Replace a window with Bay Window?

Eusibius2 · 10-09-2009, 11:24 AM

First - I apologize if this is in the wrong sub-forum, please feel free to move to a better section...

So... We just bought a house and the front window is quite old and is drafty. The rest of the house has new windows (uniformly white vinly throughout). My wife and I are contemplating replacing the front window with a bay window, but don't really want to put much effort into looking if it's going to be too expensive. The main window is roughly 5'7" x 5'11". The little side window (16" x 5'11") will also need replaced, but when replaced doesn't even need to open.

So how much are we talking about, ballpark? $500? $1,000? $2,000? $5,000? More?

Of course, we'll go out and do homework and get several quotes, but for now, we're just dabbling in the idea. If it's gonna be way over our heads, then we'll just replace with like-kind. Otherwise, a bay window would look nice, don't you think? Oh, and YES - that awning is going to go no matter what we decide to do!

Thanks for your help and input!!!

Scuba_Dave · 10-09-2009, 11:30 AM

If that side faces South you may regret removing that awning come summer
Are those bushes right in front of the window ? Are they coming out?
Basically you (should) have a header over that window right now
Unless those are seperate windows & there are 2x's between them?
And it does have a gable front, which takes some of the load off

I have a bay window that was built from 3 seperate windows
I'm rebuilding it using 3 seperate windows again
Single windows are easier to handle or replace if broken
The Andersen high efficiency glass windows will run me about $1200 total
There is a 30% Tax credit on windows that meet specific energy code

Are you installing this yourself?

Eusibius2 · 10-09-2009, 11:46 AM

Dave - lots of questions, I like it!

The window faces West, not south, and we are putting in a nice big oak tree on the side of our front yard this fall - it will eventually provide more shade for the front of the house. The bushes in front are going to be coming out and replaced with something much more manageable.
I'm pretty certain it is only 1 window in front and 1 on the side with probably several 2x at the corner. There is no gable front.

Right now, we're doing some general exploration and haven't decided if we are going to do ourselves or hire out. Will eventually depend on how much time we have to devote to it (when we decide to do it!).

Scuba_Dave · 10-09-2009, 12:10 PM

The gable front is the roof peak in the front
This distributes the roof weight to the sides of the window
I'm not sure how many venting windows you have on that side (front?)
So that side window you may want to keep as a venting window

Putting a bay window in can be a pain, but at least yours is at ground level
The one I am replacing is up higher, so I am installing new support joists & single windows
I'd have to hire someone to put a 1 piece bay in

Clutchcargo · 10-09-2009, 12:10 PM

A bay window would look great in that location. But then, any idea that involves getting rid of that awning would look great.

I've got an andersen bay window that was 4 double hung windows (2 in front). It was mulled at Andersen. The window itself was just under $2000. The install of the window itself was very easy. The roof that I built over the window came out looking great but took me 4 days to do because I opted for the more difficult trapezoid angles and I'm not a pro.