Expensive Window Replacement - Is This Acceptable?

Question

We are under contract on a nice house with brand new windows. At a cost of nearly $4,000 per window, I am not sure how I feel about their caulk job: they replaced the old oak trim and installed new white trim and while it looks like a clean job, they caulked over the paint. The job was done by a national window franchise, so I amssume they follow a process.

I am used to seeing caulk applied efore paint. Is this an acceptable practice?

Marcus Auerbach · Answer

Thanks everyone. We did not hire them, the previous homeowner did and I checked the contract: it specs out prefinished jambs and trim. And aparently this is how they do it nationally. The cost is just absurd to me; no wonder people get suspicious of contractors!

Most of the time I find myself explaining to consumers why a contractors quote is actually reasonable (because it takes this much work!), but this one left me just flabergasted!

Jim K. · Answer

The first thing I thought was, yeah, that looks like caulk over PVC trim to me. But it looks to me like a vinyl replacement window in a buck. I have to disagree with Josh's idea that the jambs came attached. I suspect they just cut them to size on-site with a miter saw.@Marcus Auerbach Easiest way to handle it is to do it their way if they weren't sure about the painting characteristics of the PVC. Because the best way to get a finish that reliably smooth to go over the existing finish in any sort of reasonable time with water-based paint would probably be airbrushing. No way a window replacement company is going to provide equipment that delicate to its subs.

Furthermore, if you magnify, the caulk looks a bit shiny to me (where they botched the job in the corner). Probably some siliconized acrylic caulk like DAP Alex Plus, which, manufacturer's claims aside, simply does not take paint as well as regular acrylic caulk (DAP Alex).

They probably figured it was worth taking the risk of you complaining about it. But at $4K a window, hell yeah, they should have painted that caulk.

Ryan Normand · Answer

Was painting included in their price? Usually window installers install windows and painters paint. It's not unusual for a contractor to exclude painting from scope. It's not unworkmanlike, but it's also not finished. Someone just needs to come do touch up paint where they caulked and puttied. Check the contract to see who's responsible for that portion of the job. My only concern is that caulk looks very shiny, which makes me think they used the same Silicone caulk they were using to install the window to caulk the trim. They should have been using printable acrylic caulk on the interior trim details.

Also $4k per window is very high. We're they Andersen or high-end Pellas?

Josh Teunissen · Answer

Marcus, did they use prefinished material? I can't see in the photos, did they fill the nail holes and also not paint over?

The order of operations should be something like replace window, insulate, install new jambs and trim, Caulk, fill nail holes, and then paint it at the end. I'm sure all of which you already know.

What were the conditions that lead to this? Did the window company also install new trim? Did they use prefinished material?

I would not consider that best practice or a finished product. The next question is who was overseeing the project? A general contractor? Eventually the caulk will turn yellow. In all, the solution is to bring in a painter, which is the final step anyway.

I think your question was is it acceptable or standard practice. It's not. Which leads to my other questions. I spend a lot of time talking through the process of different construction/carpentry projects with my customers and setting expectations, so the story of this one is interesting to me.

Josh Teunissen · Answer

Also, thinking this through, probably the jambs were already attached to the window, and came prefinished. Everyone is sick of hearing this but it stands true "since covid" manufacturing standards have laxed to try and meet demand. Those jambs were probably not tight at the joints or they had to manipulate them in the feild to make it square ect. Which is hard to to when the jambs are already attached. The seams at the corners probably opened and the only remedy was to caulk vs. send the windows back and wait 6mo for replacement. Still, in a paint grade situation the jambs get caulked to the trim and everything painted last.

Blake Novotney · Answer

I always caulk prior to painting to prevent exactly what you see there... maybe there was a new guy on the job. Either way, if it bugs you, not too big of a job to be redone. Personally, it would drive my OCD nuts.

Scott Mac · Answer

Hi Marcus,

To me it looks like a workmanlike quality job.

If you (prefer) paint over the caulk, put that in writing pn your next instal.

I would use these guys again.

Ask them the (service life) of the brand of caulk they used (did you spec a particular brand (???) (ie 10 years then replace).

Cauk on kick boards at the floor is typicaly painted over, but to me the windows look just fine.

The will get painted on one of turns, and to me will look fine then too.

But call your contractor and see if the window manufacturer requires the caulk to be painted...if so and it's not you might have a problem with the warranty.

Good Luck!

Marcus Auerbach · Answer

You would think!!

Chris Seveney · Answer

@Marcus Auerbach

$4,000 per window? What was the size? Are these hurricane and bulletproof?

Expensive Window Replacement - Is This Acceptable?

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