Five Awesome Tips to Help Save Money on Replacement Windows and Doors in Brampton, Ontario
Shopping for replacement windows and doors for your Brampton home might seem like a major expense. The best first thing to do is to step back and realize that this is an investment, not expense.
For most people, their home is a single most significant investment there ever going to make in their lifetime. That means anything you do to improve the quality, condition, or ultimately the value of that house should be something you approach a bit differently than, for example, shopping for a flat screen TV.
Still, that doesn’t mean you have to overspend for replacement doors and windows. Being as smart consumer means focusing on quality, understanding different companies and what they have to offer throughout the area, and getting as much information as possible about the products you plan to purchase.
We have put together five awesome tips that can help you save money on replacement doors and windows for your Brampton home. Not all of these tips will apply to everyone, but if you notice one or more that help to save you money, then it’s well worth reading over.
1. Review the energy consumption of your home.
Every home is going to be different. That’s the same with every individual. Some people like to have their temperature higher than others. Take a moment to assess how much you spend on heating and cooling expenses throughout the year.
If you have electric heaters, this will be pretty simple to do. If you rely on natural gas or home heating oil, it should also be relatively straightforward. However, relying on natural gas for home heating oil will still require a small amount of electricity, which you may be able to calculate based on annual expenses.
Figure out how much money you spend on heating bills throughout the winter season. Also, if you have a tendency to run an air conditioning unit, a window unit, or central air conditioning system in the summer, calculate how much this costs you per season, on average. This will give you a starting point idea on how much you could potentially save on your heating and cooling expenses with energy efficient windows and doors.
The more you spend on these utilities, the more you could potentially save by installing high quality, highly energy efficient windows and doors.
While this is not going to save you money in the short term, even a $20 a month saving every month will equal $240 a year, which equals $2,400 every 10 years, at current energy prices. When you figure that the average replacement window or door will last about 15 to 20 years, it’s easy to see how much you can save over time.
2. Shop around.
Most professional window companies will generally offer the same prices for their particular windows and doors. That doesn’t mean you can’t save money by shopping around.
Some companies that offer the same brand windows and doors might offer them at different prices. They may have various reasons for doing this. Some companies include installation into the price of the windows while others keep that expense separate.
The more you shop around, the more you’re going to be able to narrow your focus and find the company that offers you the best quality, service, installation, and deals.
3. Understand those installation costs.
As we just noted, some companies will hide the cost of installation into the price of the windows and doors they sell. It’s best for consumers if they know exactly how much the window costs as opposed to the window plus installation. If you don’t know how much it’s going to cost for installation, then you’re not going to be able to focus on saving as much money as possible.
You may be tempted to install the windows yourself as a way to save money, but we will address that in point number five.
4. Same size windows will reduce the overall cost.
If you are thinking about changing the size of windows in certain rooms of your home, this will add to the overall investment you make. Any time the installation expert would invest to renovate part of your home, either widening the window frame or closing it up, that’s going to add to the cost of that particular window.
If you are on a tight budget and don’t mind how your old windows (at least the style) looks, consider replacing it with something of the same size. It may require a custom window, but that is still more cost-effective than having to completely reframe the existing window side.
5. The pitfalls of installing windows and doors yourself.
Most replacement window and door manufacturers offer a warranty on their products. However, that warranty is commonly only honored when they are installed by certified installation experts. In other words, if the replacement windows or doors you choose are not installed properly, not installed by somebody certified by the manufacturer, and something is wrong with the window or doesn’t function properly, the warranty may not be honored.
You can think about this situation in similar terms with regard to that flat screen TV you may have purchased recently. If you notice the picture vibrating slightly when watching a movie with the surround system on, and you have some experience working on electronics, you may be tempted to open the back of the TV up to repair the problem yourself. However, doing so often voids the warranty. It’s the same with computers and other related technologies.
If you don’t install the windows properly, they may not function the way they are designed. You may also experience leaks from rainwater getting in or around certain parts of the window and that can cause major headaches down the road for you.
When you evaluate these five tips on how to save money on replacement windows and doors for your Brampton home, hopefully you will realize that it’s an investment and as long as you go into this process with that mindset, you’re going to make the right decision for your home, your family, and your budget.
