One thing to add, I guess my drapery panels would hide the two shorter windows. However, I really don't like the way the transom doesn't go over the entire window. I'm not a window expert by any means, but they really look "off" to me...

Did you pick out these transoms or did he? When we picked the transoms, there was a choice between blank like your, one rectangle grid or a double rectangle grid.

The ways yours are would bother me simply because it does not look cohesive like the other photo. If you are going to look at it every day once you move in and it will annoy you, it may be worth the cost :)

sweet.reverie, my builder picked out the transoms. HOWEVER, I did pick out the clear (no grid) doors in the center, as I was concerned about the beige grids. Now the beige doesn't bother me at all... I wonder if just adding a gridded transom would help? I just love the bottom photo (in above photo), and mine just looks kind of cheap or odd in comparison. It's weird to me that the windows don't go to the floor... My builder is our friend and I just don't want to rock the boat too much... but I really need to love my house!

This post was edited by southernmum on Sat, Apr 13, 13 at 10:58

The sidelights do not appear to be the same width as the door panels so to build the lower photo you would need to tear everything out and install a wider header which would be coldly in money and time. Whose fault this is depends on the drawings and the window schedule.

Just adding transoms shouldn't be a big issue--yes they will have to redo the framing there and it will cost time & money for the transoms and the framing correction/install. No way around that.

There are a few things throwing this window/door combination off--1) the grid to no grid is not a cohesive look like it is in the bottom pic. It really needed to be one or the other across all windows and doors. A side note on grids--they tend to make the window/door look more upscale & that's what the bottom pic has going for it, 2) the transoms above the doors but not the windows, 3) the height differential of the glass at the floor between the 3 units.

To get the look you want, you are likely going to have to completely replace the windows on the sides & add transoms (all without grids) or replace the door unit with transoms and buy transoms for the windows (all with grids). The second option may cost a little more, but it would be worth it IMO to get the look you want and not want to replace it every time you look in the dining room.

A note on the transoms above the windows--ask that the glass size for the transoms match the glass size of the ones above the doors. Often a 12" transom above a door is constructed differently than a 12" transom above a window and you could end up with a significant difference in glass size. Ask me how I know.

Hope this helps!

I think that adding in 1K of snap in muntins to avoid spending 10K on a new window/door assembly would be a good compromise. Maybe beef up a bit of the trim as well. Put a raised wood panel below the short windows to make the whole assembly seem one piece. And possibly simulate a transom over the side windows by beefing up the muntin that forms the horizontal line with the top of the door.

First, what was shown and specified on your drawings and specifications? That's what should be installed. If the installation is not what the construction documents called for, it's the builder's responsibility. If the installation is what was called for (or the documents were vague or did not cover the doors and sidelights, then it's your responsibility). A good compromise, if one is appropriate, is to share the responsibility 50-50 for any corrections.

That said, here's some other thoughts:

--Custom doors and/or windows are not generally returnable, so any replacements have to be re-ordered at the full replacement cost. Standard units may (or may not) be restockable, but certainly not once they are installed and become "used";
--A primary difference between your photo and the second photo is that your installation uses windows on either side of the doors, sized so that they are 18" above the floor, do not have to be tempered glazing (required by building code for glazing lower than that), and thus are cheaper than the second photo's installation. The second photo appears to use fixed panel doors (not windows) for the sidelights. They appear to be fixed, rather than operable as yours appear.

At the end of the day, the question is whether or not it is worth the $$ for the change. You'll know that on Monday when the builder tells you the cost for removal, re-order and re-installation.

Good luck on your project.

I love what live wire oak suggested. Her idea is a great compromise that will save you tons. I really think if the window order/elevation pictures showed the windows that you received, the cost of changing would be your cost. However, maybe your builder will eat some of the cost if he ordered the transom and did not share with your what they would look like.

Best of luck. I understand your need to get things looking right.

Carol

Just an aside. The pic you showed vs. What you have is different in that the sides are not a window, they look like stationary panel doors and yours is windows.

What does you plans look like? That is what I would expect the buldr to have installed and if he couldn't satisfy that with what was available then check with you guys.

When you do a door and transom next to windows you want a transom on it can get tricky. Depending on where you get the door and the windows from they may not provide the same size/style transoms. Have to be careful in how these things are picked when next to each other. Often not as noticeable if the doors and the windows are not right next to each others.

The french doors look fine. The sidelights look terrible. If u can lower them so that the top of the windows line up with the top of the doors, and order matching transoms, then i think it will look okay.

Can you scan the exterior drawing of your home so we can see the visual of your doors/windows?

The windows need transoms above them and the doors could use the grids to make the entire unit look cohesive.

If you have wall space next to the smaller windows - you should be able to stack drapery panels off the sides enough to not cover much of the side windows.

I agree that what you've got installed doesn't look nearly as nice and upscale as the picture you wanted.

I realize that it's tricky when your builder is also your friend - it's risky when you mix business and friendship... but he should also understand that this is YOUR house and that you need to be satisfied that you are getting what you thought was designed. So ~however it needs to happen... ie; YOU pay... your builder pays... or a combo of both of you... I say get what YOU want.

I'm curious if there was a window 'specifications' document/proposal made..??... one that you signed-off on..??.. After your experience I think I will insist we have one when we get this far in our build.

You need to look at what was on the plans and specified because if what you have is what was specified and in the contract any and all changes are you dime.

I wouldn't care if it were 10K to change. That would have to be changed. Those economy doors and wierdly pushed high windows have to be even uglier from outside. Especially if the rest of the home has the better looking simulated divided light windows. Snap in grills won't change the basic nature of the kludge. Replace it.

The doors/windows in the inspiration pic are a custom set of 4 patio doors mulled together with only the 2 inner ones operating all from the same manufacturer--likely a Pella, Jeld-Wen, Andersen or Marvin. We had something similar specced at one time and the cost was $3-4K with grids between the glass if I remember correctly. The cost skyrockets from there if you want simulated or true divided lites/grids. It is not easy to duplicate the look in the inspiration pic when you're using components from different manufacturers and mixing & matching windows and doors to get the effect you want.

What you have appears to be the standard box store style patio door set with a transom mulled above flanked by 2 double hung windows. The problem with these style doors is that they will not look flush like the windows as the glass is held in by a chunky plastic frame that screws in place on the inside and outside of the door. The window will never have that look. You can get closer to the look in your pic by using flush glazed patio doors which more closely resemble the window design for uniformity.

Changing the side windows to non-operational windows will also help achieve a cohesive look with the glass in the doors. I've linked to another thread that talks about flush glazed doors & mixing windows and doors below. If you need to use the pics in the thread to explain anything to the builder, you are more than welcome to do so.

No matter which way you go, make sure the glass sizes match up in the transoms across the entire wall and not just the height of the overall transom. (you'll see in the link what I mean).

Hope this helps!

Here is a link that might be useful: Flush Glaszed Patio Door Discussion w/ Pics

That's my dining room but I'm not home so I can't take anymore pictures for you.

I can tell you that they are Andersen doors. The two middle ones open and the outer two are stationary and the were specd by the architect and built specifically as the plans showed.

I tried to find another picture on my IPad and the only one I could find was this exterior shot while the home was under construction. Sorry.
{{gwi:1431378}}

Thanks for all the responses. I think there is some great advice here -- love this place! I agree that it's definitely not right, and plan on making changes. Wish me luck when we meet with our builder in the morning! Just hoping it doesn't cost a fortune to change, but I do know I can't live with it the way it is... Thanks!

Southernmum--Any agreement on a resolution yet? In case you need it, I saw a pic on another GW thread with the same configuration of what was originally installed all without grids. I've posted the link for you--it's the posting by 'parsonse'

Here is a link that might be useful: French Doors w/ Transoms Flanked By WIndows No Transoms & No Grids

mydreamhome, thanks so much for the link! I appreciate you posting that for me. Well, although it was painful, after discussing the situation with my builder, I finally told him that I just couldn't live with the windows like this in the dining room. (Keep in mind that the same "bad configuration" is also immediately below, in the basement.) Since the dining room is the first room you come to off the front foyer, it's going to be very visible and it's also a room we will entertain in a lot. So, I'm paying to have the dining room windows and french doors pulled out and replaced exactly like the picture I posted in my original post. I felt like I could live with the ones in the basement, as it will be mainly kids hanging out down there. Although I'm still waiting to hear the exact figure, it looks like I'm going to have to spend around $6,000 additional on the new door/windows. Since I have to walk by that dining room every single day, I must love it! Think it will be worth the extra expense.