steel pan windows need replacement

[George P.]

brick ranch house, about 60 yrs old. original windows are steel with steel pans (attached with metal clips to the studs).

Have been getting quotes from 6 contractors and the price is from $4500 to high of $5300. this includes cutting the steel pans off, building a wooden frame, foam insulation, alum trim outside, wooden sill inside and trim inside.

contractors act like this is impossible job to handle and i think they bid too high.

I priced basic American Crafstman windows at HD and it came out with LowE and Argon to $2400.

they quote Excalibur windows and i know they are paying less than 2k.

does $4600 seem like a good price? what do you think?

[George P.]

aaron, thanks for the reply. they are 10 windows. 6 of them are 31x37 double hung, two are ~54x45 sliders, one is 25x107 double end vent and 65x97 double end vent.

so far i have gotten 7-9 quotes and two guys said they dont have to build a buck frame around the windows, which means no alum trim on the outside. which means cheaper price. i might be able to get low e and argon in them for around $3200. will have to do the trim casing myself, but that's no big deal.