Front elevation window question

11 years ago

Hi all,

Back for some more good advice, if that is okay. We are now making some changes to the front of our house while we finish up an addition in the back of our house. We will be having a deck over our garage bump out which we are really excited about (see front elevation pictures below). However, in order to have a door onto the deck from the adjoining room, their needs to be an interior step up to the door (the thickness of the floor joist necessitate this so this is a must). The biggest problem is this deck door goes higher up than all the other windows on the front face, and in particular looks odd to us beside the window that is right beside the door and in the same room as the door.

A possible solution is to order a transom to go over the window that is beside the deck door, and in the process lower this window a few inches too as it has always been a bit high anyway. This way the top of the transom could line up with the top of the deck door. The framers have already needed to remove the window anyway, so it can be replaced wherever we decide.

Any thoughts on this idea, or any other ideas worth pursuing. TIA!

Carol

The below Sketch up of our front elevation is fairly accurate except the deck door goes a full 9 inches higher up than the window beside. Also, this elevation shows the deck door as a half glass door, but we are instead favouring a full glass deck door (to welcome those in the room out to the terrace).

The architect's elevation picture shows the cladding material on the house, except we will also have wood trim around the windows, and the front door has been changed to a double door like seen in the Sketch-up. Also, the style of our garage door is like the one in the Sketch-up.

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Comments (3)

PRO
Windows on Washington Ltd
11 years ago
Taking a transom to lower the overall height of the door is certainly feasible and most door manufacturers can do that.

The question becomes if the 9" transom is below the minimum requirements or will look busy.
ontariomom
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi WoW (Eric),

Thanks for your reply. The transom will not be used to lower the overall height of the deck door. The deck door has to be at the height it shows on the elevation. However, we decided we want the window that is beside the deck door (and in the same bedroom), to have the same minimal header above as the deck door (would result in a 5 inch header above both deck door and window). Therefore, we are considering taking the good quality vinyl window we have (2 year old window) and lowering it slightly to allow for a 12 inch tall transom to go above it. Will this look pieced together (even if it is)? I am assuming we need to go back to the same vinyl window company to order the transom (one without a sash) so it looks like it was designed that way to begin with. BTW, currently the vinyl window has been removed from the wall as the framers needed to take it out to do the front changes on the plan. Therefore, it can go at whatever height we request.

Carol
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ontariomom
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi again,

Just wanted to give a few more details on the window with transom, as I continue to puzzle over if this will look okay. I could for a price, just order a tall window instead, and maybe use the vinyl window in the garage (there is already a window in the garage, windows on the garage door, and a window on the man door). Anyway here is our plan if we use our current vinyl window in the deck room and top it with a transom so the window and deck door are at the same height (5 inches from ceiling for both). Please let us know if you see any concerns with this plan.

1)Our ceilings are 8 feet which can't change.

2)The transom could be 12 inches tall by 39 1/4 inch wide (Frame size). The window below will be 40 inches tall by 39 1/4 wide (frame size).

3)The window will be 42 inches off the ground

4)The current window is good quality vinyl, and we would endeavor to bolt on a fiberglass transom. We prefer to do a fiberglass transom on top to minimize loss of glass as the vinyl windows do reduce glass as compared to fiberglass.

Any thoughts, concerns, ideas?

Thanks,

Carol

Front elevation window question

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Front elevation window question

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ontariomomOriginal Author

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ontariomom
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