Style and Design

Double glazing is available in many different styles and types, and most people attempt to match style of their old windows with new if at all possible, especially when doing restoration work. A good, reputable contractor will work with you to find double glazing windows that suit your architecture and enhance your home's beauty.

Frames

The three main frame types are PVCu, aluminum and wood, and each has its unique advantages and disadvantages. In a nutshell - PVCu frames are best at energy conservation, aluminum frames are sturdiest, and wooden frames are most attractive - at least in view of some. For more detailed information about advantages of each, see related articles.

Type of Glass

Safety glass, tempered glass, low-e glass, Pilkington K glass - there are many types of glass that are used in double glazing. Glass with energy coatings - low-e and Pilkington K among them - add further insulating properties to your windows, and can certainly be worth that additional expense.

Installation

Shop for a contractor and supplier as carefully as you do for glass. Shoddily done work can negate all advantages gained in choosing to replace your current windows with double glazing. Look into company's history and check for any complaints against them, even ask for references from others for whom they have done work. Installing double glazing throughout your house is an expensive proposition - it only makes sense to know people who will be doing work.

If you would prefer to remain as anonymous as possible, then Internet and library will be your goldmine of information. The library may be a tad outdated when it comes to most recent, creative home improvement projects, but check it out just in case. If you do find a book online or at a store that would be perfect for what you need, ask a librarian if they could "purchase this book since your home improvement selections are less than adequate and its important that a library stays atop current trends and events so as not to become obsolete" (or something along those lines ;-)

Also, at Home Depot they have a section of books on literally any home improvement projects you can imagine. They even have chairs where you can sit and read them at your leisure. This would be an excellent starting point for you.

A Look At My Two Biggest Savings

Pergo Style Click-Together Flooring @.49 per square foot X 400 sq ft = $200 Foam Underlay for 400sq ft. = $80 *my biggest saving - found this floor/tile place getting rid of excess stock which was about $4 per foot cheaper than Home Depot! I would've paid in excess of $1600 for this amount)

Sod: St. Augustine @ .59 per square foot: 1500 sq feet *free delivery since purchased through sod.com *second biggest saving - only cost me $885 instead of $2,000+

Handy Tips

Those who are really not concerned about saving money can basically shop anywhere for what they are looking for. However, those of us on a strict budget must put some thought into this if we want our goals to become tangible. For example, when I originally priced Pergo flooring, it was in excess of $4.50 per foot installed. Multiply that by 400 square feet and I have already attained a bill of $1800 (not including tax)!

Immediately I knew this was way out of my budget, but I still wanted to go with a laminate floor. I then started to price locations I found in yellow pages, Internet, and local PennySaver magazines. I learned that if I were to purchase and install flooring from distributors/wholesalers, I could save more than a thousand dollars! Even better, if I could find a location that had an excess of a particular item in stock, then they would offer this at an unbelievable price (just like one I found at .49 cents per square foot).

Point is, if you are willing to do a little "digging" and research in order to find lowest price available on your products, then you will be rewarded BIG TIME (just like I was). However flip side to that coin, if you are impatient and you want your remodeling to begin tomorrow, then most likely you will have to pay more for what you're looking for. It all depends on both your time and money situations.

Personally, for me, this was not a "must have done in two days" project, so I didn't mind spending two and a half months working on this in my spare time. I did save a ton of money, but it did take me much longer than if a contractor was hired to complete job. Again, it all depends on your own personal situation. Just keep in mind that saving money on home improvement projects is possible if you are willing to get a little "dirty" :-)

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