visualization software?

[thatgirl2478]

I want to change the bow window on the front of my house to a flat, double hung, window(s) (less expensive, less chance of leaks).  The bow window needs to be replaced as do the other windows on the first floor (the second floor windows were just replaced this last summer).

Only problem is, I can't decide on the number/placement of the windows as the existing window is rather large (77"x66"). I'm hoping to be able to find a program that would allow me to see what a variety of window combinations might look like. So far everything I've been able to find literally freezes up or just plain doesn't work.

Any thoughts?

[sakura]

Have you tried SketchUp? It works great and is super easy to use and customize to anything you want, but I have a cadd laptop for work so I don’t know how it runs on a regular computer.

[thatgirl2478]

Feb 18, 2019 21:41:48 GMT -5 sakura said:

Have you tried SketchUp? It works great and is super easy to use and customize to anything you want, but I have a cadd laptop for work so I don’t know how it runs on a regular computer.

I have not... I'll look it up.  I suspect the learning curve is ... steep?

[mrsukyankee]

Could you ask the window company you are going to be working with to come up with a few options? That's what we did.

[sakura]

Feb 18, 2019 22:02:56 GMT -5 thatgirl2478 said:

Feb 18, 2019 21:41:48 GMT -5 sakura said:

Have you tried SketchUp? It works great and is super easy to use and customize to anything you want, but I have a cadd laptop for work so I don’t know how it runs on a regular computer.

I have not... I'll look it up.  I suspect the learning curve is ... steep?

There are tutorials online that will teach the basics without too much time invested. There’s also an online warehouse of anything you can think of to download, so you could search for the window type you are looking for and not need to create it from scratch. So it might not be too steep of a learning curve to get what you’re looking for, but the more detailed visualizations can get complex.

[thatgirl2478]

Feb 19, 2019 3:29:04 GMT -5 mrsukyankee said:

Could you ask the window company you are going to be working with to come up with a few options? That's what we did.

If I decide to do it, I'll be going through my GC who doesn't do a whole lot of that. He and I have a very informal relationship where I am the ideas lady and he does the work. Usually I know what I want... but this has me stumped.

Here's the front of the house. Ultimately the over grown, too close yews will be removed (probably this spring/summer) the other scraggly things are lilacs so I will try to save those.  We've already changed the 2nd story windows to double hung - so they have a cross bar in addition to a center frame. And those silly undersized garage lights have been replaced. When we get around to changing the siding (it will have to happen eventually, we have some that's cracked & warped) I'll change the garage door (hate those little 'decorative' corner things).  If we take out the bow window we'll have to buy a box of siding to patch where the roof over the bow is now.  Luckily that's the north side so the difference between old & new siding won't be super obvious (I might even have them harvest some old siding from the side of the garage and patch it with the new).

[bhnumbers]

do you know photoshop at all? you could just do a rough mock up using that. wouldn't be as cool as special software, but it could give you an idea of the proportions.

[aprilsails]

I would probably do a picture window with double hung sidelights. Will you go with the same manufacturer as the upstairs windows? I would ask the manufacturer for their recommendations. They often have customer service groups who help with design resources.

In terms of size, I might go a slight bit bigger to minimize the amount of siding patching required. Siding from the side or back of the house will not likely match due to colour deterioration from UV. Granted, that could be a pain if you aren’t planning on redoing window treatments on the inside of the house.

[thatgirl2478]

Feb 20, 2019 17:43:16 GMT -5 aprilsails said:

I would probably do a picture window with double hung sidelights. Will you go with the same manufacturer as the upstairs windows? I would ask the manufacturer for their recommendations. They often have customer service groups who help with design resources.

In terms of size, I might go a slight bit bigger to minimize the amount of siding patching required. Siding from the side or back of the house will not likely match due to colour deterioration from UV. Granted, that could be a pain if you aren’t planning on redoing window treatments on the inside of the house.

I'm going to TRY and go with the same manufacturer.  The company I bought the upstairs windows from bought another company and it seems like they consolidated some of their lines.

ETA - I'm not sure how much bigger we can reasonably go as we're within 9" of the ceiling on the inside now. :/

Renovations are FUN..right?

[Susie]

Feb 20, 2019 17:43:16 GMT -5 aprilsails said:

I would probably do a picture window with double hung sidelights. 

A couple houses in our neighborhood have done that where we have a bow window, and it looks good.  We have a side hall colonial with similarities to OP's.

[thatgirl2478]

Feb 20, 2019 20:51:50 GMT -5 Susie said:

Feb 20, 2019 17:43:16 GMT -5 aprilsails said:

I would probably do a picture window with double hung sidelights. 

A couple houses in our neighborhood have done that where we have a bow window, and it looks good.  We have a side hall colonial with similarities to OP's.

I wish we had a 'style' of house... we have ... 1990's suburbia. :/ But it suits our needs even if it's boring.