replacement windows: grids? or no grids?

[Jodi-FL]

Would you rather see windows with no grids? or with grids? the traditionalist in me likes the look of windows with grids, especially from the street, but the view without grids seems so much clearer/less cluttered. the price difference is minimal (what's $600 when you're spending $4,000?) but re-sale value is important, since we don't plan to be in this house forever.
what do you think?

[momofkhm]

I haven't cleaned them yet and have convinced dh that we (me and children) like them better without. It does look less cluttered and clearer. But it also seems like more light comes in. (Yea, right!)

Anyway, I like it better without. DH says I need to keep the grids b/c what if the next people who buy the house want them?

[DollyM]

Is this not an option for you? I've alternated during the past 25 years between grids and no grids. I just pop 'em out when I'm hankerin' for a clear view, and pop 'em back in when I'm feeling 'traditional.'

Our windows are Andersen double panes and still is great shape after 25 years in this house. The actual plastic grids started breaking (we remove them completly for cleaning) at around 20 years old - so we replaced them, but the actual windows seem like new to me. And now my "grids" are new again, too. Whoohoo.

Our neighborhood is very traditional looking and the grids DO look better from the streetside - but sometimes I just take them out for a change.

[Lorna in the boonies]

We just replaced our windows, and we went without grids. The reason? The window guy asked dh when I wasn't around!

I wanted them, but dh didn't. He also said that the window guy suggested not getting them, but he didn't tell me his reasoning.

(To be fair to dh, we had not discussed the issue beforehand. Dh just knew he didn't like them, and when the window guy's recommendation coincided with dh's opinoin, he went with it.)

[Tap, tap, tap]

We have grids on the front windows (that show to the street) and no grids on the rest. I am so used to the grids now I had to get up and check to make sure they really were there! LOL I like clear in the back so my view to the outside isn't broken up.

On the front, I like that they break up the view of people on the outside looking in. A neighbor has clear front windows and when you look at her house, you look straight into her living room.

Even when our blinds and shears are open, it definitely breaks up the view.


That said I would ask the window guy what the most current trend is. You wouldn't want to put in a grid or look that is on its way out of style.

[Claire]

The only thing about going no-grids is it's not a good idea if you have windows facing woods. We have a lot of no-grid windows, but birds often kill themselves because they see the woods reflected in the windows. :(

[Michelle T]

We had a large addition to our house during 2007, and chose not to put grids on the new windows, although we went with grids on the french door.

But the new windows look out into our very nice backyard (we also redid the entire backyard during the addition, and it is quite spectacular now, if I may brag a little! :cool:

I do like the look of grids, and if we ever get around to replacing our old windows, I might go with grids on the windows that just look out onto the street, or onto a neighbor's house.
Michelle T

[wide eyes & laughter]

For resale, imo, extra touches can go far. If you live in a cookie-cutter house (like we do), it would be a nice addition of flavor to the neighborhood. At least the buyers would have a choice to take them out, like we did, ahem. (But we removed them b/c they were tattered looking and detracted from a clean look.)

[kaylk in tx]

we replaced all our windows 2 yrs ago (except for the french doors) and went with no-grids. the windows are so much easier to keep clean, no more teeny little rectangles to wipe. when we replace the french doors, i'm insisting no grids as well.

kay

[Krista in LA]

But my windows have the grids in between the two panes of glass. They are flat and not as fancy as real grids, but they don't get in the way of cleaning. I would get them again.

[Scarlett]

If the grids are inside the glass, it is really just a matter of preference---if you have a view, you will not want the grids to obstruct it. However, never, ever, ever, buy windows with grids on the outside. You will curse them and scream in agony each time you attempt to clean them. Then you will decide that the tongue and nose print of your dog and the nose and hand prints of your little boy and all his neighborhood friends don't really look that bad and then you will never clean your patio window again.

[cin]

The only thing about going no-grids is it's not a good idea if you have windows facing woods. We have a lot of no-grid windows, but birds often kill themselves because they see the woods reflected in the windows. :(

Birds do this in our back window, but we don't have any woods, I think they are just attacking the 'other' bird. Actually none have actually died (at least not instantly) but they do whack into it periodically. I even have a picture of the outline of one of the birds....:rolleyes:

[Crissy]

We just replace our windows and went for prairie style grids. They are between the panes of glass, so are easy to clean. I love the look. It's uncluttered, but adds a nice bit of detail.

[Jodi-FL]

the grids are between the glass, so it wouldn't be a hassle to clean.

I think we'll go with the idea of grids on the front of the house, but not the rest (which is what the window guy suggested for us) he says it really is all about personal preference, because he does pretty much 50/50 of each.

thanks all!