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My new house has no hurricane protection. I'd prefer impact windows since the windows are original (although not terrible) and I don't have to do anything if there's a storm. Accordions are nice too but not as clean looking but significantly cheaper from what I hear. Can anyone give experiences, cost, etc on either endeavor? Thanks
This is something we are going to have to address at some point as well for many reasons but so freaking expensive for impact. The metal paneling is a pain to store and put up (someone stole ours before we moved as well) and the accordions look rough at best. If you have old windows and doors, like we do, I think the energy savings would help with the cost a bit. We have a ton of triple sliding doors and I feel we are AC'ing the pool area and yard, plus they look dated and don't slide well.
Our neighbors have the smoothest sliding, clean looking doors in impact resistant and what a nice change. Downside, $20k plus to install doors only but updated look, hurricane protection, energy savings, and no worries when we get the warnings of an approaching storm. Just not having to run crazy, getting your house ready is enough of a reason to do impact resistant but that is just me.
I had panels in an old townhouse so it was just 2 sliding doors, a double sliding door, and one window. Installation was easy since we could just use wingnuts by hand. Accordions are very common down here so I'm kind of immune to seeing them. My current house has impact windows and they're so pretty and really bring up the look of a house. So fresh, so clean.
We were quoted $14.6k to install impact windows; we said no thanks.
Hate the way accordions look as well, so we went with panels... paid roughly $2.2k for materials and did the installation myself over a weekend's time.
Wanted a clean look with no tracks or tapcons being visible. Painted the caps the same color as the wooden trim that they're attached to; can't see them unless your super close.
From the last storm, it took me roughly an hour to put up all the shutters; same to put them all down and store them back in the garage.
Also - saved a ton on insurance when we renewed.
Only down side - get ready to drill a shitload of holes!
We were quoted $14.6k to install impact windows; we said no thanks.
Hate the way accordions look as well, so we went with panels... paid roughly $2.2k for materials and did the installation myself over a weekend's time.
Wanted a clean look with no tracks or tapcons being visible. Painted the caps the same color as the wooden trim that they're attached to; can't see them unless your super close.
From the last storm, it took me roughly an hour to put up all the shutters; same to put them all down and store them back in the garage.
Also - saved a ton on insurance when we renewed.
Only down side - get ready to drill a shitload of holes!
Originally Posted by Doom878
Plus I'd need a powerful drill for that concrete
Originally Posted by Doom878
Problem is my house is 2 stories. Panel on 2 stories is a PITA
It's better to get the storm panels that are metal. Nothing clear is going to stop a 2x4 or a piece of fencing flying in hurricanes.
Metal Panels on the 2nd floor are a Pain in the ass, but much cleaner looking than the accordion ones. New homes built in FL need to have the shutters from what a few realtors have told me since 2008. Store them in the corner of the garage and label them. Pretty easy. You can etch your address into the panel if you are really worried about someone stealing them but I doubt anyone will.
Expect to spend 2-4K on a 2 story house. New construction in 2007 cost me 4500 in FL with almost 20 large windows, 1 double slider and installation. Well worth the installation price as they used hammer drills that took still to do properly, esp on the 2nd floor and not damage the stucco. The caps were painted by me to match the house. Buy a ton of extras as they tend to stretch after a few removals and look terrible.
Impact windows are nice, but you are not going to get your money back on them when you sell a house. Low-E windows are nice to have and help lower your electric bill a lot! I pay less than $200 to keep 4000sqft at 75 including all other electric.
If you want to save a bit more money, good rubber backed heavy curtains are the way to go to help insulate a bit more, esp when you are not home.
If you do decide to do it yourself, grab 5 to 7 tapcon drill bit adapters to be on the safe side... I went through a couple of them as they wore pretty quickly due to extreme heat.
02-01-2017, 12:43 PM
