Had 17 IGUs replaced about two years ago, $2200. These are wood windows, and I'm not thrilled at the replacement. They remove the exterior molding strips to replace, and the actual re fastening was not all that neat, I've gone around and recaulked most of them.
I doubt that unless you're in a really extreme climate there is much payback in replacing the glass. I suspect if your windows are old there's as much thermal loss in the actual sealing of the moveable parts as in the glass itself. I have two upstairs wood windows on north side where moisture is a constant issue, started to rot one of the sashes. By the time I got the custom fit, right color, etc from Lowe's, the Pella replacement units were about $375 each. Replaced myself and they look and operate great. So, while it was my labor on this project, it was less expensive to replace the unit than to pay someone to do a crummy job of replacing the glass. I can do the what is called "pocket replacement" primarily from inside whereas the glass unit replacement is done from outside. I don't care to do that up on a ladder so replacing glass on any upstairs not an option I care to tackle.
Edit: Bad math. 4 panes would have been $520; the two units were $750.
I doubt that unless you're in a really extreme climate there is much payback in replacing the glass. I suspect if your windows are old there's as much thermal loss in the actual sealing of the moveable parts as in the glass itself. I have two upstairs wood windows on north side where moisture is a constant issue, started to rot one of the sashes. By the time I got the custom fit, right color, etc from Lowe's, the Pella replacement units were about $375 each. Replaced myself and they look and operate great. So, while it was my labor on this project, it was less expensive to replace the unit than to pay someone to do a crummy job of replacing the glass. I can do the what is called "pocket replacement" primarily from inside whereas the glass unit replacement is done from outside. I don't care to do that up on a ladder so replacing glass on any upstairs not an option I care to tackle.
Edit: Bad math. 4 panes would have been $520; the two units were $750.
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