Attic Windows

Attic windows often have to be added or switched out in order to create more light and provide an emergency exit in bonus room projects in home attics. Doing a remodel like this involves many different elements, and one of them is converting what is essentially an area made for roofing ventilation into a living space. In many of these attic locations there are large gable vents to deal with. Some contractors choose to switch out those vents and replace them with windows. The important thing to remember if this option is chosen is that the ventilation previously provided by the gable vents has to be replaced somewhere. Air flow is essential especially when we choose to finish these spaces, because mildew and mold can result if we're not careful.

Installing Windows in an Attic

New windows in an attic might be done for a few different reasons. One might be because there are no window units at present and thus there is no sunlight coming in. Some contractors already have dormers figured in on the front and back of the design as it is just like an attic stair, but in other cases there are already window units extant in the attics. When this is the case, however, quite often they are fixed sashes and do not open or close. This is not acceptable to many people embarking on these projects, so in many cases they switch out the existing attic windows and replace them with new ones that open and close and that have a screen. This helps ventilate the area when it is needed and also provides an emergency escape in the case of fire or some other situation requiring evacuation.

Getting attic windows done whether they are new dormer units or otherwise is simple once you have the design in place and know what you'd like to do with the room. It is just a matter of getting some professional window installers out to the job and getting cost estimates to look at. But when you shop online, you can actually go one step further and make things even simpler. Use our free quote form to request quotes on new attic windows and get prices from locally licensed companies on the window products that fit your plans and ideas. There are many different ways to go with this part of the job and many different options, depending on the specifics of the project, the potential size of the units, and so forth.

Comparing prices on attic windows is an effective way to keep a lid on costs for the project as a whole. On jobs like these, there are some elements of expense that we have no control over; but others such as window materials we can control down to the penny if we know how. Using the online resources that are available to you free of charge makes it much simpler to do the windows in your attic for less. And this helps to open up the overall budget for the project, creating more wiggle room and helping ensure that the final tally does not exceed what you had hoped to spend.

Photos of Window Installations

Sometimes consumers have a hard time visualizing attic windows before they exist. For example, in the projects where dormers are added on the front and back of a gable roof, it is nice to have a little visual help seeing what this addition will do to the look of your home on the outside. Checking out pictures is extremely beneficial if we can find some that represent a similar project to the one we're proposing or working on. And while we're at it, it's nice to see process pictures of the whole job to get fired up and to begin to see in our minds what our attic might be like once it is finished. New windows are just one element, but sometimes they open things up to make room for the rest of the work to be done.

Attic windows occasionally are already situated exactly the way they need to be in a finished bonus room area; sometimes even production builders will include a feature such as this and will advertise the unfinished spaces when they market their homes. If your windows up there are double hung with screens and latches, you are lucky because it will save a large expense, not to mention time. The difficulty of attic remodels often hinges on the presence or absence of things like appropriate attic windows. To create a living area, we have to do what is necessary to open things up and let some light in. Existing attic windows with movable sashes greatly simplify the job and create some nice cost savings on labor and materials that can help us stretch our budget.