Finding the right wood windows for your home will only be an exercise in patience. Someone will have the type of windows you want or be able to custom make them for your home. Many manufacturers still offer wood windows as their primary focus while others focus on different materials for construction. Standard fits of wood replacement windows are readily available for the average replacement project. If you have a non-standard replacement project you would like to get under way; then custom wood windows may be the appropriate route to take.
The phrase 'custom wood window' invokes a lot of different thoughts from a non-industry perspective. It seems reasonable to conclude that any customization of the windows would make them a custom wood window. Standard options exist that will augment the prices of the windows. Things such as multi-panes, grills, window glazing coats, and hardware are technically customizations; but they do not make a window a custom window. The industry definition refers more to the actual frame of the window. A custom wood window is one that must have a special frame designed and constructed for it or falls outside of the guidelines of what a manufacturer calls standard.
These values should not come as a surprise to you on your quote. The representative will normally inform you what falls outside of the range of standard wood windows.
When shopping for wood windows one will find that prices between standard and custom windows will differ. That is because custom windows require more effort to produce for the job. If your project is going to fall into a custom range with a manufacturer; check with others to see if it is standard for them. There is no universal standard as to what manufacturers consider custom versus standard. Therefore, it is important to shop around and get a variety of quotes. A minimum of five quotes from five different manufacturers is generally a good idea.
One will find the usual offering of styles in the spectrum of custom wood windows. If you are renovating a historic home; there are manufacturers that specialize in custom wood windows specifically for those projects. That way the integrity of the historic home design and style can be protected while still offering an improvement in energy efficient style.
Many of these manufacturers will offer hand-crafted, hand-joined models in a variety of different shapes and sizes to help homeowners maintain that historic look.
Though vinyl-clad and aluminum-clad wood windows are fairly new to the scene, these types of windows generally do not fall into the custom category. Custom wood windows will be solely crafted from wood. Clad windows are efficient and stylish choices to make for one's home that can provide greater efficiency. Clad windows may be customized in much the same way as wooden windows can be. If a window opening requires a slightly different frame or expanded construction; it may then fall into a custom order.
An important consideration to keep in mind when placing an order for custom wood windows is the return policy on them. Since they are being specifically crafted for your home and openings, many manufacturers will not accept returns on them unless it is due to production problems. Even then, they will likely replace the unit as opposed to offering a straight forward refund. Be sure to inquire with the sales representative and find out what the return and service policy is for your custom wood windows. You do not want to be presented with any unfortunate surprises regarding returns if you find you need to for reasons other than production or replacement.
Ordering custom wood windows for your home can offer a great deal of versatility and personalization to the process. If you have out of the ordinary sized frame openings for your windows, it will always be more effective to order a custom window instead of trying to make a standard work. The amount of damage that can be done to the interior of the wall and the frame from a poorly fitting window can result in thousands of dollars worth of damage that could have been saved by buying an appropriately sized custom wood window.
Raising home value and greatly increasing the attractiveness of your home is as simple as replacing ones windows. This is not necessarily an action to be...