What will make your home stand out? Bay or bow windows.
Your home’s exterior is the face it shows the world. What’s inside counts too, but most people who walk or drive by your house won’t see the inside — they’ll only see what you show them. What are you showing them now?
Even if you’ve kept up your home’s appearance, that’s not the same as optimizing it. Is your home’s exterior the best it can be? We thought not.
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One of the best ways to make your home distinctive is to add bay or bow windows. Especially if you live in a neighborhood of cookie-cutter homes, this upgrade can make a huge difference, not just in appearance, but in property value as well.
Homes built just after World War II were put up quickly to house all the soldiers returning home and their growing families. The quality of construction was high, but the push to get them up ASAP meant that not a lot of time was spent on developing new blueprints. Hence, homogenous land.
Houses built after this time period might have more varied looks, but these looks may be dated.
If you’re lucky, your older home has a large front window, or even a picture window. These are the easiest to replace with bay or bow windows because no wall demolition is necessary. However, if you have a small or regular-sized window, the project certainly still can be done, and your results will be doubly dramatic.
WHICH IS BETTER?
Once you’ve decided on this exciting improvement, you have to ask yourself — bay or bow? Bay windows are a bit simpler because they use fewer windows and are constructed at angles. Typically, one center window is flanked by two smaller windows in a trapezoid shape.
With bow windows, you have a more rounded shape, like an archer’s bow. The number of windows and the complexity of construction make the cost of installing these windows 10 to 15 percent higher than a bay window.
ROOF OFFERINGS
The type of roof you choose for your bay or bow window also makes a big impact on the look of your home. Many homeowners go with standard asphalt shingles, but especially if your window is facing the street, you may want to consider something more interesting and attractive.
Copper is beautiful and makes for a lovely, soothing sound when it rains. It’s true, copper doesn’t come cheap, but a bay or bow window is the perfect place for it — you can get a top-of-the-line product without breaking the bank because you only need a little bit.
If you’re hesitant, consider another type of metal, or plastic designed to look like copper — most people couldn’t tell the difference from the street.
For more ideas about ways to improve your home’s look and curb appeal, call Renovation by Burbach. We’re the experts in exterior solutions for all kinds of homes, and we can help you plan your installation of bay or bow windows.