[karma_carpentry]

Anyone been installing garden / greenhouse windows lately?

I like the things, though I've never installed one yet. A customer wanted one but when she heard the price for the window alone was $990, she decided she couldn't afford it. That was a Harvey Industries window. Just for fun, I got a quote from Lowe's (the window would be made by Accu-Weld) at $810 for the same size. (Of course quality might differ.)

Those are all vinyl. I've heard that aluminum garden windows are popular in other climates but that manufacturers don't like to sell them in the northeast due to problems with breakdown in temperature variations in less than mild climates. Those folks in other areas, do you install aluminum garden windows?

- Sage

 

[Grumpy]

I wouldn't say latley since they aren't too popular but we've done a few.

WIndow pricing is variable but size and quality. You can get cheap vinyl for a few hundred bucks or I am sure a large marvin for $900 would be fair and accurate.

I have found garden windows to always have a high probability of condensation, and one thing to consider is NOT getting Low E because it blocks the sun's UV rays and that's what plants need.

 

[karma_carpentry]

Thanks for the tips, Grumpy.

I guess all vinyl windows have been going up in price with the rise in the price of oil. Even more than other building materials.

 

[IHI]

In the past 15 yrs i can count on on ehand the number of garden windows we've installed. Funniest part is all of them were mounted/installed directly above the kitchen sink...what's so funny about that you ask?? Well I'm yet to see a manufacturer (here anyways) that puts the side window locking mechanism in an easy to reach place...especially over the kitchen sink where depending on projection you order can put that little latch waaay out there requiring a lil ladder for homie to get up on the counter top to open the side windows on the thing.

PITA to install and finish, I would put in 2 bays/bows WITH hand built framing for the roofs than put in a garden window LOL!!! but I guess we've done soo stinkin many bay's/bows over the years it's no differnet than setting a DH:w00t: just a longer day is all.

 

[C.C.R.]

Hey Karma,
I'm in MA. ( on the N.H. border) I had a customer, in Wakefield, ask for a garden window a couple of months ago. When I asked my window supplier about it ( I've never done one before), He said, " Listen you do alot of business with me and I don't want to see you get burned so no I won't sell you one. They're nothing but trouble for everyone involved." So I installed a bow window for them instead they can still put plants on it, and it's more reliable. And they're happier than pigs in $#it. :clap:

Good luck.