How Much Value do New Windows Add to a Home?
Home renovation projects are often undertaken as much to improve a house’s resale value as to improve its livability for the present. That’s why so many of these projects focus on remodeling the kitchen or bathroom, because a great deal of resale value can almost pay for the cost of the renovations. Another home renovation which isn’t far behind kitchens and bathrooms in terms of resale value is a window replacement project for your home.
You can achieve a major impact on the household in terms of energy efficiency and aesthetics when you update all the home’s windows. It will also make the home more appealing to buyers in the future, when you’re ready to sell the house and move on. But how much resale value does a window replacement project actually bring to your home, and how does that compare to renovating a kitchen or bathroom?
Added value from installing new windows
New windows will always have a high rate of return, and you can boost that return rate even higher if you install windows that are highly energy-efficient. Minor upgrades may not supply the same high rate of return, but if you do choose to invest in a serious upgrade to your windows, you can expect to seriously increases your home’s resale value.
This precise topic was featured in a recent Cost vs. Value report, which showed how installing brand new vinyl windows would achieve a 73% return rate, and if you were to install all new wooden windows, you might expect a 70% return rate. By contrast, adding on a new deck increases the resale value approximately 69%, and lesser kitchen remodeling projects returned an average of 62%. It is true that a full-blown kitchen remodeling project can return as much as 82% in resale value, and an automated garage door hovers at around 97%.
However, you can definitely increase the return rate on your new window installation by going all-out for energy efficiency. According to the US Department of Energy, windows are responsible for between 25% and 30% of a home’s overall heating and cooling usage, which means you can save a ton of money over the course of a year.
There are several different features you could consider purchasing with your new windows, and all of these will contribute to greater energy-efficiency. For instance, you can add on multi-paned glass, high-quality frames, gas-infused panes, warm edge spacers, and glass coated with low-emissivity coating. All these extra features will provide better insulation for your home, and will do a much better job of keeping conditioned air inside and unconditioned air outside.
Choosing new windows
Once you’ve established your budget for the window replacement project, you’ll be ready to start shopping around for just the kind of windows you want to have installed. There’s a lot to consider when you begin shopping, for instance the material for the frame. While wood looks great, vinyl is more weather-resistant and requires less maintenance. You’ll want to select a style that is compatible with your overall home style and decor, and which adds aesthetic appeal to the home.
And as much as your budget allows, you should invest in windows that are capable of delivering high energy-efficiency. You should also consider whether to install single-pane windows, or go with the extra insulation provided by double-pane or triple-pane windows. Single-pane windows will be the less expensive route to go, but they can’t perform up to the level of double-pane or triple-pane windows. Be aware that installing single-pane windows may save you money on your installation project, but they may cost you money down the road in terms of energy-efficiency.
Is it really worth installing new windows?
No matter what your main objective is, the answer to this question almost always has to be a resounding ‘yes’. Window replacement is a sound investment, both for now and for the future. You’ll get the benefit of increased energy-efficiency right now, and then you’ll get a higher resale value on your home in the future. A full windows replacement project turns out to be one of the most effective projects you can undertake, in terms of getting a high return rate on your investment.
If you really take your time on this project, and do some serious research into the kinds of windows and frames you might install, you can come away with a very worthwhile renovation. And make sure you hire a reputable company to do the installation, because a badly installed window can lose much of its value if improperly installed. Get as much value as you can out of your window replacement investment, so you and your family can benefit both now, and when you decide to sell and move on.
