A big challenge with managing a window replacement project—and most home improvement projects, for that matter—is keeping it within budget. Apart from preventing unnecessary expenses, knowing how to manage the project budget prevents delays with the windows company and gives you the confidence that your project will be finished on time and without compromise.
Here are some planning tips to keep your project on budget.
Research the average cost – Determining the exact cost of the window replacement project without a quotation is difficult because of many factors, such as materials, accessories, and the size of the project, i.e. how many windows will be replaced. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have an idea of what the ballpark price is. The full text of Remodeling Magazine’s 2017 Cost vs Value Report lists the average job cost for window replacements in the South Atlantic states, but that may change anytime.
Research the pros and cons of window materials and styles – Window materials offered by any windows contractor are different and doing research on the pros and cons of each material can help you find replacement windows with a good cost-to-performance ratio. For instance, vinyl windows are certainly affordable and accessible but not structurally stable. Unlike vinyl, our Fibrex® material frames are more stable and last much longer.
Keep a project journal – As the project grows, the number of invoices, receipts, and estimates also grow and the difficulty of keeping track grows with it. Prepare some sort of journal, notebook, or a sturdy expanding envelope to keep all the paperwork in one place, then use a spreadsheet application to keep track of all the expenses. Having the data in one place makes it easy to spot any deviation from the project budget.
Have an emergency budget – We consider our written quotations binding once signed. But as many seasoned homeowners will tell you: never start a project without an emergency budget. Unforeseen expenses sometimes happen, and the associated delays can be very inconvenient. Your emergency budget should be 10 to 20% of the quoted cost. Keep it on hand but don’t spend it unless it’s a genuine emergency.
Renewal by Andersen® of Atlanta serves Marietta, GA, and nearby areas. To know more about our replacement windows, call us today at (866) 609-5033 or fill out our contact form to receive a free estimate and in-home consultation.
