A bay window creates extra space within a room. It extends beyond the walls and boundaries of the house. On the outside it is clearly bound by window frames. On the inside the floor of the room is usually on the same level as the window. Sometimes the bay window spreads over multiple floors. The bay window floor will be on the same level as the lowest floor it's connected to. When you look at the build plan it will either show as square or polygonal.
Origin and features
Most often the inside corners of the bay window vary from 90 to 135 and 150 degrees. These windows are associated with the Victorian architecture. The Victorian style is very well recognizable. It shows in the types of wood used in the windows. The most common types are Mahogany, oak and walnut. These are all darker types of wood. The windows itself typically wear grand, billowing styles and contain luxurious gathers, swags and tassels. A common decoration in bay windows is stained-glass. These windows gained popularity in the 1870's and are still very popular. It is often seen in more expensive houses, villas and castles.The benefits of a bay window in your house
Bay windows are often placed in smaller rooms to make them look bigger. It's a quite expensive solution, but can be a nice addition to the room. These kinds of windows bring a lot of natural light into the room, which is very important for the look and feel of the room. It also provides a view of the world outside the window that is impossible to attain with a ordinary window. These benefits make it a very interesting choice in a city with limited space. Compared to a balcony it is also a dryer and windless solution!Rules regarding these windows
The rules differ for every country, since there are different building regulations in every country. In America the Building act was undergoing some changes in 1894. The result was that windows didn’t have to be flush with the exterior wall anymore. This made it possible to make windows a extension of the room. The Victorian style used this to her advantage by implementing windows in bays.The cost of a bay window
Since every bay window is different, it is difficult to give a precise price. It is sure though that a bay window is more expensive then a normal window and contains more glass then a normal window. Furthermore it is expensive in maintenance, since it contains extra wood. Therefore it is not advised when you want a cheap solution. For double glazing of one bay window with five panels of regular size the prize will be around 2000 dollar inclusive the placing costs.