Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 16 to 28 of 28

Thread: House Windows

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Chicagoland
    Posts
    2,800
    Thanks for all the replies.

    One other question for casement users. My RO can support two casements or two casements and a center picture window. If I purchased the casements I'm sort of favoring the two casements so it brings up the question - do you put the hinge on the left/right or center (I have seen both)?

    Also, I saw it mentioned that casements allow you to wash both sides of the window. How is this done? With my current sliders I can easily lift the windows up and out to clean them.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    NE OH
    Posts
    2,615
    Hinge placement is your choice; I prefer them on left/right as it leaves the view out the center of the window less obstructed when the sides are open. OTOH, if the view to the sides is "better" than you might want to hinge them in the center. I suppose there might be a slight impact on ventilation if you have prevailing winds from one side or the other, but I doubt it makes much difference.

    As to cleaning them from the inside, most casements can be easily disconnected from the operator arm. Then, because of the way the hinges on the door slide in little tracks, you can either just slide the window toward the center a few inches and reach out the gap to clean the outside of the window in place, or you can slide the windows completely out of the little tracks and bring them inside to clean. This is a bit tricky on large windows because of the weight though. You'll want to check this out on the specific brand you are interested in if cleaning from the inside is important to you.
    --I had my patience tested. I'm negative--

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Michigan, USA
    Posts
    548
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Goetzke View Post

    Also, I saw it mentioned that casements allow you to wash both sides of the window. How is this done? With my current sliders I can easily lift the windows up and out to clean them.
    Mike - I mentioned that. Maybe others did, too. On the casement windows we had in our old home, I could remove the (inside) screen, crank the window full open, and there was enough space on the hinge side for me to reach through and clean the outside surface of the window. No disassembly required.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Anaheim, California
    Posts
    6,903
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Engelhardt View Post
    Things like appliances and central air are items that should never be included in the mortgage. You'll end up paying for them for years after they have gone bad.
    You could probably say the same thing about paint and flooring, but I've never heard of anyone complaining about them being included in the purchase price.
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    6,976
    You could probably say the same thing about paint and flooring, but I've never heard of anyone complaining about them being included in the purchase price.
    For real? You never heard of this? This is something just about every "penny pincher" - financial tip type advisor suggests & yes - they also include a lot of the specialty items - like types of flooring when applicable.

    Why can't you leave out the central air? If you don't want the central air and appliances covered by the mortgage can't you just increase the down payment by the cost of the central air and appliances?
    Now that is something I never heard of. Telling the bank the items your downpayment is going to be applied towards.
    Is that even possible?
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Anaheim, California
    Posts
    6,903
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Engelhardt View Post
    Now that is something I never heard of. Telling the bank the items your downpayment is going to be applied towards.
    Is that even possible?
    No one is suggesting that. Your objection seems to be against financing things like flooring/paint/appliances/AC over 20-30 years. Fine, then don't: pay for them now by increasing the down payment (i.e. reducing the mortgage) by that amount. There's nothing magic about it, you either spend the money now on the down payment or you spend it later when you install those items. Either way, you don't spend a penny of interest on it unless you want to.
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.

  7. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Engelhardt View Post
    We are building a new house.
    I wish we could leave out the central air, but we can't.

    Things like appliances and central air are items that should never be included in the mortgage. You'll end up paying for them for years after they have gone bad.
    Purchase them separately.

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    6,976
    Purchase them separately.
    That is exactly what I'm suggesting. I have no clue what this putting it in the down payment stuff is all about.
    When we bought our present house back in 1986, the builder asked if we wanted central air. We told them no, don't add it to the build. After the house was built, we had the air installed.

    I fail to see how increasing the down payment made to the bank will do this?
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Anaheim, California
    Posts
    6,903
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Engelhardt View Post
    That is exactly what I'm suggesting. I have no clue what this putting it in the down payment stuff is all about.
    When we bought our present house back in 1986, the builder asked if we wanted central air. We told them no, don't add it to the build. After the house was built, we had the air installed.

    I fail to see how increasing the down payment made to the bank will do this?
    Ok, one more time...
    It's highly probable that the cost of the AC when you bought it later was about the same as the increase in the purchase price from letting the builder do it. If the down payment is increased by that amount, the cost of the AC is not financed, it's effectively paid with cash, same as installing it later. The financed amount is the same in both cases, as is the amount of interest paid. I can't make it any simpler than that.

    (And installing later is probably more expensive anyway, since things like running the electrical/refrigerant lines and installing the evaporator coil are much easier during construction than after you move in. Not to mention that you have AC from day 1, which can be very handy if you're moving in during the middle of the summer.)
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    6,976
    It's highly probable that the cost of the AC when you bought it later was about the same as the increase in the purchase price from letting the builder do it.
    No - I don't recall the exact figures as it was 35 years ago. I do recall it was more through the builder though since they added their cut to the price.

    As far as prices for today go - we have a total of 7 properties & we deal with one Heating/Cooling company for 6 of them. John gives us the best possible price for both installation and equipment. I know what i get from him is the best possible equipment & at a price that other places can't or won't match for that level of equipment.

    If the down payment is increased by that amount, the cost of the AC is not financed, it's effectively paid with cash, same as installing it later. The financed amount is the same in both cases, as is the amount of interest paid.
    Ok - I'm still not seeing how that works out since - the downpayment is a lump figure & not broken down by item. Im just going to chalk it up to you seeing things one way & me seeing things the other way.
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Anaheim, California
    Posts
    6,903
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Engelhardt View Post
    Ok - I'm still not seeing how that works out since - the downpayment is a lump figure & not broken down by item. Im just going to chalk it up to you seeing things one way & me seeing things the other way.
    Look up the word "fungible". There's absolute nothing special about dollars in the down payment that makes them different from dollars spent later. The point you seem to be missing is that dollars added to the down payment reduce the size of the mortgage: it doesn't matter one bit whether they're spent on 2x6's or AC compressors.
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Anaheim, California
    Posts
    6,903
    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Engelhardt View Post
    As far as prices for today go - we have a total of 7 properties & we deal with one Heating/Cooling company for 6 of them. John gives us the best possible price for both installation and equipment. I know what i get from him is the best possible equipment & at a price that other places can't or won't match for that level of equipment.
    I'm pretty sure your friend John charges quite a bit less in labor if he can install the electrical and refrigerant lines during the electrical/plumbing rough-in stage and install the evaporator coil at the same time as the air handler, rather than dealing with a completed house where those tasks are not as convenient.
    Yoga class makes me feel like a total stud, mostly because I'm about as flexible as a 2x4.
    "Design"? Possibly. "Intelligent"? Sure doesn't look like it from this angle.
    We used to be hunter gatherers. Now we're shopper borrowers.
    The three most important words in the English language: "Front Towards Enemy".
    The world makes a lot more sense when you remember that Butthead was the smart one.
    You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
    Posts
    5,426
    I bought a property before selecting a builder. I also got my own construction loan. The small builder allowed me to do my own work like the electrical so long as I got a permit for the work. I probably could have selected my own HVAC company if I wanted. I ordered my own appliances and paid for them out of my pocket. My brother had a house built by a national builder. The contract he signed stated he could not do any of his own work on the house and it would trespassing if he went onto the site. The house and the lot still belonged to the builder until closing.

    How would it work to install HVAC after closing? You can't go back and install duct work after the drywall is up and painted. A smaller local builder might be willing to use your HVAC guy and let you pay him directly. You may or may not save money, but you probably at least trust the guy. The builder may get a discount on HVAC if they do enough volume with the HVAC company.

    Let's say HVAC is $25,000. So, you put an extra $25,000 down to avoid interest on that $25,000. It doesn't really matter what portion of the house that $25,000 actually pays for. In your mind the $25,000 is paying for the HVAC.
    Last edited by Brian Elfert; 10-19-2021 at 5:57 PM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •