Choosing the Right Windows for your New Custom Home

Floor to ceiling windows can be a fantastic design choice to let the outside, inside.

In my opinion, windows are the single most important material in your finished, custom home.

Shakespeare is quoted as having said, "eyes are the windows into the soul". My belief is that windows are just as important. You'll look out of your windows every day - whether if its to see who just pulled into the driveway, to take a break from looking at the TV, or to notice how clear the night sky is.

I tell every single client we have, that the best investment you'll make in your finished home is spending the money on good windows. Gone are the days of installing single-pane vinyl windows that will warp as soon as it starts getting warm outside.

But what makes a window, good? And why do good windows matter?

We're seeing a trend within the construction industry known as "open concept design".

Now, this isn't a new concept. Modernist home design has been around since the 60s, and features an emphasis on open spaces, function over form, and allowing the nature outside to settle in around you. I've heard it more aptly put as "building within your circumstance".

But a key to this modernist approach is lots of glass - this allows the homeowner to feel immersed in nature instead of feeling as though you're protecting yourself from it.

In the years since, construction materials have come a long way. The way we construct windows now is vastly different than how we did it 40 years ago. Although metal and wood frames still have their place in high end window frame details, we're utilizing fiberglass, plastics, and combinations of those materials to achieve a stable, durable window frame.

The window frames aren't the only things that have changed, the glass has changed as well. I mean, the glass itself hasn't changed for thousands of years, but the way we assemble the glass panes has changed dramatically.

Instead of a single pane of glass that heats up like a greenhouse in the sun, and cools rapidly when the sun goes down, we have double, even triple-pane window assemblies filled with unreactive gases that help limit solar heat gain, and even provide a measurable insulation value that helps limit cold spots in your home.

That's a lot of information. Fortunately, you can tell a lot about the quality of a window just by looking at the construction of that window.

So lets talk about that: "what makes a good window a good window?"

This is a bit of a loaded question. If you take a look at any major window manufacturer's website one of the first things they'll be selling you on is the materials used. A fiber-composite window frame from Andersen, for example, will be largely the same fiber-composite used in a window from Pella, or Milgard.

All three of the fiber-composite options from those three window companies are going to be similar levels of durability - and price. Where things start to change is double and triple-pane options.

More glass means more money. Where do you draw the line?

Well, that depends on the performance you want to get out of your windows. The more glass, the more thermal performance you'll get out of a window. With a triple-pane window, its almost like having a 2x4 wall filled with insulation in its place - that means a higher overall insulation value in your home, which translates to cost savings on heating and cooling.

For most homeowners, a double-pane window strikes a good balance between budget and energy-efficiency. These windows are also repelling a fair amount of heat in the form of UV coming though your windows when the sun is high in the sky. This is due to the unreactive gasses pumped in between the panes during construction (usually in the form of argon or krypton).

This is also important if you're building a new home and decide you want a great room with floor to ceiling windows. When the days start getting cooler and you start heating the home, those windows are more comfortable and will retain heat precisely because of that insulating layer.

So, unless you're trying to achieve passive house standards, double-pane windows will suffice for most homeowners.

Natural Light and Opening up Your Space

This is really the biggest reason for lots of windows, right? In the Walnut House we wanted as much natural light as possible, to the point where we designed the home around the windows. I knew they would be the architectural focal point, not only from inside the home but from the exterior.

In our case, we had to really upgrade our window package to keep the home comfortable in the winter. Windows were a huge percentage of our budget, but one that we felt was necessary to achieving the look we wanted.

So, as with anything in life, it's a balance, and ultimately a compromise. These are all options we weigh with clients during Pre-Construction - in the end, its up to your taste and your budget.

So, in my opinion, windows are the best investment you'll make into your home.

Whether you're building a new home or remodeling an existing, I will always pony up the extra money for good, quality windows. Not only are good windows aesthetically pleasing, they also serve as an important barrier and can help with the energy efficiency of your home. This is why windows are single most important element in a custom home.

If you're wondering what building a custom home here in Star Valley, Wyoming looks like,get in touch with me. You can fill out the form here, or give me a call directly - you can find that number at the bottom of the page. I'd be happy to walk you through the process and answer any questions you may have about what it looks like to build with Unshakeable Custom Homes.