Bay and Bow Window Replacement
Bay Window Replacement and Bow Windows in Lenexa, KS
Bay window replacement in Lenexa is a common job on the 1970s through 1990s two-stories and split-levels, where the front-room bay has started to sag, leak at the seat or frost over in January. We replace the full unit with proper support and an insulated seat, and we also build new bow windows into flat openings, so the front room keeps its light without the draft.
Bay or Bow
A bay has three sections: a large center window with two narrower ones angled back to the wall, typically at 30 or 45 degrees. It pushes out farther and makes a deeper seat.
A bow uses four or more equal sections set at a shallower angle, so it makes a gentle curve. It reads better on a long, low wall and suits a ranch, where a deep bay can look tacked on.
Either one can open. Casements on the side sections are the usual choice because they catch a breeze, with a fixed picture window in the center.
Replacing a Bay That Sags or Leaks
Bays fail in recognizable ways. The seat dips toward the middle, or a gap opens where the top meets the wall. The interior seat board is water-stained. Paint peels on the little roof, or there's a dark line on the ceiling below. In winter the seat is the coldest surface in the house.
Almost all of it traces back to two problems. The unit was hung without enough support for its weight, and the seat and head were never insulated. A replacement fixes both: cable or bracket supports tied into the wall framing, foam insulation in the seat and head boards, and flashing that sends water away from the wall instead of into it.
Turning a Flat Window Into a Bay
A flat front window can become a bay or bow when the wall can carry it. We look at three things first. The header over the opening has to span the new width. The unit needs a clear path to its supports. And if the projection extends over a walkway or close to a side setback, it may need a review by the city or your homes association before anything is ordered.
Most of the time the existing opening works, or needs only modest widening. Where a new header is required, that framing is priced as its own line on the estimate.
Seat, Roof and Trim Choices
- Seat and head boards. Stain-grade oak or birch, paint-grade, or a solid-surface top for a seat that holds plants.
- Top. A small hip roof shingled to match the house, a copper or painted-metal roof, or no roof at all if the bay tucks under an overhang.
- Exterior. Factory-clad in a color that matches the rest of the windows, with no wood left exposed to paint.
- Interior trim. Casing to match the room, or a deeper wrapped return that gives the seat a built-in look.
Bay Window Replacement Questions
How do you replace a bay window?
The whole unit comes out together: the three window sections, the head and seat boards, and the roof or cable supports. We check the framing in the wall, add support where the old unit was hanging on nails and caulk, then lift the new bay in as one assembled piece, insulate the gaps, and finish the roof, trim and interior seat.
Can a bay window be replaced with a flat window?
Yes. Some owners would rather have the floor space back, or the old bay's framing is too far gone to carry a new one. The projecting box is removed, the wall is framed and sheathed flush, and a picture window or a row of casements goes in. Siding and interior drywall have to be patched to match, so plan for that work too.
How long does a bay window replacement take?
Usually one day for a same-size replacement. If the bay has its own small roof, that part can run into a second day while the roofing is matched and flashed. Converting a flat opening into a bay takes longer because the header and exterior work come first.
How much does a 6 ft bay window cost?
Width is only one part of it. Frame material, the angle, whether the units open, the seat and the roof all change the number. A national range from one cost guide is on our window prices page, and we'd quote yours line by line.
Send us a photo of the bay
An outside shot and one of the seat tell us a lot. We'll follow up to measure and check the framing.