Can windows be salvaged from a house and reused when building a new house?
Serious question. I have enough money saved to get new super-nice windows in the upstairs bedroom. I'm concerned, however, that I can keep sinking a lot of money into repairs of this century-old house when it might actually be more reasonable to take out a loan, tear down the house, and have a new one built in its place. I don't have to make a decision now, but it would be nice if I could spend money on immediate window replacements (saving a lot of money on heating/cooling, and reducing my energy usage) and still benefit if I make a big, costly decision later too.
This issue wasn't mentioned in This Old House article, so I'm guessing the answer might be "No". I'd check the rest of the internet, but I checked YouTube for how to break down old wood pallets, and I had no luck with actually doing it. The advertising didn't match my reality.
The many changes I want to make in this house include adding much more 3-prong electrical outlets, eliminating the gas stove, eliminating the gas water heater, eliminating the gas central heating, adding rain gutters to funnel water to storage for the garden, and maybe add some electric solar panels on top. It would be cool if the house didn't tilt either, so... you know... tearing up the foundation and rebuilding from scratch seems like a fair idea to ponder. Personally, I'd like a pair of "mini" houses built sort of like a triplex but with the middle area functioning as a sort of greenhouse between the two actual houses. It sounds nice, but I don't know how much it costs to build something like that. I'd be happy with just a new tiny house. Single story, so it's suitable for older residents, and that simplification should make it significantly cheaper than rebuilding exactly the same structure I have now.
Anyway. Can whole windows be reused in a new house?