Windows Can Give New Look

Although Southern California has a reputation as a transient society, many of us like where we live. When real estate developers blanketed Orange County with tract homes, many of us headed south, opened escrow and planted trees. While our landscaping took root, so did we.

Although our children are grown and gone, good neighbors and favorite stores are still nearby. Besides, with today’s housing prices, many can’t consider moving. Yet, the real estate ads seem tempting, and model homes make us drool.

For many, remodeling is a practical solution. Adding new windows and doors is one of the easiest ways to update a house that now seems small--and dare I say it--boring.

If the windows are bays, the increase in space is an attractive bonus. Standard-sized, ready-made bay windows that “pop in” to the opening created when conventional windows are removed are the most economical, but custom-designed bay windows are becoming increasingly popular as homeowners seek new ways to make their homes distinctive.

Although a simple “change out” can be done in a matter of hours, if the opening needs to be enlarged, walls need to be moved, or a roof line needs to be adjusted, the structural changes will involve additional time and expense.

“For a properly sealed, dual-paned, wood-framed window with both seat and soffit (with the ‘ceiling’ or overhead portion) measuring 8 feet wide by 4 feet high, costs range from $1,200 to $1,500, depending on options such as special glazing, tinting and exterior cladding (specially treated aluminum over the exterior wood). The standard installation fee is an additional $300 to $500,” says Stevan Smith, salesman for Pella Windows in Corona. A less expensive product would run about 50% less, and a highly customized window could cost about 30% more.

Some things to consider are whether surrounding paint, stucco and veneers of stone or brick can be matched after the window is set in place. When window replacements are part of larger remodeling projects, each phase needs to be coordinated to minimize costs as well as inconvenience.

In the long run, however, well-executed architectural changes enhance a home’s livability and tend to raise the value of a house.