I’ve asked this in all the usual places, and am going to ask here, too. Anyone have any experience to share about replacement windows?

Our windows are original, and suuuuccck. Dave seals us in in October, usually, and then I have to fight to remove the plastic in MAY, and even then he’ll hesitate, because "we might have another cold night…" We’ve suffered through REALLLLY warm spring nights in our hermetically sealed abode, and I hate it. Plus, we’d have to (literally, I’m not kidding) claw our way out in a fire, as he seals them with silicone caulk, rope caulk, AND plastic. It’s nuts.

Anyway, we want new windows, and we want fairly basic ones — vinyl, double hung, low-e, argon, inner grilles, nothing wicked architecturally interesting or needing to be preserved. We had two estimates from window companies, the lower quote was $350 a window, for Harvey Slimlines. But, the guy Dave freelances for with the home improvement show is all fired up to help us, and to use Home Depot windows (they are a sponsor) which are the American Craftsman/Silverline brand. When I research any of it, the HD windows get a lot of flack Out There, Harvey has less thana  dozen comments, mostly positive, and any other window we could get locally for DIY is just NOT mentioned. Most of those are Canadian made, which is probably why there’s no info out there.

Now, the least expensive option would be the HD window. We’d get the top model of their (admittedly budget) line, and replacing windows would probably become a show, and T would help us install them as barter for Dave’s work. (An arrangement they’ve done before.) We could do twice as much using HD than Harvey, which is good, of course, and since we’re going to do these on a cash basis, we could get more than one room done before winter.

My own justifications for the HD window, are that a) of course there’s a lot of negative chatter out there, they are probably the MOST available-to-everyone window there is. Most other windows are regional, so cater to a smaller market, etc. B)ANYTHING would be better than what we have, right? So how bad is bad? When there is a warranty, as well? C) when people are talking about hos much they suck, they aren’t really mentioning the model number, and there seems to be a wide range of features on the different models, so maybe that’s just a blanket statement, like "Ford Sucks" or something…D) Say we go HD, and in ten years, the windows have crapped out — will there be newer technology then, that combined with an increased income (one would hope) that would make replacing again feasible?  The cons are the DIY/relying on barter and favors to get it done, and the stuff I’ve read about them sucking in general.

The Harvey would be more expensive, but are apparently a better window. Having an outside party install would cost more — almost double what DIY using HD would be — but it would be done without having to work it around everything else. (Although, one of us would likely have to take a day off every time they came to do a room, and that adds to the cost as well.)

My current thought is to get a Home Depot window for the kitchen, as sort of a test drive. Unlike cars, of course, windows can’t be traded in or sold back, so I really don’t want to hose this decision. I figure since the kitchen window is the one odd sized window on our house (in that it’s smaller, not that it’s not a stock size) that if we hate it, and go with Harvey for everything else, it won’t stand out as Not Matching, since it’s different by default. (Also, it would be nice to have extra ventilation in there this winter, as opening the door usually means being greeted by snow. (Oh, sad, and we could never open the door because of Fat Kitty, now that I think about it. And that’s no longer a concern. 🙁 Dave and I both still talk about her, we are such saps, and really miss her…)

What would you do? Anyone out there have any experience with HD windows? Or Harvey, for that matter….