By Stacey Marcus and Crystal Pieschel
Whether you own a home on the coast, are building an oceanfront residence, or reimagining a seaside cottage, you need to think about windows and doors differently than your friends who live far from the shore. You probably know that you need high-performance solutions to deal with the myriad challenges associated with living on the coastline.
The windows and doors you choose are critical. As the local Marvin windows and doors expert, no one understands this better than Mid-Cape Home Centers. Every day, our clients rely on us to provide expertise and topnotch customer service to help walk them through the process of designing and purchasing windows and doors. We understand this can be a daunting task and we are here to help you get the discussion started today. Here are a few things you may also want to consider when selecting windows and doors for your coastal home:
- “Windows and doors represent 5 percent to 10 percent of the construction cost of a new house,” says Rob Whitten of Whitten Associates in Portland, Maine. He notes that selection of windows and doors are one of the most important decisions you will make when building a home. He advises to make good long-term decisions when selecting windows and doors for your coastal home.
- You can match your personal design style in every detail of your windows and doors. If you love infusing your personality into your home interior and exterior, you can have a blast choosing a metal finish for your hardware, selecting your interior finish and considering the pattern the wood bars make on the glass. With Marvin windows and doors, meeting coastal conditions doesn’t mean you have to give up style and craftsman-quality.
- While every home is different and requires custom solutions, it is best to stay with standard window and doors sizes when possible unless the space requires a custom size, advises Whitten, noting the cost savings on items like shades and curtains when you select standard sizes.
- While one specific window or door solution may work on one side of the house, another side may require a different selection because of risk factors such as sun exposure or tropic depression. Work with a professional team that understands the conditions of your specific region and what solutions work best for performance, especially on the coastline.
- Performance trumps aesthetics when it comes to coastal windows and doors. Just when you were bringing out your inner design child, you need to remember that coastal conditions under the direction of Mother Nature bring a unique set of challenges that require a high-performance window and a company with exceptional support and service. Be smart and select windows and doors that offers both high performance and design options.
- Homeowners can customize windows and doors to meet Sea Turtle Conservation Codes, which help to reduce the light and reflection that can confuse sea turtle hatchlings.
- There is a lot more to think about than just purchasing a window or door for your coastal home. “Beyond buying a window or door, you need to think about the service and support you will receive during and after construction,” notes Anne Whitney of Anne Whitney Design in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It’s not a turnkey task, which is why Mid-Cape and Marvin partner to offer the local support required at every phase of a project.
- Once your coastal windows are installed, regular maintenance is imperative to keep them working smoothly. Be sure to check the interior and exterior finish, make sure the hardware operates smoothly and remove sand, dirt or dust from hinges, sills and tracks. With customization capabilities, exclusive innovations, high-performance energy efficiency options, and unmatched personal local service at every point in the process, Mid-Cape Home Centers and Marvin can help you find beautiful windows and doors for any project.
Crystal Pieschel is Marketing Director for Mid-Cape Home Centers. She can be reached at cpieschel@midcape.net or (508) 760-4406. Written with collaboration from Mid-Cape and Marvin product specialists.
