (uses a slider window instead of a bay)

Honestly, I plan to sell and build new within the next five years. While I understand this could increase my home’s value, I’m not sure it’s worth the investment right now. I don’t want to take on that level of expense or stress over windows.

I know Renewal by Andersen uses high-quality materials, but $77K for two doors and eight windows feels excessive, especially when I know people with larger homes who’ve paid far less, even accounting for timing and interest rate changes.

Would love to hear recommendations for other companies or experiences. Does this seem like a reasonable quote?

Hate to admit it, but if I didn’t have to go into work four days a week, I probably wouldn’t shower nearly as much. And honestly, being single with no man around makes that even easier. The weird part is that after I shower, I feel like I’ve taken a powerful sleeping pill and become insanely fatigued. I end up hot, sweaty, and completely overheated. On the weekend especially, it will literally put me out for the rest of the day—I have to lie down until I get my strength back. Maybe cold showers would help, but I love my HOT showers way too much.