ArcaMax

A casement window is a good choice when a room needs ventilation, because it opens on its side at the turn of a crank so it’s easier to operate than lifting a traditional double-hung window. We’ve used a casement in small bathroom makeovers, because their narrow shape takes up so little wall space but allows opening and closing with relative ease.

Like any good window design a casement closes tightly and prevents air infiltration with the bonus feature of a foldaway handle that won’t interfere with shades or blinds. You’ll find casement windows, made of wood and vinyl and in a variety of sizes and shapes, sold at home centers, lumberyards and window companies.

A window company will charge $341 to replace an old window with a new, good quality 2-by-4 foot wooden casement style window. That’s assuming the new window is the same size as the existing one and it will fit into the rough opening so it’s a direct replacement. If enlarging or decreasing the opening is needed, the carpentry work on the interior and exterior will increase the cost.

You can buy the unit for $245 and install it yourself, pocketing a 28% saving. You’ll need carpentry skills and tools and several hours to remove the old window and prepare it for the new one. The installation involves positioning and securing the new unit in the opening, finishing it with trim and molding on the interior wall and then on the exterior siding of the house.

Pro Cost: $341 — DIY Cost: $245 — Pro time: 1.6
DIY Time: 5.0 — DIY Savings: $96 — Percent Saved: 28%

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To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and questions, visit www.diyornot.com and m.diyornot.com on smartphones.

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