101 on Windows
...or fenestration, as my architect friends call it. The primary function of a window is to provide a link to the outside. This link needs a view of the ground and the horizon. Windows offer the opportunity to frame a view, direct light, allow cross ventilation, and connect us with our location.
How do I get my head around windows?
Look at the rough openings. In the Bay Area and Hawaii, my first cut for a total RO number is 25% of floor area. Budgeting costs range from $80PSF of rough opening for mid-market solution to $275PSF for a completely custom mahogany window system to $400PSF for a european import.
Had one quote for a french cast bronze system that was $2400PSF, but that is another story.
Multi-point, pocketing, casement, awning, double-hung, triple-hung or fixed sashes? Screens? Depends on how you use the opening--view, ventilation, daylighting.
Laminated glass is great for soundproofing, and you don't have those anodized aluminum spacer bars visible in a double paned window. Type of glass, low e, argon filled, etc--how much you use and where you use it is defined by your Title 24 calculation--this calculation determines how energy efficient your home is.
Final placing of windows needs to be done on-site--full scale model approach--with the rough frame of the building in place. Mock up the frame of the window and move it around until it feels right. Pay attention to the organization of the view and how the space inside relates to this. Be careful about windows on a western exposure--they tend to heat up the house when you least need it. Windows on a northern exposure are great for studio space.
Windows are a big part of your budget, but like the doors on your automobile, you use them a lot, and their mechanical function provides feedback on the quality of construction. They make a big difference in the delight and function you get from your home--so choose wisely.
