Project Team

Builders: Dave Estes and Dee Thelen
Market: Sacramento, Calif.

Project Profile
Description: Use an Andersen feature window in place of a nondescript living room bay window to transform a tired floorplan into a showpiece.
Style: Contemporary
Type: New home (3,350 square feet).
Location: Sacramento, Calif.

Narrative
Key considerations: Estes and Thelen were building this home as a showcase for the Sacramento Street of Dreams. They needed something special to turn the standard floor plan into a show-stopping memory point, building in energy-efficiency and reducing UV ray infiltration.

Result: The Andersen feature window opened up the living room, giving new life to the room’s cathedral ceiling and facing balcony.

Highlight: In California, energy efficiency is a major issue. That’s one reason Estes and Thelen use Andersen in 90 percent of their projects.

Testimonials: "We needed to turn a tired floorplan into a showpiece. The Andersen feature window has great appeal." -- Dave Estes

Execution: Installation was easy, since Andersen had mulled the transoms to the lower group of windows, and the framer didn’t need to spend time attaching nailing fins since they’re part of the vinyl frame that Andersen extrudes at the factory.

Solution: Andersen engineering assistance helped Estes and Thelen refine their plan to 1/4" drawings complete with dimensions for the framer. Another set of drawings went to Andersen, which delivered the feature window in 20 days.

Design Solution

Let the Sun Shine In -- Without the Heat
In California, energy efficiency is a major issue. That’s one reason Estes and Thelen use Andersen windows in 90 percent of their projects. "It’s a major selling point," says Estes. "With a house this size (3,350 square feet), the owners could get a rebate as big as $2,000 from the utility company for having Andersen windows."

High-Performance™ glass is standard in all Andersen windows and doors, which gives them 41 percent more energy efficiency than windows with regular double-pane glass during hot summer months.

"Plus, Andersen doesn’t charge for tinting when most manufacturers do," says Estes. "With Andersen’s subtle tinting, you can hardly tell the difference," says Estes. "But my buyers know it’s there and it’s very important to them.

Featured Andersen Products
Andersen stock casements, fixed transoms and a custom segmented arch create a dramatic feature window. High-Performance glass is standard.