One head scratcher for us when we are dealing with our clients is: “what should these windows look like when we are done?” The not so precise answer is: “it depends”. Not everyone wants to spend the $1,500-$2,000 needed to fully restore a window to like new condition, if they do, we can help them, but what are the tradeoffs? We approach the matter more as a consultant, and take the following matters into consideration to help our clients reach sound decisions on fit and finish.

• “Porch Windows” Which windows are most important and most visible? We call them “porch windows”, the ones that are seen and enjoyed the most. They can get an extra bit of TLC during our process, a smooth sill, a clean meeting rail, extra attention to glazing “lines” and so forth. Compared to a second story window “around back” that is not really visible, these tend to be a higher priority for aesthetics – kitchen windows, nursery windows etc – and more time is spent on them – using freed up budget dollars from other windows that need to function as intended but might not need to be as “pretty”
• GUI – glazing under the influence – we see some UGLY glazing – but a lot of it is sound and serves its purpose, and can live on with a paper bag over its head knowing that if all else fails, its mommy still loves it. However, even crisp new paint lines cannot overcome some of the yuck we encounter. Removing old glaze putty is tedious, and drives up costs, so we help clients pick and choose glazing battles. If you are going to see it every day and will notice it, let’s fix it, if not, let’s do what we can and get a really sharp paint job on it. 
• Hardware maketh the sash – Underneath 78 coats of paint is often some beautiful hardware, but sometimes, the hardware is just old junk. Whether replacing locks and pulls or cleaning them up (and sometimes pulleys) – these details really make a difference – at a low cost. (hint, sometimes a lot more efficient to replace than clean, even with a quality upgrade – all else being equal)
• White lines, do it? – Grand Master Flash would not like our philosophy, we think paint is so critical to our work that we want to see the project through to the finish. Crisp lines and fresh paint are the garnishes on a great dish, and worth the extra time to do it right. Bad painters at some point in the past give us most of our work, so we thank them (ha!) but we do not want to replicate them by any stretch, 

In sum, it is hard to predict exactly what our clients want in advance of starting work, there usually is a “fit and finish” tweak or two along the way… We structure our services to accomodate all wishes and needs, and really focus on helping clients understand the backdrops and tradeoffs behind each decision.