windows?

[mellowtigger]

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?

Comments

[bitterlawngnome]

They can be, but it isn't always easy. The plans for the new house would have to be redrawn to fit the reused windows. As well, many builders have a deal with window manufacturers, so they're going to want to buy new from them.

You might poke around and see if you can find any good used (modern) windows that are almost the right size, and pay to have the framing amended to fit them.

[threemeninaboat]

Seconded.

[scrottie]

I've long wanted to make a greenhouse from discarded old wood framed single paned windows, but the increasingly extremely rare times I see them, I'm not in a position to grab them. Ask R about when I showed up with the rental car's back full of cedar doors I found by the side of the road.

So anyway the various windows could be deployed that way, one way or another. Building codes for greenhouses should be lighter.

I have limited knowledge of building new houses, but my understanding is that having a house custom designed first then built costs a lot more than selecting from plans a more assembly-line style builder is offering. (My brother did graduate with an architecture degree but imo he's a crap architect.)

Hmm. The rental Craftsman house came with plans. If we actually liked the design, we could clone it. But it really needs some alternate routes through. Right now the hallway to bed/bath, kitchen, dining/living/office are connected by a choke point and the kitchen is small and walled in. I guess if the kitchen were opened and expanded in to the dining area, that would help relieve the choke point. But really I'm enamoured of the construction, not the design.

If you were willing to become a landlord, you could put a prefab house on an empty lot and rent yours out and fix it up. That might be easier.

The Albany rental Craftsman house is framed with *real* 2'x4's, spaced absurdly close together (16" is the new standard, these are like 8" apart... I don't think it's a full foot... I keep meaning to measure and photograph that) and I believe it's made out of oak, not pine. Personally, I hate to see well built old structures neglected in favor of much less durable newer ones, but I don't know the details of your house. "Mud jacking" companies claim that they'll fix your foundation without major work but that's probably still not cheap and I don't know how well that works. Maybe it would help some?

There's always insurance fraud, too. Cash in on those old ungrounded electrical outlets and use that as a downpayment on the rebuild.

[danieldwilliam]

They can - but as other folks have said it can easily go wrong both mechanically and commercially.

I had a pal who once came home to his rented house to discover someone had stolen his windows.

[mellowtigger]

Well, that's not the answer I hoped for, but it's good to know ahead of time. Thanks for speaking up. :)

[mellowtigger]

Ah, that's true. I hadn't thought of the "custom" price hike. That alone makes me think I might as well just buy good windows now, so I don't have actual wind blowing through my bedroom any more. I already have a second foundation, poured out in the basement on top of the original. Doesn't really help with the house tilt, but apparently it has helped avoid any damage.

[mellowtigger]

Yikes. Everything is so costly these days. :( Give me a warm cave with internet access, and I could be happy. :D

[barak]

Given your windows are likely older, there may not be a lot of options for reuse due to newer technology being used to create new windows (for better performances, etc.). You could try contacting the Habitat for Humanity ReShop here in the Twin Cities if they have any suggestions. While they do accept some used items, in this case, they only accept new windows, but they may know of anyone who could use them.

[foeclan]

Check with the Habitat for Humanity Restore. They might take them.